Book Review: #MakingManna by Eric Lotke

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

I am so excited to share one of the best books I've read this month, Making Manna:

About the book:

Libby Thompson is just fourteen years old when she flees her abusive home with her newborn son, Angel. Now they must build a life for themselves on hard work and low wages, dealing with police who are sometimes helpful-but not always-and a drug dealer who is full of surprises. As Angel gets older, he begins asking questions about his family, and Libby's tenuous peace threatens to crumble. Can a son without a father and a young woman without a past make something beautiful out of a lifetime of secrets? Making Manna explores the depths of betrayal, and the human capacity to love, flourish, and forgive in the face of heartbreaking odds.

About the author:

Eric Lotke has spent his career driving change in the prison system. He’s spent time providing legal counsel to people incarcerated under DC law, working to reduce violence in neighborhoods, and researching how to create progressive economic change. His work with the census bureau’s treatment of prisoners has lead to integral changes in state law in New York, California, Delaware and Maryland and hopefully many more.  His lawsuit over the exploitative price of phone calls from prison also led to new rules by the FCC.

The National Criminal Justice System commissioned him to write The Real War on Crime. He is the author of two novels, 2044 and Making Manna. He lives in Washington, DC.

My thoughts:

This book was truly lovely!  It was a joy to read and once I started reading it, I couldn't put it down.  Lotke's characters are so familiar and they have to endure so much heartbreak, you can't help but commiserate during the bad times and revel in the good right along with the fmily.  It really is an amazing story of survival, perseverance  and growth.  I was actually a little sad to finish the book because I just wanted to stay immersed in the story of the family for a little longer to see what the future held for them.  Amazing, amazing, amazing!

Follow Eric Lotke on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/EricLotke

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EricLotkeAuthor/

Buy Making Manna (you won't regret it:):

Amazon   Barnes and Noble   Indiebound

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Spring Fun With Educational Toys From Lakeshore Learning!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Spring is definitely here and one of our favorite ways to celebrate is to get outside and enjoy the sunshine!  Lakeshore Learning has a great selection of toys to engage and entertain your kiddos while inspiring their creativity and imagination.

All Lakeshore Learning product developers are former educators who apply real-world classroom experience to every product they develop.  Lakeshore Learning’s in-house Quality Assurance Team test and inspects every item with more rigorous standards than those required by law. Every item they sell meets or exceeds government safety requirements.  Close ties with real classrooms helps Lakeshore Learning develop ground-breaking products.  With award-winning products for birth through 6th grade, Lakeshore Learning helps children reach milestones and achieve educational goals while having fun.

Check out the items we reviewed from Lakeshore Learning:

Real Bugs Discovery Kit

$24.99

Kids get an up-close look at 12 amazing bugs—from a leaf beetle to a lantern fly! Each real specimen is permanently encased in indestructible acrylic, so kids can safely explore them from every angle. Plus, you get a fascinating fact book and handy magnifier—all in a cute 10 1/2" storage tray with labeled compartments for each bug.

This is a ton of fun!  These cool bugs are great for exploration indoors or out.  

I must admit, even B and I enjoyed checking out these cool critters:)  The tray is perfect for keeping them all organized.

Birds Science Viewer

$16.99

Now kids can see birds up close! Our viewer comes packed with amazingly lifelike photos and is super-easy for little ones to use: Children just slide a disk in…then pull the lever to switch from one fascinating photo to the next! Rugged 4 1/2" plastic viewer comes with 35 photos on 5 disks.

My kiddos have been wanting one of these viewers for a while, so they were super excited about this one.  I love all of the different birds on the slides, though I wish their names were included on each slide instead of on the box whci my kiddos promptly threw out.  Still a really cool viewer though!

Build-It-Yourself Woodworking Kit

$34.99

Imagine it, then build it! Kids create project after project using smooth pine pieces in a wide variety of shapes. We’ve also included a lightweight hammer, nails, glue and more. The kit comes complete with a guide that has instructions for multiple projects, plus a handy 7 3/4" x 12" storage box. Kit includes a total of over 80 pieces.

Both kiddos were really excited about this one.  Since we've been remodeling our home, they've been witness to lots of up close building projects.  This kit allows them to improve their building skills and contains plenty of projects for both kiddos.  Love it!

So many great, educational toys from Lakeshore Learning to jump start your kiddos imagination this Spring!

Click to shop Lakeshore Learning

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Crazy Cups March Flavor: Caramel Pecan Cluster Single Serve Cups + Giveaway!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

As an ambassador for Crazy Cups, I get to review a different flavor of single serve coffee cups each month.  The flavor for March is Caramel Pecan Cluster:

Crazy Cups are single serve cups that contain 13 grams of coffee in each cup for a flavorful cup of coffee.  They are compatible with all Keurig K Cups® Pods brewers and other single serve machines as well.   We use an iCoffee brewer and they fit perfectly.  Crazy Cups are gluten-free, nut-free, and contain no calories.  The cups use cool-peel-recycle technology, making them recyclable after use.  We peel ours back once they're cool, toss the grounds into our compost bin and recycle the cups, easy peasy and eco-friendly.

Flavor description:

"Treat yourself to the sensuous flavors of toasted pecans and sweet caramel goodness, and watch your cares melt away."

Caramel Pecan Cluster surprised us!  We were expecting something over-the-top sweet and it definitely wasn't.  B is our resident coffee drinker and he really enjoyed it.  It proved to be a tasty cuppa joe with the perfect balance of caramel and pecan flavors and a smooth finish.  Thumbs up from us!

Click to shop Crazy Cups

One lucky reader will win their very own box of Caramel Pecan Cluster from Crazy Cups!  Enter below:

Book Review: A Fool & His Monet by Sandra Orchard

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

As part of the Revell Reads Crew, I recently had the chance to review a copy of  A Fool & His Monet by Sandra Orchard:

About the book:

Sketchy politics and a palette of lies can't stop Serena Jones from exposing the mastermind behind the daring theft of a priceless work of art

Serena Jones has a passion for recovering lost and stolen art--one that's surpassed only by her zeal to uncover the truth about who murdered her grandfather. She's joined the FBI Art Crime Team with the secret hope that one of her cases will lead to his killer. Now, despite her mother's pleas to do something safer--like get married--Serena's determined to catch thieves and black market traders.

When a local museum discovers an irreplaceable Monet missing, Serena leaps into action--and a whole heap of trouble.

My thoughts:

A Fool and His Monet is a really fun read!  It kind of reminded me of the series featuring Stephanie Plum...a fast-paced mystery with plenty of comic relief thrown in for good measure.  The storyline is intriguing and the characters are great.  A quick, light-hearted tale that is perfect for Spring reading, A Fool and His Monet is super entertaining.  I love that this is the first book in a series and can't wait to see where Sandra Orchard takes us from here!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Imperial Toy Celebrates Bubble Fun All March + Coupon Code!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Imperial Toy celebrates bubble fun all month long with super awesome bubble toys!  

The kiddos had a blast with these two budget friendly bubble toys from Imperial Toys:

      Bubble Windstorm™: 

Create endless streams of bubble with the Bubble Windstorm! This incredible bubble machine shoots hundreds of Bubble Blitz bubbles into the air at the press of a button.

       Bubble Flurry™: 

Dip the handheld Bubble Flurry’s wands into bubble solution and press the button to make hundreds of bubbles in seconds.

 These are both battery operated for hours of bubble blowing fun at the touch of a button and perfect for the beautiful Spring weather ahead!

For the month of March all bubble products on shop.imperialtoy.com will be 25% off with promo code CELEBLITZ.

Visit Imperialtoy.com for more information.

Bubble Blitz™ premium bubbles and toys can be found at Target, Walmart, and other fine retailers.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Earth's Healing Boxes: Essential Oil Subscription Box Service + Giveaway!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

I love using essential oils in a variety of ways on a daily basis, so I was excited to get to try out Earth's Healing Boxes.

Each month, the Earth's Healing Certified Aromatherapist team chooses 3 Therapeutic grade essential oils to ship straight to your door.  You will also get detailed recipe cards, so that you can easily turn your oils into blends you will use every day. These oils will be chosen based on the time of the year, the availability of exceptional oils, and oils will be chosen that can work well together.

Included in your box you will also find an essential oil blend that you will be able to use instantly and effectively. This blend could be in the form of a salve, roll-on, spray or one of the hundreds of ways that essential oils can be blended. And it comes with a card detailing the history, usage and recipe for your blend.

Each month they will include a surprise gift that will vary greatly month to month. This could consist of the equipment you may need to complete a recipe, a Far-East item, or an extra bottle of essential oil.

I really enjoyed Earth's Healing Boxes.  The oils I was sent (Pink Grapefruit, Bergamot, and Ylang Ylang) were high quality and I loved the recipe cards featuring great ways to use each of the oils.  The amounts, especially of the full-sized oils, was very generous.  The blend came in roll on form and was Valerian Root.  The gift was an inhaler that you can use anywhere thanks to it's convenient size.  Add a few drops of your favorite oil or blend for instant relief anywhere you go.  The box was very well-packaged to keep all of the little glass bottles secure during shipping.  If you love essential oils and enjoy trying out new blends, you will love Earth's Healing Boxes!

Cost: $49.99/box

Shipping: FREE domestic shipping

Click to shop Earth's Healing Boxes

Enter below to win an Earth's Healing Box:

Book Review: A Treasure Concealed by Tracie Peterson

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

As part of the Bethany House review crew, I recently had a chance to review a copy of A Treasure Concealed by Tracie Peterson:

About the book:

There is more than gold to be found in these hills.

Emily Carver longs to have a home of her own, but instead she endures a transient existence in the gold mining camps of Montana, where her father's hopes for riches lie endlessly buried. Promises of wealth from this wild land have brought only hardship and disappointment, causing Emily to wonder if her own modest dreams will ever see the light of day.

Caeden Thibault, a young geologist working for the government, is a man trying to escape the pain of his past, and the idyllic mountains of Montana serve his purposes well. In the course of his work, he has seen more than his share of starry-eyed gold seekers. So when Emily Carver catches his attention, he is intrigued by the fact that she isn't pinning her hopes on striking it rich. 

Will an unexpected discovery come between them or draw them together?

About the author:

Tracie Peterson is the bestselling, award-winning author of more than 100 novels. Tracie also teaches writing workshops at a variety of conferences on subjects such as inspirational romance and historical research. She and her family live in Montana. Learn more at www.traciepeterson.com.

 My thoughts:

A Treasure Concealed is the first book in the Sapphire Brides Series.  It is set in Montana among mining camps and Peterson does a beautiful job creating a rich setting.  She has obviously done her research on the period and tells a lovely story that lovers of historical romance are likely to love.  Peterson's characters come to life for the reader thanks to her detailed writing style.  The ongoing Christian theme is refreshing throughout the book.  Overall, A Treasure Concealed was a pleasant read!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

pediped® Debuts Its Spring/Summer 2016 Collection + Giveaway!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Award-winning children’s footwear brand pediped® debuts its Spring/Summer 2016 collection featuring over 70 new styles across its signature footwear system. The collection is highlighted by its fashion sandals featuring Memory Foam Technology™ and its aquatic water-safe, rugged, machine-washable Adventure Line.

We recently had the chance to review a pair of sandals from the Adventure Line, the Canyon sandal:

   The Adventure Line offers a great selection of water safe, machine washable shoes that both kids and parents will love!

 Continuing to make life easier for grown-ups, this Spring/Summer collection by pediped® features over 60 machine-washable styles. Every style of pediped® footwear is approved by the American Podiatric Medical Association, allowing children to always put their finest and healthiest foot forward.

Whether a child is crawling, learning to walk, or running around, pediped® has a stylish shoe that fits comfortably and ensures healthy foot development. Each of the three footwear lines featured in the pediped® footwear system is specially designed to meet the needs of a particular walking stage.

D loves his Canyon sandals!  They are super lightweight and breathable, making them excellent for all of his outdoor adventures this Spring and Summer.  They are comfortable and fashionable and I like knowing they are a healthy fit for his feet.

  

The pediped® Spring/Summer 2016 Collection is now available for purchase online at www.pediped.com and in select retail stores.

Thanks to the fine folks at pediped®, we are excited to host a giveaway for a pair of Originals shoes (0-6. 6-12, 12-18 or 18-24 months sizing)  Winner picks gender and size and receives a surprise pair of shoes!

Enter below:

Chewy.com March Pick: Tiki Dog Gourmet Carnivore Chicken & Liver Canned Dog Food

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Chewy.com is your one-stop shop for all things cat and dog!  One of the fantastic products you can find at Chewy.com is from Tiki Dog:

Tiki Dog Gourmet Carnivore Chicken & Liver Canned Dog Food

Satisfy your carnivore's cravings with a gourmet menu that matches their natural prey diet! Tiki Gourmet Carnivore has the ultimate wild prey nutrient profile. With whole meats and great flavor, your carnivore is sure to love it!

Key Benefits:

Grain and gluten-free recipe

55% protein, 35% fat, 0% carb

Made with whole meats

With added vitamins, minerals and trace nutrients

Carbohydrate, starch and flour free

Zero glycemic index

Great for all life stages

Jessie enjoys the occasional can of dog food mixed in with her dry diet, but she's a bit persnickety when it comes to taste.  From the first can of Tiki Dog, she was a huge fan!  She absolutely loves it, practically inhaling each can!  As soon as we pull a can out, she is wagging her tail and doesn't leave our side until it's in her dish.  I'm thinking she has a new favorite:)  Even D said, "Wow, this actually looks and smells like people food!"  Winner, Winner, Chicken and Liver Dinner (for Jessie at least:)!

You can find Tiki Dog canned food at Chewy.com for $40.92 for a case of 12 12oz cans.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

MARY's secret ingredients subscription box teaser and 25% off coupon!

In just a couple of weeks I'll be reviewing the new MARY's secret ingredients box, and I am so excited! They're giving me a special discount code to share that gets you 25% off of your first box as long as you buy before Monday, April 4th. The spring box is worth over $55- their best value yet!

MARY's secret ingredients (MSI) is a culinary subscription box of surprise ingredients and products that you've probably never heard of, but need to try. Their goal is to inspire your cooking with new flavors and bring LOVE into your kitchen! Each box sold also contributes to eradicate hunger as MSI donates a portion of their profits to Feed The Children.

Normally everything inside of the box is a surprise, but this season they've revealed one of their partners is 100 Cups A Day. The organization has created special edition handmade tea/sake cups exclusively for this spring box! And even better, 100 Cups A Day works with non-profit Caminos de Agua, who advocate for access to clean water in Guanajuato, Mexico.

I love that this box has a mission and goal to make the world a happier and healthier place. Mary even emails delicious recipes using box ingredients to you to give you meal ideas and suggestions!

I can't wait to see what other surprises will be waiting in my spring box! Pick one up for yourself by 11:59 EST April 3rd using my coupon code 'abcd' and save 25%. Good cooks never lack friends!

Book Review: A Powerful Secret by Dr. Kevin Leman & Jeff Nesbit

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

As part of the Revell Reads Crew, I hadd the chance to review a copy of A Powerful Secret by Dr. Kevin Leman & Jeff Nesbit:

About the book:

Sean has always felt like an outsider in his own family.

Now he must risk never achieving what he wants most--his father's love.

Billionaire globe-trotter Sean Worthington is stunned when his older brother suddenly abandons the Senate race in New York and walks away without a backward glance. As campaign manager, Sean's left to handle the media feeding frenzy with no answers. Worse, their father--as usual--backs Will, the "perfect" son.

Frustrated by his father's lack of belief in him, Sean determines to finally move on and forge a unique path. But when a powerful secret is revealed, threatening everything Sean has counted on, he must wrestle with shocking truths . . . and combat the power brokers behind the scenes who have the Worthington family in their crosshairs.

My thoughts:

A Powerful Secret is book 2 in a 3 book series of modern day life for the Worthington family.  It is a fast-paced political drama that is easy to get into even if you haven't read book 1 or aren't into politics.  This book is an action-packed page-turner from beginning to end.  It's easy to get wrapped up in this family's story as a whole and as individual characters facing universal struggles of acceptance, love, and peace.

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Fill Those Baskets: Animal Planet Hatch 'Ems + Giveaway!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

One last quick Easter basket idea: Animal Planet Hatch 'Ems:

Animal Planet Hatch Ems Super Grow Eggs are awesome!  Cool colorful animals hatch right out of their shells when put in water and are available in Safari Animals, Rain Forest Animals, Sea Creatures and Dinosaur series to take kids on a tour of some of the world’s most historic and exotic animals.

Each series contains three eggs and fun animal fact cards about each animal to allow children to learn as they play.  Our set was Sea Creatures and included a dolphin, an octopus and a clown fish.

After just two days, our creatures were fully hatched and had grown from the size of an ordinary Easter egg to as large as 7 year old D's hand!

They should be getting even bigger after we leave them in water for up to three more weeks.

D is over the moon excited about these cool little creatures and he loves checking on them throughout the day.  The kit included cool information cards about each animal as well, making them even more educational!

Animal Planet Hatch 'Ems Super Grow Eggs are available for purchase for $11.99 by visiting scsdirectinc.com or hatchems.com and specialty retailers nationwide.

One lucky reader will win a set of Hatch 'Ems of their own.  Enter below:

Chewy.com March Pick: Blue Buffalo Freedom Beef Tenders Grain-Free Dog Treats

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Chewy.com is your one-stop shop for all things cat and dog!  One of the fantastic products you can find at Chewy.com is from Blue Buffalo:

Blue Buffalo Freedom Beef Tenders Grain-Free Dog Treats

The perfect treat for any meat-loving dog, Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain-Free Tenders are 100% free from the grains that contain glutens many pet parents choose to avoid. As part of Blue's commitment to use only the finest natural ingredients, the farm-raised beef in these treats is proudly sourced from the USA. They're a delicious, healthy snack you can feel good about giving!

As you can see, Jessie is a huge fan of Blue Buffalo Freedom Beef Tenders!  I love knowing they are USA made and a healthy snack to spoil her with:)

You can find these treats at Chewy.com for just $15.29 for a 7oz bag. 

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Bobo's Oat Bars: Our Go-To Spring Snack!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

Spring is in full swing which makes us busy, busy, busy!  One of our favorite snacks this Spring has been Bobo's Oat Bars:

With these bars, there’s no need to worry about artificial anything, including no additives, sweeteners and other harsh chemicals.  

These vegan bars are made with NON-GMO, natural and organic ingredients and come in ten tasty original flavors and six new gluten-free flavors.  

You really can't tell the difference between the original and gluten-free varieties...they are equally delicious!

Bobo’s Oat Bars are moist and delicious and taste like home-baked treats.  They are a healthy snack option for time-crunched families who are craving a hearty, sweet treat without the guilt of excessive calories and artificial ingredients.

With decadent flavors like Peanut Butter and Jelly, Chocolate Almond and Apple Pie, fruity options like Apricot, Peach and Strawberry, and mouthwatering choices like Cinnamon Raisin,  Lemon Poppyseed and Cranberry Orange, you really can't go wrong!

Click to shop Bobo's Oat Bars!

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Lighten Up Your Spring Wardrobe With metrostyle!

**Complimentary products received in exchange for our honest review.  All opinions are ours and ours alone**

metrostyle offers the hottest new trends, signature tops, vibrant colors & patterns and all at unbeatably low prices. They are THE premiere shopping destination for women who want to stand out from the crowd. 

 With selections in misses, petite, tall and plus sizes, they've got everybody covered with the latest Spring fashions!

Take a look at some of my favorite pieces to lighten up my Spring wardrobe:

Split Neck Lace Top

Throw a cami underneath this versatile top, and you're good to go. The split neckline, 3/4 sleeves and smooth, soft lace will keep you cool and give a style update to whatever you wear it with.  It's perfect for warmer spring weather!!

Crochet Tunic Sweater

Wear this lacy crochet tunic over a cami or use it as a cover-up for those beach or pool trips. This tunic features a flattering v-neck with long sleeves and it's lightweight making it perfect for Spring!

Delicate Organza Trim Cami

The touch of sheer organza trim at the neckline of this soft jersey knit camisole adds femininity to this layering essential.  It works under a variety of tops, but doesn't add bulk and it's super comfy making it the perfect compliment piece.  It can also transition to a stand alone piece for Summer and back to a layering piece in the Fall and Winter, making it an especially good value!

If you are looking to add a few super stylish pieces to your wardrobe, get a great selection to choose from and more bang for your buck at metrostyle!

Click to shop Metrostyle

Disclosure: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.