Thursday, March 7, 2013

VeggieTales The Little House That Stood * DVD Review


ABOUT THE LITTLE HOUSE THAT STOOD
When the Three Little Pigs roll into Cabbageville looking to build some new houses, they meet one builder with a plan and two without a clue? Larry builds with hay, Mr. Lunt with bricks, but only  Bob builds his houses on a firm foundation-following the wise plans from the Master Builder’s Handbook? Will the Little Piggies make the right choices when it comes to building their houses-and their lives-on solid ground?Find out in this parable that shows kids when they follow God’s blueprints, they can stand strong when the storms come!

PLUS! Ever wonder what happened before Humpty cracked?
Find out in this very Veggie retelling of the classic Humpty Dumpty story “The Good Egg of Gooseville” where we learn that a good neighbor always “lends a little hand” to those in need!

Website http://veggietales.com/littlehouse/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/veggietales
Trailer http://www.youtube.com

Actors: Bob The Tomato, Larry The Cucumber, Petunia Rhubarb
Directors: Various
Format: Animated, Color, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Language: English
Region: Region 1 (U.S. and Canada only. Read more about DVD formats.)
Aspect Ratio: 1.77:1
Number of discs: 1
Rated: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Big Idea
DVD Release Date: March 5, 2013
Run Time: 49 minutes


MY REVIEW
  Larry and Mr. Lunt didn’t see the point of building on solid
stuff. They wanted to do things the quick and easy way. This DVD shows why it’s not good to do things fast or the easy way. It explains why fighting over something only makes you sad or look silly. This DVD is really neat because it tells a story with many wonderful examples for doing something or not doing it. It shows you what’s right and what’s wrong with doing certain things.
  The only story in the DVD about Humpty Dumpty talks about being lonely and wanting to be alone, God didn’t create people to be alone,
but to love and care for each other. When we care for others, God fills us with purpose and joy! Not blaming others for things that are wrong and confessing to things that we may have done wrong ourselves.
This is just a fantastic DVD for everyone, but mainly for children 3-7 years old. Highly recommended!

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GIVEAWAY   VeggieTales The Little House That Stood  DVD
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Tuesday, March 5, 2013

Congo Dawn by Jeanette Windle * A Review


ABOUT CONGO DAWN
While former Marine lieutenant Robin Duncan is no stranger to corruption or conspiracy, she has always been able to tell the good guys from the bad, and the Congo jungle at first seems no different. But as her security team tries to track down an insurgent killer, Robin has to face a man who broke her trust years ago, and she discovers the gray areas extend farther in this jungle wilderness than she anticipated.

A ruthless global conspiracy begins to surface, run by powerful men who can’t afford to leave any witnesses. Her life at stake, Robin doesn’t know who to trust and wonders how she can help protect innocent people. Why is God silent amid all the pain and injustice? And how do these people of faith continue to rejoice in their suffering?

Paperback: 496 pages
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers (February 1, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1414371586
ISBN-13: 978-1414371580
Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 8.3 inches

ABOUT JEANETTE WINDLE
As child of missionary parents, award-winning author and journalist Jeanette Windle grew up in the rural villages, jungles, and mountains of Colombia, now guerrilla hot zones. Her detailed research and writing is so realistic that it has prompted government agencies to question her to determine if she has received classified information. Currently based in Lancaster, PA, Jeanette has lived in six countries and traveled in more than thirty on five continents. Those experiences have birthed 16 international intrigue titles, including bestselling Tyndale House Publishers release Veiled Freedom, a 2010 ECPA Christian Book Award and Christy Award finalist and sequel Freedom's Stand, a 2012 ECPA Christian Book Award and Carol Award finalist and 2011 Golden Scroll Novel of the Year finalist. Check out author interviews, reviews, and more at Jeanette's website: www.jeanettewindle.com

MY REVIEW
  Congo Dawn by Jeanette Windle is a fairly good book.  The characters were well described and enjoyable, but I didn’t find the many facts and figures very interesting. I think the many facts of the country and fighting took away from the story. I like a book with more dialogue. At parts of the describing of the facts I skimmed over some of it, because it went on for quite a while.
  I found the characters Robin and Michael very good, strong characters.  I really would have enjoyed this story if it weren’t so factual. I really don’t recommend you read this book unless you like and enjoy hearing about the country and all of the facts of certain people and regions.

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Thanks to Tyndale House Publishers for providing this book for review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255

Monday, March 4, 2013

The One Good Thing by Kevin Alan Milne * A Review


For as long as Halley Steen has known her husband Nathan, he has carried a handful of stones in his pocket. Each day he uses those stones to remind him to follow the Golden Rule, moving a stone from one pocket to the other with each act of kindness. So it's not unusual that Nathan stops to help a stranger on the side of the highway while on his way to his son's football game one Friday evening. But that one act will change all of their lives forever, when a car hydroplanes off the road, killing Nathan instantly.

As Halley and her children Ty and Alice struggle with their grief, Nathan's spiritual legacy lives on. A Facebook page appears, where countless stories about Nathan's selfless acts are shared. But among them is one that stands out, from a woman who says that Nathan saved her life. Neither Halley nor her children have ever heard of Madeline Zuckerman. But soon Halley discovers years of e-mails from this woman to her husband on his computer that refer to "our little girl." How could her husband have kept the secret of this other child for their entire marriage? Why had he lied to her? Was he not the man she thought he was?

Only thirteen-year-old Alice maintains unwavering faith in her father. She knows there's an explanation. When she sets out to find Madeline and learn the truth, she will start to unravel the complex story of The One Good Thing Nathan Steen did that had the greatest impact of all.

Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Center Street (March 12, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1455510084
ISBN-13: 978-1455510085


Kevin Milne was born in 1973 in Portland, Oregon. Although Oregon was always considered home, he also spent portions of his childhood in Virginia, Hawaii, and California. In 1991 he graduated from Sherwood High school, followed by undergraduate studies at Brigham Young University, then an MBA from Pennsylvania State University. As an adult he has lived in such varied places as Vermont, New Jersey, Nevada, Austria, and Croatia.

Since beginning his writing career in 2007, Milne's novels have been reproduced in 16 languages worldwide. His first published work, "The Paper Bag Christmas", was converted to a stage play in 2011.

Today, Kevin resides once more in his home town of Sherwood, Oregon. He and his wife, Rebecca, were married in Washington DC in 1995, and are the proud parents of five children.


MY REVIEW
  This is the second book I’ve read written by Kevin Alan Milne and it is just as good as or even better than the first. This book The One Good Thing is one of my favorites for 2013. Truly a book well written full of such love, compassion and an ending you won’t believe.
  I like how loving Nathan is and how he helps others and mostly his family. How he would do anything to help others. This book is about Nathan even though he dies before much of the book is written.
  How it is wonderful that his daughter whom is thirteen is the only one who believes in him and knows he wouldn’t lie to her and she trusts him completely.
  You will experience how each of the people in the story grow and change as the story moves along, but you will also think about how you would react if that happened to you. Would you believe and trust someone you have lived with and known for many, many years.
  You will find in The One Good Thing such love, acceptance, perseverance and full forgiveness really is.
  If you don’t read any other book this year read The One Good Thing. Kevin Alan Milne is a wonderful story teller and someone who will keep your attention from the first page to the last. I highly recommend this book for a book to keep and read often.

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I received my free copy from Sarah Reck at Center Street/HachetteBookGroup, for my review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255