The Daniel Plan

I received a copy of The Daniel Plan by Rick Warren from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

 is an innovative approach to achieving a healthy lifestyle where people get better together by optimizing their health in the key areas of faith, food, fitness, focus and friends.

This is not your typical diet book.  Rick Warren decided he needed to eat better and brought it up in one of his sermons.  To his surprise most of his church went on the journey with him.  Warren tells how you don't only need to focus on food, but your faith, fitness and friends if you want to get fit.  I have to admit it's the best diet book I've ever read.

An April Bride

I received a copy of AN April Bride by Lenora Worth from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.A charming wedding novella set in the spring. What will happen when love and wedding plans come together this April?  War changes everything . . . even their love.  Bride-to-be Stella Carson can't wait to marry her longtime sweetheart Marshall Henderson. But Marshall has been away serving his country and has suffered a head wound. After being diagnosed with post-traumatic disorder, he has distanced himself from Stella, asking her not to visit him in the Washington, D.C. hospital. Marshall returns to Louisiana just four weeks before the wedding, but as the big day draws near, Stella wonders if the man she's loved for most of her life has become someone else.  Can true love conquer all for Stella and Marshall? Even the tragedy of war?  This was a good story about how to deal with a loved one with  post-traumatic disorder.  Stella not only had a wedding to plan but had her groom come home after suffering a head wound in battle and he didn't remember her at all.  Planning a wedding is stressful on any couple but to have him not remember you is something I can't imagine dealing with.  Stella's parents and her soon to be in-laws all worked together to help Marshall regain his memories.  

Smitten Book Club

I received a copy of Smitten Book Club by Colleen Coble, Kristin Billerbeck, Diann Hunt and Denise Hunter from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  

At a rummage sale, Heather, a member of the Fireside Book Club, discovers a turn-of-the-century romantic advice book written by a once-famous Smitten, Vermont, resident. When she shares the precious volume with her friends in the club, they find clues about a hidden treasure rumored to be buried in their tiny town.

As Heather, Abby, Lia, and Molly take turns reading the book, each projects onto it her own literary tastes. Heather sees it as a mystery. Abby discovers delicious dashes of Jane Austen. Lia sees in it the idealism of a bygone day. And Molly just wishes they'd made the book into a movie!

One by one, each of the women finds romantic love—often in spite of the historic book’s advice. And in searching for the legendary gold, the friends discover the best kind of treasure. The kind that brings hope and healing to each of their hearts.

This was like reading 4 books in one.  Each author wrote a short book focusing on a different character.  All the characters are friends that live in Smitten and meet monthly for a book club.  Not all of the members of the book club like to read or actually read the books for that matter.  They all do pull together to help each other anytime the need arises.  I love how each short book ends with a happy ending.

The Chase

I received a copy of The Chase by Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldburg from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Internationally renowned thief and con artist Nicolas Fox is famous for running elaborate and daring scams. His greatest con of all: convincing the FBI to team him up with the only person who has ever caught him, and the only woman to ever capture his attention, Special Agent Kate O’Hare. Together they’ll go undercover to swindle and catch the world’s most wanted—and untouchable—criminals.

Their newest target is Carter Grove, a former White House chief of staff and the ruthless leader of a private security agency. Grove has stolen a rare Chinese artifact from the Smithsonian, a crime that will torpedo U.S. relations with China if it ever becomes public. Nick and Kate must work under the radar—and against the clock—to devise a plan to steal the piece back. Confronting Grove’s elite assassins, Nick and Kate rely on the skills of their ragtag crew, including a flamboyant actor, a Geek Squad techie, and a band of AARP-card-carrying mercenaries led by none other than Kate’s dad. 

A daring heist and a deadly chase lead Nick and Kate from Washington, D.C., to Shanghai, from the highlands of Scotland to the underbelly of Montreal. But it’ll take more than death threats, trained henchmen, sleepless nights, and the fate of a dynasty’s priceless heirloom to outsmart Fox and O’Hare.

This is the first book I've read by either of the authors.  It was a really good book and makes me want to read more of Janet Evanovich and Lee Goldburg's books.  I have to admit that many of the plans that Nick and Kate pull off seem very far fetched but make for good reading.  Having one of the biggest collections belong to a former White House chief of staff does like something that could really happen.

The Church Builder

I received a copy of The Church Builder by A. L. Shields from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
A thrilling new series about a secret war between the forces of faith and those who would destroy it. In the first volume, small-town lawyer Bethany Barclay, struggling to piece together the final months of her best friend's life, becomes the pawn of both sides. One group focused on destroying all religion. One group struggling to preserve the church. One woman searching for the truth. The evidence is against her. The FBI is right behind her. A malevolent killer has her in his sights. And as Bethany digs deeper into a complex web of lies surrounding her ties to the murder of her client's son, she remains unaware of the real battle in front of her.She thinks her friend Annabelle was killed because of what she learned about a rumored first-century Christian artifact. What Bethany doesn't know is that Annabelle died in the crossfire between two shadowy organizations that have been doing battle for centuries. The Wilderness, wealthy and vast, is dedicated to the destruction of all religious faith. The Garden, a group of seven members led by a man they call the Builder, carries on a grim, secret struggle to protect the church.Only a few in the Garden realize that there's more at stake than the artifact the Wilderness is seeking. But as Bethany discovers that she's a tiny part of a larger war, can she trust the Builder to save her? Or will he sacrifice her for the sake of the cause?
This was a very difficult book for me.  I really tried to get into it but couldn't.  I even went out and read other reviews on the book hoping that would help me.

Life Support

I received a copy of Life Support by Candace Calvert from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.  Nurse Lauren Barclay put her life on hold to keep a watchful eye on her troubled sister. It’s why she’s back in Houston. But that means confronting the brooding physician assistant who caused painful turmoil in her family--and left Lauren with memories her heart can’t forget.

PA and single parent Elijah Landry is no stranger to stormy relationships, including one with his father, who is threatening him with a restraining order. It won’t stop Eli from protecting his disabled brother--or from making peace with Lauren. He wants that and so much more.

But as Lauren and Eli draw closer, a powerful hurricane roars toward Houston. Survival instincts take priority and everything changes. Can hope weather the storm?

I have to admit after reading this book that my life doesn't look so bad.  This is a good reminder that we all have issues that we're facing and not to judge too quickly.  Lauren has been defending and trying to help her sister all her life.  What she doesn't want to admit is that Jessica needs more help than her family is willing to give.  Eli has been trying to make sure his brother gets the best care possible even when his father puts a restraining order against him.  As they become closer to each other their family issues come to a head.  They need each other and God more than ever, but can they work out their problems?