Book Review: One Call Away, A Memoir by Brenda Warner

Book Review: One Call Away, A Memoir by Brenda Warner

"I received this book for free from BookSneeze for this review”.

Book Review: What can you do when your well-laid plans fall apart and life takes an unexpected turn? Brenda Warner is best known as the outspoken wife of NFL Superstar and Dancing with the Stars alum Kurt Warner. But year earlier, she found herself living through any woman's nightmare: a healthy baby tragically injured in the bathtub; a sudden end to a career she loved; betrayal and divorce; poverty; public humiliation; and deadly natural disaster that destroyed her foundation and shook her to her core. One shattering phone call at a time, Brenda Warner's life came to resemble little of her dream.

But each time her plans fell apart, Brenda faced a choice; to collapse in the face of tragedy or press forward and survive. She chose to keep going. In the process, she's learned that the unexpected is only one call away. Her story provides hope and encouragement for anyone facing life's challenges and shows us that our circumstances don't tell us who we are, nor are they a measure of God's love. God has a plan for us, even when our plans fail. Brenda's life is proof that sometimes the best dreams are not the ones we dream, but the ones that come true when we least expect them.

My Review: Brenda Warner did a great job in letting us into her personal life for a glance at hard times, sad times and even better, the happy times. From the very beginning, Brenda Warner was a determined young girl who had a lot of faith in God. Throughout her life, she would run into obstacles that would try to pull her from God's path in life. An accident involving her first child and being betrayed by her husband after standing by him. Going from a marine to an unemployed mother of 2 on government assistance. Losing her parents to a deadly tornado. Finding the man of her dreams and being ridiculed in public the choices she made.

Brenda pushed forward no matter what life threw at her and how many times a phone call brought tragedy. God's child from the beginning, she never strayed from her faith and brings encouragement to those who are unsure about their current situation and where they are going in life. She proves to us that even those in bad conditions can come out on top and use their better situation to better others. Photos are included to get a visual of those mentioned in the book. Brenda Warner is a brave person who put her life out there for others to read and relate to. What an inspiration!

Book Review: TWENTY, TWENTY photographs and poems by T.M. Rago

Book Review: TWENTY, TWENTY photographs and poems by T.M. Rago

I received a complimentary copy of Twenty Twenty, as a member of the

Dorrance Publishing Book Review Team. Visit dorrancebookstore.com

to learn how you can become a member of the Book Review Team.

Book Review: TWENTY TWENTY: photographs and poems is a wonderful book presenting twenty photographs taken by T.M. Rago between 1954 and 1965, then challenged and illuminated by twenty poems written about forty years later.  The synergy is extraordinary, melding the universal language of the photograph's visual image with the rhythm and nuanced meanings of the poem. Yet each image, visual and verbal, maintains its integrity with a universal meaning.

My Review: I have a lot of interest in photography and usually can't wait to receive any book that has photos, especially with poetry next to each. I must say that I was very disappointed by this book. I knew going in that the photos would be older photos which I didn't have a problem with. The photographs were very poorly copied into black and white pages, making them hard to see on quite a few pages. Although some of the poetry was very beautiful, others were kind of disturbing. Not that the disturbing poetry was bad, it just didn't align well with the other poems in the book. The poetry should have been under a certain genre. Some of the poems also did not go well with the photos they were next to. I would not like to review another book like this one.

Book Review: Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury

Book Review: Waiting for Morning by Karen Kingsbury

"I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review”.


Book Review:

"I'm afraid there's been a car accident.."

As Hannah Ryan waits for her family to return home from a camping trip, she realizes she has everything going for her--a husband other women admire, two charming teenage daughters, and a loving Christian home. As the sunny afternoon turns into twilight, her uneasiness grows along with the shadows. Then a car uplls into Hannah's driveway, bringing two police offiers..and devasating news that shatters her for life forever.

In the days that follow, Hannah struggles with unspeakable feelings of sorrow and rage--feelings that fuse into one chilling purpose for living: revenge against Brian Wesley, the drunk driver who has caused all her pain.

In her fury, Hannah shuts the Lord out of her life. She's determined not to forgive Wesley or the God who allowed this tragedy to happen. Can two caring people help Hannah rediscover her faith...before bitterness destroys her?




My Review:

This book had me in tears from the very beginning and was very hard to put down.  Coming from a family who has lost someone in a car accident, I know the feeling of police officers arriving at your door unexpectedly. Hannah Ryan had the perfect life, husband and children. So, why did God decide to mess that up for her, or so she thought.? It is easy to want to blame someone for the terrible things that happen in your life, why not blame the one person that won't fight back? While putting blame where she believes it is due, she begins to ignore her one surviving daughter while making it her mission to make sure the man responsible for the accident suffers. She needs to forgive, which her husband wants for her all along. As hard as that is for Hannah to do, she must trust in God and continue her path of Christianity where forgiveness is key to everyone's happiness. For the man who made her feel pain, the daughter who wants to cause herself pain and the mother/widow who needs relief from her pain. 

Like to Read?

It's that time of year!! Magazines, magazines and more magazines!!! Elementary kids are selling them and what better time? Gives you something nice to have on hand for those long sports practices, doctor's office appointments or just hanging out in the bathroom when you don't have a parade of kids marching in and out :)

How Great to be 8!!

My first daughter Kaplyn, turned 8 this year and what a change!! She is still the sweet little girl that she has always been, but is becoming more and more independent.

I took her out to buy a dress for her birthday portrait like I always do. (She chose Goodwill believe it or not) We tried on just about every dress in the kids section and could not find one that was "her". Ready to throw in the towel for the day, we walked past the women's dresses and what caught her eye? This gorgeous white with black accents party dress! It was a bit loose and took some pinning here and there, but we got it all ready to go for her 8 year old photos :) I added a black beaded necklace to her bare neck area. Hair took a spray of white pearls and a simple black feather!

Kaplyn has gotten more into singing lately so we thought a Tony Award winning background would be perfect!! Can't get much more theater than comedy and tragedy!

A classic closeup ends our session.

I can't believe how much she has grown up just in the last year!

Book Review: Sweet Sancuary, A Novel

Book Review: Sweet Sanctuary, A Novel by Sheila Walsh and Cindy Martinusen Coloma


I received this book for free from BookSneeze for this review”.

Book Review: Wren has tried to shelter her only son from the tumult of the world. Now she's about to find sanctuary...in the last place she ever expected.

In tiny Cottage Cove, on the coast of Maine, Wren Evans is raising her gifted son, Charlie. A single mom, she's fought hard to give Charlie a stable, secure home life. When a prestigious music academy in Boston expresses interest in Charlie's talent, Wren is willing to move them again to make his dreams come true.

But Wren doesn't know that Charlie has been praying for her. And the answer to her son's prayers will change both of their lives. As Wren plans their move to Boston, lfie in Maine begins to fall apart. Her job is threatened with budget cuts, and Wren's grandmother, Ruth arrives unannounced with an outlandish request.

Ruth want the family gathered together one last time, at the summer home where, years before, an accident shattered Wren's peaceful childhood. In the tumult, Wren finds a friend in a handsome, kind-hearted loca, Paul Callahan.

When the family gathers in Cottage Cove, old woulds will be healed, new love will blossom, and the innocent prayers of a child will be answered in a most unexpected way.



My Review: The cover of the book drew me in by the photo of a mother and son in bright yellow raincoats standing on green grass in front of a very gray background of beach. Gave me the feeling of living in harsh conditions (Wren't job, family fallout), but having a greener pasture (Paul Callahan, prayers from her son).

 From the beginning of the book, I was extremely envious of Wren's character's home. Sounded just beautiful in this small town where everyone knew everyone. I got into this character quite a bit; her home, son, work. Then you find out about the connection between Charlie and his father, the falling out that the family had and how their very elderly grandmother finds it in her heart to bring this family back together to try to rekindle the lives they once hand.

Although difficult with the crazy, different personalities of Wren and her siblings, this grandmother has it on high hopes that she will succeed. Hearts are broken once again, while healing is happening at the same exact time. Then the unthinkable happens, something very familiar to Wren's childhood that had originally tore this family apart to begin with. How she deals with it now has to be very different from how she dealt with it all those years ago. This incident brings the whole family together in a very good way.

Makes for a very adventurous ending to the book which leads to a fresh start with the family and the beginning of a blossoming romance. Very well written!

You Just Can't Say You are Home Without It!

When I make a trip into my childhood hometown of Clarksburg, WV, there is something I always, without a doubt, crave....T & L Hot Dogs!!!

The best one to go to is on Old Bridgeport Hill...the decor really takes you back!!

Fronts of cars coming out of walls...

Old Look Gas Pumps...get a yellow gumball out of this and get a free hotdog and pop!

You can't beat the price: 12 for $12!!!

They are famous for their unbelieveable chili! I enjoyed my hot dogs in WV while visiting my mom, but made sure to pick up a couple of tubs of chili to take home to my hubby and kids :)

If you are one of my PA friends and you are ever in the vicinity of Clarksburg, be sure to stop by one. If you are one of my WV friends....keep on enjoying :)