Thursday 29 September 2016

Five Fall Favourites // Day Four


Howdy-do? *tips imaginary Stetson* We've got some great genres for today! (try and guess one. Which technically shouldn't be too hard cause there's a huge honking hint right underneath this text ;)) 
Let's get started! 


  
Western
Soooo....some of these might be series. Just sayin'. I think for the most part I just put the first book of the series, although there might be a couple where I put my absolute favourite of the series instead ;) 


Norman Mavrich has no need for another hired hand, but when a young boy shows up asking for work, he can't turn him away. But where did the boy come from and what really brought him to the Triple Creek Ranch? The search for answers sends Bruce on an investigation and brings and unexpected conflict to the ranch family. Join the Mavriches, Mrs. O'Connor and the ranch hands for an eventful summer of hard work, fun and excitement. 


Stephen is a very interesting character and I found myself wondering about his background throughout the whole story. It was hard remembering that he was only 9, most of the time, he acted so much older! I wasn't able to put the book down and it was way past midnight by the time I finished. I'll admit, I was in tears near the end. It wasn't a bad ending, no, not at all! It was happy, but so emotional too! :)
Add to Goodreads 



Emma, a good-hearted midwife, rushes to warn a neighbor about the hired gunman headed to his ranch but can't prevent the catastrophe in store for his daughter.


‘The Man on the Buckskin Horse’ has all the elements of a true Western - guns, leather boots, ranches, cowboys, you name it, it has it all! :D 

In this Western adaption of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ a bubbly country midwife replaces the Good Fairy; a nasty demanding lady neighbour the evil fairy,and a dashing cowboy the handsome prince. Though there is not an ounce of magic in this retelling, Ms. Kovaciny succeeds in portraying the features from the original tale. One thing that I found really interesting was that the story was told from the point of view of the fairy/midwife, Emma. 

The characters were very likeable, (except Mrs. Mortimer, but you’re not supposed to like her anyway :P) and the writing quite remarkable!  
Add to Goodreads 



Horses, adventure, and the old West--mixed with a solid message for today's tweens--make this a must-read for tweens. Twelve-year-old Andrea "Andi" Carter attracts trouble the way her palomino horse, Taffy, attracts flies on a hot summer day. Andi's entire family and the staff at the Circle C Ranch treat her like such a pesky kid that she sometimes wonders if they would all be better off without her. After a particularly scary incident where Andi gets in trouble once again, she saddles up Taffy and runs away from home. But her escape quickly leads to frightening encounters with a horse thief and a vicious young lady. All of which makes Andi realize that there really is no place like home.


Horses. Tomboyish girls. Cowboys. Life lessons. The book that led me to meet all of you lovely blogger people!! :D It shouldn’t come as a surprise to you at all that this will always be one of my favourite series ever ;) And Milestones; eeks! Get to watch Andi grow up! :D 

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This series follows the life of pioneer girl, Laura Ingalls Wilder. It’s so cool to read about her growing up from a young, tomboyish girl to a grown woman who still had a fun-loving spirit no matter what. Mrs. Wilder’s writing is also very fun and not dull one bit! And seriously, her books have impacted me for most of my life! Don’t know how many times my sister and I played we were Laura and Mary Ingalls, and pretended to be pioneers. We even had LHOTP paper dolls ;) Needless to say, LHOTP is one of the bestest series EVER :D 
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The Bains family are amazed at what they find when they take up their homestead in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba: flash fires that appear suddenly and rage across the open plain, tensions between English settlers and their M?tis neighbours that threaten to become just as violent. 
At the same time they're filled with hope. Canada in the 1870s is suffering a terrible Depression, and life at their home in Ottawa had become unbearable. The promise of free land in the West beckoned them like an incredible dream. But the realities of building a farm and a home out of nothing are harsh: they have to learn from scratch how to plough, plant, build a house. And the human hatreds that grow in the prairie soil threaten to overcome them all. 

Set against the grim realities of homesteading in the Canadian West, Prairie Fire is the story of one family who struggle to adapt to harsh new circumstances. 


I started this book rather biased, since the book didn’t look all that interesting. But boy, were my thoughts changed! It’s amazing, and I loved seeing how the struggles the family had only made them grow stronger together. It’s got horses. It’s got guns. It’s got well, as the title says, prairie fires. Family love. There’s even a teensy touch of romance in it too :)

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Inspirational 
These books have had a great impact on my life and they’re definitely books I’d love to share with you all! Let me know if you’ve read any of them before, and whether you enjoyed them or how it affected your life! :) 


Just like you, Ann Voskamp hungers to live her one life well. Forget the bucket lists that have us escaping our everyday lives for exotic experiences. How, Ann wondered, do we find joy in the midst of deadlines, debt, drama, and daily duties? What does the Christ-life really look like when your days are gritty, long and sometimes even dark? How is God even here? 
In One Thousand Gifts, Ann invites you to embrace everyday blessings and embark on the transformative spiritual discipline of chronicling God's gifts. It s only in this expressing of gratitude for the life we already have, we discover the life we've always wanted, a life we can take, give thanks for, and break for others. We come to feel and know the impossible right down in our bones: we are wildly loved by God.
Let Ann's beautiful, heart-aching stories of the everyday give you a way of seeing that opens your eyes to ordinary amazing grace, a way of being present to God that makes you deeply happy, and a way of living that is finally fully alive. Come live the best dare of all!

Add to Goodreads 



Very few books on dating have stood the test of time like Passion and Purity. Its much-needed message remains strong and hopeful in an age when doing whatever "feels right" is common practice. Using her own life as an example, Elisabeth Elliot guides singles of both genders and of any age on how to put their love lives under the authority of Jesus Christ.

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Stepping Heavenward" is the fictional coming of age story of a young Christian girl named Katherine. The story follows her life from when she is sixteen, though courtship, engagement, marriage, having children, and the many challenges that she confronts in her adult life. This classic Christian story is told through a series of journal entries by Katherine and is an inspirational tale for young girls who themselves are facing the very same challenges of growing up.

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"Be holy, for I am holy" commands God to His people. But holiness is something that is often missed in the Christian's daily life. According to author Jerry Bridges, that's because we're not exactly sure what our part in holiness is. In The Pursuit of Holiness, he helps us see clearly just what we should rely on God to do--and what we should accept responsibility for ourselves.

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In a timeless way, this classic book offers practical, biblical wisdom on the issues every girl faces, from beauty to attitudes to relationships. This unabridged version can help many girls reach what Beautiful Girlhood describes as the perfection of womanhood.

Add to Goodreads

Don't forget to check out Kellyn, Kate, Amanda, Rebekah, and Sarah's blogs for more books! 







                                                                         And well, would ya take a look here! You're in the Book Room! Considering the party's been going on for 4 days already (*gasp* how has time gone by so quickly?!) you all probably know what being in the Book Room means. Yep! There's a giveaway here! :D And the book being given away is . . . .                                




To enter, all you have to do is leave a comment and then say you did in the Rafflecopter widget. I'll email the winner later tonight :)


And of course, the Grand Prize! (You're not getting tired of looking at this yet, are you? ;)) Thank you all so much with all your entries! This giveaway is going SO well and we've had over 50 people entree! Whoop whoop!



And don't forget, if we are able to get 75 people entered in the Grand Prize, we will add a 2nd place winner. And if we reach 100 people, there'll be a 3rd place winner!

2nd place winner will receive a $5.00 Amazon card and 3 kindle books.

3rd place winner will receive 3 kindle books.

Spread the word! :D

Do you enjoy Westerns? 
What are some books that have inspired you or impacted your life? 
Have you entered in the Grand Prize yet? 

52 comments:

  1. I really want to read "Five Magic Spindles". It sounds soooo good! And the cover is just beautiful! And I love 'Stepping Heavenward"! I need to read it again soon. It's been a while. ;)

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    1. Five Magic Spindles is absolutely amazing, Jesseca! You should totally try it! :)

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  2. Can I say that "Stephen" is my favorite of the TCR series too? :)
    Oh, "Prairie Fire" sounds interesting! I'll have to check it out.
    And great picks for Inspirational!

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    1. Yes, you can definitely say Stephen is your favourite! ;) That must have been so much fun to write! :D

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  3. I'm going to have to try the TCR series and Five Magic Spindles. An inspirational biography that I've mostly read is "Soul Surfer" on Bethany Hamilton.

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    1. Oh, Soul Surfer! I need to read that book! *adds to to-read list* A lot of my friends have recommended that book to me :)

      And YES. Go read TCR and Five Magic Spindles!!!!

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  4. I really like the Andi books. =) I've also read several of these that you mentioned, and I really like them!

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    1. That's great, Carissa Rose! So glad to hear you liked them :)

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  5. Hello!
    I think the party is so much fun! Too bad there weren't more like this in the blogging world. :) Some of the books you mentioned are new to me. I would love to read them!
    Love in Christ,
    Ashley
    creatingpreciousmoments.blogspot.com
    ashleysyarnworks.blogspot.com

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    1. PS. I absolutely love Stepping Heavenward! Beautiful Girlhood is a wonderful book as well. :)

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    2. Thank you so much, Ashley! Hopefully we'll be able to have another party like this next year!

      And yes, aren't those two books so good? Beautiful Girlhood especially! I've read it several times and even started a quote book on it :)

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    3. Oh, I didn't even recognize Beautiful Girlhood because the cover was different than the one I read it under. That one was a good one. My mom and I read it together. :)

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    4. Yes, the cover is different from the one I have too. Mine's a (cloudy?) blue colour with a small bouquet of flowers in the middle, I believe. Goodreads didn't have the same cover I did, for some reason or other ;)

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  6. This party is great so far! I've already found so many new books to read from all the posts! :D

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    1. Thank you, Bethany! And so glad to hear you've found new books!! :D

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  7. I'm always interested in Westerns. :) And Little House books are some of the best books out there. :)
    I'd love to enter for the book! :)

    CutePolarBear

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    1. Yes, LHOTP is amazing! It's going to be a lifetime favourite of mine <3

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  8. We definitely do have similar tastes. ;)

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  9. One of my favorite "inspirational" books is Created for Work, by Bob Schultz. It may have been written for boys, but it's got lessons applicable to anyone. =) It's very practical too, and one of the most enjoyable books of its sort I've read. Thanks for the posts. I'm enjoying finding more books. =)

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    1. Created for Work? Hmm...sounds familiar! I don't think I've read it before, but my brothers might have. Or it might be on my dad's shelf. I'll have to go check it out! :)

      You're welcome! And thank YOU for reading the posts :) So glad to hear you're finding more books!!

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  10. I really enjoy this online party, and discovering more great books! Your reviews sound interesting, Blessing! i really enjoyed reading Passion and Purity! It was really Inspiring!

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    1. SO glad to hear that, Odelia! ^_^ So happy this party is getting to be such a success! :D

      Yes, Passion and Purity is really inspiring!! Haven't read it in awhile, going to have to re-read it sometime :)

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  11. I love the Circle C books! :D They are SO good. :)
    I really need to finish the Little House books.
    Both the Triple Creek Ranch series and the book "Prairie Fire" sounds good. I'll have to try those sometimes. :)

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    1. *gasp* You haven't finished LHOTP yet?! Which book have you read up to?

      Yes, TCR and Prairie Fire are SO good. You should definitely read them sometime!

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    2. I know! I can't believe that I haven't finished them yet. I've actually only read "Little House in the Big Woods". ;)

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    3. Whaaa.....Rebekah! You have to read the rest of them!!!! :D

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  12. The party has been fun! A little time consuming, but still fun! :)

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    1. Haha, gotcha there, Raechel! Juggling school and the party was getting a little hard, but it's definitely worth it! SO much fun! Glad you can join us ^_^

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  13. I haven't read any of these except for Little House on the Prairie. :) I believe I have the book Passion and Purity. I looked through it but didn't read it completely. I entered the grand prize giveaway. This has been a lot of fun! I am so glad I stumbled upon this blog party!

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    1. I'm so glad you joined us, Abigail! It's been SO much fun! :)

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  14. Ah ha! Some books I know. :D I love the Circle C Adventures and the Little House books!! Haha, I have the LHOTP paper dolls too! And I've saw most (if not all) the episodes from the show. :D I've also read Passion & Purity and Beautiful Girlhood! :)

    The Triple Creek Ranch series, Five Magic Spindles, Prairie Fire, and One Thousand Gifts are all on my TBR. :)

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    1. Oh, yesssss.....the LHOTP episodes! Love those! My sister and I are currently working on Season 9 ;) And the paper dolls! We used them SO often, Mary's head is just barely attached now :P

      Goodie! Glad to hear all those good books are on your TBR :D

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  15. Great post! I love Laura Ingalls Wilder ... and I really, really want to read more of Rebekah Morris's books!

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    1. Thanks, Kellyn! Yeah, Laura Ingalls Wilder has been a huge part of my life for a loonnnggg time ;)

      And YES, you SHOULD read more of Rebekah's books!! :D

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  16. This fall party has been pretty great so far. Lots of god giveaways.

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    1. Ooops! I mean good giveaways!

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    2. Hurray! So happy to hear you say that! :)
      Hehe, and don't worry. I know what you meant ;)

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  17. Westerns!!! :D I thought mysteries were my favorite, and then I thought historical fiction was my favorite, but now I've realized I can't decide! Haha :)

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    1. I know right?! There are so many great genres, it's unbelievably hard trying to choose favourites!! :D

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  18. I've read One Thousand Gifts, all the Laura Ingalls books and all the TCR books.
    I've actually read the Laura Ingalls series several times. They were my absolute favorite books when I was younger, and I still like them today, although I don't read them quite as often anymore!! :)

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    1. You've read all the TCR books? Hurray! You looking forward to TCR-6? I know I am. Trying to wait patiently but it's. so. hard. ;D

      Oh yeah, same here. I think I've read the entire series at least 5 times, but that was awhile ago. It's not quite as often for me either ;)

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  19. The Little House in the Prairie series is so great! I haven't read the TCR books but I hear from my sister, Kate, they're good! Yay about the giveaway! I want to read "Fitting In"! ;)

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    1. Yes, LHOTP is pretty popular round here! Even my brothers like 'em ;) TCR is REALLY good. You should definitely go read them!! :)

      Hint: Even if you don't win the give-away, you'll still get a chance to read Fitting In if you take the survey! :D

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  20. I love this Fall Favorites. Thank you for this giveaway. The short -story is great. All the books involved are terrific and I cannot wait to read all of them.
    Marilyn

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    1. Awww...I'm so glad to hear that Marilyn! (love your name by the way ;)) Thank YOU for participating! Happy reading! :D

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  21. My sister enjoyed the Circle C books! But I especially loved the Triple Creek Ranch series! Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Yessss.....isn't TCR just an amazing series?! :D And Circle C is really, really good too! You're welcome, and thank YOU for your comment! ^_^

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  22. I enjoy Little House on the Prairie!!

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    1. That's awesome, Emma! LHOTP is always going to be a favourite of mine ;)

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  23. I have that exact copy of Stepping Heavenward!! Love that book! :)

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    1. You have Stepping Heavenward too! And the exact same copy?! That's so cool! :D

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Finally, brothers (and sisters!), whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things
~ Philippians 4: 8