Book Review- Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer

When you think of Amish fiction you think of the same thing: they all live in PA and never really go anywhere, right? That’s what I thought, because those are the same kinds of Amish stories I’ve read before. But Beside Still Waters by Tricia Goyer is so far from that.

One thing that is totally different from other Amish novels is the fact that the characters live in Indiana. Never heard of that before. It was a seriously nice change of pace.

So novel follows Marianna Sommer who has an interesting story right off the bat. There was a crisis in the family before she was born. Her parents, two sisters and a brother were in an accident the night that Marianna was born. Her sisters didn't survive, and their names were both combined to make up her name. Fast forward 18 years later. Her brother had left the Amish and had a job living the Englisch way... which wasn't exactly the preferred path as far as his family were concerned.

Marianna was not choosing the same path as her brother had. She knew it brought much grief for her mother. But it wasn't the right path for her. She was supposed to continue with the Amish way of life. She even had a potential husband. But in all of the craziness of life at that moment. Her parents had decided to move them out to Montana for a time. Marianna wasn't happy about this at all, she was promised that she could go back to Indiana in a while. So she helped til then, mostly because her mother was pregnant.

While there she met Ben. She didn't want to like him or even talk to him because he was an Englisch person but the ways of the Amish were different in Montana. And she couldn't help but talk to him sometimes. But during these times while talking with Ben he shows her a little bit how to have a deeper relationship with God. While in Montana she rarely thinks about Indiana, though sometimes she does. And in the end where does she stay? Will she leave? You must find out for yourself! Beside Still Waters will hit bookstores in April! Check it out!

a snowy day!

so all this week they had been talking about snow.

and i really didn't believe it.

i still did go and get the groceries and do errands before it hit though.

cause i was more scared of the ice than anything. it gets so bad here sometimes. 

anyhow i didn't really expect much of any snow at all. but this is what we got.

Book Reivew- A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck

 

Today I’d like to introduce to you A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck. At first glace it looked like a great read, which turned out to be true.

Katie is in a tough place. She thought she was living the perfect life with a job as a teacher of special needs children and has an apartment with her roommate Eileen She's also engaged, but their relationship is super complicated. He is a very practical and she can always count on him for one thing or another. But does that mean that love is in the mix?

Her ex Luc DeForges came to see her and somehow always manages to sweep her off her feet no matter how mad it makes her. He wants her to come back home to New Orleans where she hasn't been in 8 years since a great deal of drama had unfolded. But Luc wants her to come sing at his brother Ryan's wedding. Though Luc infuriated her so much, sometimes he was amazing all the same.

While there in New Orleans she definitely learns a lot. But what if the answer to all the questions isn't Dexter? What if it's Luc? And how will everything play out? You'll have to read it to find out.

For the first novel of Kristin’s that I have read, this was such an amazing story. At times you can become so infuriated with people that you just want to scream! But then other times it makes you just as happy. This book was a great mix of everything all in one. This is a definite recommend. A great and quick read leaving you begging for more.

Please check it out at your local book store!

thank you to B&B Media Group for this review copy. i was provided a free copy in exchange for a review. this didn't change my view in any way.

Communication is the key for serious.

Lately the boy and I have been talking and making and effort to get less uppity with each other and we haven't fought for a few days! Thats huge for us cause lately it seemed like constant fights. So i'm pretty stoked about that. Its so exhuasting. But at the same time its good it made us learn through it. And we haven't been totally open and honest either but we are now. So thats like a huge weight that was lifted for sure.

Lets see what else is going on. Well my immediate family all has birthdays in february. And on saturday we went bowling and then out to this seafood place. And my oh my it was delightful! That food was great. I shared with the boy. I also tried fish. See I used to eat fish all the time when I was a kid. Then something snapped in me and I didn't like it. I think I ate it too much. But I tend to be a super picky eater anyways. So I tried a crab cake, which wasn't that bad. I tried lobster I didn't like it. And I tried three different fishes and they weren't bad at all. But i'm not sure I would want to eat that stuff all the time. Next step is to try a tuna sandwhich again.which I have been wanting to do. It does have some iron in it. Which I need to have. I dunno it was weird.

Then yesterday the boy and I went shopping. I found a kohls giftcard for 20 bucks in one of his drawers. And we didn't know he had it. So hello free monies! And so we went to find some stuff to get him with it. After what seemed like 5 hours we found two shirts and pants. And super good deals too! We were stoked. Then we were so tired and hungry, we were gonna go get a free steak with my birthday coupon but I didn't want to drive there and I was tired and nothing sounded good. So we went to zoopa instead. I'm not sure It was the best idea but it was what we did. And I wanted to go to pennies to look for a coat. But when we got there they were closing the doors. It was super sad. But I don't feel like driving back down there today. I'm just trying to get other stuff done. Like book review stuff.

I also need to work out and try to get my face all cleared up before we go to PA in march. I need to lose some weight and my face is all broken out and scarred. Also has some dry patches on it. I need to find some lotion or something to put on my face. And need to take my vitamins again. Maybe my fish oil pills I stopped taking has something to do with it? Who knows. Anyways I guess thats all for now. Until next time!

i just don't know how much more of this i can take. i'm so tired of being let down all the time. i just want someone i can totally depend on but i guess that is sometimes too much to ask. i'm tired of everything and i just want for once to not cry every day. thats exhausting in itself.

but i'm sick of the stress. and i am just plain sick with this stupid tired/achy/sinus headache thing, along with my period sooo i'm just tired in general i guess.

how do you feel better when the one you love the most is the one that is making you feel like this? i don't know either. i just wish i could fully depend on someone at all. but thats fine i guess i mean i can't really change it clearly. guess i just have to suffer. good times.

i'm old now..

I'm a little less spazzed out as the last time I wrote. Haha I’m just kinda insane these days though. But it is what it is.

Since then I’ve had a birthday, went to a party and got fifty million more books in the mail. Oi I feel like I might be swimming in books soon. But today I got the bamboo crochet hooks I ordered! I'm so excited. They are so light. I ordered them as my birthday present to myself since its easier to go through security at the airport with.

That whole thing I’m still kinda nervous about but I’ll make it. I always do.

So this past weekend the boy and I went to a birthday party. It was hilarious. Sometimes people that keep drinking and drinking are hilarious. But the best time I had was snuggling a 2 month old baby name jubilee joy. She is amazing and so delightfully cute. Oh man I love that baby.

Lately I’ve been feeling very yucky. Sinus stuff and so tired. Its a huge bummer. It makes moving around not very enjoyable. Today it took forever to get going or even be able to put complete thoughts together. It was pretty pathetic.

Other than that I guess nothing very exciting is going on. Until next time!