Review: Sign Up Here: A Story About Friendship

Sign Up Here: A Story About Friendship
Written by Kathryn Cole
Illustrated by Qin Leng
Publish date April 5, 2016
Published by Second Story Press

Summary: It seems like every kid in Dee-Dee’s class has joined a club but her. It’s not that she doesn’t want to join a club. It’s that no one will let her! Because of her disability, she doesn’t walk fast enough for the Walking Club and the Strong-Arm Wrestling Club became the All-Boys Strong-Arm Wrestling club when she beat Joseph easy-peasy in a match. Dee-Dee knows that friends shouldn’t leave you out and that she is a very good friend. So she and her teacher come up with a plan to show what good friends are and how they should treat each other.

Review: This book was great for my son and me. My son is 8 years old and followed along with the words nice and smoothly. I loved that there were different ethnic backgrounds for the children in the book, displaying diversity, just as in a child’s real classroom and school. 
Kathryn Cole does a marvelous job of showing children through her book that not including other children just isn’t the right thing to do. My son said, “Dee-Dee was right along. If you make others feel left out, you might hurt their feelings and then you would have to come up with something so you can be friends again.” 

Also, The Pictures were great at describing the story to the children who might not follow along with the words. I really liked that Cole used the teacher as a support system to the main character in the book. Children should be reminded that they can always go to their teachers if they feel left out or need help with something. A great read for my son and I both! 
I received this ebook from Netgalley and Second Story Press in exchange for my honest review.

Mid Review: Outlaw

Outlaw by Ted Dekker

I am not finished reading this as of now; however, I must stop and take the time to say how adventurous this read is!  Completely different from anything I’ve read before, this one is a powerful and thought provoking one.  

I’m am beyond anxious to finish this!  Half-way through so far, I will update when I’ve reached the finished line!!!

Review: Three

Three by Ted Dekker Book Review

Thanks to my pastor’s wife, Three by Ted Dekker was the very first christian fiction book I’ve ever read.  I wasn’t even aware that christian fiction existed, and after reading Three, I was reawakened into a whole new world.  

It combined my love for suspense, thrills, excitement and faith! Ted is a master of twists and turns in this book and will you keep turning page after page until the book is finished.  The end is so unexpected that it will leave you with your mouth open and wandering just how Ted’s mind works in order for him to write such great fiction!  I read it in 2 days! What an exhilarating ride!

Review: The Choosing

The Choosing by Rachelle Dekker Review

When I searched Christian Science Fiction, I had no idea this book by this author would pop up. The last name is what caught my eye, but the first name is what left me intrigued. Who was this girl? Was she a relative of Ted Dekker? 

On Amazon, they give you a sneek peak into this novel. I was completely sucked in, just by that! I told my husband, I had to get this book, but I needed a B&N coupon first. Well, I couldn’t even wait for that. Last Friday I made an excuse to go the store and bought this one…full price and everything! Anyone who knows me, knows this is a rarity. 

Rachelle, has an amazing talent of world building. I felt like I was in the novel more than handful of times. The way she describes the characters lets you see them, feel them and even become them. She has a way of making each chapter a page turner and must read. 

With the different POV’s, and angles in this story, I would highly recommend to anyone that loves fiction novels, Christians and others, to try this one out! I can’t wait for The Calling next month!

Review: Black Ice

Black Ice by Becca Fitzpatrick Book Review

Ms. Fitzpatrick’s tale Black Ice was quite interesting to say the least.  As a stand alone, it was filled with suspense and a forbidden type of love that only makes you want to turn the pages faster and faster until you discover what you need to happen.  She doesn’t leave anyone wanting more and continues to impress, even after her  Hush, Hush Saga.

Made Believe Bad Luck

Made Believe Bad Luck-  A Possible Perspective From A Dead Beat Dad.

Made Believe Bad Luck

Irene Justice

He’s my son, I should be able to do anything with him that I choose.  No one should tell me what to say or how to act.  If I want to do drugs, that’s my prerogative.  If I want to drink, I can, I’m of age.  I’m a good father because I pick up my son every other weekend.  Some parents don’t see their children at all. I don’t need to buy my son presents. My parents do it and basically that’s from me.  I want to work.  I always tell everyone that I can’t wait to have a good job.  These side jobs and factory jobs aren’t worth my time and I’m not going to let anyone talk to me in a disrespectful manner.  

My son’s mother and her new husband, take care of everything for our son, so, if I can’t find a job right away it’s no big deal.  They don’t really need my child support anyway.  

I enjoy smoking pot.  I don’t really want to do the other drugs, but they help me forget for a little while. Help me forget that my life isn’t as good as my son’s mothers.  I thought I was good to her.  I never lied to her.  Well, I only lied a little.  I talked to the other girls, because I was bored at home.  I had to lie about taking the money from our son’s piggy bank. What kind of father would I be, if I admitted to that?  

I want a better life.  I just have bad luck.  And my son’s mother just has really good luck.  It’s not fair.  I try and try and try.  Well, I could try harder sometimes, but most of the time, I try really hard.  I’m just waiting for my big break.  

My parents only helped my son’s mother because she didn’t have any of her own family to turn to.  They don’t really like her.  Well, I guess my mom does because she still calls her, her daughter even though it’s been 5 years since we broke up.  But what does my mother really know anyway.  My dad doesn’t like her, and it if it weren’t for me, she would’ve had nowhere to go.  I moved in with my mother so she could move in with him.  And since my dad helped her, I didn’t have to do as much.  My dad still helps her.  He helps her more than he helps me.  I mean yeah he gives me money for gas and cigarettes.  I do use the phone he pays for and drove the truck he pays for.  I crashed his truck though.  But then my mom was letting me use her car.  I crashed that too.  

My father doesn’t give her money like me, but he always buys stuff for my son.  I hear him on the phone with her sometimes, talking so politely.  I wouldn’t do that.  I would yell at her because that’s what she deserves.  She always makes my life miserable.  She makes me look like such a bad parent when I’m doing everything I can to be a good father.  I just have bad luck. I have 2 other kids too.  One is older but I don’t see him, because his mother won’t let me.  My younger son’s mother told me some made up story that my older son actually didn’t want to see me, but I don’t believe that. I was out of that boy’s life for the first 7 years of his life and when I came back he loved me.  

Everyone lies to me.  My daughters mother too.  My daughter just turned 1 and I’ve spent a couple of months with her, and then her mother left with her and won’t let me see her.  I’ve done nothing wrong to any of these women and I know my children want to see me, I’m their father.  As soon, as I get a job, everyone will believe I’m a good dad.  They all just want money from me anyway, once I’m able to give them some money they will listen to me.  One day they will all know that I’m a good father.  I just have really bad luck.

Expect the Unexpected

Expect the Unexpected

Waking up extra early for absolutely no apparent reason on a day you are capable of sleeping in. 

Making a whole bowl of cereal and realizing after the first bite the cereal is stale.

Jumping in the shower too soon after someone and having the water turn cold while just adding the conditioner to your hair.

Sitting in line at drive thru starving and then made to pull over and wait for your fries.

Going to bed and expecting to wake up to a foot of snow and instead waking up to rain.

Expecting an A on a paper and receiving a C.

Making a crockpot dinner and not switching to the temperature to low before you head off to work for the next 8 hours.

Waiting for the next episode of your favorite TV show and then it’s cut off by a political address.

Well… I think I’ll go back to sleep now. Goodnight.

The Lonliness

The loneliness

Another night that I won’t be able to sleep. 
Another day that I won’t be able to smile. 
Staring at a ceiling with thoughts so deep. 
Nothing I can do but lay here awhile.

Time has left me so utterly alone. 
I try to stay strong and fight.
No matter how I try my feelings are shown.
I can’t tell anymore what wrong from what’s right.

The grass is no longer green. 
The sky is marvelously grey.
My future though far off and unseen,
Is slowly but ultimately fading away.

I can’t keep going. 
I won’t even try.
As my heart continues slowing, 
What’s lost is gone, no more good byes.

A Precious Thought

A precious thought

I seen you today.
Charming and handsome.
Filling my heart.
The few moments our eyes met.
My dream is filled with you tonight. 
Another smile on my face.

Loud Heart

Loud Heart

Oh, the waves of my heart are constantly pounding the shore of my mind! 
Why am I so lost when it comes to matters of love? 
I need guidance! Someone to tell me to wake up and move on. 
I fear even that won’t be enough though. 
I must bare this burden and strive to move forward and let thoughts only wonder. 
He will not fit with me nor I with him. 
We are stripes and spots.
We are water and fire. 
Only now I can see through the water so clear.
Only now have the ripples faded and the tiny pebbles of truth are visible.
Life will go on. 
Hopes and aspirations will continue to come.
What can’t happen now might happen later. 
Real love always finds a way.

First Post!!

Can it hurt to have more than one blog? Of course not!  First post now, many to come!!