Pure Food

Bring more whole, real ingredients into your kitchen and replace processed foods with the 120 plant-based recipes in Pure Food.

A busy mother of three who was frustrated with trying to find healthy, organic snacks for her kids, Veronica Bosgraaf decided to make one herself, the Pure Bar. Now nationally available and widely beloved, the bar kick started a nutrition overhaul in Veronica’s home. Clean foods and a new, simple way of cooking and eating replaced anything overly processed and loaded with sugar.
Organized by month to take advantage of seasonal produce, Pure Food shares Veronica’s easy vegetarian recipes, many of which are vegan and gluten-free, too.



• January: Lemon Ricotta Pancakes, Winter Garlic and Vegetable Stew, Chocolate Rice Pudding
• April: Asparagus with Turmeric-Spiced Almonds, Egg Noodles with Wild Mushrooms and Spring Greens, Roasted Cauliflower with Quinoa and Cashews
• July: Watermelon Mint Salad, Grilled Garlic and Summer Squash Skewers with Chimichurri, The Perfect Veggie Burger
• November: Caramelized Pear Muffins, Parsnip and Thyme Cream Soup, Wild Rice and Pecan Stuffing


With 18 color photographs and tips for "cleaning" your kitchen and lifestyle—from drying your own herbs to getting rid of chemical cleaners—Pure Food shows the simple steps you can take to make your cooking and living more healthful.

My thoughts: It's no secret around here that my husband and I kind of went crazy on starting plants for our garden this year, trying new varieties and plants, as well as just expanding the garden a lot more than it has been in years previous. So, this cookbook has come at the perfect time! I love how it is split up into months and centers around the fresh produce that is commonly available at that time. If you have a garden, are a member of a CSA, or just enjoy supporting your local farmers markets, then this is a wonderful resource for you! I love that the recipes are easy to follow and that they don't require one to run out and totally restock one's pantry with a bunch of ingredients that you will just use for one recipe (that is kind of a pet peeve of mine. lol). Instead, these recipes are kid and adult friendly! The perfect place to start for cooking more wholesome dishes.
I received this book from Blogging for books in exchange for my honest review.

A Heart's Obsession

Can a woman held captive by her family make it back to the one man she knows she can trust?

When Sarah Montgomery's father succumbs to his long illness, Sarah is faced with a life-altering choice: submit to her brother's will and marry the deceptive Ben Croftner . . . or escape through the dangerous American West to reclaim the heart of her beloved Rand Campbell at Fort Laramie, Wyoming.

From captivity in her family's home, Sarah makes her decision-and begins the perilous journey to Wyoming by train.

But even in the company of Rand's brother, Sarah does not receive the reception she had hoped for. The necessity of a military wife has preempted her, and Rand is already engaged to Jessica DuBois, the seductive daughter of the post commander.

With her heart broken and her life in ruins, Sarah has no choice but to remain at Fort Laramie and try to win Rand back. But things will get tougher before they get easier . . . the obsessive Ben Croftner has just shown up in Wyoming.

My thoughts: Sarah and Rand have a hard time getting things right. After Rand comes home from the Civil War to find his sweetheart engaged to another man, he takes off to Fort Laramie. When Sarah's father passes away, she feels like she can finally follow Rand, only to find that he has found love elsewhere. But, she can still help others on the frontier. When her former fiance and enemy, Ben, shows up, she must make some choices to help protect those she loves.
This is a complicated story! I'm curious to see how it unfolds, since it has some interesting twists and turns. I also find the historical side of the story interesting! The only thing I am not sold on is some of the characters and the way they seem to move on so quickly.
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

Beyond Orange County

When Lydia McLaughlin made the controversial choice to walk away from her popular role on The Real Housewives of Orange County, she had two good reasons: faith and family

In Beyond Orange County, Lydia writes about the strength and grace it takes for each of us to choose a life of purpose. She also shares behind-the-scenes insights from Hollywood, lessons she has learned both on and off the screen, and what her life looks like now that she’s following God on His next adventure for her. Most importantly, she inspires us to examine our own lives and live out boldly the unique calling God has for each of us.

“I can guarantee you that God wants to use you,” Lydia encourages. “He has a plan for you and desires to take you on a great adventure with Him. He loves you and knows you. We must be courageous and rooted and established in His love to live boldly for Christ!”

Includes questions after each chapter for individual reflection or group discussion.

My thoughts: I was rather surprised by this book! Lydia's writing is like sitting down with a girlfriend to talk, it was very refreshing. I loved how she wove scriptures and Bible stories into her own life story. Her book does a nice job of giving an overview of her life and then her role in the reality TV show, Orange County Housewives. The only thing I would of liked better would of been if she gave a bit more details about some things like her courtship with her husband (since I'm a hopeless romantic and she basically just said that she knew he was the man for her and he couldn't even remember her name, at first!).;) I did think that she had some wonderful thoughts on her college days, about how hard it is (as a Christian) to leave the community you established as a high school student. How it can be easy to not keep up with your relationship with the Lord when you take away your support group. I think it would be great to encourage Christian kids who go off to college to find a support group.
Anyway, I thought this book was wonderful, and liked that it isn't so much about her time on reality TV as it is about her relationship with the Lord.
I received this book from First Look in exchange for my honest review.

Against the Flow

A wide-ranging discussion of the place of Christianity in the public square

Daniel’s story is one of extraordinary faith in God lived out at the pinnacle of executive power. It tells of four young men, born in the tiny state of Judah around 500 b.c., and captured by Nebuchadnezzar, emperor of Babylon. Daniel describes how they eventually rose to senior positions of administration.

Daniel and his friends did not simply maintain their private devotion to God; they maintained a high-profile witness in a pluralistic society antagonistic to their faith. Their story carries a powerful message for us today. Society tolerates the practice of Christianity in private and in church services, but increasingly it deprecates public witness. If Daniel and his compatriots were with us today they would be in the vanguard of public debate.

This is a lucid and erudite examination of the life of Daniel from a leading expert on faith and science. In his first biblical work, Dr. Lennox provides a unique perspective on both Western society and biblical exegesis that will make Against the Flow an instant classic encouraging Christians to speak out in our modern Babylon.
My thoughts: This book does a wonderful job of going through the book of Daniel and how it is relevant for us today. Highlighting the history that the book goes over, this book is a fabulous resource for history buffs, whether you are a Christian or not. I found it interesting how relevant a lot of the book is for us today, something I have known about, but haven't really studied in depth.
I received this book from Lit Fuse in exchange for my honest review.

God of the Big Bang

Have you ever wondered, as I have, how to reconcile the seemingly different viewpoints of science and faith in light of life’s biggest questions: God of the Big Bang is for people who are skeptical of faith, who fully believe science is the only way to know anything. And it’s for faithful believers who distrust science and are suspect of its “motives.” But it’s also for everyone in between these two extremes who may be confused and are most likely put off by all the combative and nonproductive communication on the topic.

My hope is that by offering thoughtful consideration of these two separate but connected ways of knowing, this book will promote the kind of constructive dialog that tears down the wall between science and faith that so many have fabricated. And in the process, you’ll recognize more of the God, who is big enough to encompass both sides of the discussion.
My thoughts: Written by someone who has been immersed in the science world, this book is the perfect combination of science and layman information. It is an easy to read book that sets to prove the existence of God and how science proves that He created the world, just as the Bible states in Genesis. Dr. Wickman does a wonderful job of breaking the science behind our world down and explaining it, using sources from Darwin to Pascal, Galileo to Bacon, along with plenty of modern day scientist. This is an excellent book for those interested in science and how it works with Christianity!
I received this book from Worthy publishing in exchange for my honest review.

A Sparrow in Terezin

Bound together across time, two women will discover a powerful connection through one survivor’s story of hope in the darkest days of a war-torn world.

Present Day—With the grand opening of her new art gallery and a fairytale wedding just around the corner, Sera James feels she’s stumbled into a charmed life—until a brutal legal battle against fiancé William Hanover threatens to destroy the perfectly planned future she’s planned before it even begins. Now, after an eleventh-hour wedding ceremony and a callous arrest, William faces a decade in prison for a crime he never committed, and Sera must battle the scathing accusations that threaten her family and any hope for a future.

1942—Kája Makovsky narrowly escaped occupied Prague in 1939, and was forced to leave her half-Jewish family behind. Now a reporter for the Daily Telegraph in England, Kája discovers the terror has followed her across the Channel in the shadowy form of the London Blitz. When she learns Jews are being exterminated by the thousands on the continent, Kája has no choice but to return to her mother city, risking her life to smuggle her family to freedom and peace.

Connecting across a century through one little girl, a Holocaust survivor with a foot in each world, these two women will discover a kinship that springs even in the darkest of times. In this tale of hope and survival, Sera and Kája must cling to the faith that sustains and fight to protect all they hold dear—even if it means placing their own futures on the line.

My thoughts: I started looking forward to this book as soon as I finished The Butterfly and the Violin! Unfortunately, I had to wait a year to have the pleasure.;) But, it was well worth the wait! Kristy Cambron brings us another beautiful story set both during WWII and in the present. Sera James has just married her sweetheart when their world comes crashing down and she is asked to trust him, while legal charges mount. In the past, as Prague falls to the Nazi's, Kaja's family risks everything to get her and her sister out. When Kaja learns that her whole family will not be fleeing with her, she promises herself that she will come back for them.
This is such a beautiful story! I couldn't put it down, since I just had to find out what was going to happen to Sera, William, and Kaja. I like how old characters are brought back, some of their stories are told more fully in this book, while new characters are introduced. I highly recommend this series!
I received this book from Litfuse in exchange for my honest review.

For Love of Money by Terri Blackstock Trying to launch her own design firm while waitressing on the side, Julie Sheffield was drawn to the kind man she waited on at the restaurant last night . . . until he stiffed her on the tip by leaving her half of a sweepstakes ticket.

The Recipe by Candace Calvert Hospital dietary assistant Aimee Curran is determined to win the Vegan Valentine Bake-Off to prove she’s finally found her calling. But while caring for one of her patients—the elderly grandmother of a handsome CSI photographer—Aimee begins to question where she belongs.

Hook, Line & Sinker by Susan May Warren Grad student Abigail Cushman has agreed to enter the annual Deep Haven fishing contest. She’s a quick learner, even if she doesn’t know the difference between a bass and a trout. But nothing could prepare her for competing against the handsome charmer she’s tried to forget since grief tore them apart.

One chance for each woman to change her life . . . but will love be the real prize?

My thoughts: Sometimes, it is nice to have a book of novellas on hand. They are great to read when you are short on time! Which, describes my reading life right now, with our garden going in and a busy toddler who takes advantage of mama's attention being elsewhere (which means, no time for a lot of reading during the day!). So, this book came at the perfect time. I love the return to Deep Haven in Hook, Line, and Sinker. Both Susan and Terri are among my favorite authors! I enjoyed Candace Calvert's story and will have to look into more of her bookd.
Whether life is crazy busy or you have gobs of reading time on your hands, this is a fun book of stories!
I received this book from Tyndale in exchange for my honest review.