Skinny Life: The Secret to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Fitness by Crystal Dwyer Hansen

★★★✩✩

For weight-loss, life-long health, spiritual well-being, it’s not enough just to change what you do, says Crystal Hansen. Crazy as it may sound, she insists, the first thing you must change to guarantee results is what you believe!

To be fair, I need to note that I started reading Crystal Dwyer Hansen’s Skinny Life: The Secret to Physical, Emotional and Spiritual Fitness with the mistaken assumption that the book would be about the author’s experiences instead of her program. Quickly, I realized my mistake and felt a bit disappointed, since I’m not much of a fan of self-help weight-loss books, coloring my experience with Skinny Life. Hansen, of course, includes an abundance of useful and helpful information for living a healthy lifestyle, and I did particularly appreciate her emphasis on beliefs and thoughts in affecting weight loss - yet as I read, I found none of what she shared was particularly new to me personally. However, though it wasn’t necessarily the book for me, I can easily say that Skinny Life could be a very valuable read for the right reader. Individuals sick of the popular fad diets and in need of a resource to help begin and maintain a healthy lifestyle should consider picking up this book, as it could definitely be beneficial and worthwhile to read.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of Skinny Life and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Waiting on Wednesday: Falling Like Snowflakes & The Lost Heiress

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: Falling Like Snowflakes

Author: Denise Hunter

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Expected Publication Date: 8 September 2015

When the Christmas season finds Eden in Summer Harbor, Maine, she’s on the run from trouble. Romance is the last thing on her mind.

Riding in a bus in the thickly falling snow, Eden Davis wonders how it ever came to this – fleeing under cover of night with young Micah sleeping fitfully in the seat beside her. When a winter storm strands them in Summer Harbor, Maine, Eden wonders if what might have been the end could be a new beginning.

Beau Callahan is a habitual problem-solver. He’s recently left his job with the sheriff’s department to take over the family Christmas tree farm to save it from insolvency. But he’s flummoxed. During the busiest season of the year, he’s shorthanded. Then Eden shows up looking for work, and Beau believes he’s been rescued. Competent, smart, and beautiful, Eden’s also guarded and quiet. He soon figures out she comes with a boatload of secrets. But Beau can’t seem to help himself from falling for her.

As Christmas Eve approaches, Beau discovers he’ll do anything to keep Eden safe. But who’s going to protect his heart from a woman who can’t seem to trust again?

Title: The Lost Heiress

Author: Roseanna M. White

Publisher: Bethany House

Expected Publication Date: 8 September 2015

Brook Eden has never known where she truly belongs. Though raised in the palace of Monaco, she’s British by birth and was brought to the Grimaldis under suspicious circumstances as a babe. When Brook’s friend Justin uncovers the fact that Brook is likely a missing heiress from Yorkshire, Brook leaves the sun of the Mediterranean to travel to the moors of the North Sea to the estate of her supposed family.

The mystery of her mother’s death haunts her, and though her father is quick to accept her, the rest of the family and the servants of Whitby Park are not. Only when Brook’s life is threatened do they draw close – but their loyalty may come too late to save Brook from the same threat that led to tragedy for her mother.

As heir to a dukedom, Justin is no stranger to balancing responsibilities. When the matters of his estate force him far from Brook, the distance between them reveals that what began as friendship has grown into something much more. But how can their very different loyalties and responsibilities ever come together?

And then, for a second time, the heiress of Whitby Park is stolen away because of the very rare treasure in her possession – and this time only the servants of Whitby can save her.

Top Ten Tuesday: Fairytale Retellings I’ve Read and Want to Read

Hosted weekly by The Broke and the Bookish.

Read

Want to Read

At Any Cost: Overcoming Every Obstacle to Bring Our Children Home by Mike & Hayley Jones

★★★★★

When Mike and Hayley set out to adopt a child from Sierra Leone, Africa, never in their wildest imaginations did they dream this venture would lead to the “Jones Dozen.” This dramatically moving story will amaze and inspire any reader. Their stunning observation: “It was the least we could do!”

At Any Cost: Overcoming Every Obstacle to Bring Our Children Home by Mike and Hayley Jones tells the inspiring story of one family’s journey to follow God’s calling while facing the challenges and obstacles of international adoption. This book provides an interesting read, full of varying emotions and incredible faith. Overall, I really enjoyed reading At Any Cost and learning of the Jones’ incredible experiences. I would certainly recommend it to readers who enjoy uplifting personal stories or are potentially interested in adoption. I think it is definitely worth the read.

Thanks to Worthy’s First Look, I received a copy of At Any Cost and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Never Said by Carol Lynch Williams

★★★★★

From bestselling author Carol Lynch Williams (The Chosen One), a contemporary YA novel about a family that has been caught up in what doesn’t matter and how two sisters realize that their relationship – no matter how different the two of them are – is most important.

In this contemporary YA novel by bestselling author Carol Lynch Williams (The Chosen One), fifteen-year-old fraternal twins Annie and Sarah are sisters, but that is where their interaction ends. Then Annie begins to withdraw from the family, forcing Sarah to investigate why – and the secret she uncovers changes their relationship forever.

Never Said explores not only the effects of abuse but also our world's reliance on self, beauty, and other people's perceptions. With themes of forgiveness, love, sacrifice, and hope woven throughout the story, teens and other fans of young adult fiction will be drawn to this story of two sisters who must find a way to come together and find the healing they both need.

Carol Lynch Williams' new contemporary young adult novel, Never Said, deals with a handful of difficult adolescent and familial issues, as a set of twin sisters alternates perspectives to uniquely tell their story. The premise of this book had me intrigued from the start with its family dynamics, and even though after I started reading, I saw it played out a bit predictably, I still considered it to be an interesting read. An overall quick read that I liked, Never Said could be a great choice for readers interested in young adult fiction involving serious and challenging topics.

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of Never Said and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)