Making a comeback

 Hello everyone! Assuming anyone still reads my blog anyway ;) I am back into regular reading and reviewing and will be posting soon! I want to get some tweaks figured out on my layout first, and then expect more regular schedules again. I miss reviewing and the book blog community! I hope you're looking forward to it!

2022 Dewey's 24 Hour Readathon Master Post

 Good morning! I had planned for awhile to participate in the readathon but never made my post haha. This will serve as my master post for all surveys and books completed! Read along with me!

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Opening Survey:

What fine part of the world are you reading from today? I'm reading from Salem, Oregon!

Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? I honestly don't know... I have a bunch I want to finish up that have been In Progress for awhile, so I think just getting some books completed makes me happy!

Which snack are you most looking forward to? I'm pregnant and I've been craving cheese a lot, so probably my box of Cheeze-Its!

Tell us a little something about yourself! I'm a 31 year old married mama, pregnant with baby 2, and I do love my books! I used to read a lot more (before kids lol) but I'm trying to get back into it more. I look forward to this readathon every year!

If you participated in the last readathon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first readathon, what are you most looking forward to? I always try too hard and try to read the entire 24 hours. It ends with me exhausted and cranky and it's not worth it! I plan to loosen up this year and let this day go as it goes.

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Mid-Event Survey:

What are you reading right now? God Bless This Mess by Hannah Brown!

How many books have you read so far? I've only been listening to the above on audiobook and reading one other paperback, none finished so far.

What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the readathon? I'm just looking forward to making progress in my current books!

Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Yes, but I knew they would happen so I'm not letting it get to me.

What surprises you most about the readathon, so far? I'm glad I can take it easy this year and not put too much pressure on myself!

Mini Review and Blog Tour: The Plans We Made

The Plans We Made by Kathryn Cushman & Lauren Beccue

Release Date: August 14, 2020

Publisher: Independently published

Genre: Christian Fiction

Pages: 340

Format: Paperback

Buy It: Amazon

When past secrets hold the only key to hope for the future…

Caroline Chapman is reeling from a broken engagement. Determined to start again, she moves cross-country for her dream job of planning events in the historical mansions of Newport, Rhode Island. Just as her life is getting back on track, she gets an email that shakes her very foundations.

Linda Riley’s life looks picture perfect - a wonderful husband, two great kids, involved in church and the community. Then comes the diagnosis that shatters the facade. In order to save her son’s life, she must reveal secrets that can rip everything apart.

Connected by more than painful circumstances, these two women discover a sacred bond. In this beautiful story of love, loss, and the fight for life, Caroline and Linda experience the reality that life doesn’t always go according to The Plans We Made.

This book was beautifully written! The teaser alone had me hooked - I knew I needed this book! The two main protagonists are women I can relate to and the reader feels themselves rooting for them both throughout the book. It's a longer novel, but every page is worth it! Their stories and connection are heartfelt and a great read in the struggling times right now. I definitely recommend giving this book a chance!

I received this book free for review, but the opinions contained in this review are my own.

Review: Parenting First Aid & Study Guide

Parenting First Aid: Hope for the Discouraged & Parenting First Aid: Hope for the Discouraged, Study Guide by Marty Machowski

Release Date: September 24, 2018 & April 20, 2020
Publisher: New Growth Press

Genre: Christian

Pages: 240 & 128

Format: eBook

Buy It: Amazon & Amazon

In this uplifting and faith-strengthening devotional book for Christian parents, best-selling children's author Marty Machowski encourages parents in the midst of parenting trials to look to the Lord for help. Full of Biblical Scripture, testimonies of faithful parents, and insightful meditations, Parenting First Aid equips Christian parents to run to God and trust his ability to do what they can t.

Parenting isn't getting any easier, especially with the introduction of insta-porn on electronic devices, the ease of access to drugs, and the ever-increasing blurring of sexuality. This parenting resource is for weary, Christian parents overwhelmed with parenting, their children's choices, and the culture that wars against their souls.

For parents with small struggles or weighty parenting trials such as children involved with drugs, sexual sin, and teenage rebellion Parenting First Aid is full of personal, real testimonies of God's faithfulness to parents experiencing hardship.

The easy-to-use format provides parents with encouraging and faith-strengthening words to trust God in his work in the midst of family difficulty. While God does not promise happiness and ease in parenting, all parents can find comfort in God and peace beyond understanding through the Scriptures and meditations found in Parenting First Aid.

As a companion small group resource to Parenting First Aid by Marty Machowski, this study guide reminds Christian parents they aren't alone in their struggles, providing an opportunity to talk about their challenges and pray for and encourage other parents.

Each of the ten chapters of Parenting First Aid Study Guide contain book excerpts, biblical Scriptures for encouragement, and questions to help stimulate discussion and application exercises. Machowski reminds men and women to rest in God's sovereign ability to reach and rescue their children. Unlike many other Christian parenting books, this resource helps moms and dads find comfort and hope in Jesus Christ rather than relying on techniques or to-do lists that fail to deliver what they seem to promise.

So many moms and dads hide their child-rearing struggles, but by sharing together and praying for one another in a small group setting, Christian parents can find encouragement, support, and community as they learn to trust God together in the midst of hardship.

Raising kids isn't getting any easier, especially with the introduction of insta-porn on electronic devices, the ease of access to drugs, and the ever-increasing blurring of sexuality. This study guide is for weary mothers, fathers, and guardians who are overwhelmed with their children's choices and the culture that wars against their souls.

For moms and dads with small struggles or weighty parenting trials such as children involved with drugs, sexual sin, and teenage rebellion this small group guide offers a place to begin conversations with other parents; seek community, biblical Scripture, and prayer; and remember they aren't alone.

Parenting First Aid, and its companion study guide, are aimed at coming alongside parents in the struggles of parenting children, whether easy or troubled. While based in a Christian mindset and with various Bible references spread throughout the pages, it is just as useful a guide for a non-Christian home to assist with a wayward child.

Each chapter brings practical ways to love our children right where they are and adds a story of a real family and the struggles they went through themselves. Nothing in these books comes from a position of seeming high and mighty; the author shares his own parenting struggles as well.

Whether you are struggling with raising your children in a Godly way, or if you just feel you could use a parenting refresher, both this book and the study guide are great resources to use and build your foundation upon.

I received both books free for review from Audra's Book Reviews. The thoughts contained herein are my own.

Hour 24: Closing Survey and Final Totals

Hi readers! I decided to dip out early again but I got some good sleep and that is what matters haha. Time for the wrap-up survey!

Closing Survey

How would you assess your reading overall? I did pretty well this year! I used audiobooks part of the time so real life didn't get too much in the way for me at all.

Did you have a strategy, and if so, did you stick to it? Not really haha. I just wanted to finish a couple books I was in the middle of, and I did!

What was your favorite snack? Muddy Buddies for sure.

Wanna volunteer for our next event? Stay tuned for the recap post! I am alllllllways up for volunteering! Come join me!

I ended up finished 2 books. I finished Your New Money Mindset: Create a Healthy Relationship with Money by Brad Hewitt in paperback and A Lifelong Love by Gary Thomas on audiobook. I did start another book and its companion study guide; that review will be up by the end of May for the blog tour! Thanks for following along this year, friends!

Hour 16: Mid-Event Survey and wrapping up...

Hi friends! I had really hoped to make it to the end this year but I'm getting a headache already, and I have an early appointment tomorrow that is only 3 hours after the end of the readathon. Sleep will be needed haha.

I thought it would be fun to do a semi-wrap up post with the mid-event survey! I will come back and do the closing survey as well, but it may not be until a few hours after the event ends.

Mid-Event Survey:
1. What are you reading right now? Currently, I am reading Parenting First Aid. It's one of my favorites so far!

2. How many books have you read so far? I have finished 2 and am working on the 3rd.

3. What book are you most looking forward to for the second half of the Read-a-thon? Honestly, Parenting First Aid is good so far! I am looking forward to digging more into it.

4. Have you had many interruptions? How did you deal with those? Since I have a toddler, yes, there are lots of interruptions haha. I have to just let them happen and get back into reading spurts when I can.

5. What surprises you most about the Read-a-thon, so far? It's almost easier this year, since I can read in between projects, but I don't feel like I mentally prepared myself so it's been hard to keep going.

How are you doing so far?

Hour 12: Halfway point

Welcome back! I took a nap during a small break but also finished my audiobook so progress is still happening! I will be moving into my Kindle books now to get a bit of a fresh change. Anyone else using Kindles more than physical books this year?

How is everyone else doing at the halfway point?