Cheap Chic by Caterine Mack and Carol Troy

Let me preface this review by saying that I am not the intended audience for this book. In the foreword by Tim Gunn quotes the authors saying, "We figure that anyone who's sharp enough to buy this book isn't sitting around spending huge amounts of time 'saving money' with homey handiworks when they could be out making the money to save them the time." Honestly, had I read this before requesting this book for review I would have passed it by. So for me, a stay-at-home, homeschooling mom, raising kids and animals. . .doing what we can to live frugally. . .yup, this book is not for me.

Okay, well I requested it and promised a review, so here goes! This is as reprint of a book that is very fashion-y. It is a historical guide through fashions up to and including the '70's. It showcases famous and random individuals' own styles and highlights how to have a style like those. It also gives styles in different countries/industries/hobbies that can inspire day-to-day fashion.

The cover is bright and colorful, the interior pages are filled with black and white photos and line drawings.

All in all, it's not a book for me. If you are a fashion lover you may find it interesting and maybe inspiring, but for me, give me my blue jeans and white t-shirt and I'm all set.

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.

Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman

Looking for a fun easy read? Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman will fit the bill! This book was a really nice vacation read for me -- entertaining story with a happy ending :)

The book focuses on two strands of a story that come together eventually. Someone is buying street children from Chicago, shipping (literally in boxes) them to a town to work as free labor (or else get killed) in a sweatshop setting. Another character in the book is a rehabilitated ex-pickpocket from Chicago who has become a follower of Christ through the influence of an older Christian woman with whom she now lives (in a city far away from Chicago) and runs an orphanage.

A boxload of orphans become freed from their crate and begin roaming the streets, living by whatever means they can; also they are trying to free the other kids who are enslaved. Livy (the ex-pickpocket) begins trying to help them though they are suspicious of her.

Add into all of this a sheriff deputy who has recently lost his father in a mine collapse and who is falling in love with Livy (without knowing her past).

SO -- yes, it's kind of predictable, and that is a good thing I think :) It's a happy ending, a little adventure, a little human interest, and a little romance. It is written as a Christian romance, so it refers to the life-changing walk with Christ.

I enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it as a fun read!

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.

101 Things Every Girl Should Know (book by Faithgirlz from Zondervan)

This book, 101 Things Every Girl Should Know is DEFINITELY a winner for teen girls!! GREAT book! It's full of practical, important tips and little instructions about how to do many many many practical things! Things like how to accept a compliment, how to bake a chicken, how to give good gifts, how to write thankyou notes, how to write in a yearbook, and so much more! The scope is very broad, things that girls will encounter in their lives.

More? How to say you're sorry, how to make someone's day, how to tell a joke, how to teach yourself to French braid. :)

I really like this book and will give it to my daughters. It is a very helpful book, with the explanations/answers just one to two pages long. Full of bright illustrations and easy to read. The topics are "clean" and easy -- no racy stuff, no bad language, nothing that parents would cringe at. Well maybe the slang :) that kind of makes me cringe -- so so so much cutesy slang -- but the authors are trying to grab teen girls' attention and probably want to try to sound like a peer/teen.


I like the contents of this book. The 101 things (well, it's actually 102!) are, in fact, helpful. Give them as gifts! Teen girls like to read this type of book!

(*****one side note -- the cover of the book came unglued right at the first page -- the binding is fine, the cover just came unattached -- not sure if it's just a fluke with the book I received or if the publisher should take better care!)

Other than the issue with the cover, this book is a wonderful book for teen girls. I would definitely recommend it. It is published by Zondervan, but really doesn't contain religious stuff, just "clean" stuff. It'll reach a broad audience.

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.

Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore

Great story!! The book Drawing Fire by Janice Cantore is a great suspenseful story with a little romance. It is the story of Abby, a homicide detective, and her unending search for answers in the deaths of her parents so many years before. A case comes up that offers Abby the opportunity to ask the governor (an old friend of her parents) about the cold case. She is stopped before she gets to ask much, but her identity is then known.

Another character, who is also searching for the truth from those murders is a private investigator, Luke. His uncle was also killed in the restaurant murders which killed Abby's parents. In his search for answers he has never uncovered the true identity of Abby.

As you can probably guess, Abby and Luke join forces, to some extent, to seek out those responsible for her parents' deaths. I don't want to give away more, so read it!

This was a great story, I really enjoyed it. The characters are nicely developed, "rounded" characters -- you feel as if they are truly real people. They are Christians, and there are references to that and God's will, etc. throughout -- along with that is the lack of bad language or objectionable activities -- nice.

The story wraps up nicely -- BUT leaves you wanting more! This is book one in a series -- and I can't wait for the next books in the series! I would definitely recommend it as a great suspenseful story -- with a little romance -- kind of -- or hints of what is to come, maybe.

I received this book for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.

The Midwife's Tale by Delia Parr

The Midwife's Tale by Delia Parr is a story of a woman (Martha Cade) in the early 1800's who is the midwife for the region. She is a widow and has two children -- one son grown and married and moved away, one daughter who has just (at the start of the book) run away with a traveling circus. She is an essential member of her community, and has helped with almost every birth around.

Martha takes a break from her midwifing role and searches for several months for her daughter, but is unsuccessful. She returns to her previous life only to find that there is a new doctor in town who might threaten her livelihood.

The book follows the story of Martha (Widow Cade) and her efforts to live life in the shadow of her daughter's disappearance as well as carrying on her normal midwifery duties.

There is a new family in the region, a husband and wife and several foster boys -- several tragedies -- larceny -- suspicion -- broken friendships --

I won't tell you how they play into the story, but read it to find out!

I don't want to tell you much more about the plot, because you ought to read it to find out ;) I did enjoy this book quite a lot! The characters are nicely developed and the story is interesting. I usually don't really like historical fictions in this era, but I certainly did like this one! I do recommend this book -- give it a try!

I received this book for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.

Detained by Don Brown

Are you a fan of military suspense stories? Police-legal action? This newest book by Don Brown (as well as his older ones!) will be a winner with you!

The book Detained, by Don Brown, is a suspenseful military-action/JAG Law type book. It's deep and a bit disturbing, full of action, and packed with multiple main characters who enter the story at different points and merge to come to the end of the story.

The book begins with Hasan Makari and his son Najib--Lebanese men who love Christ and the US. Najib has emigrated to the US, become a citizen, and enlisted in the Navy. In the beginning of the book Hasan is flying to the US to visit his son. Najib is on board ship, excited to see his father when they reach port.

Hasan is seized by members of a branch of the TSA without knowing why. He is transported to Guantanamo Bay Detention on false charges and is tortured as his captors seek to beat a confession (albeit false) out of him. His son is whisked off ship and brought to Guantanamo and also endures horrific treatment in an attempt to have him confess to false charges against him as well.

Navy JAG lawyer Matt Davis is (as a seemingly disciplinary measure) assigned to the case of Hasan and Najib. As he travels to the base, he becomes suspicious about the "rules" that the legal system at Guantanamo Bay seem to run under, as well as his role there. He becomes aware of a questionable death of one of his predacessors, and receives some threats to himself.

Another character, Emily Gardner, has received a huge promotion in her legal career, but uncovers some information that seems traitorous -- information that was "planted" to "test" her loyalty. I will not give you much more info than this :) because you'll want to read that yourself!

All the characters come together in the end to provide a slam-bang finish :)

All in all I liked the book. It was very tense, dramatic, and elicited strong emotions about injustice. I guess that what I didn't love was that it seemed that most of the book was these seemingly independent stories unfolding kind of slowly and deliberately and then--WHOOSH!-- it was resolved very quickly. It was an enjoyable book, not an easy fluffy read, by any means.

I would recommend this book for sure. My husband is reading it next and my dad after that. If you like this type of book (like Tom Clancy-type books) then you will like this one. It is not filled with swearing and sex, so that is a plus.

I received this book for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.

Infuse by Eric Prum & Josh Williams

Infuse, by Eric Prum and John Williams is a pretty book about infusing different flavors into olive oil, alcohol, and water. Now, before I write my review, let me say that I am not someone who drinks alcohol, so at least 1/3 of this book could not be appreciated fully by me. So -- that being said, infusions are a very fun way to expand your regular repertoire. Infused olive oil gives new life to old recipes, spices things up a bit. Infused waters seem all the rage right now, encouraging people to drink their water by increasing the flavor.

If you are new to infusing "stuff" maybe you'll be interested in this book. For me, it seemed like not very many recipes, mostly pictures. Now, they are gorgeous pictures!! but not enough for me to pay $25 for a book. This would make a good coffee-table type book, with all the pretty photos. I guess I was just looking for more in this book than there was. I wish that there were even more recipes. The ones that are in the book do sound interesting!

I really liked the dispenser top for the mason jars that the authors invented. Looks helpful!

All in all, maybe this would be a good gift-ish book, for someone who you are not sure what to buy for, or a good hostess gift. The price is steep, but the pictures are really gorgeous. I know I keep saying that, but to me the pictures are maybe the most appreciated part.

I received this book for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write a positive review.