tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45098403967669776492024-03-13T16:09:17.174-04:00oh, restless birdShe Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.comBlogger337125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-54989885431083476532017-12-11T13:24:00.003-05:002017-12-11T13:28:02.725-05:00Book Review /// Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God by Brian Zahnd<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">About <i>Sinner's in the Hands of a Loving God</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Does God's Wrath Define Christianity? Or Does God's Love?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">In his famous sermon - Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God - Puritan revivalist Jonathan Edwards shaped predominating American theology with a vision of God as angry, violent, and retributive. Three centuries later, Brian Zahnd was both mesmerized and terrified by Edwards's wrathful God. Haunted by fear that crippled his relationship with God, Zahnd spent years praying for a divine experience of hell. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">What Zahnd experienced instead was the Father's love--revealed perfectly through Jesus Christ--for all prodigal sons and daughters. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">In </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sinners-Hands-Loving-God-Scandalous/dp/1601429517/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513016578&sr=8-1&keywords=sinners+in+the+hands+of+a+loving+god">Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God</a></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">, Zahnd asks important questions like</span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818;"> </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Is seeing God primarily as wrathful towards sinners true or biblical? Is fearing God a normal, expected behavior? And where might the natural implications of this theological framework lead us? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">Thoughtfully wrestling with subjects like Old Testament genocide, the crucifixion of Jesus, eternal punishment in hell, and the final judgment in Revelation, Zahnd maintains that the summit of divine revelation for sinners is not </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">God is wrath</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">, but </span><i style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">God is love</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818;">.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I really put this book through a thorough beating with all my highlighting passages and dog-earing so very many pages. This book will be one I keep in my permanent home library, and a read I'll gladly recommend to all of my blog followers + friends + family.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"></span>It did take me quite some time to finish reading this book, I'll admit. But it only took a few months because I felt like I had to stop every few pages to sift through the immense glorious weight of the words to be met with a deepening of both heart and wisdom in each chapter. This book really is scandalous, in that it contradicts and tests our previous perceptions of who God is, where heaven will be, and what true love and justice should look like (if you grew up in the same church denominations, with the same or similar biblical teachings that I did, that is, this will be utterly eye-opening for you, too, I imagine.) </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">SITHOALG asks us questions such as: <i>Is God really just an angry man in the clouds condemning sinners to hell, or is there more to Him?</i> For some time now I have thought there was much more to God than all of these "anger man - old school uber fundy teachings," even before I read Zahnd's book, but I believe in The God of Gracious Love made perfectly known through Jesus Christ even more so now. God is compassion and grace and love and heaven itself with outstretched hands seeking to comfort and save, not to punish or damn away his children just because. We are not Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God as Puritan Revivalist Jonathan Edwards once taught, NO, instead we are Sinners in the Hands of a LOVING GOD revealed to us through The Son of Man who is Love. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I could go on and on about this freeing/challenging book, and someday I just might, but for now I'm gonna shut up about the revelatory amazingness that was <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sinners-Hands-Loving-God-Scandalous/dp/1601429517/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1513016578&sr=8-1&keywords=sinners+in+the+hands+of+a+loving+god">Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God</a> and just ask you to go pick up a copy and meditate on these words. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">My Favorite Exceedingly-Eye-Opening Lines + Passages from <i>Sinner's in the Hands of a Loving God</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><i><br /></i></span>"We must constantly resist the temptation to cast ourselves in the role of those who deserve mercy while casting those outside our circle in the role of those who deserve vengeance. Jesus will have no part of that ugly tribalism and triumphalism. Clinging to our lust for vengeance, we lose Jesus. But if we can say amen to Jesus closing the book on vengeance, then Jesus will remain with us to teach us the more excellent way of love." [page 45]<br />
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"It's not biblical justice that we pursue but Christlike justice. Biblical justice may call for the punitive measures of stoning sinners and executing idolaters, but Christ clearly calls us to a higher ethic of mercy." [page 59]<br />
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"If we claim that it was God who required the crucifixion of Jesus, we seek to clothe with false dignity the very structures of sin that Jesus deliberately stripped bare and put to open shame in his death!" [page 107]<br />
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"Revelation isn't about the violent end of the world; it's about the end of the evil of violence. The book of Revelation doesn't anticipate the end of God's good creation; it anticipates the end of death-wielding empire." [page 155]<br />
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"The big story the Bible tells doesn't end with people going off to heaven but with heaven coming to earth. The coming of New Jerusalem is celebrated as a great wedding. Just as Jesus began his earthly ministry at the wedding in Cana, now the ascended Christ presides over the marriage of heaven and earth." [pages 186-187]<br />
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"God saves the world not through the impatience of violence but through the infinite patience of divine love." [page 206]<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;">Stars In The Vast Sea of Books!? FIVE STAR WONDER! ****</span><br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M3hksdGvh_k/Wi66Qk3k8rI/AAAAAAAAHxM/hQBKqS-z5hs0C3a9JGrNMEA7grQxuAS_QCLcBGAs/s1600/Brian%2BZahnd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="564" height="281" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M3hksdGvh_k/Wi66Qk3k8rI/AAAAAAAAHxM/hQBKqS-z5hs0C3a9JGrNMEA7grQxuAS_QCLcBGAs/s320/Brian%2BZahnd.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;">About the Author</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">Brian Zahnd is the founder and lead pastor of Word of Life Church in St. Joseph, Missouri. As the lead pastor, he is the primary preacher during our weekend services, and he oversees the direction of the church. Pastor Brian is a passionate reader of theology and philosophy, an avid hiker and mountain climber, and authority on all things Bob Dylan.</span><br />
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<span id="freeTextContainerauthor885279"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><br />He and his wife, Peri, have three adult sons and five grandchildren. He is the author of several books, including <i>Unconditional?</i>, <i>Beauty Will Save the World</i>, <i>A Farewell To Mars</i>, and <i>Water To Wine</i>.</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #58595b; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Facebook: </span><span style="color: #58595b;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BrianZahnd/">https://www.facebook.com/BrianZahnd/</a></span><br />
<span style="color: #58595b; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Twitter: @BrianZahnd</span><br />
<span style="color: #58595b; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Instagram: @brianzahnd</span><br />
<span style="color: #58595b; font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Blog: </span><span style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="color: #58595b;">https://brianzahnd.com/</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">Big shout out to </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.BloggingForBooks.org&source=gmail&ust=1467833890499000&usg=AFQjCNG4bYEvRN0H2lN3NaOYEiIgEc4XhA" href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" style="color: #1155cc; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a><span style="text-align: center;">, as I received this book from them for this review.</span></span>She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-51505044586634255982017-08-13T19:05:00.000-04:002017-08-13T19:05:08.832-04:00Book Review /// Nothing To Prove by Jennie Allen<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GhZPU5TIEcc/WZDUdFRdZfI/AAAAAAAAHwM/jJH6HnxWOzkGmjJw7pvZCCI9WQEZqEZUACLcBGAs/s1600/9781601429612%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="460" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GhZPU5TIEcc/WZDUdFRdZfI/AAAAAAAAHwM/jJH6HnxWOzkGmjJw7pvZCCI9WQEZqEZUACLcBGAs/s400/9781601429612%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="262" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">About <i>Nothing To Prove</i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">No More Pretending. No More Performing. No More Fighting to Prove Yourself. Are you trying your best to measure up—yet you still feel as if you’re losing ground? You are not alone. Jennie Allen understands the daily struggle so many of us face with the fear that we are not enough. And she invites us into a different…</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">My Thoughts On <i>Nothing To Prove</i></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">I enjoyed savoring this easy, yet perfectionist-person-challenging, read, which basically meant this book was written for people exactly like myself. Ha. Because I'm one of those try-too-hard types, too, and this book was exactly the real-grace-talk I needed. It felt like an equal helping of an oh-so-needed-girls-talk-sesh, a bible study, and Jennie's own personal life-story wrapped into a pretty gold studded blue book. And it all worked. This is a book I'll be passing around to my girlfriends, for sure! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Andalsoplustoo, my favorite chapter was No Longer Passive. It was one of those chapters that stays with you long after you read it--it is most defintely one that the church should be focusing on right now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My Favorite Lines + Passages from <i>Nothing To Prove</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br /></i></span>"The old cheap wine of measuring up and stale religion is gone. But the new wine answers our deepest craving--and it never runs out. The nearness of Jesus is enough to infuse joy in the midst of everyday experiences." [pg. 90-91]<br />
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"It was the beauty and the creativity and the glorious nature of uniquely crafted individuals, learning to appreciate and love what is different instead of fearing it. I had built a world that looked jut like me. In moving outside the box I had erected, I saw more of God. I saw how diverse and good His Kingdom is." [pg. 152-153]<br />
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"We tend to make most of our decisions based on our fears rather than on our faith." [pg. 155]<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stars In The Vast Sea of Books!? FOUR STAR WONDER! ****</span><br />
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iqjSzLKiJwA/WZDa-Y7txlI/AAAAAAAAHwc/nUV2FJXP1uY3mF6lEiNPQMZ_N6ChT1MWACLcBGAs/s1600/2138194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="371" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iqjSzLKiJwA/WZDa-Y7txlI/AAAAAAAAHwc/nUV2FJXP1uY3mF6lEiNPQMZ_N6ChT1MWACLcBGAs/s320/2138194.jpg" width="263" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">About the Author</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: medium;"><b style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b;">Jennie Allen</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;"> is a recovering achiever who is passionate about Jesus. She is the best-selling author of </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b;">Anything </i><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;">and </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b;">Restless,</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;"> as well as the founder and visionary for the million-strong IF:Gathering, which exists to gather, equip, and unleash the next generation to live out their purpose. </span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;">Jennie speaks frequently at conferences such as Catalyst and Q. She holds a master’s degree in biblical studies from Dallas Theological Seminary and lives in Austin, Texas, with her husband, Zac, and their four children. </span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;">Facebook: Facebook.com/JennieSAllen</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;">Twitter: @JennieAllen</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;">Instagram: @JennieSAllen</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #58595b;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #58595b;">Blog: JennieAllen.com</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Big shout out to </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.BloggingForBooks.org&source=gmail&ust=1467833890499000&usg=AFQjCNG4bYEvRN0H2lN3NaOYEiIgEc4XhA" href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "century gothic", arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">, as I received this book from them for this review.</span></span>She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-82898092060570594282017-04-17T13:24:00.000-04:002017-04-17T13:57:25.103-04:00Book Review /// A Call To Mercy: Hearts to Love, Hands to Serve by Mother Teresa<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0MB12ELKQg4/WPTzreH8aoI/AAAAAAAAHvQ/DlYpS8oK9pE6ACoApRaDSFJBMqpTd-9vgCK4B/s1600/call-to-mercy-21867xl.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0MB12ELKQg4/WPTzreH8aoI/AAAAAAAAHvQ/DlYpS8oK9pE6ACoApRaDSFJBMqpTd-9vgCK4B/s400/call-to-mercy-21867xl.png" width="335" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">About </span><i style="font-family: inherit;">A Call To Mercy</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px;"><b style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: 700;">Published to coincide with Pope Francis's Year of Mercy and the Vatican's canonization of Mother Teresa, this new book of unpublished material by a humble yet remarkable woman of faith whose influence is felt as deeply today as it was when she was alive, offers Mother Teresa’s profound yet accessible wisdom on how we can show mercy and compassion in our day-to-day lives.</b><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"> </span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">For millions of people from all walks of life, Mother Teresa's canonization is providentially taking place during Pope Francis's Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy. This is entirely fitting since she is seen both inside and outside of the Church as an icon of God's mercy to those in need. </span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"> </span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Compiled and edited by Brian Kolodiejckuk, M.C., the postulator of Mother Teresa’s cause for sainthood,</span><b><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"> </span><i style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Call-Mercy-Hearts-Hands-Serve/dp/0451498208/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492448988&sr=8-1&keywords=a+call+to+mercy">A Call to Mercy</a></i><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"> </span></b><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">presents deep yet accessible wisdom on how we can show compassion in our everyday lives. In her own words, Mother Teresa discusses such topics </span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">as:</span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"> the need for us to visit the sick and the imprisoned</span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"> the importance of honoring the dead and informing the ignorant</span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"> the necessity to bear our burdens patiently and forgive willingly</span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"> the purpose to feed the poor and pray for all</span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"> the greatness of creating a “civilization of love” through personal service to others</span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;"> </span><br style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;" /><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">Featuring never before published testimonials by people close to Mother Teresa as well as prayers and suggestions for putting these ideas into practice, </span><b><i style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Call-Mercy-Hearts-Hands-Serve/dp/0451498208/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492448988&sr=8-1&keywords=a+call+to+mercy">A Call to Mercy</a></i><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px;"> </span></b><span style="color: #181818; font-size: 14px; font-weight: normal;">is not only a lovely keepsake, but a living testament to the teachings of a saint whose ideas are important, relevant and very necessary in the 21st century.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">My Thoughts On <i>A Call To Mercy</i></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'm kind of embarrassed to admit how long it has taken me to read through <b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Call-Mercy-Hearts-Hands-Serve/dp/0451498208/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492448988&sr=8-1&keywords=a+call+to+mercy">A Call To Mercy</a></i></b> (ahem, let's just say a couple months and leave it at that, 'kay!?), as I've been going through a few incredibly rough life challenges + changes that required compassion and mercy, yes, even for myself. That said, this book was just what I needed to pick up and read off and on for the last few months -- there is hope and love and compassion and mercy to be found in these pages; stories full of hope and humanity and suffering and redemption and grief and horror and sacrificial love and what it looks like to show compassion in everyday life. It was an amazing read about an amazing woman and an amazing God. And, yeah, it was a hard read, especially for those like myself who are empaths (super-feelers), but it was such an amazing, moving -- life and faith altering, truly -- and challenging read, nonetheless. This is a book I will be keeping on my bookshelf, and pulling out for when I need to intimately become reacquainted with hope and suffering and faith and mercy towards others, and myself, again and again and again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">My Favorite Lines from <i>A Call To Mercy</i> (so far...)</span><br />
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"The pain of hunger is terrible and that is where you and I must come and give until it hurts. I want you to give until it hurts. And this giving is love of God in action. Hunger is not only for bread, hunger is for love." [pg. 4]<br />
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"Let us not use bombs and guns to overcome the world but let us radiate the peace of God and extinguish all hatred and love of power in the world and in the hearts of men." [pg.14]<br />
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"Give whatever you can, and if you have nothing, do not worry; give your hands to serve and hearts to love. By helping others, you will be rewarded with peace and joy." [pg. 22]<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stars In The Vast Sea of Books!? FIVE WHOLE STARS! *****</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"> About the Author</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>MOTHER TERESA </b>was born in Skopje (present-day Macedonia) in 1910, and joined the Sisters of Loreto in Dublin in 1928. She left the Loreto order in 1948 to begin the Missionaries of Charity in Calcutta. Her service to the poorest of the poor became her life’s work. She was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979. She died in 1997 and was beatified in 2003. <br /><br /><b>FATHER BRIAN KOLODIEJCHUK, M.C. </b>the editor of the<i> New York Times </i>bestseller,<i> Come Be My Light </i>met Mother Teresa in 1977 and was associated with her until her death in 1997. He is postulator of the cause of the beatification and canonization of Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Director of the Mother Teresa Center.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">Big shout out to </span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.BloggingForBooks.org&source=gmail&ust=1467833890499000&usg=AFQjCNG4bYEvRN0H2lN3NaOYEiIgEc4XhA" href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" style="background-color: white; color: #1155cc; font-family: "century gothic", arial, sans-serif; text-align: center; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: "century gothic" , "arial" , sans-serif; text-align: center;">, as I received this book from them for this review.</span></span>She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-21151234807528898712016-07-05T19:10:00.001-04:002016-07-05T19:22:51.055-04:00Good Religion Gone Bad || Spiritual Sobriety by Elizabeth Esther || A Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CCRm-to-Q3E/V3wOVmxH6yI/AAAAAAAAHtg/wI_tj8EhaGQY8kNk7ndLGaU408nlfQdQwCLcB/s1600/Spiritual%2BSobriety.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CCRm-to-Q3E/V3wOVmxH6yI/AAAAAAAAHtg/wI_tj8EhaGQY8kNk7ndLGaU408nlfQdQwCLcB/s1600/Spiritual%2BSobriety.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">About <i>Spiritual Sobriety</i></span></b><br />
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It’s easy to get high on God in America.<o:p></o:p></div>
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But is this good religion?<o:p></o:p></div>
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In a compelling follow-up to her memoir, <i>Girl at the End of
the World</i>, Elizabeth Esther explores how religious fervor can become religious
addiction. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The evidence is everywhere. In families who inexplicably
choose to harm their children in order to abide by cultic church doctrine. But
in ordinary believers too who use God the same way addicts use drugs or
alcohol—to numb pain, alter their mood, or simply to escape the realities of
this messy, unpredictable thing called life.<o:p></o:p></div>
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If you’ve ever wondered how a religion that preaches freedom
and love can produce judgmental and unkind followers; if you’ve ever felt
captive to the demanding God of your own childhood; if you’ve struggled to find
contentment without needing another emotional hit from a “life-changing”
conference or “mountain-top” experience, then Spiritual Sobriety is for you.
The author, who grew up in a hyper-controlling church cult, will help you find
hope and rebirth in the ruins of disillusioned faith.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Filled with stories and warm, practical advice, Spiritual
Sobriety offers a gentle path out of the desperate cycles of
craving-euphoria-hangover and into a freer, clean-and-sober faith practice.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">My Thoughts On Spiritual Sobriety</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><i>Good faith gone bad? Twisted beliefs? Searching for God? Developing a sober thought life? The genius of moderation? Relapse? True religion? The language of shame? Righteous rhetoric? </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">And one of the BIGGER questions we are asked in <i>Spiritual Sobriety</i> is this: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 25px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>"Can a person have a persistent, compulsive dependence on religion?" </i></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 25px;">And the answer, of course, is</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 25px;"> a resounding </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 25px;"><i>"Yes".</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;"><i>AND THERE IS SO MUCH MORE!</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">^ It's all in the book. And I gotta say, while there are a TON of questions to consider and ponder over, well, I kinda loved thinking through them all -- and let's just say I had a lot of AHA Moments hit me throughout the reading of this book. Basically this book isn't done with me yet, and I can tell. </span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #444444;">Reader, if you are searching for answers, or are questioning the crazy highs-and-lows of your faith -- if you are ready to ditch bad religion and shame and fear and replace it instead with Real Spiritual Living and setting healthy faith-boundaries for yourself, then <i>Spiritual Sobriety</i> needs to be in your hands, or on the very top of the TBR pile on your nightstand. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444;">Overall? This book is a breath of fresh air after being encased by suffocating bad religion. And </span><span style="color: #444444;">I'm daring you right now to ask the tough questions, to step away, and to seek to find again a </span><i style="color: #444444;">renewing faith</i><span style="color: #444444;"> in these pages -- because it's hidden in there somewhere for you to uncover. </span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WErwnUId0pk/V3wP0VjcUYI/AAAAAAAAHts/OR9_-iq5S1UKI5ri9LTksXBrXi-c1wTEQCLcB/s1600/168489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WErwnUId0pk/V3wP0VjcUYI/AAAAAAAAHts/OR9_-iq5S1UKI5ri9LTksXBrXi-c1wTEQCLcB/s320/168489.jpg" width="261" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: , "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px;">Photo by Jennifer Imus</span></td></tr>
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<b><span style="font-size: large;">ABOUT <i>ELIZABETH ESTHER</i></span></b><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">Elizabeth Esther</a> is the author of Girl at The End of the
World: my escape from fundamentalism in search of faith with a future. She
lives in Southern California with her husband and their five children.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Want to read my review of <a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">Elizabeth Esther's</a> first book '<i>Girl At The End of the World</i>?' <a href="http://www.ohrestlessbird.com/2014/05/girl-at-end-of-world-by-elizabeth-esther.html">Click here</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Big shout out to <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=http://www.BloggingForBooks.org&source=gmail&ust=1467833890499000&usg=AFQjCNG4bYEvRN0H2lN3NaOYEiIgEc4XhA" href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a>, as I received this book from them for this review.</span></div>
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She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-42976376816517477952016-01-24T16:22:00.000-05:002016-01-24T16:22:57.820-05:00Cats In Paris: A Magical Coloring Book by Won-Sun Jang<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">This gorgeously illustrated adult coloring book draws readers into the secret world of cats in Paris as they explore the city’s most famous (and feline-friendly) spots.</b> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Say bonjour to the cats of Paris as they slink through its fabled streets and alleyways, from Montmartre to the Shakespeare and Company bookshop and into a feline-filled land of playful imagination. Featuring intricate pen-and-ink drawings of tabbies, Persians, Siamese, and more, this evocative coloring book’s frisky kitties lie in wait for your colorful stylings.</div>
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ABOUT <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">CATS IN PARIS</span></h4>
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<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">This gorgeously illustrated adult coloring book draws readers into the secret world of cats in Paris as they explore the city’s most famous (and feline-friendly) spots.</b> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Say bonjour to the cats of Paris as they slink through its fabled streets and alleyways, from Montmartre to the Shakespeare and Company bookshop and into a feline-filled land of playful imagination. Featuring intricate pen-and-ink drawings of tabbies, Persians, Siamese, and more, this evocative coloring book’s frisky kitties lie in wait for your colorful stylings.</div>
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ABOUT <span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-style: italic;">CATS IN PARIS</span></h4>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin-bottom: 11px;">
<b style="box-sizing: border-box;">This gorgeously illustrated adult coloring book draws readers into the secret world of cats in Paris as they explore the city’s most famous (and feline-friendly) spots.</b> <br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Say bonjour to the cats of Paris as they slink through its fabled streets and alleyways, from Montmartre to the Shakespeare and Company bookshop and into a feline-filled land of playful imagination. Featuring intricate pen-and-ink drawings of tabbies, Persians, Siamese, and more, this evocative coloring book’s frisky kitties lie in wait for your colorful stylings.</div>
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<a href="https://draft.blogger.com/null" id="author" name="#author" style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 22.8571px;"></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.8571px;"></span><div class="slot product-author-info isbn-related 9780399578274 show" style="background-color: white; border-top-color: rgb(151, 151, 151); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; box-sizing: border-box; display: none; line-height: 22.8571px; margin-bottom: 3em; min-height: 100px;">
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><span style="font-size: large;">My Thoughts: </span>I am definitely a fan of the new adult coloring book fad, because being an adult with a coloring book stash is now socially acceptable again. I'm so glad I got to add not only another beautiful + fun adult coloring book to my private stash, but one that is full of Korean artist Won-Sun Jang's absolutely beautiful feline-inspired artwork. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">And my precious feline bebe, Becket, approves -- he loved watching me color in <i>Cats In Paris</i> and helped me pick out my colored pencils by rolling them around on the bed for me. </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;">If you love adult coloring books, gorgeous + unique artwork, Paris, travel, or felines, this one is for you, friends. </span></span><div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: large; line-height: 21px;">Full Synopsis: </span><b style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit; line-height: 21px;">This gorgeously illustrated adult coloring book draws readers into the secret world of cats in Paris as they explore the city's most famous (and feline-friendly) spots.</b></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 21px;"><br />Say bonjour to the cats of Paris as they slink through its fabled streets and alleyways, from Montmartre to the Shakespeare and Company bookshop and into a feline-filled land of playful imagination. Featuring intricate pen-and-ink drawings of tabbies, Persians, Siamese, and more, this evocative coloring book’s frisky kitties lie in wait for your colorful stylings.</span></span><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #f6f6f6; color: #333333; font-family: Fort-Book, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 17.1429px; text-align: start;">Photo: © Ten Speed Press</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">About The Author: </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22.8571px;"><b>Won-Sun Jang</b> is an award-winning Korean illustrator whose work has appeared in </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22.8571px;">Vogue Korea</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22.8571px;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22.8571px;">Elle Korea</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22.8571px;">, </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22.8571px;">Bazaar Korea</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22.8571px;">, and </span><i style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #666666; line-height: 22.8571px;">InStyle Korea</i><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 22.8571px;">, and clients include MAC Cosmetics and Clinique. Winner of the Children’s Books Illustration Award from Kemongsa Publishers, she currently works as a package designer in Seoul, Korea. Since meeting Eva the Norwegian Forest Cat fourteen years ago, she has fallen in love with cats and the inspiration they bring to her art.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white;">I received this book from </span><a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" style="background-color: white;" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a><span style="background-color: white;"> for this review.</span></span></div>
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She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-16673537520888558622015-07-15T10:00:00.000-04:002015-07-30T16:28:51.553-04:00The Sound of Silver /// Cover Reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>The stalwart saint and the redeemed rebel. One is fighting for faith, the other for honor…</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>After Dirk rescues Gwyneth from the Iconoclastic Fury, she discovers that faith is sometimes fragile—and hope is not as easy as it may seem. Gwyneth continues her quest to learn more about the love of God preached by Protestants she once distrusted.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Meanwhile, Dirk’s quest is to prevent his sullied name from staining hers. Will his choice to protect her prove the undoing of her first faltering steps toward a Father God? Once separated, will Dirk and Gwyneth’s searching hearts ever sing the same song?</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: medium;">About The Author</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #141823; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://www.rachellerea.com/" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;">Rachelle Rea</a></span></span><span style="color: #141823; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">plots her novels while driving around the little town she’s lived in all her life in her dream car, a pick-up truck. As a freelance editor, she enjoys mentoring fellow authors in the craft. A homeschool graduate and retired gymnast, she wrote</span><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Silver-Rachelle-Rea/dp/1939023610/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1438261258&sr=8-3&keywords=rachelle+rea"> The Sound of Silver</a></span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="font-size: 13px;">t</span></span><span style="color: #141823; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">he summer after her junior year of college.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;">Want to be in on every bit of info before it goes live, such as future cover reveals, and blog tours? Join <i>The Steadfast Love Series Launch Team </i>Facebook group: </span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/group.php?id=825431220828512&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A825431220828512%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/825431220828512/" style="color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">https://www.facebook.com/groups/825431220828512/</a><span style="color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;">! All book-lovers welcome!</span></span></div>
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She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-28387485855724791972015-07-05T20:27:00.000-04:002015-07-05T20:27:22.319-04:00Book Review /// Hot Body Year Round by Cassey Ho <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b>ABOUT THE BOOK // <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cassey-Hos-Hot-Body-Year-Round/dp/0804139040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436141130&sr=8-1&keywords=hot+body+year+round&pebp=1436141132247&perid=0MYH8SQ46FAHQVEX5NWR">HOT BODY YEAR ROUND</a></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.blogilates.com/" style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">Cassey Ho</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">, 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.</span></div>
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<i style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cassey-Hos-Hot-Body-Year-Round/dp/0804139040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436141130&sr=8-1&keywords=hot+body+year+round&pebp=1436141132247&perid=0MYH8SQ46FAHQVEX5NWR">Hot Body Year Round</a></i><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;"> is your ULTIMATE exercise and nutrition guide to living a fit, happy, and healthy life while sculpting your HOTTEST body.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;"><b>Cassey will show you how to stay motivated throughout the year, no matter what the challenges are. You will get:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">- 120 of Cassey’s BEST total body transforming exercises</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">- The complete POP Pilates exercise library – fully photographed and easy to follow</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">- 20 full length workouts</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">- 40 brand new, ridiculously delicious & nutritious recipes</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">- Foods for beautiful hair, skin, and nails</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">- 4 complete clean eating meal plans & grocery lists that complement each season</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">- Cassey’s personal daily meal plan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">- Motivational tips to stay inspired year-round</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">- 256 pages of full color, glossy inspiration</span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;"><b>MY THOUGHTS ON <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cassey-Hos-Hot-Body-Year-Round/dp/0804139040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436141130&sr=8-1&keywords=hot+body+year+round&pebp=1436141132247&perid=0MYH8SQ46FAHQVEX5NWR">HOT BODY YEAR ROUND</a></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">I'm SO excited about this book! I've been doing Cassey's workouts for the last couple of years, and I highly recommend you check out her <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/blogilates">Youtube Channel</a> + her <a href="http://www.ogorgeous.com/product/pop-pilates-total-body-workout-dvd">POP Pilates Total Body Workout DVD</a>. In <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cassey-Hos-Hot-Body-Year-Round/dp/0804139040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436141130&sr=8-1&keywords=hot+body+year+round&pebp=1436141132247&perid=0MYH8SQ46FAHQVEX5NWR"><i>Hot Body Year Round</i> </a>you'll get an insight into Cassey's life story, Pilates history, learn how to eat cleaner, get slim, and live your happiest life now through every waking season. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">Obviously I haven't done every single workout <i>yet</i>, but I'm definitely looking forward to continuing working (and clean eating) my way through <a href="http://www.blogilates.com/">Cassey's</a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Cassey-Hos-Hot-Body-Year-Round/dp/0804139040/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436141130&sr=8-1&keywords=hot+body+year+round&pebp=1436141132247&perid=0MYH8SQ46FAHQVEX5NWR"><i>Hot Body Year Round</i>.</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">Also worthy of noting, the photography, typography, and general overall layout of this book is fresh and exciting and fabulous! And have I mentioned . . . beautiful!? Because this book is beautiful, and challenging, and chock full of POPster Greatness. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.8571434020996px;">Whether you're new to the Pilates game, or you're a well-seasoned POPster, you'll love working out and clean eating your way through this gorgeously laid out and well written book. And if you're not familiar with <a href="http://www.blogilates.com/">Cassey Ho</a>, well, shame on you for not knowing about her -- but I promise you that this book will be a glorious intro!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;"><b style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://www.blogilates.com/" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;">Cassey Ho</a></b> is an internationally renowned, award-winning fitness instructor and online personality. She is the creator of Blogilates, the #1 female fitness channel on Youtube with over 200 million video views and 2 million subscribers. In a revolutionary partnership, Cassey’s unique format, POP Pilates© which launched on Youtube in 2009, is now being turned into a live class that can be taken at 24 Hour Fitness gyms nationally beginning in 2015. She’s also the star of her own top selling POP Pilates DVDs at Target stores. Cassey is the designer of an activewear collection, BODYPOP Active </span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">which launched in Fall 2014. Her designs feminine silhouettes and colorful palettes have proven to be extremely popular.<br style="box-sizing: border-box;" /><br style="box-sizing: border-box;" />Cassey’s blog, <a href="http://blogilates.com/" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;">blogilates.com</a>, was named the top healthy living blog by <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Fitness</i> Magazine in 2012 and, recently, she took home the Streamy Award for Best Health and Wellness Channel for 2014. Greatist named her one of the Top 25 Most Influential People in the world in Health and Fitness for 2015. She has been featured on <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">The Dr. Oz Show, Extra, The Steve Harvey Show, The Wendy Williams Show</i> and in <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Shape, Fitness, Cosmopolitan, </i>and <i style="box-sizing: border-box;">Seventeen </i>magazines, among many others.</span></span></div>
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She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-3302336553359429312015-06-15T15:46:00.000-04:002015-06-15T15:46:04.464-04:00The Sound of Diamonds by Rachelle Rea | Novel Review + Book Birthday Celebration<div style="text-align: center;">
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">With the protestant Elizabeth on the throne of England and her family in shambles, Catholic maiden Gwyneth seeks refuge in the Low Countries of Holland, hoping to soothe her aching soul. But when the Iconoclastic Fury descends and bloodshed overtakes her haven, she has no choice but to trust the rogue who arrives, promising to see her safely home to her uncle's castle. She doesn't dare to trust him...and yet doesn't dare to refuse her one chance to preserve her own life and those of the nuns she rescues from the burning convent.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Dirk Godfrey is determined to restore his honor at whatever cost. Running from a tortured past, Dirk knows he has only one chance at redemption, and it lies with the lovely Gwyneth, who hates him for the crimes she thinks he committed. He must see her to safety, prove to the world that he is innocent, prove that her poor eyesight is not the only thing that has blinded her but what is he to do when those goals clash?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">The home Gwyneth knew is not what she once thought. When a dark secret and a twisted plot for power collide in a castle masquerading as a haven, the saint and the sinner must either dare to hold to hope...or be overcome.</span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px; text-align: justify;">Confession? Inspirational Fiction and Christian Romance are usually nowhere to be seen on my reading list or genre radar, however, I love history, and my dearest friend, <a href="http://www.rachellerea.com/">Rachelle Rea</a>, is this debut novel's author. So, I just had to give this (inspy) genre another go, to support my best friend and the story of her heart. And I'm so glad I did. Because what I got was a brilliant schooling on the 1500's Low Countries, The Iconoclastic Fury, The Reformation Era, and how sometimes life must drag us f</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px; text-align: justify;">rom places of <i>Hatred</i> to <i>Hope</i> to <i>Healing</i> before we can truly see God's plan for our lives - His redemption and grace at work for us, us who are often blind, but wish to truly see unhindered. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: white; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px;"><a href="http://www.rachellerea.com/">Rachelle</a> is an incredibly skilled storyteller, weaving together smooth dialogue, a well paced story, gritty blind faith, two leading alternating protagonists, and an excellently researched history in this, the very first installment of her <i><b>Steadfast Love Series</b></i> published by <a href="http://whitefire-publishing.com/wordpress/the-sound-of-diamonds/">WhiteFire</a>. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px; text-align: justify;">I'm very much so looking forward to seeing what happens to Dirk (my favorite character) and Gwyn (the girl who started to grow on me), and their story of steadfast love, in the following two installments of </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px; text-align: justify;"><b>The Steadfast Love Series</b>, <b>The Sound of Silver</b></i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px; text-align: justify;"><b> </b>(October 2015)</span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px; text-align: justify;"> </i><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px; text-align: justify;">and</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px; text-align: justify;"><i> <b>The Sound of Emeralds</b></i> (2016</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px; text-align: justify;">.)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><i><b>Abduction. Blind Faith. Hope. Healing. Love.</b></i><b><i> Honor. Mystery.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px;">These are the places </span><i style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Diamonds-Rachelle-Rea/dp/1939023599/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434396864&sr=8-1&keywords=rachelle+rea">The Sound of Diamonds</a></b></i><span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px;"> will surely lead you through.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; letter-spacing: 0.0199999995529652px; line-height: 26px;">If you love authors <i>MaryLu Tyndall</i>, <i>Melanie Dickerson</i>, <i>Deeanne Gist</i>, <i>Rachel Heffington</i>, and <i>Meghan Gorecki</i>, you will be sure to love <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Diamonds-Rachelle-Rea/dp/1939023599/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434396864&sr=8-1&keywords=rachelle+rea">The Sound of Diamonds</a></b></i> by debut inspy author <a href="http://www.rachellerea.com/">Rachelle Rea</a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><a href="http://www.rachellerea.com/">Rachelle Rea</a> plots her novels while driving around the little town she’s lived in all her life in her dream car, a pick-up truck. As a freelance editor, she enjoys mentoring fellow authors in the craft. A homeschool graduate and retired gymnast, she wrote </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Diamonds-Rachelle-Rea/dp/1939023599/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434396864&sr=8-1&keywords=rachelle+rea">The Sound of Diamonds</a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"> the summer after her sophomore year of college.</span></i></span></div>
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<b style="font-family: helvetica, arial, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sound-Diamonds-Rachelle-Rea/dp/1939023599/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8"><span style="font-size: large;">Amazon Paperback</span></a></b></div>
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She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-8256494643770406922015-02-02T22:05:00.001-05:002015-02-02T22:05:29.976-05:00The Natural Pregnancy Book by Aviva Jill Romm, M.D.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b>Synopsis:</b> <i>Every
mother wants the best for her unborn child, from the baby’s conception to
birth. What’s more, every mother wants clear, straightforward information
delivered in a calm empowering voice from someone who knows the facts. Enter Dr.
Aviva Jill Romm, an expert in natural childbirth with more than twenty years of
experience both alternative and allopathic medicine. In this newly revised
third edition, Dr. Romm takes a holistic approach, emphasizing natural remedies
wherever possible and providing up-to-date advice on herbs that promote
wellness during pregnancy, and alleviate such familiar concerns as anxiety,
fatigue, morning sickness, and stretch marks. With tips for a nutritious diet,
exercise and posture, and information on the emotional and physical changes
that childbearing brings, <b>The Natural Pregnancy Book</b> is your comprehensive
guide to a safe, healthy pregnancy, as nature intended it. </i><o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>My Review:</b> As
someone who is interested in herbs, holistic health, and in want of naturally birthing
my own babies someday (<i>hopefully in the
not-so-distant future</i>) I really enjoyed reading through the multitude of
wonderful information in the newly revised edition of <i>The Natural Pregnancy Book</i>. Pregnancy topics covered are: <i>a history of birthing practices, learning
how to pay attention to your own body, emotional and physical changes, diet and
exercise, looks into each trimester, and herbs and their uses to help you throughout your entire natural pregnancy.</i>
All of the material covered here is invaluable to those “wannabe crunchy mamas”
who are actively pursuing the chance to have an all-natural pregnancy, and want to live out and promote a
healthier lifestyle for themselves, their babies and their family.<br />
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I will be keeping my copy of this book on the shelf in wait of that glorious day when I can
announce “I’m pregnant!” and then I’ll boldly go about pursuing my own path
towards an all-natural pregnancy of my own. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>About The Author:<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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Aviva Jill Romm, MD, is a physician and highly respected
expert in botanical medicine, childbirth, women’s health, and pediatrics. She
practiced as a homebirth midwife and herbalist for more than twenty years,
becoming one of the first certified professional midwives (CPM) in the United
States, and graduated from Yale School of Medicine, where she was instrumental
in creating the school’s first
integrative medicine curriculum. Visit <a href="http://www.avivaromm.com/">www.avivaromm.com</a>
for more information.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><i>*I received a copy of this book <span style="background-color: white; color: #444444; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;">for free from the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: initial;">Blogging for Books program</a>. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. </span></i></span></div>
She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-87898425615037069032015-01-13T10:00:00.000-05:002015-01-13T12:22:31.764-05:00The Sound of Diamonds by Rachelle Rea // Cover Reveal <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YXRoa3TJYaU/VLRuBK2AWgI/AAAAAAAAHao/BNxt3x_hVLg/s1600/10919398_966124270066111_5102199316063508510_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YXRoa3TJYaU/VLRuBK2AWgI/AAAAAAAAHao/BNxt3x_hVLg/s1600/10919398_966124270066111_5102199316063508510_o.jpg" height="640" width="426" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not only do I get to reveal a gorgeous novel cover today, but I also get to share <a href="http://www.rachellerea.com/">The Daring Girl's</a> biggest dream come true with all of you too! I'm so beyond excited for you, and I'm eagerly awaiting the release of this, the story of your heart, <a href="http://www.rachellerea.com/">Rachelle Rea</a>! Congratulations, beautiful!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.4000015258789px;">In Reformation-era England, a converted rogue wants to restore his honor at whatever cost. Running from a tortured past, <b>Dirk Godfrey</b> knows he has only one chance at redemption.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.4000015258789px;"> </span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.4000015258789px;"><i>An independent Catholic maiden seeking refuge in the Low Countries finds herself at the center of the Iconoclastic Fury. Jaded by tragedy, <b>Gwyneth's </b>only hope of getting home is to trust the man she hates, and she soon discovers her poor vision is not the only thing that has been blinding her. </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.4000015258789px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 22.4000015258789px;">But the home <b>Gwyneth</b> knew is not what she once thought. When a dark secret and a twisted plot for power collide in a castle masquerading as a haven, will the saint and the sinner hold to hope...or be overcome? When <b>Dirk s</b> plan fails, could all be lost?</span></i></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">About The Author</span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P-PQWDUuIVo/VLRur2l_60I/AAAAAAAAHaw/ce_0ZEingn0/s1600/10620733_968557883156083_2758989116363254449_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P-PQWDUuIVo/VLRur2l_60I/AAAAAAAAHaw/ce_0ZEingn0/s1600/10620733_968557883156083_2758989116363254449_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.rachellerea.com/">Rachelle Rea</a></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"> </span>plots her novels while driving around the little town she’s lived in all her life in her dream car, a pick-up truck. As a freelance editor, she enjoys mentoring fellow authors in the craft. A homeschool graduate and retired gymnast, she wrote <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1939023599?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1939023599&linkCode=xm2&tag=rachrea-20">The Sound of Diamonds</a></span> t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 18px;">he summer after her sophomore year of college.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1939023599?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1939023599&linkCode=xm2&tag=rachrea-20">Pre-Order The Sound of Diamonds</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">On Goodreads?</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;"> <span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24348955-the-sound-of-diamonds">Add The Sound of Diamonds </a></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: large; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;">Release Date: June 15th, 2015</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;">Want to be in on updates before they go live, such as future cover reveals and blog tours? Join <i>The Steadfast Love Series Launch Team</i> Facebook group here: </span><a class="profileLink" data-hovercard="/ajax/hovercard/group.php?id=825431220828512&extragetparams=%7B%22directed_target_id%22%3A825431220828512%7D" href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/825431220828512/" style="background-color: white; color: #3b5998; cursor: pointer; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;">https://www.facebook.com/groups/825431220828512/</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 19.3199996948242px; text-align: left;">! All book-lovers welcome!</span></span></div>
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She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-21141099530848647122015-01-12T20:38:00.002-05:002015-04-24T14:47:54.098-04:00Portals of Water & Wine by R.L. Haas // Book Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<strong style="color: #181818; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;">A faerie tale with dazzling descriptions and an array of abundantly charming characters . . .</strong></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span id="freeTextreview1082601731" style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><br /><b><i>What I Loved ///</i></b> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">R.L. Haas had my mouth watering at sumptuous lasagna, Each Uisce, and a Dreadlocked Faerie King. The strongest weapon in her arsenal by far are her breath-taking proseful descriptions, from showing us ugliness in the human world (Derrick, anyone?) to battling iron clawed Fae armies of old, to the sensuous breaking of bread between a woman and a Fae King, which to myself seemingly paralleled a woman and her lord coming into an intimate sacred communion with one another. I loved every morsel of adventure, truly. I also found it exceedingly easy to leave the real world behind in favor of joining the Alonthielien realm, alongside Naya - a young woman who lives in utter chaos after the death of her mother - and an equally charming cast of four-factioned fae characters. M'lad Harris has an exceedingly special place in my Irish and fae-loving heart, too, as he is an insanely loving, jovial, and charming individual with a flare for fashion, and oddity, that would rival Alice In Wonderland's the Mad Hatter, if I dare to say so. Watching Naya release the chains of her past that had bound her for so long throughout the novel, in favor of boldly staking claim of her own freedom and the fire within her, was a thing of beauty to behold. Irena is the fae-princess best friend that everybody wants in their life, and Tian - strong, valient, quiet, poetic, Fae King Tian. Sigh. As you can see my love for these characters runs deep. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">And that ending. I'll zip my lips, but I'll confess that I nearly screamed.</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><br /><br /><b><i>What I Didn't Love ///</i></b> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">*Trigger Abuse Warning* There are a few scenes in the first half of the book that honestly made me squirm a bit due to the abuse that Naya experiences. There is cursing throughout this faerie tale, as well, which may prove to be a turn off for some readers, however, I was not offended by the cursing. I did notice a few grammatical and punctuation errors as I read through the book - not enough to make me stop reading it, but they were distracting on occasion. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><br /><br /><i><b>My Overall Thoughts?</b></i> 4.5 stars! I absolutely loved the fae world that R.L. Haas has created in <i>Portals</i>, as it is one where you start to see the characters slowly start to break their mundane molds, in favor of finding the fire within themselves to face off against the rising malevolent force, which shall remain nameless. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment in the <i>Portals Trilogy</i>! If you love books by <i>Maggie Stiefvater</i> and <i>Cassandra Clare</i> and <i>Madeleine L'Engle</i> then you'll fall for this book!</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">R. L. Haas is one of the wild ones, writing Faerie stories from her little self-declared cottage surrounded by Midwestern cornfields and never enough coffee. Her non-fiction work has appeared in such online publications as SheLoves Magazine and Literary Orphans. She lives with her beloved husband and equally wild daughter, along with their oversized Great Dane. They are ruled over by two fluffy cats. She blogs about her faith, her heart, and her ever-growing literary obsessions at </span><a href="http://dramaticelegance.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" style="background-color: white; color: #666600; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://dramaticelegance.blogspot.com</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23383346-portals-of-water-and-wine" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;">Add Portals of Water & Wine to your Goodreads Shelf</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Portals-Water-Wine-R-Haas/dp/1503179605/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1421112418&sr=8-1&keywords=portals+of+water+and+wine">Purchase Portals of Water & Wine via Amazon</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Portals-Water-Wine-R-Haas-ebook/dp/B00OKSBLYM/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr&qid">Get your Kindle eBook for only $2.99!</a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: large;"><a href="http://dramaticelegance.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Visit R.L. Haas' Blog</span></a></span></div>
She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-11351194877377744032014-12-01T15:59:00.000-05:002014-12-01T16:48:41.741-05:00venturing bravely into wider seas<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.redbubble.com/people/markreep/works/7415359-at-the-shore-of-a-wider-sea?c=78567-drawings" style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; line-height: 13.9636354446411px;">At The Shore Of A Wider Sea </a><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 13.9636354446411px;">by </span><a href="http://markreep.net/" style="background-color: white; font-style: italic; line-height: 13.9636354446411px;">Mark Reep </a> I just discovered this brilliant artist today. Bless his skill with coin and words of gratitude, will you, if you can do so?</span></td></tr>
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<i>Disturb us, O Lord, when we are too well-pleased with ourselves when our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little, because we sailed too close to the shore. Disturb us, O Lord, when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life when, having fallen in love with time, we have ceased to dream of eternity and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of Heaven to grow dim. Stir us, O Lord, to dare more boldly, to venture into wider seas where storms show Thy mastery, where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. In the name of Him who pushed back the horizons of our hopes and invited the brave to follow. Amen - Sir Francis Drake <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hashtag/invitedtofollow?source=feed_text&story_id=1039149659444545"></a></i></div>
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This. This is the very invitation I've been waiting for all week. My invitation to be disturbed and daring and brave; to walk farther, to dream bigger, to be bolder; to drink living waters that will quench this desert heart of mine. <i>Am I at fault?</i> Having fallen in love with the comfortable secure, and gladly watching time and my dreams stand still in vain. I have been graciously invited to follow the Eternal One into this greater unknown in search of a more beautiful heaven-seeking and dream-seeking life every day. Today I am overwhelmed and undone. <i>Have I just been waiting for new horizons to appear?</i> Too afraid to jump; chest pounding with the knowing of this new path to be forged, to be fought for. So, with rippled breaths and quaking bones, I step off of this comfortable shaded cliff and venture out into the dim uncomfortable blinding light in search of these <i>hopefully-non-mythic </i>wider seas where the storms show His mastery. I stagger and stumble amid these uncertain waves. And though I may clasp onto my lifeless lungs in human fear, I feel the Spirit as it envelops me in my rawness - breathing into me deeply, providing every ounce of life-breath and faith that I need to make this called upon journey. I seek to become unafraid, unafraid of losing this sight of land, in favor of glimpsing the blessed unknown up ahead. And we cannot forget the stars.<br />
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<i>Why, yes, everything will be okay.</i> <span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; line-height: 13.9636354446411px;">I am made brave-heart. </span></div>
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She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-46060411222497004662014-11-24T14:10:00.002-05:002014-11-24T23:54:12.057-05:00one year wed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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our one year wedding anniversary was exactly twenty-two days ago. and i haven't reflected back on those 365 married days yet, so this, my friends, is an attempt to do so.<br />
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i'll only share <i>some</i> of our marital mountain highs and valley lows, because a lot happens in a whole year and sometimes you just can't bring yourself to write about every precious love-growing moment.<br />
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right after saying i do to the best and most handsome man on earth on november second twenty-thirteen we had a perfect-for-us kind of honeymoon: low key, mountain views, good food, books and geeky things. afterwards we loaded up my car back at my parents place, said goodbye, and then i finally moved across the state into our very first little apartment with my husband. i must say that it's truly amazing living with your best friend, getting to see them every single day, and not worrying about being nearly five hours away for once. november also saw me tackling a brand new job just before thanksgiving/black friday/christmas hit - which in essence was crazy, thankfully though i had previously worked a similar job and was able to jump right in unscathed.<br />
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around this same time i had my first "wife scare" when i couldn't get a hold of my husband via his cell, and he was almost two hours late getting home from work - turns out my DH's phone had died, it had started snowing and his car battery had died at work which meant someone had to give his car a jump and he had to make it to the station to get it fixed pronto. i may have cried a tiny bit, then he got home. we took a deep breath and then we both laughed because we just knew it would make a great "once upon a time" story for our future children some day down the line.<br />
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at the end of november, just before thanksgiving we found a water leak and a ton of black mold in our apartment. the mold battle has been an on again off again battle throughout our entire first year of marriage. honestly? i'm thankful for our first apartment together; our very first home; though i will be happy when we can move to a newer place that has no mold and less leaks and problems. we've definitely been schooled in mold removal and learning how to count our blessings in the midst of not-so-fun circumstances.<br />
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due to working retail i worked throughout most of the usual family get together times for my family last year, but i was able to make it to my husband's family thanksgiving, christmas and christmas eve celebrations. it was such a wonderful feeling, this being immensely loved by my new family, even though i was terribly homesick. my favorite christmas memory was of Jared's cousin and his pappaw playing the guitar and harmonica while we sang along with one another on christmas eve - 'twas magical and felt like a huge warm welcome hug that enveloped everyone in the room. another favorite memory goes to watching my father-in-love taking a hat and wearing it a dozen goofy ways on christmas day; we also laughed our way through<i> Cast Away</i> and <i>Forrest Gump</i>. we surely laughed a lot this past christmas, and i hope we all do so again this year, despite being apart.<br />
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jumping over to the new year . . . in january twenty-fourteen <a href="http://www.ohrestlessbird.com/2014/01/a-wild-wood-named-self-discovery.html">brave-heart showed it's fearless face and declared itself my One Word.</a> i also learned how to <a href="http://www.ohrestlessbird.com/2014/01/the-need-to-be-held.html">let my Jesus and my husband hold me in an even more intimate holy way than ever before. </a><br />
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we also saw snow three times in our first year of marriage. i got caught out driving in the nasty stuff twice. and you should know that no one in the south is ever prepared for the stuff. it's no fun, even though i do know how to scrape out my car from ice and snow and drive in the beautiful yet terrible stuff like a champ now.<br />
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come march <a href="http://www.ohrestlessbird.com/2014/03/finding-holy-in-dirt-and-basil-and.html">i found holiness in basil and sloppy word tripping.</a><br />
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in april <a href="http://www.ohrestlessbird.com/2014/04/and-bravely-she-is-weeping.html">i learned how to bravely weep</a>. and yes, i managed to cry an ocean full of tears my first year of marriage. sorry, not sorry. we also celebrated my hunk of a husband's twenty-fourth birthday by taking a trip to the zoo. i love that my husband is happy with only just a day trip to the zoo.<br />
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<a href="http://www.rachellerea.com/">may had me surprised by a dear-heart friend on my twenty-fifth birthday</a>, and celebrating the one year of our engagement, plus six months of marriage alongside mother's day with my momma. <a href="http://www.ohrestlessbird.com/2014/05/moments-that-take-our-breath-away.html"><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;">i also found my heart and lungs reeling, wandering and wondering, as i entertained every thought of beginnings and endings and the what-after-thats.</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.7999992370605px;"> </span></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.ohrestlessbird.com/2014/06/b-l-o-o-m.html">june found me trying my utmost to bloom where i have been planted for this first-year season of marriage.</a> i traveled down to little town south to celebrate my best friend's college grad and twenty-second birthday party. we also went on a family beach trip during this month - the place we stayed at was amazing, plus we made some awesome memories with my new family.<br />
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july i was reading, a ton, hence the silence. this was the month the husband and i also had to clear out our savings account due to vehicle repairs . . . golly gee wiz whatever blech . . . we're just so thankful that the Lord kept on providing for us throughout the next few months, the whole year, really.<br />
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in <a href="http://www.ohrestlessbird.com/2014/08/for-such-time-as-this-five-long-years.html">august i celebrated five years of blogging. </a> and started my business up full force with <a href="http://www.mydoterra.com/sarahhawkinsfisher">doTERRA essential oils.</a><br />
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september was, again, quite the quiet month for us.<br />
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<a href="http://www.ohrestlessbird.com/2014/10/one-small-phrase.html">october came and went by with only so much as a whisper to be heard on the blog.</a> but the epic part about october was that the<i> stair-step writerly sisterhood</i> joined forces for their second IRL meeting. we had a wonderful time, even if a nasty glutening hit me hard and almost made me consider an ER visit. i loved making memories with rachelle and meghan.<br />
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-67EwAu0L5c0/VHOAYfvQZYI/AAAAAAAAHZY/0qJZ_W0dIyU/s1600/Marriage%2BYear%2BOne.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-67EwAu0L5c0/VHOAYfvQZYI/AAAAAAAAHZY/0qJZ_W0dIyU/s1600/Marriage%2BYear%2BOne.jpg" height="640" width="480" /></a></div>
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and now here we are. finally at the threshold of our first year of marriage closing as we enter into our second year of marriage. though nothing really ever closes, does it? life just keeps on blooming, opening like rose petal after rose petal until more beauty and thorns are relinquished for viewing pleasure.<br />
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how did we spend our anniversary? well, to be completely frank most of it, for myself, was spent in the bathroom and on the couch (no i am not pregnant) due to my digestive system and body fighting itself after the <i><b>dastardly glutening of twenty-fourteen</b></i>. my husband was so amazing. he was patient with me, took care of me, wasn't upset at changed plans - in the end we just spent time with my family (and his grandparents) up in the mountains while they all loved on me through every pain and sleepless night i endured. now that is true love lived out.<br />
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marriage most certainly has its ups and downs. it is hard and amazing and it comes with terrible unforeseen circumstances and showers of unforeseen thirst-quenching blessings. i'm so happy with the man i chose to marry, mostly because he is not afraid to grasp this woman's hand tightly and to walk onward through every mountain high and valley low we face in life and in our marriage together.<br />
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i love him and our life together so much it hurts.<br />
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i know that life is about to get crazy for us, as we were both just informed today that my husband will be losing his job soon.<br />
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so. prayers for us as we step bravely into our second year of marriage, dear-heart's?<br />
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all is love and grace and blessings and trials, but the greatest of these is becoming enveloped in the ever-abounding depths of His greater love for us.<br />
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peace and love unto you.<br />
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signed sincerely, the mr. and the mrs.<br />
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<br />She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-46628806531859180852014-10-17T16:50:00.000-04:002014-11-06T09:00:32.422-05:00portals of water and wine by r.l. haas // a celebration + cover reveal<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Title :: Portals of Water and Wine</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Author :: R. L. Haas</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Release Date :: <span class="aBn" data-term="goog_489309413" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(204, 204, 204); border-bottom-style: dashed; border-bottom-width: 1px; position: relative; top: -2px; z-index: 0;" tabindex="0"><span class="aQJ" style="position: relative; top: 2px; z-index: -1;">December 1st, 2014</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cover Artist :: Megan Mahen of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Megan-Mahan-Illustration/274222286078662" style="color: #1155cc;" target="_blank">Megan Mahen Illustrations </a></span></div>
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// I am so grateful that I get to be a part of the cover reveal team for <a href="http://www.dramaticelegance.blogspot.com/">Rachel's </a>debut fantasy novel today. She is the most genuine and beautiful writer, folks. I absolutely adore her and her brave heart-strung words, truly I do. So with a round of applause I welcome <a href="https://www.facebook.com/portalsofwaterandwinebook">R.L. Haas</a>' novel <i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23383346-portals-of-water-and-wine">Portals of Water and Wine</a></i> to the world's stage. Enjoy the cover and be sure to<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Portals-Water-Wine-R-Haas-ebook/dp/B00OKSBLYM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1413483569&sr=1-1"> pre-buy</a> a copy for yourself, dear-hearts. <3 //</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Naya lives in chaos. Her family is shredded, with only bare threads of her long-dead mother and her absent father still lingering in her house. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">And then she hears the name -- Alonthiel -- spoken as a promise of freedom and escape, if only for one fleeting summer. And so she goes, hand in hand with her two best friends, allowing herself to slip into a new world of ancient origins, magical and sacred. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">Inside the gates of the hidden Fae city, Naya finds more than she could have ever dreamed. So much is waiting for her: magic, strength, and answers to the secrets kept from her since the death of her mother -- all lingering mere miles from her doorstep. </span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">But when a dark force threatens to raze her newfound home, leaving only rivers of blood in its wake, she must harness her fire -- or watch Alonthiel fall.</span></span></div>
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<b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 17.6000003814697px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">{<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23383346-portals-of-water-and-wine">Add <i>Portals of Water and Wine</i> on Goodreads</a>}</span></b></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">The war had waged for nineteen years. Alonthiel had been overrun with the Fledgling Armies, the children of Ash and Iron. They were the sons and daughters born once to Alonthiel, now so twisted and dark that their former Fae heritage was barely a drop flowing through their veins.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;">There had been a treaty, but it had been broken…somehow…no one could even remember the reason anymore. They had come in the night, with their feathered manes and glowing eyes the color of boiling blood and their fingernails set with iron. They had no need for swords, save the ones that grew from the ends of their hands. They were a deadly force, led into battle by their captain Flail, the son of the Fledgling King.<u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> The sounds of children laughing had been replaced with widow’s wailing. The smashing and splashing of men’s glasses and bar-house celebrations had turned into the sound of metal on metal, metal on flesh.<u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> King Aboras had been crowned for only six days, a rushed ceremony without much pomp or fanfare. He was the fourth King since the war had begun. There was no separation of monarch from common man in the eye of the sword. He crouched in his tent, eyes fixed on the maps splayed on the table in front of him but there was no focus or direction there.<u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> He knew that this would be the last night. His armies were exhausted, running on little sleep and handfuls of food they gathered from the nearby woods. The supplies were sapped, and their powers were dwindling down to sparks. This was the end.<u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> And so, in the darkness of the night with only the stars to provide light, Aboras gathered his people together, every last one that still lived. They circled around their king, loyal to the end. He could not lie to them. He told them of the losses, of the depletion of stores and the draining of magic. The end was coming; they should gather their families and run to the mountains, over the river that the Fledglings could not, would not, cross.<u></u><u></u></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: inherit;"> No one moved. Not one child tried to run, not one husband left his family. They all stood. None would leave their king. </span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>{<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Portals-Water-Wine-R-Haas-ebook/dp/B00OKSBLYM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1413483569&sr=1-1">Pre-buy <i>Portals of Water and Wine</i> on Amazon</a>}</b></span></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">R. L. Haas is one of the wild ones, writing Faerie stories from her little self-declared cottage surrounded by Midwestern cornfields and never enough coffee. Her nonfiction work has appeared in such online publications as SheLoves Magazine and Literary Orphans. She lives with her beloved husband and equally wild daughter, along with their oversized Great Dane. They are ruled over by two fluffy cats. She blogs about her faith, her heart and her ever-growing literary obsessions </span></i><i style="background-color: white; color: #666666; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">at <b style="color: #888888; text-decoration: none;"><a href="http://dramaticelegance.blogspot.com/">dramaticelegance.blogspot.com</a>. </b></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://dramaticelegance.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #262254;">Blog</span> </a>| <a href="https://www.facebook.com/portalsofwaterandwinebook"><span style="color: #262254;">Facebook</span> </a>|<a href="http://www.twitter.com/souldancer1009"> <span style="color: #262254;">Twitter</span> </a>| <span style="color: #262254;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5123290-r-l-haas">Author Goodreads</a> </span></span><span style="line-height: 12.6499996185303px;">| <a href="http://www.instagram.com/sacredselahchaser">Instagram</a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">Author photo by Jennifer Upton of </span><span style="color: #c27ba0;"><a href="http://www.byjenniferupton.com/Headshots/" style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: small; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;" target="_blank">Photography by Jennifer Upton</a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small; line-height: 18.4799995422363px;">.</span></span></div>
She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-45098037595280905252014-10-01T11:33:00.000-04:002014-10-01T11:33:38.044-04:00one small phrase<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo via <a href="http://www.zulily.com/p/mint-you-are-loved-wall-art-85646-10147010.html?m=HardPin&cid=1150&hscpid=834025&pos=related&ref=related&from=10147007&ns=ns_806437239|1399183402157&tid=hellosociety_1150_type56_HardPin_Pinterest_85646-10147010&source=Pinterest&medium=HardPin&u=type56&campaign=type56&utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=HardPin&utm_campaign=type56&utm_content=1150">pinterest</a></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dear-Heart, </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If my soul were only able to whisper one small phrase to your own, I would speak to you swiftly, and you would know all at once that </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>"you are loved."</b></i></span></span></div>
She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-84559375687822857862014-09-24T23:20:00.000-04:002014-09-24T23:20:06.954-04:00THE CIRCLE | FALL FAVES<div align="center">
<a href="http://paintchipmadness.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><img alt="In Its Time" src="http://i1158.photobucket.com/albums/p601/paintchipmadness/thecircle2014.png" style="border: none;" width="250" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">1. Favorite fall fashion/clothing item? </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">I'm a cardigan and leather boots sort of girl. Whoops, that was two things not one. ;)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">2. Favorite fall drink?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;"> I'm all about some apple cider and spiced wassail. We served apple cider in beautiful glass jars at my wedding reception last autumn. Needless to say, my love for all things apples runs deep in my veins.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">3. What's something on your fall bucket list?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;"> Taking a photo in the exact spot we were married exactly one year ago to the day on November 2nd. So, yeah . . .also, celebrating my first ever wedding anniversary with the one whom my heart loves in the same place we honeymooned on our anniversary weekend. I cannot wait! </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">4. Favorite fall recipe? </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">I'm a soup loving girl, so a hot bowl of baked potato soup topped with cheddar, and a piece of gluten free bread, would be my first choice-of-soup. Secondly, I'd take a good spicy bowl of chili.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /></b><b style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">5. Halloween candy or Pumpkin Spice Latte? </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">Pumpkin Spice Latte - <i>made by my baby sister</i> - hers is undoubtedly better than Starbucks. And I am not fibbing on that one. My sister is the <i>Lil Latte Lady!</i></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">6. Favorite fall scent?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;"> Hazelnut, Cinnamon, Clove, Patchouli. I will not choose one. I just can't.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">7. Favorite fall holiday? </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">I'm partial to Halloween. I usually watch a Tim Burton movie marathon, pig out on chocolate covered coffee beans, and snuggle up under a quilt with my loved ones with a hot beverage in hand. Halloween<i> is </i>my choice over Thanksgiving, but only because its the day my husband (then just friend) first came to visit me 5 years ago after our summer together at fuge camp . . . and it was then on that day that I knew I wanted him to be my <i>something more.</i></span><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;" /><b style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">8. What is fall (weather) like where you live? </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #1e1e1e; line-height: 16.9400005340576px;">Well, the first two days of fall have been in the 60's and rainy and grey thus far. My husband and I love this sort of weather. It reminds me of when he first came to visit me . . . but enough about me and my husband. The trees haven't changed colors here yet, but hopefully by the end of October we'll see those glorious leaves show us their <i>color-peak-glory</i>!</span></span>She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-40731893837379826842014-09-19T12:32:00.001-04:002014-09-19T12:32:28.890-04:00Lost in Translation by Ella Frances Sanders<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BkyeYvpdVps/VBxLDr7f8MI/AAAAAAAAHXU/cEIvn2fDayk/s1600/20176282.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BkyeYvpdVps/VBxLDr7f8MI/AAAAAAAAHXU/cEIvn2fDayk/s1600/20176282.jpg" /></a></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Translation-Illustrated-Compendium-Untranslatable/dp/1607747103/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411141979&sr=1-1&keywords=ella+frances+sanders">Lost In Translation : : An Illustrated Compendium of Untranslatable Words from Around the World</a></i></div>
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<i>by Ella Frances Sanders</i></div>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;">Back Cover Blurb:</span> <span style="color: #666666;">Did you know that the Japanese language has a word to express the way sunlight filters through the leaves of trees? Or that there's a Finnish word for the distance a reindeer can travel before needing to rest? </span></div>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8;"><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Translation-Illustrated-Compendium-Untranslatable/dp/1607747103/ref=la_B00JH11S2W_1_1_title_1_har?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411142044&sr=1-1"><b>Lost In Translation</b></a></i> </span><span style="color: #666666;">brings to life more than fifty words that don't have direct English translations with charming illustrations of their tender, poignant, and humorous definitions. Often these words provide insight into the cultures they come from, such as the Brazilian Portuguese words for running your fingers though a lover's hair, the Italian word for being moved to tears by a story, or the Swedish word for a third cup of coffee. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666;">In this clever and beautifully rendered exploration of the subtleties of communication, you'll find new ways to express yourself while getting lost in the artistry of imperfect translation.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">image via <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Translation-Illustrated-Compendium-Untranslatable/dp/1607747103/ref=la_B00JH11S2W_1_1_title_1_har?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411142044&sr=1-1">book's Amazon page</a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">What I Loved:</span> </span>This book is the perfect hand-held sized art book, and the front cover copy isn't too shabby either. What lies nestled just in between this book's beautiful pages? Stunning untranslatable word-studded illustrations. Gorgeous, silly, surprising, swoon-worthy, untranslatable words - some words I've never heard of, and one or two I've seen lurking around literary fringes of the web. <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Translation-Illustrated-Compendium-Untranslatable/dp/1607747103/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411141979&sr=1-1&keywords=ella+frances+sanders">Lost In Translation</a></i></b> is a book that can be read in a single sitting, however it's also a book that you'll want to hang onto for years to come, so you can look back at all those words that don't translate over into English, but are delightful and beautiful to truly know, nevertheless. </div>
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In other news: Have I mentioned that I absolutely adore the illustrations in this book? Because I do. I love your work <i><a href="http://ellafrancessanders.com/">Ella Frances Sanders</a>! </i>(Ahem, pretty please, say there's a volume two in the works?) </div>
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This book will happily take up residence on my apartment coffee table. And I'm looking forward to sharing it with all of my dear word-nerd friends too. <i>What were my favorite words?</i> <b><i>Komorebi</i> </b>and <i><b>Hiraeth</b></i> and <i><b>Waldeinsamkeit</b></i>, and those are just 3 of them. Purchase the book, or look them up to find out why . . . I know, I'm like that. Forgive me. But if you're desperate and want to take a peek at some the illustrations that made it into<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Lost-Translation-Illustrated-Compendium-Untranslatable/dp/1607747103/ref=la_B00JH11S2W_1_1_title_1_har?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1411142044&sr=1-1"><b> <i>Lost In Translation</i></b></a> beforehand, I'll understand. You may<a href="http://ellafrancessanders.com/#/untranslatables/"> find them here</a>.</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">What I Didn't Love As Much:</span> </span>My only qualms with this book are 1) occasionally some of the typography in the illustrations were hard to make out, and 2) there were only 50 words and I desperately wanted to learn more. <i>Overall?</i> The typography didn't keep me from enjoying this book at all though, and I'm an eternal optimist for more untranslatable words in our nearing future. ;)</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #9fc5e8;">Would I Recommend <i>Lost In Translation</i> . . .</span> </span>If you're a word-lover, a big time reader, a world traveler, a seeker of knowledge, or just want to be pleasantly surprised by the unknown, this book is for you.</div>
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<span style="color: #9fc5e8; font-size: large;">About The Author:</span> <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><a href="http://ellafrancessanders.com/">Ella Frances Sanders</a></i> is a writer and illustrator who intentionally lives all over the place, most recently Morocco, the UK, and Switzerland. She likes to create books with real pages while drawing freelance things for charming people, and she is not afraid of questions or bears.</span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Find Ella at her website: <i><a href="http://www./">www.</a></i></span></span><span style="line-height: 18.2000007629395px;"><i><a href="http://ellafrancessanders.com/">ellafrancessanders.com</a></i></span></div>
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<i style="background-color: white; color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">I received this book for free from <a href="http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/" style="color: #9e5e52;">WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group</a> as part of their <a href="http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/" style="color: #9e5e52;">Blogging for Books program</a>. 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 Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span></i></div>
She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-33437557932323703412014-09-08T21:23:00.001-04:002014-09-08T21:23:34.777-04:00Words for Pictures: The Art and Business of Writing Comics and Graphic Novels by Brian Michael Bendis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><span style="font-size: large;">Story Blurb via <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/">Goodreads</a>:</span></span><br />
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<strong style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">Best-selling Marvel Comics writer Brian Michael Bendis reveals the comic book writing secrets behind his work on <em>The Avengers, Ultimate Spider-Man, All-New X-Men,</em> and more.</strong><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">One of the most popular writers in modern comics, Brian Michael Bendis reveals the tools and techniques he and other top creators use to create some of the most popular comic book and graphic novel stories of all time.</span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">Words for Pictures</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"> shows readers the creative methods of a writer at the very top of his field. Bendis guides aspiring creators through each step of the comics-making process—from idea to script to finished sequential art—for fan favorite comics like </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">The Avengers</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">Ultimate Spider-Man</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">Uncanny X-Men</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">, and more. Along the way, tips and insights from other working writers, artists, and editors provide a rare, extensive look behind the creative curtain of the comics industry. With script samples, a glossary of must-know business terms for writers, and interactive comics-writing exercises, </span><em style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">Words for Pictures</em><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"> provides the complete toolbox needed to jump start the next comics-writing success story.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><b style="line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"><i>Since I got this book for my husband to review primarily I'll let him tell you more about the book - though, you should know that I did read quite a few sections in this book myself and loved it! There is a whole host of great advice for writer's and artist's alike, even if you only fall to one side of that spectrum. </i></b></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">What We Liked: </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">// <b>Jared</b> // </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">As a novelist caught, like many, in that strange, harrowing limbo called 'seeking publishing,' managing discouragement and finding your confidence can become routine, perhaps even daily tasks. We've taken classes, we've submitted drafts for review, and we've heard all the answers there are to hear about how to get in the door and stay there. Most how-to books all contain the same information as the last six, and yet we keep buying them in hopes of gleaning that one elusive tidbit of golden knowledge that will allow us to finally ascend to the literary summit. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">I don't know about the rest of you, but <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Words-Pictures-Business-Writing-Graphic/dp/0770434355/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410225429&sr=8-1&keywords=Words+For+Pictures">Words for Pictures</a></i> is about as close as I've come to finding that book so far. The sad thing is I probably would have skimmed it right over if not for the name on the cover. Bendis is perhaps one of my greatest inspirations as a writer working today, and this book truly carries that same in your face, honest way with words he wields like a master craftsman. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">I would definitely point out to everyone that this book is specifically for comic book writing and art, which is a perfectly valid medium but not the one I am currently pursuing. That said, I'd still pay full price just for excerpts from a couple of the chapters. The advice in this is timeless, and anyone working in a creative industry is better off soaking up all the information in these pages like a sponge. The first and last chapters focus primarily on writing and the middle chapters tend to stick with the more industry-specific needs such as what sort of manuscripts talent scouts work best with and how the artistic collaboration between writer and artist works best, and the answers for that are, much like in any creative field, endemic to each person. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">In summation, the advice inside of this book is invaluable to anyone seeking a living in a creative industry. But I think, most of all, the best thing for me that I got out of this book is the central message that you are at your best when you write honestly and when you write what you yourself would want to read. I needed that bit of advice right when this book crossed my path, and I believe it may very well impact yours too.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">// <b>Sarah</b> // That first and fifth chapter though! So much great advice for writers, and comic book artists alike. It's simple and short, yet profound passages like this one that really blew my mind: <i>"Write true. Write honest. That in itself is success."</i> A lot of the writing advice that Bendis presents in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Words-Pictures-Business-Writing-Graphic/dp/0770434355/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410225429&sr=8-1&keywords=Words+For+Pictures">Words For Pictures</a></i> was just what I needed to hear . . . that success is a fickle mistress, that fame isn't what writing and making comic books is all about, and that your writing and art should be made for you and only you first and foremost, not the general populace because its what is the hot ticket story item and genre of the moment.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">I'm not very familiar with script writing myself, as I usually stick to poetry and fantasy fiction, but I was quite impressed by the chapter on script writing. The art in the book was great too - though the chapters on writing and business were a bit more to my specific tastes.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">What He Didn't Like:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"> Try as hard as I might, I had a very difficult time finding flaws in this book, it really nails everything it sets out to do and comes with advice from the best in the business. If I had to nitpick, I could point out that it was penned by a Marvel comics author and that does mean that it takes from primarily Marvel and 3rd party publishers such as Dark Horse Comics. So, if you are a DC lover by heart, you may be disappointed by the lack of representation here. Also, it does cover a wide range of subjects and may not delve as deeply as desired into the particular one you yourself might be interested in, most only get a chapter and an excerpt from a guest writer involved in the field being discussed. Outside of that I can find little in the way of flaws or nitpicks.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">Would We Recommend This Title?</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302948px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">Most definitely. We both agree that we think an assortment of comic lovers, geeks, writer's and artist's alike will all be able to have a great takeaway from <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Words-Pictures-Business-Writing-Graphic/dp/0770434355/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410225429&sr=8-1&keywords=Words+For+Pictures">Words For Pictures</a></i>. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: large; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;">About the Author:</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13.63636302948px; line-height: 17.5636348724365px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">A comic book writer and erstwhile artist. He has won critical acclaim (including five Eisner Awards) and is one of the most successful writers working in mainstream comics. For over eight years Bendis’s books have consistently sat in the top five best sellers on the nationwide comic and graphic novel sales charts.</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Though he started as a writer and artist of independent noir fiction series, he shot to stardom as a writer of Marvel Comics' superhero books, particularly Ultimate Spider-Man.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Bendis first entered the comic world with the "Jinx" line of crime comics in 1995. This line has spawned the graphic novels Goldfish, Fire, Jinx, Torso (with Marc Andreyko), and Total Sell Out. Bendis is writing the film version of Jinx for Universal Pictures with Oscar-winner Charlize Theron attached to star and produce.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Bendis’s other projects include the Harvey, Eisner, and Eagle Award-nominated Powers (with Michael Avon Oeming) originally from Image Comics, now published by Marvel's new creator-owned imprint Icon Comics, and the Hollywood tell-all Fortune and Glory from Oni Press, both of which received an "A" from Entertainment Weekly.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Bendis is one of the premiere architects of Marvel's "Ultimate" line: comics specifically created for the new generation of comic readers. He has written every issue of Ultimate Spider-Man since its best-selling launch, and has also written for Ultimate Fantastic Four and Ultimate X-Men, as well as every issue of Ultimate Marvel Team-Up, Ultimate Origin and Ultimate Six.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">Brian is currently helming a renaissance for Marvel’s AVENGERS franchise by writing both New Avengers and Mighty Avengers along with the successful ‘event’ projects House Of M, Secret War, and this summer’s Secret Invasion.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;">He has also previously done work on Daredevil, Alias, and The Pulse.</span><div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: Georgia, Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">*Disclaimer: We received this book for free from Blogging For Books with the sole purpose of reading this book and of providing an honest review. All opinions expressed in this review are our own. Thank you again, Blogging For Books Team! - The Fisher's</span></span></div>
She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-20152980257400436302014-08-10T22:26:00.000-04:002014-08-11T09:54:04.739-04:00for such a time as this: five long years of self discovery <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="text-align: left;">I've been blogging for over five years.</b><span style="text-align: left;"> Note that I said <i><b>for over five years</b></i> because I'm not writing this post on the exact to-the-day fifth year anniversary of my blog. Why? Because I forgot my own blog's birthday. What can I say? Life just demands to be paid attention to more attentively during certain seasons of our lives, and especially in this one . . . this brave-hearting season for myself. </span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: left;">I'm okay with this, oddly enough, because this simply means that I have successfully accomplished what I set out to do at the very beginning of this year</span><i style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: left;">: <b>live more, and do it bravely.</b></i><br />
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<i style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px; text-align: left;"><b>And in case anyone is wondering . . . my actual five year blogging anniversary was on July 11th. About a month ago to be precise. </b></i></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">I'll confess to you and myself right now that somewhere along the way I feel as if I've <i>lost and found and found and lost </i>my writer's voice here on this blog. I'm not even completely sure what this means for myself at the moment. I'm quite disheartened at the moment because I feel as if I've lost my writer's <i>mojo </i>or something, but I still desperately want to continue writing here because I truly do love this blog and I really don't want to give up on it, or you, my faithful readers.</span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;"><i>So what does this all mean?</i></span></div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">After much <i>hemming</i> and<i> hawing </i>I've decided to keep writing here at </span><b style="text-align: left;"><i>Oh, Restless Bird</i></b><span style="text-align: left;">, even though I've often doubted my ability to continue doing so many times already this year. I think I must continue to write though, because it's the brave-hearted thing to do. And </span><b style="text-align: left;"><i>brave-heart </i></b><span style="text-align: left;">. . . that is the <i>One Word</i> I boldly chose to cling to in twenty-fourteen, is it not? So then I must actively pursue this life of<i> brave-hearting</i>. </span><span style="text-align: left;">The writing must also carry on, as it has and will continue to do so, because it challenges my deep-seeded fears and elevates myself to the status of <i>brave-hearted seeker</i> instead of just being the restless <i>identity-seeking girl.</i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Therefore I gladly welcome this new reinvention of self once more. I am a woman who is now </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">fiercely declaring<b> brave </b>despite the fear that has taken up residence within herself.</span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"> I’m also not afraid to
admit that every step – <i>both good and bad</i> </span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;">–</span><span style="line-height: 18.399999618530273px;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;"> have lead me to a place where I’ve come to realize just how proud I am of who I was in the past, who I am in the now, and who I have
still yet to become. Even though my earlier blog posts still make me cringe a little when
I read back through them. I am still proud that they’re frozen in time here,
because without every single blog post that was painstakingly written I
would not be who I am today. I would never have known this voice of mine. And for that I am eternally grateful.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, thank you, dear-heart. Thank
you, endlessly, for following me for five long years. </span></span><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 115%;">Thank you for following my journey
from the discovery stage, to the restless stage, and finally to the roaring
(yet taking time to live outside of the blogosphere) brave-heart woman stage.
It means the world to me – and just so you know, the silence as of late should
be no indication that I am giving up on me or you or this blog, okay?</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I am privileged to accept the task of writing here for however many more years
God allows me to share my messy brave-hearting adventuring ways through embracing this life of mine alongside all of you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">With all the gratitude I possess, </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>O.R.B.</i><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-82108478781253689192014-07-22T14:02:00.000-04:002014-07-22T14:08:39.823-04:00The Blender Girl by Tess Masters // A Blended-Cookbook Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #595959; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">I was really excited when I learned that the </span><i style="color: #595959; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"><b><a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging For Books</a></b> </i><span style="color: #595959; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">Community would be
expanding their horizons, and extending their listed book choices to many new
genres, including cookbooks.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;"><a href="http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/" target="_blank">Tess Masters’</a> cookbook <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blender-Girl-Super-Healthy-Drinks--100-Gluten-Free/dp/1607746433/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406050153&sr=1-1&keywords=tess+masters" target="_blank">The Blender Girl</a></i> had actually been on my Amazon wish list since I
learned of its existence through the foodie blogging community. Needless to say, I was
really happy when I saw that this book was up-for-grabs on the newly designed <i><b><a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging For Books</a></b></i> website for review. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blender-Girl-Super-Healthy-Drinks--100-Gluten-Free/dp/1607746433/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406050153&sr=1-1&keywords=tess+masters" target="_blank">The Blender Girl</a></span></i><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;"> is a collection of 100 gluten-free and vegan recipes,
by the blogging blender-maven sensation<a href="http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/" target="_blank"> Tess Masters</a> herself. This book was on
my top list of cookbooks to try because I myself am living a
gluten-free lifestyle. And it isn’t always easy for me to find great-tasting , made-from-scratch recipes, that choose to use
wholesome naturally GF ingredients to create easy blender-friendly culinary masterpieces
that taste just as good as they sound in recipe form.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 10.0pt; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;">Let me break down the loves, and the likes, for you
about this particular blended-cookbook . . . <o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TwuGk-npq4U/U86mM7XbFAI/AAAAAAAAHPE/xZ9qN5W-rZk/s1600/Blender-Girl-recipe-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TwuGk-npq4U/U86mM7XbFAI/AAAAAAAAHPE/xZ9qN5W-rZk/s1600/Blender-Girl-recipe-2.jpg" height="320" width="248" /></a><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j1riGAA2D3k/U86mOTkM5QI/AAAAAAAAHPM/ch8LGFyLsas/s1600/Blender-Girl-recipe-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j1riGAA2D3k/U86mOTkM5QI/AAAAAAAAHPM/ch8LGFyLsas/s1600/Blender-Girl-recipe-3.jpg" height="320" width="243" /></a><br />
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<b><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;">On Book
Design:</span></b><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;"> The photography (by Anson Smart) in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blender-Girl-Super-Healthy-Drinks--100-Gluten-Free/dp/1607746433/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406050153&sr=1-1&keywords=tess+masters" target="_blank">The Blender Girl</a></i> cookbook is airy and divine and flawless. I
nearly drooled when I cracked open the book’s cover and flipped through its
gorgeous food-filled pages for the very first time. Every page and recipe in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blender-Girl-Super-Healthy-Drinks--100-Gluten-Free/dp/1607746433/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406050153&sr=1-1&keywords=tess+masters" target="_blank">TBG</a> is well thought out and well laid out, clean, and has an artistic precision and
flair about it that makes this book healthful eye-candy to its ready-to-blend reader.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;">On The
Layout:</span></b><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;"> <a href="http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/" target="_blank">Tess Masters’</a> doesn't just give you recipes here.
Tess shares with us, in her section of <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blender-Girl-Super-Healthy-Drinks--100-Gluten-Free/dp/1607746433/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406050153&sr=1-1&keywords=tess+masters" target="_blank">The Blender Girl</a></i> called “The Lowdown,” her large wealthy knowledge base of blender tips
(pg. 9), the health benefits of adding in certain raw foods to your diet (pg.
15), and extra tidbits about grains and such for soaking and sprouting purposes,
and how to make your own nut milks from scratch that I never would’ve thought to make at home (pg. 24), etc. Assuredly all of these extra bits of info will quantify the
health benefits of the recipes you pursue in your blending adventures. So,
really, you aren’t alone to make culinary blunders with your blender. <a href="http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/" target="_blank">Tess</a>
has you, and your blender, too.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;">On The
Recipes Themselves:</span></b><span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;"> My favorite recipe (so far) is the <i><b>Dark Chocolate Pudding</b></i> on page 164. I
mean . . . It’s avocados and cacao powder and maple syrup for crying out loud! And
it’s kind of my new favorite pudding recipe. Even my non-vegetable-or-fruit-eating
husband loved this recipe for dark chocolate pudding, and yes, I told him what
was in this recipe before he took his first bite, and he still gobbled it up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;">I’m really looking forward to cooking my way through
some of the more savory (think dinner-time) recipes in the near future. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;">* Overall I’d give <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blender-Girl-Super-Healthy-Drinks--100-Gluten-Free/dp/1607746433/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406050153&sr=1-1&keywords=tess+masters" target="_blank">The Blender Girl </a></i> <b>4</b> out of<b> 5 </b>stars, for its ease in
readability, its vast knowledge-imparting base (in chapters 1 and 2), its
healthful and well balanced gluten-free and vegan recipes, and the overall
design and layout of the cookbook itself. <b>Well done <a href="http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/" target="_blank">Tess Masters</a> and <a href="http://crownpublishing.com/imprint/ten-speed-press/" target="_blank">10 Speed
Press.</a></b></span></div>
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<span style="color: #595959; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">For More Information on <i>The Blender Girl</i> by Tess Masters, please check out <b><a href="http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/view/tbg_book" target="_blank">this page </a></b>on her website.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4EbF7nXgKjg/U86kVQGt3UI/AAAAAAAAHOs/cJN_OOe1Ob8/s1600/Tess+Masters.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4EbF7nXgKjg/U86kVQGt3UI/AAAAAAAAHOs/cJN_OOe1Ob8/s1600/Tess+Masters.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #595959; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;">About Tess Masters:</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #595959; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.19999885559082px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Australian-born Tess Masters is a cook, writer, actor, and voiceover artist. She shares super easy recipes on theblendergirl.com.</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.19999885559082px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Tess's easygoing approach has made her a go-to personality for discerning eaters looking for healthy fast food that is easy, delicious, and fun.</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.19999885559082px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>As a presenter and recipe developer, Tess collaborates with leading food, culinary, and lifestyle brands. She has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, Vegetarian Times, Glamour.com, Chow, Epicurious, and AllRecipes, among other publications and websites.</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.19999885559082px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Away from the blender, Tess enjoys a diverse performance career. She has toured internationally with stage productions, worked in film and television, and lent her voice to commercial campaigns, audiobooks, and popular videogame characters.</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.19999885559082px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Tess and her partner, Scott Brick, live in L.A with their West Highland White Terrier (and blender-cuisine maven), Cookie.</i></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.19999885559082px; margin-bottom: 10px; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>/ / / / /</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;">A great big thank you to <i><b><a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging For Books</a></b></i> for providing me with a free copy of<a href="http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/" target="_blank"> </a></span><span style="color: #595959; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15.333332061767578px;"><a href="http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/" target="_blank">Tess Masters'</a> </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Blender-Girl-Super-Healthy-Drinks--100-Gluten-Free/dp/1607746433/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1406050153&sr=1-1&keywords=tess+masters" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;" target="_blank"> <i>The Blender Girl</i></a><span style="color: #595959; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;"> to review and cook my
way through – seriously, you guys, </span><i style="color: #595959; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">thank you</i><span style="color: #595959; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%;">
for expanding your book genre horizons. You guys rock! </span></div>
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<span style="color: #595959; font-family: "Century Gothic","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-style-textfill-fill-alpha: 100.0%; mso-style-textfill-fill-color: #595959; mso-style-textfill-fill-colortransforms: "lumm=65000 lumo=35000"; mso-style-textfill-fill-themecolor: text1; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 166;">And to <a href="http://healthyblenderrecipes.com/" target="_blank">Tess Masters</a>: You
really are a <i>Blender Maven/Healthy GF
Ninja</i> if you got my husband to actually eat avocados and like them! Thank you for providing me with a
fantastic addition to my GF cookbook shelf!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-58074010225514788772014-06-03T17:30:00.000-04:002014-06-03T22:28:11.134-04:00the stone collective // b l o o m<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;">SARAH'S { BELATED } MAY STONE<br />
<br />
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VM6LzTQf3to/U44MKOJrlzI/AAAAAAAAHNc/EbtbmJA4CTc/s1600/IMG_5828.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VM6LzTQf3to/U44MKOJrlzI/AAAAAAAAHNc/EbtbmJA4CTc/s1600/IMG_5828.JPG" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">photograph & artwork by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Oh-Restless-Bird/112413745503716?ref=hl">me </a></span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 42.93333053588867px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>dearheart, may you seek to bloom where you are planted, too.</i></span></span><br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghhVyBHQ8yo/U46CGgl3PBI/AAAAAAAAHNw/lb6p6Zwgq4w/s1600/The-Stone-Collective-Final-logo-jpeg-258x300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ghhVyBHQ8yo/U46CGgl3PBI/AAAAAAAAHNw/lb6p6Zwgq4w/s1600/The-Stone-Collective-Final-logo-jpeg-258x300.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b style="text-align: center;"><i>Want to join in on The Stone Collective?</i></b><span style="text-align: center;"> Create your own Stone and link up to </span><a href="http://liveitoutblog.com/2014/02/stone-collective/" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: #4ca7a8; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;" target="_blank">LIVE IT OUT! Blog</a><span style="text-align: center;">. Link up on Twitter as well with <b>#TheStoneCollective</b></span></div>
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She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-88320200254910359102014-05-28T14:20:00.000-04:002014-05-28T22:00:32.250-04:00moments that take our breath away<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UrEpC_XB-Ko/U4YYg8FNd6I/AAAAAAAAHM8/L89VA9Xu7ew/s1600/Maya+Angelou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UrEpC_XB-Ko/U4YYg8FNd6I/AAAAAAAAHM8/L89VA9Xu7ew/s1600/Maya+Angelou.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo via <a href="http://www.achievement.org/achievers/ang0/large/ang0-010.jpg">achievement.org</a></td></tr>
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<i style="color: #666666; font-size: x-large;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, </span></i></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-size: large;"><i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;">but by the moments that take our breath away." ― Maya Angelou</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20px;"> </span></i></span></div>
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today has been an instance where my breath has been stolen from my lungs, my heart found pumping to a heavier rhythm on this day, than it was just yesterday.<br />
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early this morning <b>maya angelou</b>, poet, civil rights activist, feminist, among other things, passed away from this earth, and entered into the next life. i don't even know how to hold this moment, as her words changed so many lives for the better; her light has now gone onward to light another sphere, another place. i shake my head in disbelief, and thank the lord she lived a full, long, well loved and well lived life. she was such an awe-inspiring, beautiful, warrior-poet of a woman. <b>the world needs more women and men like her, as she was utterly fluent in the language of love and the human soul, as we should all hope to be.</b> i know that as a writer myself i hope to someday reflect maya in some small way.<br />
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<b>i am reeling, wandering and wondering, as i entertain every thought of beginnings and endings and the what-after-thats.</b> and i am strangely light of heart, and yet still feeling like there is a lesser beating, a collapse of heart in my chest. i can see both sides of this circle of life, like i always do. i see light and dark and old and new. i see a purpose beyond my comprehension or human reckoning, and oddly i do not love or hate this feeling. it's just sort of there, and i'm just sort of here today. and i'm doing what i feel like i can do. i can write, and reel, and heal, and speak words of comforting love to myself and you and whoever else is reading this and is struggling with an unknowing heart.<br />
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this is for you. this is for me. <b>in a way, this is for maya angelou, and it's for a few other beloved ones, too.</b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jGJTSTJNCAo/U4YoNdRRTNI/AAAAAAAAHNM/kOWbJ7Rdt3k/s1600/Boul5jJIIAADGzT.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jGJTSTJNCAo/U4YoNdRRTNI/AAAAAAAAHNM/kOWbJ7Rdt3k/s1600/Boul5jJIIAADGzT.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">mary and snuggles</td></tr>
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it's also about those that have been loved a short time and lost, like my sister's beautiful <b>grey fuzzy bunny named snuggles</b>, who also passed this morning, after having lived the best week of her life. that bunny was loved dearly by my sweet, brave, caring baby sister. <b>mary, it will be okay, even if its not okay, okay?</b><br />
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it's a day that has me reflecting upon <b>my eighty-four year old grandfather</b>, the man who after just having had two mini strokes and having had to have been hospitalized a few weeks ago right before my twenty-fifth birthday, has started smoking his cancer sticks again, even though he'd said to me and my husband "it scared the hell out of me!" nothing can keep my grandfather down, but he is smoking again, working out in the yard doing what he loves, which is gardening and mowing and watering the lawn religiously, despite the doctors and my grandmothers orders to live his remaining days in a more sedentary way, in his recliner. he is currently writing out his last wills and testaments, for my grandma to sign as witness. and this shatters me with disbelief, that someday, perhaps soon, he won't be here anymore to tell us about gardening, farming life during the Great Depression, or about the wars in Vietnam and Korea.<br />
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and then i think about <b>my husbands grandmother</b>. she is becoming encased in her own body, by a disease that sounds like some cruel man's name (Lou Gehrig's disease) and it is no joke. and it's unsettling to see her this way, tubes and machines and a wheelchair . . . her playing word charades with us, to her discomfort between breaths, gasping to speak. i grasp my husbands hands tightly these days, and reassure him that he'll make it through, but it's still not fair for her or for him. and my husband's father goes to see his mother as often as he can . . . five hours up the road to the mountains, in between all of his many responsibilities as a pastoring shepherd over his own flock. we don't know how much more time we have with mammaw. months, days, hours? so we cherish every moment we have with her, and pray her though her pain. that is all we can do, but somehow i feel as if its not enough.<br />
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it's not really fair that we lose those that inspire, those who breath life into our lungs, those who, had they not been born, neither would we have been, and yes, it's not even fair when we lose the precious animal lives we love. yet somehow death is supposed to be fair, but try telling that to the person who is thick in the reckoning and grief of it all, to the person who sees death coming for the person they love and has to declare it purposeful, God's will, beyond our understanding. <b>it is not easy saying goodbye, even when you know another hello is in your distant or maybe, possibly, unknown near future. </b><br />
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<b>death is just another mystery we cannot yet comprehend.</b> so today i sit here, just me and my jesus, struggling to breathe in the mystery and unknowingness of it all. and i look for another grand moment to take my breath away. in the end this circle of life and death, beginning and ending, well, it's really sort of a tragically beautiful creature in its own way.<br />
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<b><i>for those we lose in death are the ones who teach us how to live. </i></b><br />
<br />She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-24839586853135382732014-05-08T07:56:00.000-04:002014-05-08T07:56:11.881-04:00God's Will: Cover Reveal + Book Announcement <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Hello all! My dear yankee sister-friend <a href="http://www.justasiam-meghan.com/">Meghan M. Gorecki</a> is finally letting me unzip my <i>busting-at-the-seams</i> lips to tell you that she will become a published author, with her first historical fiction novel <b style="font-style: italic;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22044932-god-s-will">God's Will</a></b>, set to be released and make it's debut on May 19th (Lord willing!) Be sure to mark her book as <b><u>Want to Read</u></b> on <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22044932-god-s-will">Goodreads</a>, and get ready to order your paperback copy (or kindle edition ebook) on Amazon shortly!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;">(I know, so many exclamation points. I just simple cannot contain myself, as I love <a href="http://www.justasiam-meghan.com/">Miss Gorecki</a> dearly!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Here is a little more information on <a href="http://www.justasiam-meghan.com/">Meghan's</a> debut novel <b><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22044932-god-s-will">God's Will</a></b>, and the gorgeous northern-belle authoress herself . . .</i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><b>God's Will - Back Cover Blurb</b></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><b>Kathy Andrews</b> is good at goodbyes. Her mother is sent to a sanatorium, her sister, left behind in Chicago, and her father, forced to roam looking for work. So she holds close to the only one she has left, her brother Danny. When the two go to live with the Marshalls in the sleepy town of Brighton, she doesn't let anyone past hello.<o:p style="margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><b>Elliott Russell </b>frowns at his aunt and uncle's generosity--even though he and his sister are on the receiving end. He frowns, too, at the uppity city girl with a chip on her shoulder whom he can't get out of his head. When a tragedy rips apart what tenuous existence they manage to forge, will they find the sweetest place to be is in God's will--or will they turn their backs on faith that fails to protect against pain?</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fdS0jf9dU5Q/U2pVDbMuNYI/AAAAAAAAHMM/7FB2_NVZKN4/s1600/Meghan+M.+Gorecki+Author+Photo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fdS0jf9dU5Q/U2pVDbMuNYI/AAAAAAAAHMM/7FB2_NVZKN4/s1600/Meghan+M.+Gorecki+Author+Photo.jpg" height="400" width="300" /></a></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>About The Author</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 20.799999237060547px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.justasiam-meghan.com/">Meghan M. Gorecki</a> is a twenty-something living a hundred or so miles from Gettysburg and a hundred or so years from the history that beckons her. So she goes there (and elsewhere) in heart and on pages. Meghan works as a medical receptionist by day and types away on her novels and blogs at night. She's a redhead thanks to a box, but a daughter of God thanks to the Cross.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 20.799999237060547px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>You Can Find <a href="http://www.justasiam-meghan.com/">Meghan M. Gorecki</a> On . . .</b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px;"><span style="line-height: 20.799999237060547px; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/MeghanMGoreckiAuthor">Facebook</a> // <a href="https://twitter.com/MeghanMGorecki">Twitter</a> // <a href="http://www.justasiam-meghan.com/">Blog</a> // <a href="http://www.everygoodword.com/">Every Good Word</a> // <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8189276.Meghan_M_Gorecki">Goodreads</a></span></span></span></div>
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She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-76378212147535965932014-05-05T19:13:00.001-04:002014-05-05T19:56:13.471-04:00Girl At The End of The World by Elizabeth Esther<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mwyKO5sbM_4/U2gLWGwVo3I/AAAAAAAAHLo/WogB9djkYTE/s1600/GATEOTW+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mwyKO5sbM_4/U2gLWGwVo3I/AAAAAAAAHLo/WogB9djkYTE/s1600/GATEOTW+2.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Genre: </b>Religion <b>/ </b>Memoir</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Release Date: </b>March 18th, 2014</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><span style="line-height: 17.999998092651367px;"><b>Number of Pages: </b>224</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><span style="line-height: 17.999998092651367px;"><b>Publisher:</b> <i><a href="http://www.convergentbooks.com/" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;">Convergent</a> an imprint of <a href="http://crownpublishing.com/" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;">The Crown Publishing Group</a></i></span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;">// Summary</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: xx-small; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>(from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-End-World-Escape-Fundamentalism/dp/0307731871/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399326154&sr=1-1&keywords=girl+at+the+end+of+the+world" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;">Amazon</a>)</b></span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b> //</b></span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: xx-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: inherit; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"><span style="line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">I was raised in a homegrown, fundamentalist Christian group—which is just a shorthand way of saying I’m classically trained in apocalyptic stockpiling, street preaching, and the King James Version of the Bible. I know hundreds of obscure nineteenth-century hymns by heart and have such razor sharp “modesty vision” that I can spot a miniskirt a mile away.<br /><br />Verily, verily I say unto thee, none of these highly specialized skills ever got me a job, but at least I’m all set for the end of the world. Selah.</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;" /><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;" /><b style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">A story of mind control, the Apocalypse, and modest attire.</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">Elizabeth Esther</a> grew up in love with Jesus but in fear of daily spankings (to “break her will”). Trained in her family-run church to confess sins real and imagined, she knew her parents loved her and God probably hated her. Not until she was grown and married did she find the courage to attempt the unthinkable. To leave.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">In her memoir, readers will recognize questions every believer faces: When is spiritual zeal a gift, and when is it a trap? What happens when a pastor holds unchecked sway over his followers? And how can we leave behind the harm inflicted in the name of God without losing God in the process?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, <b><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-End-World-Escape-Fundamentalism/dp/0307731871/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399326154&sr=1-1&keywords=girl+at+the+end+of+the+world">Girl at the End of the World</a></i></b> is a story of the lingering effects of spiritual abuse and the growing hope that God can still be good when His people fail.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; line-height: 18px;"><b style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></b></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #666666; line-height: 18px;"><b style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">// My thoughts on <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-End-World-Escape-Fundamentalism/dp/0307731871/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399326154&sr=1-1&keywords=girl+at+the+end+of+the+world" style="text-decoration: none;">Girl At The End of The World</a></i> //</b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: medium;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Oh, this story. I could not put this memoir down. My heart ached all the more with every single turn of the page. I will never be the same, now that I have had a glimpse into the reality of what cult-life and religiosity and</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"> </span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">harm inflicted in the name of God</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> looks like. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I can honestly say that I would not have been able to contain my weeping had I not (thankfully) known that <a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">EE </a>had already been totally removed from her previously cult-saturated home life. That said, this painfully eye-opening memoir still had me fighting back the tears, and furiously flipping through the pages to get to the end - <i>or wouldn't it be the beginning?</i> - of <a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">EE's</a> story. </span><br />
<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">Elizabeth Esther's</a> life story is downright cringe-worthy and heart-rending, and she is completely brave for having told her tale of fleeing The Assembly. The world needs to listen to - <i>not just hear</i> - this story. And then we should all promptly seek to share it around our tables, because this story is a needed one. I believe <a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">EE's </a>story has the power to free, to redeem, and ultimately to point towards a way of finding healing, for those of us who have escaped, or still need to escape, cycles of physical and religious abuse. </span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666;"><span style="font-family: century gothic, arial, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">EE</a> you are one beautiful, brave woman. Thank you for telling us your life story. You inspire us all to be brave, and to push past the boundaries of fear.</span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
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<span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-size: xx-small;">* trigger warnings: some profanity, talk of abuse, cult-atmosphere, depression, and brainwashing *</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CLY2GpOolCY/U2gHaxoJsBI/AAAAAAAAHLU/IS-0uT2Wt2s/s1600/Elizabeth+Esther.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CLY2GpOolCY/U2gHaxoJsBI/AAAAAAAAHLU/IS-0uT2Wt2s/s1600/Elizabeth+Esther.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">Elizabeth Esther</a> is the author of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-End-World-Escape-Fundamentalism/dp/0307731871/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399326154&sr=1-1&keywords=girl+at+the+end+of+the+world">'Girl at The End of the World: my escape from fundamentalism in search of faith with a future.'</a> She is a popular, award-winning blogger and advocate for children's rights. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;">She appeared on Anderson Cooper LIVE to confront the abusive child spanking practices of Mike & Debi Pearl. Her writing has appeared in Mothering Magazine, OC Family and The Orange County Register. She is a contributing writer for <a href="http://deeperstory.com/">Deeper Story</a>. <a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">Elizabeth</a> is a mother of five and lives with her husband and family in Tustin, California.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">Click <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-End-World-Escape-Fundamentalism/dp/0307731871/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399326154&sr=1-1&keywords=girl+at+the+end+of+the+world" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;">HERE </a>to purchase<a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-We-Were-Fire-Consuming/dp/1601425457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398290037&sr=8-1&keywords=When+We+Were+On+Fire" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;"> </a><i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Girl-End-World-Escape-Fundamentalism/dp/0307731871/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1399326154&sr=1-1&keywords=girl+at+the+end+of+the+world" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;">Girl At The End of The World</a> </b></i>from <a href="http://amazon.com/" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;">Amazon.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">Find out more about <a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">Elizabeth Esther</a><a href="http://addiezierman.com/" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;"> </a>at </span><span style="background-color: transparent; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: Century Gothic, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><a href="http://www.elizabethesther.com/">www.elizabethesther.com</a></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: #444444; line-height: 18px;">I received this book for </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: normal; text-align: start;">free from </span><a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" style="color: #1155cc; line-height: normal; text-align: start;" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a><span style="color: #222222; line-height: normal; text-align: start;"> for this review.</span></span></div>
She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4509840396766977649.post-46399733569430006572014-04-23T19:53:00.003-04:002014-04-23T20:15:05.193-04:00When We Were On Fire by Addie Zierman<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xv-ekfauTa0/U1g6F1muf3I/AAAAAAAAHKw/YXMQR9mOWgU/s1600/When+We+Were+On+Fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xv-ekfauTa0/U1g6F1muf3I/AAAAAAAAHKw/YXMQR9mOWgU/s1600/When+We+Were+On+Fire.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Genre: </b>Religion <b>/ </b>Memoir</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>Release Date: </b>October 15th, 2013</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><span style="line-height: 17.999998092651367px;"><b>Number of Pages: </b>256</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><span style="line-height: 17.999998092651367px;"><b>Publisher:</b> <i><a href="http://www.convergentbooks.com/">Convergent</a> an imprint of <a href="http://crownpublishing.com/">The Crown Publishing Group</a></i></span></span><a href="http://crownpublishing.com/"><br style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"><span style="line-height: 17.999998092651367px;"><br /></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.796875px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: small; font-weight: bold; line-height: 17.999998092651367px;">Tag Line:</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; line-height: 17.999998092651367px;"> </span><span style="line-height: 20.795454025268555px;"><i><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">A Memoir of Consuming Faith, Tangled Love, and Starting Over</span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<b style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20.796875px;"></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;">// Summary</span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: x-small; font-weight: bold; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b>(from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-We-Were-Fire-Consuming/dp/1601425457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398290037&sr=8-1&keywords=When+We+Were+On+Fire">Amazon</a>)</b></span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><b> //</b></span><span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #666666;"> </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">In the strange, us-versus-them Christian subculture of the 1990s, a person’s faith was measured by how many WWJD bracelets she wore and whether he had kissed dating goodbye.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;">Evangelical poster child <a href="http://addiezierman.com/">Addie Zierman </a>wore three bracelets asking what Jesus would do. She also led two Bible studies and listened exclusively to Christian music. She was on fire for God and unaware that the flame was dwindling—until it burned out.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><a href="http://addiezierman.com/">Addie</a> chronicles her journey through church culture and first love, and her entrance—unprepared and angry—into marriage. When she drops out of church and very nearly her marriage as well, it is on a sea of tequila and depression. She isn’t sure if she’ll ever go back.</span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> </span><br style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;" /><i style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-We-Were-Fire-Consuming/dp/1601425457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398290037&sr=8-1&keywords=When+We+Were+On+Fire">When We Were on Fire</a></b></i><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.399999618530273px;"> is a funny, heartbreaking story of untangling oneself from what is expected to arrive at faith that is not bound by tradition or current church fashion. Addie looks for what lasts when nothing else seems worth keeping. It’s a story for doubters, cynics, and anyone who has felt alone in church.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; line-height: 18px;"><b style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f; line-height: 18px;"><b style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">// My thoughts on <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-We-Were-Fire-Consuming/dp/1601425457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398290037&sr=8-1&keywords=When+We+Were+On+Fire">When We Were On Fire</a></i> //</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Our stories may not be the same, but I grew up in a wonderful Christian home in the very midst of the whole <i>super-evangelical era </i>too, so I can understand the joy and pain of it all<i>.</i> And eerily, the latter half of that phrase I just shared with you feels almost like a sobbing confession, rather than a proud admission. Don't get me wrong. I cling to my faith, not bound by title or tradition, tightly. I love Jesus, and His people. But I have definitely been hurt by my fair share of overly zealous "Church People" over the last 24 years, like the author herself. Fast forward to now: I have found love and grace and forgiveness. And it looks a lot like Jesus. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">But enough about me.</span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://addiezierman.com/">Addie</a>'s story of faith-on-fire, faith lost, then faith reborn, is <i>inspiring </i>and <i>heartbreaking </i>and <i>thought-provoking</i>, all entwined together in an easy to read, gorgeously blue-covered package. If you want to know the truth, well, I kind of couldn't stop reading this book, because it just completely resonates with me and my wandering-soul right now. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On another note, can I just fawn over the layout of this redemption filled story for a moment? There are 4 moving parts to this memoir: <b style="font-style: italic;">Obsession</b>, <b><i>Disillusion</i></b>, <b><i>Rebellion</i></b>, and <b><i>Redemption</i></b>. Each section spoke to my heart in such a unique way, because I felt like I had and have been seeing a lot of these faith motions in my own spiritual life within the last 24 years. Oh, and the chapters? The chapters are brilliantly segmented off with different Christianese Vocab, like: <b><i>Three-Minute Testimony</i></b>, <b><i>True Love Waits</i></b>, <b><i>Born Again</i></b>, <b><i>Evangelicalism</i></b>, <b><i>WWJD</i></b>, etc. </span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #7f7f7f;"><span style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We may as well get</span></span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; line-height: 18px;"> <b><i>real </i></b>here . . . I don't think I've ever nodded my head up-and-down in such an </span><b style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; line-height: 18px;"><i>oh-my-gosh-I-totally-get-what-you're-saying-girlfriend</i></b><span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; line-height: 18px;"> way so many times in a row. This memoir is chock full of those shockingly true revelation filled moments, when it comes to talking, and having lived the evangelical life through all of its ups and downs, that is. So, if you are looking for hope and grace and a glimpse into some real gritty faith-filled questioning and truth-seeking, then you need to meander your way through the unique, vulnerable, and beautifully crafted pages of this memoir. You'll be glad that you did.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">* a cautionary note: if you're not comfortable with some occasional blips of cursing, talk of drinking and depression, then this book may ruffle your feathers. but please, do not let this real-life story of redemption pass you by because of a few gritty word-painted real-life moments. mmkay? thanks. *</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a94AfUHfRw4/U1g7lGAlyfI/AAAAAAAAHK8/U60Abjg0J3Y/s1600/Addie+Zierman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a94AfUHfRw4/U1g7lGAlyfI/AAAAAAAAHK8/U60Abjg0J3Y/s1600/Addie+Zierman.jpg" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">// About The Author //</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #666666; font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://addiezierman.com/">Addie Zierman</a> is a writer, blogger and fledgling speaker.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">She has an MFA from Hamline University and is the author of <i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-We-Were-Fire-Consuming/dp/1601425457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398290037&sr=8-1&keywords=When+We+Were+On+Fire">When We Were On Fire: A Memoir of Consuming Faith, Tangled Love and Starting Over</a></b></i>, through Convergent Books.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">She blogs at <a href="http://addiezierman.com/">addiezierman.com</a>, where she's doing the hard work of redefining faith in a world that is significantly less black and white than she once believed it to be.</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><a href="http://addiezierman.com/">Addie</a> is a Diet Coke enthusiast with terrible taste in TV and an endless pile of Books-To-Read. She lives in Minnesota with her husband, Andrew, and her two young sons (Dane and Liam).</span><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19px;" /><br style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 19px;" /><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;">If you see her out, please don't say anything about the streak of snot on her shirt or All The Yelling. It will only embarrass her.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #666666; font-family: 'century gothic', arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.799999237060547px;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">Click <a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-We-Were-Fire-Consuming/dp/1601425457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398290037&sr=8-1&keywords=When+We+Were+On+Fire" style="color: #9e5e52; text-decoration: none;">HERE </a>to purchase<a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-We-Were-Fire-Consuming/dp/1601425457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398290037&sr=8-1&keywords=When+We+Were+On+Fire"> </a><i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/When-We-Were-Fire-Consuming/dp/1601425457/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398290037&sr=8-1&keywords=When+We+Were+On+Fire">When We Were On Fire</a> </b></i>from <a href="http://amazon.com/"><span style="color: #9e5e52;">Amazon</span>.com</a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; line-height: 17.99715805053711px;">Find out more about <a href="http://addiezierman.com/">Addie Zierman </a>at <a href="http://www.addiezierman.com/">www.AddieZierman.com</a></span></div>
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<i style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;">I received this book for free from <a href="http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/" style="color: #9e5e52;">WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group</a> as part of their <a href="http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/" style="color: #9e5e52;">Blogging for Books program</a>. 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 Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255</span></i></div>
<b style="background-color: white; color: #7f7f7f; font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></b> <iframe allowtransparency="true" height="135" scrolling="no" src="http://waterbrookmultnomah.com/bloggingforbooks/reviews/ranking/30389" style="border: 0;" width="459"></iframe>She Will Move Mountainshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16080281310264864266noreply@blogger.com6