Monday Musings with Rachelle
Here’s another great inspirational quote that gives me something to think about. How about you?
Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect practice makes perfect.
–Vince Lombardi
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Romance, Suspense, Mystery Author
Today’s feature is absolutely beautiful and full of delicious potential! I love cookbooks and trying new recipes so when I saw Shannon Smurthwaite’s Mormon Mama Italian Cookbook, I couldn’t wait to review it. Packed with great full-color pictures and irresistible recipes, this cookbook would love to meet your kitchen! I loved the little details and history notes included in the book.
If you’ve wanted to learn more about Italian cooking, Mormon Mama Italian Cookbook is your new best friend.
Here’s more about the book:
Italian cooking has never been easier, nor more delicious! From her mother’s meatballs, to easy but authentic pasta dishes, focaccia bread, and simple truffles, Shannon’s recipes will excite even the pickiest eaters. Bring your whole family together for a little taste of Italy with this delightful and entertaining cookbook!
Other books you may enjoy:
Visit Rachelle’s Book Review Page to see all reviews HERE.
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Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read. One does not love breathing.
–Harper Lee
Isn’t that quote phenomenal and such an inspirational thought? Harper Lee wrote To Kill a Mockingbird, an all-time classic and one of my favorites!
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I am a huge fan of the Proper Romance line of books and I’ve read almost all of them. I LOVED Lakeshire Park! It drew me in from the first pages and I couldn’t read fast enough to learn the fate of Amelia’s heart, her family’s future, and what would become of the infamous Peter Wood. In Brighton, England 1820 a woman’s future was often uncertain, and marriage was the only thing that could save her from a life of servitude or living as a spinster with a family member. For the Moore girls, there would be no such family to care for them once their stepfather passes on. The urgency of their situation combined with the elegance of the regency setting creates a storyline that promises to engage the reader.
The light banter kept me smiling, while the historical details pulled me deeper to the stories. I could almost hear Amelia playing the pianoforte and almost taste fresh English blackberries. It was really fun to read this because Walker did a great job of bringing the reader in to understand Amelia’s heart before she could figure it out herself. I could hardly read fast enough to discover the satisfying HEA. I’ll definitely be passing along this clean and wholesome romance to my daughters and friends.
Here’s more about the book:
Brighton, England 1820
Amelia Moore wants only one thing–to secure the future happiness of her younger sister, Clara. With their stepfather’s looming death, the two sisters will soon be on their own–without family, a home, or a penny to their names. When an invitation arrives to join a house party at Lakeshire Park, Amelia grasps at the chance. If she can encourage a match between Clara and their host, Sir Ronald, then at least her sister will be taken care of.
Little does she know that another guest, the arrogant and overconfident Mr. Peter Wood, is after the same goal for his own sister. Amelia and Peter begin a rivalry that Amelia has no choice but to win. But competing against Peter–and eventually playing by his rules–makes Amelia vulnerable to losing the only thing she has left to claim: her heart.
Other books you may enjoy:
Visit Rachelle’s Book Review Page to see all reviews HERE.
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I love sweet and heartwarming inspirational thoughts. This story really touched my heart. Are we remembering those who serve us?
Always remember those who serve.
In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him.
“How much is an ice cream sundae?” he asked.
“Fifty cents,” replied the waitress.
The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied the coins in it.
“Well, how much is a plain dish of ice cream?” he inquired.
By now more people were waiting for a table and the waitress was growing impatient..
“Thirty-five cents,” she brusquely replied.
The little boy again counted his coins.
“I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said.
The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the cashier and left. When the waitress came back, she began to cry as she wiped down the table. There, placed neatly beside the empty dish, were two nickels and five pennies.
You see, he couldn’t have the sundae, because he had to have enough left to leave her a tip.
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The Wish and The Peacock was a delight to read! In the second middle-grade novel by Wendy Swore, we meet Paige, a farm girl who lives in Idaho and is struggling to work on her farm after the death of her father. When she discovers that her mom intends to sell the farm, Paige takes matters into her own hands. Around this same time, Paige discovers a peacock in her barn. The reader will witness Paige’s creative attempts to save her farm and tend the wounded peacock at the same time. There are plenty of funny anecdotes, sayings that will make you smile, and heart-warming connections with characters.
The cast of characters is awesome! I loved Paige’s grandpa, her brother Scotty, and her best friends Mateo and Kimana. They each added depth to the story as well as an added interest level that makes the reader want to join the story as one of Paige’s friends.
I especially resonated with this story because I’m an Idaho farm girl and I love my farm country! Wendy did an excellent job of showing the reader what it’s like to live on a farm, love the land and the animals, and learn things that you can only learn with a little dirt between your toes. An excellent read for kids, classrooms, and families!
Here’s more about the book:
Be Strong and Wish Big
Paige’s favorite family tradition on the farm is the annual bonfire where everyone tosses in a stone and makes a wish. This time, Paige’s specific wish is one she’s not sure can come ture: Don’t let Mom and Grandpa sell the farm.
When Paige’s younger brother finds a wounded peacock in the barn, Paige is sure it’s a sign that if she can keep the bird safe, she’ll keep the farm safe too. Peacocks, after all, are known to be fierce protectors of territory and family.
With determination and hard work, Paige tries to prove she can save the farm on her own, but when a real estate agent stakes a “For Sale” sign at the end of the driveway and threatens everything Paige loves, she calls on her younger brother and her best friends, Mateo and Kimana, to help battle this new menace. They may not have street smarts, but they have plenty of farm smarts, and some city lady who’s scared of spiders should be easy enough to drive away.
But even as the peacock gets healthier, the strain of holding all the pieces of Paige’s world together gets harder. Faced with a choice between home and family, she risks everything to make her wish come true, including the one thing that scares her the most: letting the farm go.
Other books you may enjoy:
Visit Rachelle’s Book Review Page to see all reviews HERE.
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