Showing posts with label healing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healing. Show all posts

Monday, September 23, 2019

Book Review - Cilka's Journey by Heather Morris

Photo Credit - Amazon

Sixteen-year-old Cilka is taken to Auschwitz-Birkenau Concentration Camp in 1942. There a commandant is taken by her beauty and she is separated from the other women prisoners.  Cilka quickly realizes that any bit of power she has will help her survive. When the war is over, Cilka is charged as a collaborator for sleeping with the enemy. As a result, she is taken to a Siberian prison camp. 

In Siberia, Cilka faces similar challenges and does her best to survive including avoiding the unwanted attention of guards. Cilka crosses path with a kind female doctor who takes Cilka under her wing. Cilka begins to help tend to the ill while, avoiding her own brutal living conditions. As Cilka grows into her role, she discovers her own inner strength to help others while opening up herself to love.

The novel was an interesting read but, I felt like it missing something. What that something is, I am not sure. Cilka's story of enduring and surviving harsh and brutal conditions is heart numbing.  I feel like we were just given a very small glimpse into her extraordinary life. I feel like I would have enjoyed the novel more if we knew more about Cilka. Overall, the novel was a good read for fans of the author.




 **Disclosure -  This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Book Review - Refuge at Pine Lake: A Pine Haven Novel by Rose Chandler Johnson + Giveaway

Photo Credit - Amazon

After a fire forces Robin Lancaster and her mother to move out of their condo, they decide to reevaluate their living arrangement. Robin decides to use the family's lake house to rearrange her priorities including finding love. Robin is a former kindergarten teacher but, she decides she wants to focus on her artwork. She hopes to rekindle her romance with Caleb Jackson, who is the area's top hunting and fishing guide. However, all of Robin's plans go awry when she finds out the cabin has been rented to a professor on sabbatical leave. 

Matthew McLaughlin is a widowed university professor and an acclaimed author from California. He comes to Pine Lake to heal after losing his wife in a car accident. He hopes that this sabbatical will help him revitalize his spirits and writing career. However, when he crosses path with Robin and her dog, he wonders if there is more to life.

At first, I wasn't very fond of the main characters. Robin seemed very involved in wanting to have freedom from her mother and to be able to pursue Caleb freely. However, she didn't take into account Matt's feelings and his need for privacy. On the same hand, Matt seemed to be gruff when they first met and then falls for Robin after a few homecooked meals. As the novel progressed, I did warm up a bit more to the characters and was hoping that they get their own happy ending. 

 **Disclosure - I received a free  copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion. This post may contain affiliate links which means I earn advertising and/or referral fees if you purchase an item through my link. Please note, there will be no extra charges to you. Thank you for your support.**



Refuge at Pine Lake
By Rose Chandler Johnson
Christian Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 384 Pages
March 6th 2019 by Chanson Books

Robin Lancaster, a twenty-six-year-old former kindergarten teacher, has her summer and her life all figured out. She’s ready to be on her own, writing and illustrating her children’s stories at her family’s beloved lake house. Once there, she intends to rekindle a romance with Caleb Jackson, the area’s top hunting and fishing guide, and bag him for herself.

Complications arise from the start when Robin finds out her mother has rented the lake house to a man they know nothing about.

Matthew McLaughlin, forty-year-old widowed university professor and author from California, shows up at Pine Lake in crisis. A sabbatical might be his only hope to save much more than his career. He needs a place of refuge. Sharing the lake house with a lighthearted young woman and her dog is the last thing on his mind.

Caleb Jackson has his own plans. He’s used to things going his way, but a man staying in Robin’s house presents unforeseen challenges. When paths unavoidably tangle for these three, hearts are on the line.


About the Author

Rose Chandler Johnson is known for her heartwarming, inspirational writing. In addition to works of sweet contemporary fiction, her devotional journal, God, Me, and Sweet Iced Tea: Experiencing God in the Midst of Everyday Moments won the Georgia Author of the Year Finalist Award in 2014.

In her novels, Rose brings to life fascinating characters with compelling relationships embracing family, community, and faith. In distinctive southern settings, Rose creates memorable stories that will stir your heart. Readers often say her writing warms the soul as it reaffirms belief in love and wholesome goodness. Don’t be surprised if you sigh with pleasure as you savor the final pages of her stories.

Rose has lived in a suburb of Augusta, GA for thirty plus years. Before retiring from Georgia’s school system, she taught English, French, and ESOL. Currently, she is an English instructor at a community college. In addition to reading and writing, Rose enjoys cooking, sewing, gardening, and spending time with her six children and her beautiful grandchildren.


Tour Schedule


Tour Giveaway


One winner will receive a signed print copy of Refuge at Pine Lake plus a $20 Amazon gift card
One winner will receive a signed print copy of Refuge at Pine Lake
- US only
- Ends July 10, 2019

Grab Our Button!

Monday, March 12, 2018

Chuda by Dr. Elena Ocher Healing Hydrating Cream










The thick hydrating cream promises to help hydrate and heal dry and damaged skin. According to the instructions a  small scoop of  the creamy product is all that is needed to see results. The cream was easy to apply and but it was on greasy side. I didn’t know any difference between this product and my normal lotions but my skin was softer and hydrated.

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Book Review - A Reason to Stay (Texas Gold #3) by Kellie Coates Gilbert

Photo Credit - Amazon

A tender book with a message for love, healing, faith, and  being lost. Faith Marin was like many other people, she had goals and ambition. She made plans for herself and set out to accomplish them one way or another. She had her dream job and a handsome/loving husband, as well. What more could Faith possible ask for? Well, it turns out not everything is that straightforward. While, considering divorcing her husband, something tragic happens and leaves Faith helpless. Faith was never one to depend on others wasn't sure what to do. 

The story first starts off at the present time and then while Faith is coping in the hospital, the past and present weave through the narration to show hints of her marriage. At her marriage's breaking point, Faith learns to put others before herself and how to accept love and help from others. The riveting ending will not leave a dry eye as it teaches, how to fight and protect the things that matter the most to us. To change a evil life changing act into a way to show us what really matters in life. An engaging story which feels "real", although the story sometimes has a bit of fluff. It's a good read to make anyone's heart melt (especially the ending).


** Disclosure - I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion**

Sunday, January 12, 2014

Carmex Everyday Healing Lip Balm Jar






Every winter like clockwork I get cold sores from the blistering cold and harsh winds. The menthol and camphor soothes my dry lips and the pain from cold sores. With a cult following for over 75 years, the iconic lip balm softens, hydrates and smooths lips.  After stocking up on Carmex lip balm, I am ready to brave the winter madness!