For every Bride there is a Groom

Southern charm entices us to many a book, but southern charm mixed with the perfect amount of humor, secrets, and God’s love you have a recipe for the next greatest book series.

A brides with style is the latest book series by Janice Thompson, and though I am a new fan to her work I know from this one book I am greatly encouraged to read more!

Now, Katie Fisher appears to have the perfect life, perfect town, perfect family, even the perfect boyfriend. So planning ahead for her wedding day, even if her boyfriend of six years hasn’t popped the question yet, doesn’t seem all that far fetched to her. When Katie’s cousin Lori-Lou encourages her to enter in a contest for a wedding dress by the best designer in Dallas Katie gives it a shot, never dreaming she would actually win the contest.

Janice spread warmth and love into the little town of Fairfield, giving the type of people we think of when we dream of a tiny paradise, but also making sure not to make small town life sound like the only way of life. I loved how she puts a quote at the beginning of each chapter, summarizing what the theme of the chapter would be about in a few short words, and just some good advice about life. Using quotes from famous music artists, Johnny Cash, Taylor Swift, and Dolly Parton. My favorite one had to be with the quote from Dolly Parton, in chapter 4, “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain”

Back to the story of our latest book for a moment. Now winning the chance to make the dress of her dreams Katie believes with a little nudge Casey Lawson will pop the question at last, and upon making a surprise visit to his house all seems to be in order. That is until he tells her he’s moving away for a job, and that he is breaking up with her. But when he returns for the holidays they’ll see how they feel about each other. Doesn’t offer to take her with him, just expects her to sit there and wait for him. That made me soooooo mad!!! That was probably the author’s intent.

In the Bible, in the book of Luke, there is a verse that I believe fits well with one of the themes in this book,

“The time is coming when everything that is covered up will be revealed, and all that is secret will be made known” Luke 12:2 NLT

There isn’t any kind of murder or a scandal that no one could ever believe, but to Katie and her family it was a pretty big deal. I enjoyed that Janice did not weigh down the book with too much drama, and stuck to its roots as a light hearted, yet still very meaningful, Christian romance.

That is all I have for you guys, for now. I will be bringing more reviews this summer as more books are released.

I hope to see you guys soon, and I hope you have a blessed day!

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, which I have given

Tale of the Creloe princess, and my thoughts on her story

This will be my first review of a Revell reads book program, and I am glad to say my first choice ended up becoming a new favorite on my bookshelf.

Historical fiction most times ends up being a little more fiction with a lot less historical accuracy. Beth White is not one of theses authors, being a tiny bit of a history nerd, she blended fiction with reality of the years between 1776 and 1780. Quite a lot of years to pack into one book, but with all this book's time jumps it flowed seamlessly between the months and years of the main character's, Lyse Lanier, life.

The book also shifts points of view between four very different characters; Scarlet, a slave. Lyse, the responsible daughter of a drunken fisherman. Don Rafael Maria Gonzales de Ripparda (try saying the three times fast) a merchant who is not all of what he seems on the outside. And Daisy, best friend to Lyse and the daughter Major Redmon of fort Mobile.

Each of these characters have their own stories to tell, all leading up to one big picture that is the end of the book. I would so love to tell you all about the war and what happens in between. So many little juicy details I could leak out, like about a lady with nickname Harpy, but I think I will leave that for you to find out.

As I said in the beginning of my post this has become another one of my favorite books, though I didnít realize when I ordered the book it was book number two. I will be picking up The Pelican Bride, the first book in the gulf coast chronicles, as soon as I can. Waiting ever patiently for next story to be released.

I hope you enjoy this review and have a blessed day!

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review which I have given

A heart obsessed can be most dangerous, but not as much as this book!

I continue on with the Colleen Coble's latest book in the series A journey of the Heart. And I must say I am becoming more entangled in this story with each word upon it's pages!

In less then one-hundred pages I find myself hard pressed to believe I have to wait another month or two to find out what's going to happen!!!! 

Love and obsession are very two different things, but often the latter is confused for the former. Such is the case with Ben Crofter and his feelings for Sarah, and each day his addiction grows stronger. His passions push him to do anything to make Sarah his own, and with a new allay at his side Ben has become much more dangerous then ever before.

Danger and a new home are just the least of Sarah's new worries, added along with Ben Crofter, Sarah must try to win back Rand's love. My heart ache's for this couple, but I have to commend Rand's belief about keeping his word to young Jessica Debois', even though I do not like her one bit, few men keep their word once what they want is within sight. Crushing the hearts of the young women who love these men. But in this case I hope things turn out for the best for Sarah and Rand.

As always Colleen is never one to disappoint her readers, so there isn't really anything negative for me to say in this review. If you were hoping for more then this I am sad to say I cannot give you much else unless.

I cannot wait to read the next book and tell y'all how it turns out, without spoilers of course! Until next time have a blessed day.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review, which I have given

Crocheting like crazy!!!

Hey everyone! I haven't posted much besides my book reviews lately, and I wanted to share some of my latest projects with you!


Here is my very first commission ever, a little pony named FiraPen

Here is my next one, from the awesome Pixar movie Monster's Inc. Mike Wazoski!

This cute little amigurumi was inspired by my friend's little sister and I hope she likes it!

And to end this little show and tell a drawstring bag! 

I have enjoyed making each and every one of these, and hope you have enjoyed seeing them! I post my stuff on deviantart, and on instagram. You can follow the link in the top right corner to see my instagram page, and you can either go check out my Crazy Crafter's page and follow the link to my deviant art page or just click on the link below
http://missbirdiebelle.deviantart.com/


Well that's all for now y'all. I have another commission to work on which I will hopefully be sharing soon! If you guys have any questions about my work either leave a comment below or on my deviantart page. 

Have a blessed day!

Precious Moments to be made with this book

I don't know how many of you out there know of a series of figurines and books called Precious Moments, but it was a huge part of my childhood. When I saw this book up for review on BookLook I could not help myself, the sense of nostalgia was too great to resist! So here is my review for Precious Moments: God watches over me

When I ordered this book I honestly did not expect too much from it. Time tends to ruin the timeless classics of our childhood, this was not the case with this book. I received a wonderful little book, made of a sturdy card bored material, with plenty of the characters I had seen in my old Precious moments book.

The book is great for little kids and is easy to read, filled with at least fourteen poems, each ending with a verse. My favorite poems in the book would have to be the one for Family and the one for When I get Hurt, but all are very charming and somethingI will be sharing with my future kids every night.

So if you are a long time fan or just looking for something to get your child, or grandchild, pick up a copy of this book. You won't regret it!



I received this book from the publisher an exchange for an honest review, which I have given.

A Heart's Disguise

There are many layers to the heart, hiding away what is inside. Sometimes it is a pain that won't go away, other times it is a dark motive. We shall see what hides in the hearts of our character's in Colleen Coble's latest series.

Colleen brings a new series composed into six one-hundred paged books. She chose this format for her books so new people could get a taste and see if they would enjoy her writings.
I really enjoyed it this way, it reminds me of an older TV show, Doctor Quinn Medicine Woman, and how the girls in one episode would wait for the newspaper to come for the continuation to the story they were reading. It makes reading the books more fun and I don't have so much to read all at once.

Now for the actual story itself!

How would it feel to the man you loved, the man you were engaged to, suddenly died? Sara sadly had to face this tragic news delivered to her. And months later she has to not only continue to deal with that pain, but the pressure from a dying father, a greedy brother, and a man with darker secrets then any in town could know, how can Sara know what to feel when the man she still loves is gone. Or is he? Rand's sudden return from the grave turns everything upside down.

It's hard to come back to home after a war, and the one thing that kept you going is gone. Rand expected to find Sara waiting for him, or at least still morning him only after six months after hearing the lie that he was dead. So when he finds she's engaged to the man who lied to all of them he feels cheated. I got so frustrated with this guy for not understanding the pressure she was under, or her feelings in the matter.

And what I like about Colleen Coble's books is that she doesn't put parenthood to the back burner. Most author's make it a small matter and I don't like that. In this book Colleen made a point of showing how Rand's family felt after his return, especially his parent's. 

A man's work is a big part of his life, and Rand's father had worked his whole life building up a farm that he would pass on to his children, but then Rand was supposedly dead, and the other two were moving away. Then the return of his eldest son brought new hope to him that all his work had not been wasted, that his gift would be given to his eldest son after all. But Rand isn't staying either. Again this father's gift had been shunned.

It made me think how many times we have shunned the gifts our heavenly Father tries to give us, even if we don't see it as a gift in that moment. 

I would recommend to anyone to start up this series and become a fan of Colleen Coble's work! Well that's all for now, until next time everyone.

I received this book from BookLook in exchange for an honest review, which I have given.

A chance for change in the Daughter of Highland

Change is not as easy to achieve as some of some would like to believe, but Katherine Ramsay is determined to change the course of her life. But which path is right for her; a life of wealth and security, or a life full of love leading into the unknown?

"You can make many plans, but the Lord;s purpose will prevail" Proverbs 19:21

1912 was an interesting year for Katherine, and a most challenging one at that. Back when women could not receive an inheritance, only a dowry for when they wed. If Katherine wanted what she was use to before the events of Governess of Highland Hall then she would have to find a suitor, a wealthy one at that. Or according to her aunt many suitors. But will these masquerades cost Katherine in the end?

Carrie Turansky provided plenty of historical accuracy when she wrote this book, from why young women were presented to the royal family, to the many reasons they fretted over every small detail of their dress and why she must make a good impression when she finally makes her debut into society. I have been curious about such things before and it was fun to find these facts blended into a wonderful story

"Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?" Proverbs 20:6

It's sometimes hard to tell in this broken world what is fake and what is real. We rely on what people say, and how they act in the good times, but what about the bad times? Are you shunned, left in the cold? Or do they stay and pray for you? Carrie Turansky put Katherin's suitors to this test, and it kind of reminded me of the song Princes and Frogs by Superchick. Especially the one part of the song.

"Look into his eyes. Are you a princess or a fly?" 

An interesting comparison I know.

I should probably stop here before I reveal any spoilers, which would be just as bad as shouting from the mountain tops what happens in the future episodes of Downton Abby!

I can't wait for the next book in the edwardian brides series; A Refuge in Highland Hall

Coming out October 20th 2015

I received this book from Blogging for Books in exchange of an honest review, which I have given.

A Princess Spy review

A new suitor and a shocking discovery is what we find in Melanie Dickerson's retelling of the Princess and the Frog

"In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the gift of prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly" Romans 12:6-8

Finding our place in life, let alone the partner God has chosen for is, is a harder task then most would think. Margaretha has a talent for speaking in a different languages, for being kind, compassionate, and rising to any challenges thrown her way. But like all of us she has her insecurities. In her mind the one fatal flaw is that she talks too much, and she can't seem to live it down.

When a handsome young man is brought to Hagenheim Castle on the brink of death, and only Margaretha can understand his ranting about an evil Lord Claybrook, she must step into the role of a spy.

"Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say "I will take revenge; I will pay them back," Says the Lord" Romans 12:19

Collin struggles with finding the line between justice and revenge in this book when his sister's best friend is murdered, and he chases after the man he believes to have committed the crime, leaving all sense to the wind. While in pursuit of this killer his best friend is murdered. Who wouldn't want revenge on such a wicked man? How can we define the difference between wanting to stop an evil man and seeking our own kind of vengeance?

I like how Melanie focus' a little more on what God wants of us, and even in our flawed shells that we are beautiful to Him. In some of her previous books I feel it is put to the back burner. She also makes her characters relatable to the modern day crowd while keeping in tune with the time era these books take placed in.

Now to fully understand the book and all its characters you will have to read at least two or three of the books before it, and in a certain order.



Start from:

Merchant's daughter

Healer's Apprentice

Fairest Beauty

Captive Maiden


You don't HAVE to read Merchant's Daughter or Healer's apprentice, but it does make the little hints of the past throughout the books more enjoyable.

So in the end I look forward to reading more of Melanie's work and hope that a new book comes out soon!




I received this book for free from BookLook in exchange for an honest review, which I have given.

Miracles in the dry season, and how they can change you

Forgiveness is something we all crave. Sometimes it is offered freely, while other times people withhold it from us causing further harm. In this book we see the all healing power of Christ's forgiveness in and awe inspiring tale of a man, a woman, and a small town waiting for a miracle in a dry season.

It's 1954 and Perla Long's arrival in the sleepy town of Wise, West Virginia, was supposed to go unnoticed. She just wants a quiet, safe place for her and her daughter, Sadie, where the mistakes of her past can stay hidden. But then drought comes to Wise, and Perla is pulled into the turmoil of a town desperately in need of a miracle. But with a little girl in tow and no husband at her side rumors spread faster then wildfire and it makes things that much harder for Perla to pick up the pieces of her life.

In so many cases people judge a person only by one big mistake, and that person feels forever tainted by it. Back in the 1900's having a child out of wedlock is a much bigger deal then it is today, and few people ever let it go. This is what makes Christ's forgiveness so important in our lives.

Casewell never imagined getting involved with a woman like Perla, or her daughter capturing his heart. Perla tells him the truth about what happened at a surprisingly early in the book, which took me off guard. Few let out the secrets of their character's past early in the book, but I think Sarah Tomas was trying not to put so much focus on figuring out the past and more on the redemption of the people in the small town of Wise, and how a special gift from God helped them in a horrible drought.

I can't give you much that will put into words how wonderful a book this is, but I will give you all a verse that fits this book.

"though we are overwhelmed by sin, You forgive them all" Psalm 63:3 NLT

I received this book in exchange for an honest review, which I have given

A marriage of the most inconvenient kind

Abigail Stuart thought she was Jeremiah Calhaun's widow, but Jeremiah is still very handsome, very much alive, and very perplexed. A most inconvenient thing indeed!

It wasn't until a reached the end the end of this book that I noticed just who the author was and that I had actually reviewed her book Caught in the Middle. Now after reading two of her books I am a loyal fan, looking forward what will come next from her pen.

A tale woven with this much love and humor, with a good dash of chaos thrown in between, is a story worth high praise.

We can all imagine the civil war a brutal battle of our nation's past, but what about when it was over? what about all the men and women trying to deal with the aftermath? Were all hostilities put aside? No. Abigail had to work past the hard feelings felt towards her, all because she was born in the north. Jeremiah was also guilty of this a time or two.

We all feel protectiveness for the people we love. Our families most time reach the top of this list of people we feel we must protect at all costs, be they related by the blood of Christ or the blood of man. They are the most important people in our lives, but I have learned for myself that even family can have the ability to hurt you, even if they are only trying to protect you from harm. Regina Jennings displayed this kind of hurt and the after effects of it with Abigail and her family, and between Jeremiah and his younger sister Rachel.

I enjoyed all the little sayings Regina put in the book. Being a girl from the south myself I know and use many of them myself, it was such a pleasure to see something from my roots to be put into ink and paper.

I can't think of more to say about this book without giving too much of it away for any future readers, and this book is too good to leave spoilers in this review! So pick up a copy at your library or bookstore and enjoy!

I received this book free in exchange for an honest review which I have given