The Christmas Blessing

The Christmas Blessing by Donna VanLiere

"Each of us in destined for something, a purpose that often seems muddy, or vague at best. We want nothing more than to know what our purpose is, to know that we haven't just been plopped down to fumble our way through to the end, but that there's a reason for our being here. We may not discover that purpose in the way that we'd want, as time in the valley will be longer and darker than we imagined, but if we are patient or still long enough, we will catch it in fleeting glimpses. We will see tiny sparks of revelation that push us closer and closer to our destiny. there will be pain, sometimes more than we bargained for, but as my mother promised so many years ago, in the end there will be joy." ~~ Nathan Andrews from the Christmas Blessing.

This is the second book in the inspiring Christmas Hope trilogy.

Get out the Kleenex as you read this book. This books shows how amazing it is how our paths are crossed seemingly for no reason but in the end it was due to destiny/fate.

The Christmas Blessing is an inspiring story about hope existing in the darkest places, and how love is always the greatest gift of all.

Rating (1, lowest; 5, highest): 5

Cooking Rocks!

Cooking Rocks! Rachael Ray 30-Minute Meals for Kids by Rachael Ray

"Hey, Kids, here's a cookbook just for you! Real recipes you can really make yourself. Learn to cook fun and easy meals. Then eat all the cool results."

This is a fun cookbook for the kids, especially for those picky eaters. Yes, I did read it from cover to cover.

Rating (1, lowest; 5, highest): 4

Strawberry Shortcake Murder

Strawberry Shortcake Murder by Joanne Fluke

This book is part of the Hannah Swensen series.

"When the president of Hartland Flour chooses cozy Lake Eden, Minnesota, as the spot for their first annual Dessert Bake-Off, hannah is thrilled to serve as the head judge. She figures the TV coverage can only help her already popular bakery, The Cookie Jar. But when a fellow judge, Coach Boyd Watson, is found stone-cold dead, face-down in Hannah's celebrated strawberry shortcake, Lake Eden's sweet ride to fame turns very sour indeed.

All the evidence seems to point to the dad man's abused wife, Danielle, whose fresh shiner and blood-stained hand certainly provide more than enough motive and means. But Hannah's convinced Danielle is innocent and that the real killer is about to walk away with a blue-ribbon crime. Hannah's snooping into the coach's private life and not coming up short on suspects. Could Watson's harsh criticism during the judging have given on of the contestants a license to kill? The stakes are rising faster than dough, and Hannah will have to very careful, because somebody is cooking up a recipe for murder... with Hannah landing on the "necessary ingredients" list."

I love the simplicity of this series. The books, including this one, prove to be an easy read. I love the character of Hannah. This is a fun, warm, delicious read. I like how Joanne includes recipes in each book. This book includes seven delicious dessert recipes.

Rating (1, lowest; 5, highest): 4+