Super...frustrated

I am super frustrated. For months I've been trying to lose weight.

Unsuccessfully.

Photo credit: eflon / Foter.com / CC BY

If anything, I am actually continuing to gain. I've been to the doctor and had a check-up. No discernible issues.

I have been exercising, eating less, lessening carbs, cutting out sodas, and a myriad of other things. Nothing is helping.

I'll lose a few pounds one week and the next put those back on and a little more. It's been this way for the last few years to the tune of almost fifty pounds.

I don't know what else to do.

So there it is.

Blessings,
Ginger

Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl, review

Unbreakable by Nancy Mehl plops us down in the remote Mennonite town of Kingdom. Though this is book two in the Road to Kingdom series, it is not necessary to read book one to enjoy it. I do suggest you do so, however. You can find my review of Inescapable here.

Trouble has come to Kingdom and the residents are divided on how to proceed. Hope Kauffman understands both sides, and ultimately questions her belief in the old ways. She also finds herself with trouble of her own. Two very different men have declared their love for her, but she can only choose one.

I thoroughly enjoyed this romantic suspense and look forward to any books by Ms. Mehl.


Back cover:

Gentle and unassuming Hope Kauffman has never been one to question or try to make changes. She quietly helps her father run Kingdom Quilts and has agreed to the betrothal her father arranged for her with the devout but shy Ebbie Miller. 

Despite Hope's and other Kingdom residents' attempts to maintain the status quo, changes have already begun to stir in the small Mennonite town. The handsome and charismatic Jonathon Wiese is the leader of the move to reform, and when one of Kingdom's own is threatened by a mysterious outsider, Jonathon is one of the first to push for the town to arm itself. Hope's fiance, Ebbie, is at the forefront of those demanding the town stay true to its traditions of nonviolence. 

When strange incidents around town result in outright attacks on several townspeople, Hope can't help but question what she's always been taught. As the town that's always stood so strong together is torn apart at the seams, Hope is caught between opposing sides, both represented by those she has come to care for. With tensions high and lives endangered by an unknown threat, Hope fears Kingdom can never survive in one piece.

Rating: 4 stars

Blessings,
Ginger

Another Christmas book reviewed...

I've reviewed several of Cindy Woodsmall's books in the past. Each one has blessed me in a unique way and Christmas in Apple Ridge is no different. It is a three-in-one collection, which includes The Sound of Sleigh Bells, The Christmas Singing--both of which I've read before--and The Dawn of Christmas. There are many books that I would not wish to read a second time, but I enjoyed both the first and second stories as much this time as I did when I read them originally. The third story was new and I devoured it in just a few short hours.

Oh, by the way, don't stop at the recipes (if you get the e-version) like I did after The Sound of Sleigh Bells. I felt so silly when I realized I had missed the second and third portions of the book.

If you are an Amish romance fan, you will enjoy reading Christmas in Apple Ridge.

About the stories:

The Sound of Sleigh Bells Beth Hertzler is unable to let go of a past tragedy, but when she discovers a large, intricately carved scene of Amish children playing in the snow, something deep inside Beth’s soul responds. Determined that her niece meet the gifted artist, her aunt tracks him down, but it’s not that simple – will Jonah be able to offer Beth the sleigh ride she’s always dreamed of and a second chance at real love? 

The Christmas Singing Mattie thought her childhood sweetheart adored her until he abruptly ended their engagement on Christmas Eve. Brokenhearted, Mattie moves away and pursues her longtime dream of becoming a cake decorator, and even finds a new beau. But when Mattie is forced to return home three years later, will learning the truth behind Gideon’s rejection restore her Christmas joy – or open the door to even deeper heartbreak?   

The Dawn of Christmas Sadie enjoys her freedom away from home and her mission trips to Peru, but after four years, her Old Order Amish family insists it’s time to come home and settle down. Levi, a bachelor who distrusts women after a family heartbreak, also has no desire for romance. To keep their families from meddling in their lives, Sadie and Levi devise a plan—but soon discover that the walls around their hearts are breaking down. Can they let go of their prejudices, learn to trust each other, and embrace a future together?

Rating: 4 stars

Blessings,
Ginger