Giants in the Land- book review

About the Book:

There are giants in the land.

And it has always been so as far as anyone can remember. They work side-by-side with the people, and whenever there is a job too difficult or a threat too great they are there to step in. The giants’ presence gives the townspeople a special confidence about life. But they have become much more dependant on the giants than they realize. One morning the people discover the giants have mysteriously disappeared. Fear and panic grip the town. Someone must find them and bring them back! 

Thomas, a young farmer, volunteers and sets out alone on a great journey of danger and discovery. Thomas learns the true nature of giants and what it means for him and his people. Join Thomas in his timeless rite of passage and learn what it means to become something more than you have been, why it is necessary in life, and how to do it.

Learn more about Giants in the Land by visiting: http://www.giantsinthelandbook.com

About the Author:

Clark Burbidge's path to becoming an award winning author had distant beginnings. He received an MBA degree from the University of Southern California and a BS Degree in finance from the University of Utah. His career spans 31 years in banking, project finance, investment banking and more recently as Chief Financial Officer of three separate companies. He has been actively involved in community and church service, including lay youth and adult ministry, for over 35 years. 

It has been his long-term dream to write and publish several works that have been kicking around in his mind for many years. His first book, "Life on the Narrow Path: A Mountain Biker's Guide to Spiritual Growth in Troubled Times" was released nationally in March 2011. His second book "A Piece of Silver" was published in July 2011 and is currently entering its 2nd edition. Clark enjoys life in the foothills of the Rockies with his wife, children and three grandchildren. He looks forward to this next phase of life's wonderful adventures.

Learn more about Clark by visiting www.clarkrburbidge.com.

My opinion:

I give this book 4 stars out of 5.  I enjoyed this book because it reminded me of the fairy tales that my mom used to read me every night before bed when I was a child.  It was a simple, entertaining but interesting book and it only took me a day to read it.  My 12 year old daughter is reading it now and she said it kind of reminds her of a simpler form of Pilgrim's Progress. To see what other's are saying about Giants in the Land click here.

Thanks for reading,

 

Inescapable-book review and quilt giveaway

Enter Today - 7/11-7/25!

About the Book:

 
Lizzie Engel is used to running away. At eighteen, she left her Mennonite 
hometown, Kingdom, Kansas, with plans never to return. 
 
But five years later, the new life she built is falling apart. Lizzie knows 
she's being followed, and she's certain the same mysterious stranger is behind 
the threatening letters she's received. Realizing she'll have to run again, the 
only escape Lizzie can manage is a return to the last place she wants to go. 
 
Once she arrives in Kingdom, Lizzie is confident she'll be safe until she comes 
up with a new plan. In reacquainting herself with the town and its 
people--especially her old friend, Noah Housler--she wonders if she judged her 
hometown and her Mennonite faith too harshly. However, just as she begins to 
come to terms with her roots, Lizzie is horrified to discover the danger she ran 
from is closer than ever. 
 
No longer sure who to trust and fearful for her life and the lives of those 
around her, Lizzie finds she has only one place left to run--to the Father whose 
love is inescapable. 

About Nancy: 








 
Nancy Mehl, the author of 12 books, received an ACFW Carol Award in 2009 for her 
novel For Whom the Wedding Bell Tolls. She has a background in social work and is a member of ACFW and RWA. She writes from her home in Wichita, Kansas, where she lives with her husband, Norman, and their puggle, Watson. Visit her website at www.nancymehl.com. 

 To purchase Inescapable please click here.

Find out what readers are saying about this book by clicking here.

My Opinion:

I give Inescapable 4 out of 5 stars.  This was a great read from start to finish. It was fascinating to read about the Mennonite lifestyle and faith which differs from the Amish. I've read many books about the Amish but none about the Mennonites so it was great to get a glimpse into their world.  My family and I attend a church that is considered a Mennonite church but most people would never even realize it because it's basically a non-denominational church that started as a Mennonite church.  I've always wondered what true Mennonite's think of our church, and after reading this book I'm sure they wouldn't approve.   This book offers faith, heritage, mystery and last but not least love!

  

Thanks for reading,

 

The Company

About the Book: 

A meteor strike plunges the world into darkness. A stranger to the village of Brigos Glen restores power and light, supplied by three businesses, known as “The Company,” located beyond the forbidden mountains. The stranger reveals a plan so the Brigons can maintain the power and share the light with outlying territories, which remain shrouded in darkness.

Now, seventy years later, The Company summons six Brigons, including the young engineer Sam Mitchell, to attend a conference in the mountains of the forbidden Outlands. 

Responsible for compiling a report about Brigos Glen from his five companions, Sam learns how managers and villagers largely ignored the plan or compromised it to self-interest, forsaking their duty to share the light. They also took for granted The Company responsible for generating and transmitting the power.

In an ordeal fraught with failure, revelations, and judgment, Sam discovers the true identity behind The Company and learns the fate that may befall Brigos Glen . . . that is, unless he can stop it.

About the author: 

Chuck Graham's legal career as an attorney in private practice spanned more than thirty-one years. He represented many local, national, and international clients, acquiring intricate knowledge about the often-overlapping structures of the corporate world. He also worked against those seeking to create racial division, including the Ku Klux Klan. He has served as a member of the state bar of Georgia since 1979 and an instructor to attorneys and judges through the Institute for Continuing Legal Education (ICLE). He received the Medallion of Appreciation from ICLE.

Chuck is also a speaker and the author of Take the Stand (Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996) and the compilations, A Year of Encouragement(Xulon Press).

In 1997 he founded Ciloa (Christ Is Lord Of All), a ministry devoted to sharing God’s encouragement with the world and teaching those who follow Him how to encourage others. Today Chuck serves as executive director and principal author of A Note of Encouragement, a weekly e-zine reaching 175 countries.

He and Beverly, his wife of thirty-four years, have lived in Lawrenceville, a suburb of Atlanta, for fourteen years. God has blessed them with three children. In his free time, Chuck enjoys backpacking and hiking (especially on the Appalachian Trail), playing the guitar, dabbling in photography, and reading extensively about the Christian faith. 

My Opinion:

This book captivated my imagination with its originality and to me this book is an allegory with what we struggle with as Believers in Christ.  Chuck explains the trinity in a simple but cleaver way that is easily understood. On the surface this is a fantastic read but as a Christian you get to delve deeper into everything and try to decipher exactly what Chuck is trying to say with his double meanings and hidden references that smack you in the face from the first to the last page. 

I give it 4 out of 5 stars since some of it is a bit predictable toward the end but all in all it's a fantastic read from an author with a fantastic imagination.

If you would like to follow this blog tour and see what other bloggers thought of The Company please click here.

Thanks for reading, 

Apologia-Who Is My Neighbor?

If you haven't seen the What We Believe 4 book series by Apologia that covers Biblical Worldview then you'll want to check it out.  The first book is Who is God? Earlier this year we reviewed book 2 in the series called Who Am I? We were asked to review the 3rd book Who Is My Neighbor? 

The 4th book in this series is What On Earth Can I Do?

Who Is My Neighbor? picks up where Who Am I ? left off and has been very insightful not only to my children but to myself this book covers servanthood and how to be the hands and feet to our neighbors and those in need.  Lessons cover the following:

1. Does anyone really need me?
2. How can I make a difference?
3. Who is my neighbor?
4. Why did God make families?
5. What can I do for my country?
6. Why can’t we all just get along?
7. Who is God’s family?
8. Why does the church need me?

Since we are studying U.S. History this year we really worked hard on #5 What can I do for my country? Some of the things covered were praying for our leaders and voting which brought up a lot of interesting comments and discussion from my children.

It's recommended to that the book be covered twice per week, which was easy to do for our family.  Each lesson then takes place over a period of about three weeks.  Some of the reading time is longer on some days but the activities are usually shorter like word puzzles, memory verses, drawings, etc.

My son enjoyed the coloring book and would often color while I was reading to them.

The series is recommended for ages 6-14

Price: Text ~ $39.00, Journal ~ $24.00, Coloring Book ~ $8.00

Sample:https://apologia.securesites.net/pdfs/sample/322.pdf

Thanks for reading, 

Hewitt Homeschool-State Chronicles

I was really excited to have the opportunity to review the State Chronicles by Hewitt Homeschooling because we are diving back into U.S. History for a much deeper look this year.  About 4 or 5 years ago we studied the US but didn't go into very much depth and mainly learned about the states and of course how the U.S. was founded.  This year it's all new because we need to add Oklahoma History into the mix.  With the State Chronicles it has been so much fun learning about Oklahoma History.  We've started exploring the state more and of course camping, running, swimming, hiking and many field trips are all learning experiences and with the State Chronicles notebook it's almost like a facts and info scrapbook for all of our exploring!

Each cover can be personalized for your child and state.

This notebook arrived already put together for me in a 3 ring binder.  I didn't have to do a thing except pull it out of the box and start exploring.  My kids have really enjoyed looking up all of the Oklahoma facts and info on the internet and every night at dinner we discuss the info and tell dad about it.  They've learned many interesting facts like the state flower, tree, flag and info about the population, geography and industries in different areas of Oklahoma.  One of the things that they are looking forward to next week is interviewing a new resident and an someone that has lived here for a long time.  I recommend that each student has their own notebook so they can have something to show for all of their hard work and creativity.
 State Chronicles can be purchased at Hewitt Homeschooling for $19.95 and is recommended for 3rd-8th grades.  It has 100 pages that are filled with fill in the blanks, draw your state seal, license plate, flag, etc. It walks you and your student through all of the pertinent info that every state has and then you get to be creative and showcase in your own unique way. 

Makenzie had fun at Turkey Creek's one room schoolhouse field trip.

 I'm saving the "My Favorite Place in My State" page for the end of the year after we've finished a bunch of field trips.  I can't wait to see what each of my kids choose as their favorite place in Oklahoma.  This will be a treasure to save for the future and I know we are going to have a wonderful adventure this year and I look forward to making many memories and learning a lot myself!

Thanks for reading,