Threads of Grace
By Kelly Long
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Pub. Date: February 12, 2013
ISBN: 978-1595548726
ASIN: B00A2AG4EO
Pages: 304

Review:

As many of my blog readers know, I'm a fan of Amish fiction as I have reviewed countless titles on here in the last few years. My recent Amish read is the eBook Threads of Grace by Kelly Long, which I received free from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Grace Raber hasn't had such a simple life as she once dreamed about. She married a rich framer, Silas Beiler, that she didn't love to help pay off her family's debt. She thought maybe she would grow to love him over time, but she was wrong as the man is controlling, cruel, and cares nothing about her feelings. Silas emotionally, verbally, and psychically abuses her.

Once her Autism son, Abel, was born, she prays to the Lord for help and eventually Silas dies. Grace and Abel quickly move to a new Amish community in another state to start a new and better life. Before long, Grace meets a younger Seth Wyse, who is instantly in love with her. Grace wants to fall in love, but she fears of being hurt again.

Amish marriages are different than ours as if a husband dies, a woman has six months to get married or the husband's single brother can take claim. Now, six months have passed and Silas's brother, Tobias, locates Grace and demands her hand in marriage.

The Air We Breathe
By Christa Parrish
Publisher: Bethany House
Pub. Date: November 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0764205552
ASIN: B008B9HRDK
Pages: 352

Review: 

After changing their names and leaving their past behind them, seventeen-year-old, Molly Fisk, and her mother are starting to rebuild their lives. Molly would love to enjoy life like other teens, but due to some childhood trauma, anxiety holds her back from stepping outside her house.

She longs for friendship or even a boyfriend. Life is full of surprises as Molly runs into a unique girl, Claire Rodriguez, a once silent girl that Molly was friends with back in her old life, where Claire and her mother suddenly vanished without saying goodbye.

Molly and Claire have more things in common than they know and together they may be able to help each other heal their emotional wounds and regain their faith.

The Bridesmaid
By Beverly Lewis
Publisher: Bethany House Publishers
Pub. Date: September 11, 2012
ISBN: 978-0764209789
ASIN: B008B9HSLG
Pages: 320

Review:

Return back to Hickory Hollow, Pennsylvania in the sequel to The Fiddler, where Joanna Kurtz dreams of being a writer, but being an Amishwoman, she keeps her writing a secret from her friends and family. She takes a trip to the Virginia Beach and she meets Eben Troyer. Sparks fly between the two, but she is returning to Pennsylvania and he is returning to his parent's farm in Shipshewana, Indiana.

Like other young lovers, they vow to write to each other. Typically, a long-distance relationship would fizzle quickly, but Eben and Joanna are determined to keep their relationship going, no matter what the costs.

Death Waits at Sundown
Director: Jim Meskimen
Voice Cast: Fred Tatasciore, R.F. Daley, Shannon Evans, Taron Lexton, Jim Meskimen, Tamra Meskimen, Taylor Meskimen, Phil Proctor, Michael Yurchak
Studio: Galaxy Press
Release Date: March 21, 2012
ISBN: 978-1592124077
Running Time: Approx. 2 hours 

Review: 

During the 1930s and 1940s there was a boom of pulp magazine on the newsstands containing countless stories of adventures by great authors of its time. One of those authors was L. Ron Hubbard, who wrote hundreds of short stories, which are all being released onto audiobooks from Galaxy Press.I received a free copy of Death Waits at Sundown in exchange for my honest review. The audiobook consist of three amazing stories, Death Waits at Sundown, Ride 'EM, Cowboy!, and Boss of Lazy B.

Death Waits at Sundown was originally published in the 1938 issue of Western Story Magazine and centers on Lynn Taylor, who's younger brother, Lee, has been set up for robbery, cattle rustling, and murder! Lynn knows his brother is innocent and suspects that a member of the vigilante committee (McCloud) may be behind everything. The night before his brother's hanging, Lynn, along with the town's ex-sheriff, plan on robbing the stagecoach to help raise reasonable doubt for his brother, but awaiting them is McCloud.

The National Rodeo Champion, Long Tom Banner, is falling in love with the beautiful Vicky Steward in Ride 'EM, Cowboy! She feels the same way about him, but there is a little problem. They are going to compete against each other in three rodeo events that may jeopardize their relationship.

I'm once again writing my morning rambling late at night. I really should get up earlier, but I toss and turn at night, leading me to fall asleep in the early morning hours, which also lead me to sleeping in. Yes, I'm officially hooked into the bizarre Bates Motel, aka the modern day prequel to the classic film Psycho and the book of the same name. I even watched the second and third films over Easter weekend. I dragged out the Robert Bloch books, but I haven't read them. Actually, I read the original Psycho when I was in high school. I stumbled upon the second and third books at a thrift store a few years ago. What is it about Norman's insanity that entertains me so much? I guess it could be worse, I could be watching Keeping Up with Kardashians, which, sadly, my grandmother watches it with every other halfwit reality series ever since her soap opera was cancelled.

Thank heavens my sinuses have mostly cleared up and my wisdom tooth is calming down. I have some more good news; I can finally fit into my 34 waist Calvin Klein jeans that I bought at a thrift store. I seldom every buy used clothes, but these jeans look brand new and was only three dollars. My dieting hasn't been the best and my exercise has been slow because my lower-back injury a few weeks ago, but something must be working. The way the yard looks I will be mowing by the end of the week, which means fresh air and exercise as I prefer to use a push-mower.

 Synopsis:

Kenya Moore: Booty Boot Camp
Studio: Acorn Media (Acacia)
Release Date: March 5, 2013
ASIN: B00BEZEFM4
Running Time: Approx. 90 min.
Rating: Not Rated

Review:

You may wonder why a man would be reviewing a workout intended for women. Well, I have lower-back problems, so I thought I would try out a workout that targets the gluteus maximus muscle. There aren't a whole lot of workout DVDs aimed for men, unless you count the high intensity ones, which aren't good for my back. Acacia nicely sent me a free copy of Kenya Moore" Booty Boot Camp in exchange for my honest review. Kenya Moore is a former Miss USA and is currently on the reality program The Real Housewives of Atlanta, which I have never watched before. Actually, I've never heard of Kenya before this workout DVD.

The workout DVD consist of a warm-up, a level 1 workout, a level 2 workout, a level 3 workout, a short cool-down, and a cool-down with additional ab-flattening workout. You don't have to play all the workouts straight through, as you can easily use the menu to pick out which ones you want to try out for the day. No weights are needed, but you do need to use a rug or yoga mat for the floor work.

Despite what the title suggests Kenya isn’t the instructor here, though she does take over for a few routines. The real instructor is Nikki Veal who teaches simple moves that are suppose to shrink your waist, define your abs and give you a butt lift.