Showing posts with label Holiday Gift Guide 2015. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holiday Gift Guide 2015. Show all posts

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Review - The Forgotten Recipe by Amy Clipston


The Forgotten Recipe
by Amy Clipston
Publisher: Zondervan
Pub. Date: December 8, 2015
Retail: $15.99
ISBN: 978-0310341994
Pages: 320
Buy Link: Amazon


Book Description:

After losing her fiancé in a tragic accident, Veronica Fisher finds solace in the old recipes stored in her mother’s hope chest—and in a special visitor who comes to her bake stand to purchase her old-fashioned raspberry pies.

Veronica Fisher knows how lucky she is to be marrying her best friend. Seth Lapp is kind, hardworking, and handsome—but most importantly, he loves Veronica.

When an accident on the job steals Seth away from her, a heartbroken Veronica is certain she will never love—or be loved—again. Yet when she discovers a batch of forgotten recipes and opens a bake stand to sell her Mammi’s raspberry pies, Veronica picks up a regular customer who gives her heart pause.

Jason Huyard was with Seth when he lost his life—a memory that haunts him still. So when he seeks out the grieving fiancée to convey his condolences, the last thing he expects—or wants—is to fall in love. Nonetheless, Jason soon finds himself visiting Veronica’s bake stand every week . . . and it’s for more than the raspberry pies.

Now, as Veronica’s heart thaws, Jason can’t bring himself to tell her he was there when Seth died. Can he ever reveal where he was on the day her life derailed? Or will his secret rob them of the second chance at love they both want?

About the Author:

Amy Clipston is the award-winning and best-selling author of the Kauffman Amish Bakery series. Her novels have hit multiple best-seller lists including CBD, CBA, and ECPA. Amy holds a degree in communication from Virginia Wesleyan College and works full-time for the City of Charlotte, NC. Amy lives in North Carolina with her husband, two sons, and four spoiled rotten cats. Visit her online at www.amyclipston.com Facebook: AmyClipstonBooks Twitter: @AmyClipston 


Billy's Thoughts:

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: The Transporter Refueled


The Transporter Refueled
Director: Camille Delamarre
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Release Date: December 8, 2015
Retail: $39.99
ASIN: B0168UF1CW
Running Time: 96 minutes
Rating: PG-13
Buy Link: Amazon

Product Description:

Frank Martin (Ed Skrein) is the best driver money can buy, willing to deliver anything for a price. But when his father (Ray Stevenson) is kidnapped by a gorgeous gang of thieves, Fran must shift his skills into overdrive to rescue him. Loaded with nonstop action and excitement, The Transporter Refueled is turbo-charged thrill ride full of hairpin twists and dangerous curves!


Billy's Thoughts:

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: The Cavern Of Promise (Giants in the Land)



The Cavern Of Promise
Giants in the Land, book 3
by Clark Rich Burbidge
Publisher: Deep River Books
Pub. Date: June 25, 2015
Retail: $15.99
ISBN: 978-1940269504
Pages: 256
Buy Link: Amazon



Book Description:

Thomas and his giant companion have disappeared.

At the mercy of the evil king of Westland, in great peril, and with no hope for escape, Thomas faces an impossible test for survival. Book Three caps this award-winning trilogy with a danger-ridden triple quest: save Thomas, redeem a lost people, and reverse the land's painful slide toward destruction. Can help be found in a mythical cave at the far edge of the world? Whispered legends speak of a ferocious tribe, fearsome obstacles, and fabled treasure. Join Thomas and his companions under an uneasy truce, risking all to seek the source of redemption―the Cavern of Promise―in a journey that could bring deliverance . . . or doom.

About the Author:

Clark Burbidge was born and raised in the mountain Valley of the Rockies. He earned a MBA from the University of Southern California and a BS form the University of Utah. His fiance career and his involvement in community and church service span over three decades. Clark and his wife, Leah, live near Salt Lake City, Utah, where they enjoy their blended family of ten children and three grandchildren.


Billy's Thoughts:

Monday, December 21, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Monsterland


Monsterland
by Michael Phillip Cash
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pub. Date: October 2015
Retail: $12.99
ISBN: 978-1517180676
Pages: 284
Buy Link: Amazon



Book Description:

Welcome to Monsterland – the scariest place on Earth. All guests can interact with real vampires in Vampire Village, be chased by an actual werewolf on the River Run, and walk among the dead in Zombieville.

Wyatt Baldwin, a high school student and life-long movie buff is staring bleakly at a future of flipping burgers. Due to a fortuitous circumstance, Wyatt and his friends are invited to the star-studded opening of Monsterland. In a theme park full of real vampires, werewolves and zombies, what could possibly go wrong?




About the Author:

Award winning author Michael Phillip Cash adds Monsterland to his growing list of titles. Within two years, this prolific writer has published eleven novels and four screenplays. When not writing, he loves being with his wife and two children exploring the small villages along the North Shore of Long Island.


Billy's Thoughts:

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Review - Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Songs


Sounds Like Me: My Life (So Far) in Songs
by Sara Bareilles
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub. Date: October 6, 2015
Retail: $28
ISBN: 978-1476727776
Pages: 208
Buy Link: Amazon


Book Description:

With refreshing candor, Sounds Like Me reveals Sara Bareilles, the artist—and the woman—on songwriting, soul searching, and what’s discovered along the way.

Sara Bareilles shares the joys and the struggles that come with creating great work, all while staying true to yourself. Imbued with humor and marked by Sara’s confessional writing style, this collection tells the inside story behind some of her most popular songs. Most recently known for her chart-topper “Brave,” Sara first broke through in 2007 with her multi-platinum single “Love Song.” She has released five albums that have sold 2.5 million copies and spawned several hits. More than a privileged view inside the experience of a remarkable musical talent—this is a moving tribute to the universal search for growth, healing, and self-acceptance.


About the Author:

Sara Bareilles is a five-time Grammy Award-nominated singer, songwriter, and musician. Known for her warm, intimate voice and naturally melodic songs, the Eureka, CA, native has released five albums, including 2013’s critically acclaimed The Blessed Unrest. She lives in New York City. 


Billy's Thoughts:

Friday, December 18, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Falling Like Snowflakes: A Summer Harbor Novel


Falling Like Snowflakes: A Summer Harbor Novel
by Denise Hunter
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: September 8, 2015
Retail: $12.99
ISBN: 978-0718023713
Pages: 352
Buy Link: Amazon



Book Description:

When the Christmas season finds Eden in Summer Harbor, Maine, she's on the run from trouble. Romance is the last thing on her mind.:

Riding in a bus in the thickly falling snow, Eden Davis wonders how it ever came to this-fleeing under cover of night with young Micah sleeping fitfully in the seat beside her. When a winter storm strands them in Summer Harbor, Maine, Eden wonders if what might have been the end could be a new beginning.:

Beau Callahan is a habitual problem-solver. He's recently left his job with the sheriff's department to take over the family Christmas tree farm to save it from insolvency. But he's flummoxed. During the busiest season of the year, he's shorthanded. Then Eden shows up looking for work, and Beau believes he's been rescued. Competent, smart, and beautiful, Eden's also guarded and quiet. He soon figures out she comes with a boatload of secrets. But Beau can't seem to help himself from falling for her.

As Christmas Eve approaches, Beau discovers he'll do anything to keep Eden safe. But who's going to protect his heart from a woman who can't seem to trust again?

About the Author:

Denise Hunter is the internationally published bestselling author of more than 20 books, including Dancing with Fireflies and The Convenient Groom. She has won The Holt Medallion Award, The Reader's Choice Award, The Foreword Book of the Year Award, and is a RITA finalist. When Denise isn't orchestrating love lives on the written page, she enjoys traveling with her family, drinking green tea, and playing drums. Denise makes her home in Indiana where she and her husband are raising three boys.


Billy's Thoughts:

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Gift Guide For The Gambler In Your Life


 

With only 8 days until Christmas day, you have absolutely no time to waste, so you better finish up your holiday shopping ASAP!

Finding the perfect present for each person in your family can be difficult as everyone has their own unique likes and dislikes. If you've been following my blog for the past few weeks, then you would've noticed the Holiday Gift Guide posts, where I feature books, movies and other stuff that would make a great gift. Sadly, I didn't have enough time to review every single thing I wanted to feature. Therefore, I've put together my "top 5" gift ideas to give any online gambler.

1. Monster Energy Drinks




Yes, I know energy drinks have received a bad rap, but there's no harm in drinking a can once in awhile. For gambler and/or gamers, an energy drink can be crucial to keeping your mind on whatever game you are playing. There are many different brands out there, but I prefer the Monster Energy drinks as you can purchase them in 4 to 10 packs. There are a variety of different flavors as well as ones with that are low in sugar and carbs.

2. Jack Link's


If you're participating in an online tournament, you probably don't have time to go to the kitchen to get some munchies. Jack Link's jerky can make a great gift for any gambler as you keep them near your desk, or wherever your laptop is located, for a quick snack.

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: At Love's Bidding


At Love's Bidding
by Regina Jennings
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: December 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-0764211416
Pages: 352


Book Description:

After helping her grandfather at their Boston auction house, Miranda Wimplegate discovers she's accidentally sold a powerful family's prized portrait to an anonymous bidder. Desperate to appease the furious family, her grandfather tracks it to the Missouri Ozarks and makes an outlandish offer to buy the local auction house if they promise not to sell anything until he arrives.

Upon their arrival, however, they discover their new business doesn't deal in fine antiques, but in livestock. And its manager, ruggedly handsome Wyatt Ballentine, is frustrated to discover his fussy new bosses don't know a thing about the business he's single-handedly kept afloat. Faced with more cattle than they can count--but no mysterious painting--Miranda and Wyatt form an unlikely but charged partnership to try and salvage a bad situation getting worse. 

About the Author:

Regina Jennings is a graduate of Oklahoma Baptist University with a degree in English and a history minor. She is the author of A Most Inconvenient Marriage, Sixty Acres and a Bride, and Caught in the Middle, and contributed a novella to A Match Made in Texas. Regina has worked at the Mustang News and First Baptist Church of Mustang, along with time at the Oklahoma National Stockyards and various livestock shows. She now lives outside Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, with her husband and four children and can be found online at www.reginajennings.com



Billy's Thoughts:

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Review - The Mistletoe Inn by Richard Paul Evans


The Mistletoe Inn
by Richard Paul Evans
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pub. Date: November 17, 2015
Retail: $19.99
ISBN: 978-1501119798
Pages: 300
Buy Link: Amazon


Book Description:

At thirty-two Kimberly Rossi, a finance officer at a Lexus car dealership, has had her heart broken more times than she wants to remember. With two failed engagements, a divorce and again alone with no prospects, she hardly seems the type to dream of being a published romance author. Dreading another holiday alone, she signs up for The Mistletoe Retreat, a nine-day writing retreat in Burlington, VT. Deep inside Kimberly knows she’s at a junction in her life and it’s time to either fulfill her dream or let it go. The other reason she decides to attend the conference is because famed romance writer, H.T. Cowell, once the best selling romance writer in America, and the author whose books instilled in her the desire to be a writer, will be speaking in public for the first time in more than a decade.

In one of her breakout sessions Kimberly meets another aspiring writer, and one of the few men at the conference, Zeke, an intelligent man with a wry wit who seems as interested in Kimberly as he is in the retreat. As Kimberly begins to open up to him about her stories and dreams, she inadvertently reveals her own troubled past. As Zeke helps her to discover why her books fail to live up to their potential she begins to wonder if he’s really talking more about her life than her literature. But as she grows closer to him, she realizes that Zeke has his own darkness, a past he’s unwilling to talk about.


About the Author:

Richard Paul Evans is the #1 bestselling author of The Christmas Box. Each of his more than twenty-five novels has been a New York Times bestseller. There are more than twenty million copies of his books in print worldwide, translated into more than twenty-four languages. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the American Mothers Book Award, the Romantic Times Best Women’s Novel of the Year Award, the German Audience Gold Award for Romance, two Religion Communicators Council Wilbur Awards, the Washington Times Humanitarian of the Century Award and the Volunteers of America National Empathy Award. He lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, with his wife, Keri, and their five children. You can learn more about Richard on Facebook at  Facebook.com/RPEFans, or visit his website, RichardPaulEvans.com


Billy's Thoughts:

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: NextX F1 Trooper Drone


NextX F1 Trooper Drone
Retail: $99.99
ASIN: B00W8TNYK
Buy Link: Amazon



Product Description:

  • Lasting Power & Durability: 2.4G 4CH 6-Axis Gyro system and 2pcs comes equipped 3.7V 650mAh Li-polymer batteries to ensure a longer life while the build ensures peak performance and stability in flight.
  •  
  • HD Camera: Equipped with 1MP HD camera and 4GB SD card for high definition video recording and photo shooting.
  •  
  • Headless Mode & HD LCD Transmitter: headless mode automatically locks into take-off once activated. The intelligent LCD transmitter displays signal, battery power, speed and other flight data.
  •  
  • Easy to Maneuver: Up/Down, Left/Right, Forward/Backward, Left/Right Sideward Flying, Hover, 360¡Ã£ Eversion, Support Cruise Control, Headless Mode, Low Battery Warning for the Transmitter.
  •  
  • Reliable and Friendly Customer Service: Ready to respond within 24 hours, 30-day money back guarantee, 12 month replacement warranty and lifetime support guarantee.

Billy's Thoughts:

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga Christmas!



Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Cowabunga Christmas!
Studio: Nickelodeon
Release Date: October 13, 2015
Retail: $9.98
ASIN: B013299SN0
Running Time: 65 minutes
Rating: Not Rated
Buy Link: Amazon


Product Review:

'Tis the season to shell out some justice with 3 throwback Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles episodes! Get in the holiday spirit with Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo as they pass out some season's beatings to a gang of thieves, Foot Tech Ninjas and the Purple Dragons!


Billy's Thoughts:

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: The Imposter: A Novel





The Imposter
by Suzanne Woods Fisher
Publisher: Revell
Pub. Date: October 6, 2015
Retail: $14.99
ISBN: 978-0800723200
Pages: 320
Buy Link: Amazon



Book Description:

Katrina Stoltzfus thought she had life and love all figured out: she was going to marry John and live happily ever after. Those plans started to crumble when her father moved the family to Stoney Ridge, then completely collapsed when John decided to marry someone else. Katrina is devastated. How could she have felt so loved, yet been so deceived?

As she struggles to face a future without him, a widow asks for her help to start a new business and Katrina quickly agrees. She needs time to heal her broken heart, to untangle her messy life, to find a purpose. What she doesn't need is attention from Andy Miller, a farm hand who arrives at the widow's farm just when help is most needed--and who always seems to say the right thing, and be in the right place, at the right time. Is Andy for real, or too good to be true? Deceived once before, Katrina is determined to keep her feelings in check.

When a cascade of events is set in motion by some surprising information, the little Amish church is turned upside down. Soon, everyone has a stake in the outcome, and the community struggles to find the best response to an imposter in their midst. Can they forgive even the most deceitful deeds?

Bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher introduces her loyal fans to a brand-new series set in their favorite town--Stoney Ridge. As always, Fisher delivers endearing characters and plot twists that keep readers turning page after page after page.

 

About the Author:

Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of Anna's Crossing, the Lancaster County Secrets series, the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, and The Inn at Eagle Hill series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace and The Heart of the Amish. She is also the coauthor of an Amish children's series, The Adventures of Lily Lapp. Suzanne is a Carol Award winner for The Search, a Carol Award finalist for The Choice, and a Christy Award finalist for The Waiting. She is also a columnist for Christian Post and Cooking & Such magazines. She lives in California. Learn more at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com and follow Suzanne on Twitter @suzannewfisher. 


Billy's Thoughts:

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Review - Tributes and Treasures



Tributes and Treasures
12 Vintage-Inspired Quilts Made with Reproduction Prints
by Paula Barnes and Mary Ellen Robison
Publisher: The Patchwork Place (an imprint of Martingale)
Pub. Date: October 6, 2015
Retail: $26.99
ISBN: 978-1604685671
Pages: 96
Buy Link: Amazon



Book Description: 

Perfect for showcasing reproduction fabrics, each nostalgic design in this charming collection is inspired by quilts from the 1800s. Be inspired by top-selling traditional patterns from Red Crinoline Quilts.
  • Bask in the beauty of 12 bed-sized quilt patterns reminiscent of nineteenth-century designs
  • Enjoy the stories--fascinating tales of yesteryear bring each quilt to life
  • Follow detailed project instructions and successfully create the quilts you love

About the Authors:

Paula Barnes and Mary Ellen Robison met more than 15 years ago when they both moved to the same street in Katy, Texas. Paula taught quilting classes at the local quilt shop and Mary Ellen was the devoted student. They quickly formed a friendship that went beyond their love of quilting and reproduction fabric to become Red Crinoline Quilts.

Paula began quilting in 1989 after moving to Dallas, Texas. Not knowing anyone, she decided to take her six-month old daughter to the Dallas Quilt Show. Three days later, she was hooked. After discovering that hand piecing wasn't her thing, Paula visited a notions counter and purchased the tools she would need to cut out and piece her quilt tops. Once she completed her fourth top, she was asked to teach a class at a local quilt store. Her husband encouraged her to give it a shot and the rest, as they say, is history. Paula taught in the Dallas/Fort Worth area for more than 25 years, and now teaches at shops and quilt guilds throughout the US.

Paula Barnes and Mary Ellen Robison met more than 15 years ago when they both moved to the same street in Katy, Texas. Paula taught quilting classes at the local quilt shop and Mary Ellen was the devoted student. They quickly formed a friendship that went beyond their love of quilting and reproduction fabric to become Red Crinoline Quilts.

Learning from her mom's expertise, Mary Ellen began sewing at the age of 12 and made most of her own clothes as she grew up. The year 1975 saw a resurgence in quilting due to the upcoming Bicentennial Celebration, so Mary Ellen made her first quilt, a baby quilt that defied almost all of the rules of quiltmaking. Fortunately, shortly after that initial attempt, Mary Ellen took her first quilt class and the spell was cast. Being a wife, mother of three, full-time school librarian, and seamstress for her three children took most of her time, but her love of quilting and fabric was always present. Relocating to Texas, meeting Paula, and discovering reproduction fabrics reignited Mary Ellen's enduring passion for quilts.


Billy's Thoughts:

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Whitman Encyclopedia of U.S. Paper Money and Currency Album



Whitman Encyclopedia of U.S. Paper Money
by Q. David Bowers
Publisher: Whitman Publishing
Retail: $69.95
Buy Link: Whitman

Product Description:

Collect, grade, and attribute your paper money. Organize your collection, with Friedberg and Whitman numbering systems. Make wise purchases in today's market.

900 Pages; more than 1,600 full-color images. Printing quantities for nearly all issues - a guide to rarity. Dealer pricing for all federal notes, 1861 to date, $1 to $10,000. History and values for Continental Currency, War of 1812 notes, Fractional Currency, encased postage stamps, star notes, mules, error notes, and more. Auction data, market commentary, more than thousands of prices and values, multiple grades, a bibliography, extensive endnotes. Hardcover. And get the currency album as a bonus! A $109.00 Value!


Billy's Thoughts:

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: SKG Bread Maker



SKG Bread Maker
by SKG
ASIN: B00XHRMB0U
Retail: $134.77
Sale Price: $97




Product Description:

Nothing says "home" like warm, just-baked bread. Now you can enjoy the real pleasure of freshly baked homemade bread without time-consuming efforts.



Billy's Thoughts:

Saturday, November 28, 2015

Review - The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime


The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime
by Ree Drummond
Publisher: William Morrow Cookbooks
Pub. Date: October 20, 2015
Retail: $29.99
ISBN: 978-0062225245
Pages: 400
Buy Link: Amazon
 

Product Description: 

The #1 bestselling author and Food Network personality at last answers that age-old question—“What's for Dinner?”—bringing together more than 125 simple, scrumptious, step-by-step recipes for delicious dinners the whole family will love.

For families juggling school, work, and a host of other time-consuming daily obligations, the idea of making dinner from scratch can be daunting. Ree Drummond makes it easy for families to make simple, scrumptious, homemade meals with minimum fuss and maximum enjoyment. The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime includes delicious, easy-to-make recipes for comfort classics, 16-minute meals, freezer-friendly food, as well as soups, main dish salads, and a favorite of her own family: breakfast for dinner.

You’ll find more than 125 fast-and-delicious recipes that combine pantry staples with fresh ingredients, including Beef Stroganoff, Chicken Taco Salad, Pasta Puttanesca, Ready-to-go freezer Meatballs (and many dinners you can make with them!), Oven Barbecue Chicken, Mexican Tortilla Casserole, Veggie Chili, Beef with Snow Peas, and many, many more. Included is a section of mouthwatering quick desserts—literally the icing on the cake. Filled with Ree’s signature step-by-step photos, relatable humor, and irresistible, folksy charm, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime is the go-to cookbook every home cook can rely on for any—and every—night of the week.


Billy's Thoughts:

Friday, November 27, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide 2015: Cave Tools Meat Tenderizer Mallet



Meat Tenderizer Mallet
Made by Cave Tools
Retail: $21.99
Sale Price: $9.99

Purchase Link: Cave Tools



Product Description (taken from Cave Tools):

Meat Tenderizer Mallet is perfect pounder for chicken, steak, beef, and other tough cuts of meat. It's also the secret behind the best chef recipes such as country fried steak, weiner schnitzel and cordon bleu.

Unlike Aluminum or Zinc Alloy Models, our STAINLESS STEEL DESIGN IS DISHWASHER SAFE saving you tons of time cleaning up and also safely sterilizing any raw meat left behind.

Comes with 25 Professional Barbecue Recipes - Step by step instructions and detailed grilling tutorial videos are great for the family.


Billy's Thoughts: