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The Gap Year

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Book Description   Cam has raised her daughter Aubrey alone ever since her ex left to join a cult. But now the bond between mother and daughter seems to have disappeared. While Cam is frantic to see Aubrey, a straight-A student, at the perfect college, on a path that Cam is sure will provide her daughter success and happiness, Aubrey suddenly shows no interest in her mother’s plans. Even the promise of an exciting gap year saving baby seals or bringing clean water to remote villages hasn’t tempted her. She prefers pursuing a life with her wrong-side-of-the-tracks football-hero boyfriend and her own secret hopes. Both mourn the gap that has grown between them, but Cam and Aubrey seem locked in a fight without a winner. Can they both learn how to hold onto dreams . . . and when to let go to grasp something better? Sarah Bird’s trademark laugh-out-loud humor joins with the tears that accompany love in a combination that reveals the fragile yet tough bonds of mother and daughter.  

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Messages from Heaven

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Book Description   When our loved ones leave this world, our connection with them does not end and we often receive signs from the other side. These true and touching stories of will amaze and support all readers -- religious or secular.The 101 true and miraculous stories in this book of signs and messages from beyond show that death may take away the physical presence of our loved ones, but not their spirit. This book is for everyone, religious or secular, as regular people share their amazing experiences with the other side. Book Review   First off, have lots of tissues when you read this one.  I generally cry while reading books in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.  However, this one really got to me.  The stories in this one were all touching and heart-felt.  It doesn’t matter what religion you are, you cannot refute that we all want to believe that our family and friends who have passed on are there waiting in the wings to greet us to wherever we go after we pass

The Scary Places Map Book

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Book Description   Take a tour of seven spooky places, among them the Wicked Woods, a Ghostly Galleon, and the Western Terror-tories. Along the way, avoid booby traps, search for hidden objects, and learn basic map reading skills! A map key, items to look for, and points of interest, such as Dracula’s Castle and Dr. Frankenstein’s laboratory, are included for each eerie region. Tips for touring (never take the Transylvania tour during a full moon) add to the fun. Kids who love to mix the ghoulish with the humorous will pore over the atmospheric pictures time and again, transported to strange, mysterious, very scary places. Book Review   This was a fun find!  The kids truly enjoyed this book.  To be honest, so did I! There are seven different places that you “tour”.  Each place has a picture of the place and a description.  It even has a list of dangers to avoid while touring that location.  It’s almost like it’s a travel guide for fictional creepy locations. Then there

Maisy at the Beach

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Book Description   Maisy and company have a full day of fun in Maisy at the Beach, collecting shells, building a sandcastle, and feasting on tasty snacks. Young readers join in the fun as they complete the scenes with more than 25 full-color, reusable stickers. Book Review   Truly an adorable book that kept the kids engrossed.  It is a great early reader book that is interactive.  As the story progresses it asks the child to put stickers in certain parts to complete the pictures.  What’s great is that the pages allow for the stickers to be put on and taken off repeatedly.  I am sure that eventually the adhesive on the back will start to wear off after while.  Maisy at the Beach: A Sticker Book (9780763659080): Lucy Cousins: Books ISBN : 0763659088 ISBN-13 : 9780763659080

Go Out and Play!

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Book Description   Go outside and play! Here, at your fingertips, are how to's for more than seventy best-loved games, all set to spread the fun of active play to kids of all ages. Do you know how to draw a hopscotch grid? What’s the silliest challenge in the game of sardines? How do you keep from being "out" in SPUD? Is there any way to escape the blob? This lively, infectious guide to games runs the gamut from classic to contemporary: kick the can, freeze tag, blindman’s bluff, red light green light, four square, duck duck goose, and so many more. It’s all sparked by KaBOOM!, a nonprofit with a passion for creating outdoor play spaces nationally and around the world. For KaBOOM!, play is serious business! So this guide also includes tips for adults on how to encourage and facilitate outdoor play as well as a wealth of resources on how to help create more play spaces in your own community.   Book Review   There were tons of great outdoor games to play

Waiting For Morning by Karen Kingsbury

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  Book Description   As Hannah Ryan waits for her family to return home from a camping trip, she realizes she has everything going for her—a husband other women admire, two charming teenage daughters, and a loving Christian home. As the sunny afternoon turns into twilight, her uneasiness grows along with the shadows. Then a car pulls into Hannah’s driveway, bringing two police officers...and devastating news that shatters her life forever. In the days that follow, Hannah struggles with unspeakable feelings of sorrow and rage—feelings that fuse into one chilling purpose for living: revenge against Brian Wesley, the drunk driver who has caused all her pain. In her fury, Hannah shuts the Lord out of her life. She’s determined not to forgive Wesley or the God who allowed this tragedy to happen. Can two caring people help Hannah rediscover her faith...before bitterness destroys her? Book Review   This was a quaint little story.  It was a quick read.  The characters were r

The Fire Starter Sessions

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Book Description   The Fire Starter Sessions is an apathy-kicking, integrity-infusing guide to defining success on your own terms. As the creator of DanielleLaPorte.com--deemed “the best place online for kick-ass spirituality,” Danielle LaPorte’s straight-talk life-and-livelihood sermons have been read by over one million people. Bold but empathetic, she reframes popular self-help and success concepts: : Life balance is a myth , and the pursuit of it is causing us more stress then the craving for balance itself. : Being well-rounded is over-rated. When you focus on developing your true strengths, you enter your mastery zone. : Screw your principles (they might be holding you back). : We have ambition backwards. Getting clear on how you want to feel in your life + work is more important than setting goals . It's the most potent form of clarity that you can have, and it's what leads to true fulfillment.   Book Review   This book is life changing!