Coming in May: What the Bishop Saw by Vannetta Chapman

Somewhere in the Embers Lies the Truth

A fire blazes out of control in the San Luis Valley of Colorado, leaving an elderly Amish bachelor dead. Bishop Henry Lapp rushes to the scene, and he learns the fire was no accident. Someone intended to kill Vernon Frey. But who would want to kill Vernon? Well, practically everyone—Amish and Englisch alike.

When the police point the finger at a suspect Henry knows is innocent, the bishop must decide whether or not to use his mysterious, God-given gift—one he's tried desperately to ignore all these years—to try and set the record straight. His close friend and neighbor, Emma, encourages Henry to follow God's leading.

Could the clue to solving the case be locked somewhere deep in his memory? Will Henry find the courage to move forward in faith and put the right person behind bars? Is his friendship with Emma becoming something more?


What the Bishop Saw is a story of extraordinary talents, the bonds of love and friendship, and the unfailing grace of God.

Series: The Amish Bishop Mysteries (Book 1)
Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Harvest House Publishers (May 1, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0736966471
ISBN-13: 978-0736966474

Pre-order here!

Mailbox Monday - Mar 27

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Happy Monday! Hope you're having a great day. It's raining cats and dogs out here, but it's spring and hopefully no more snow will be coming.

Last week an unexpected gift arrived.

A daring, compelling, and impeccably researched historical novel that offers dramatic new insight into the life of the greatest composer the world has ever known. Its fresh perspective and deeply felt understanding of Beethoven's motivations, passions, and challenges speak eloquently to us today, connecting us to our own successes, failures, and dreams, and ultimately to the true consequence of our lives.

At the moment of his death on a snowy afternoon in March, 1827, Ludwig van Beethoven pleads with Providence to grant him a final wish one day, just a single day of pure joy. But first he must confront the many failings in his life, so the great composer and exceedingly complex man begins an odyssey into the netherworld of his past life. As he struggles to confront its ugliness, we encounter the women who loved and inspired him. In their own voices, we discover their Beethoven a lover with whom they savor the profound beauty and passion of his creations. And it's in the arms of his beloveds that he comes to terms with the meaning of his life and experiences the moment of true joy he has always sought.

I also downloaded a Kindle freebie.

After a brutal mugging in Manhattan leaves him with a broken arm and fractured skull, insurance investigator Jeff Resnick reluctantly agrees to recover at the home of his estranged half brother, Richard. At first, Jeff believes his graphic nightmares of a slaughtered buck are just the workings of his traumatized mind. But when a local banker is found in the same condition, Jeff believes the attack has left him with a psychic sixth sense--an ability to witness murder before it happens.Piecing together clues he saw in his visions, Jeff attempts to solve the crime. His brother Richard is skeptical, but unsettling developments begin to forge a tentative bond. Soon, things that couldn't be explained by premonition come to light, and Jeff finds himself probing into dangerous secrets that touch his own traumatic past in wintry Buffalo--and the killer is ready to eliminate Jeff's visions permanently.

What was in your mailbox?

Product Review: Home Basics Two-tier Dish Drainer

Zulily.com is another one of my favorite websites to shop from. I like to find great bargains there. At the beginning of February I was working on getting my kitchen organized and trying to increase counter space, so I picked up this attractive two-tier dish drainer from Home Basics.

It was easy to assemble: had it together in less than five minutes. This dish drainer definitely takes up less room on the counter than our previous one and doesn't require a separate tray. The trays slide in under the chrome-finished wiring on each tier. You can dry cups on the outside and the silverware holder clips on the outside so it doesn't take up inside space.

My one fear is that when it comes to holiday dinners it won't be very helpful. Even now, I need to put a towel down on the counter if we have several pots and pans to air dry. So while it makes more room for prep time, once the dishes are washed you lose that counter space to clean dishes.

I'm still glad I bought it. The old one needed replacing, and since I bought it for only $18.99 it was worth trying.


This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.

Why I Love Boxed.com

Have any of you tried boxed.com? From the moment I heard about it, I've been hooked. Why?

I Save Time

I know buying staple items like paper towels, toilet paper, garbage bags, and even non-perishable food items like pasta are more expensive when you buy in small quantities at the grocery store. I've considered a membership to BJ's or Costco, but that means I have to make time in my already jam-packed schedule to shop at another store, deal with the hassle of finding what I want, and then drive back home--which is 25 minutes away.

With Boxed.com I sit down in the comfort of my own home and order the bulk items I need. A couple days later everything arrives on my doorstep.

I Save Money

Not only do I save money on everyday items I buy all the time, Boxed.com offers: free shipping on orders over $49 and cash rewards that can be applied to future orders. If a friend signs up through this link, my friend receives $15 off their first order of $60 or more and I also receive $15 in Boxed.com credit. There is no membership fee and they don't limit what type of credit card I can use.

Free Samples

When you place an order with Boxed.com you are eligible to receive two free samples. This month I chose some Easter candy and Dove deodorant.

Boxed.com is going to give Amazon's subscription service some good competition. There are a few items I've already found cheaper on Boxed.com. Online bulk shopping services like Boxed.com are also going to make things challenging for big bulk warehouse type stores.

Why would I do this?

When I can do this....

Coming in April: Big Red by Ellie Dias

Letting go of stuff can be harder than you'd think...even when it’s jammed into a suitcase the size and color of a fire engine.

Seeking to experience simplicity and contentment in the “Happiest Place on Earth,” Dias planned her trip of a lifetime to the Himalayas to the nth degree.

Little did she know that nearly every step would be fraught with challenges, mishaps, and detours. Everything that could go wrong on her spiritual journey did. It was a fiasco that left her wondering whether the Universe—via her Big Red Suitcase—was trying to teach her something.


Ellie Dias, a devotee of Buddhist philosophy, introspection, and yoga, has a graduate degree in Education with a concentration in biology. Her career has been focused on health and wellness as a pediatric nurse, clinician working with families whose babies were at risk for SIDS, a division Vice President of a women’s health care company and a professor. Teaching Anatomy and Physiology, she merged her understanding of the human body with her sixteen-year practice of meditation, incorporating it in a classroom setting.

Writing a book had been percolating in the back of Ellie’s mind, but life got in the way until she was inspired by a solo journey to the Himalayas. Her debut book, Big Red: How I Learned Simplicity from a Suitcase, is a story of challenges, perseverance and humor as she struggles to jettison her Western ways halfway around the world while lugging a 95-pound suitcase—full of what she is convinced are the bare necessities. Common sense should have told her how completely inappropriate all of her “must-haves” were for spending three and a half weeks in the farmlands of Bhutan, Nepal, Tibet, and the Nepalese jungle.

Ellie participates in a book club, writing critique group, and is a member of Sisters in Crime. An artist of water color and pastels, she lives with her husband Ron and dog Roxie in Wilbraham, Massachusetts. She has two children, Michael and Michele and two beautiful grandchildren Aidan and Sebastian Dias. She is currently writing her first novel.

Visit Ellie online at http://elliedias.com/

Mailbox Monday - Feb 13

Mailbox Monday is a meme started by Marcia of To Be Continued. Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came in their mailbox during the last week. It now has a permanent home at the Mailbox Monday blog.

Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles, and humongous wish lists.

Happy Monday! Hope yours is a little less white than mine...

This was what my front yard looked like before yesterday's snowstorm that dumped an additional five or so inches on top of that. I guess Old Man Winter is making up for our lack of snow by sharing it all at once. We are due for a tiny bit more on Wednesday. 

Believe it or not, I was actually out driving to appointments yesterday. Old Reliable--my Chevy Tahoe--picked up a rock on Saturday and I can't get the tire fixed until today, so I was driving my husband's car instead. Narrowly avoided a telephone pole. Was saying prayers of Thanksgiving when I got home safely. 

Other than the snow making my crazy schedule more challenging, I've entered into a coaching program that I take once a week on Mondays. It got cancelled today--like a lot of things. I'll be glad to see spring. 

Here are the books that arrived recently.

I'm really excited about Charlotte Hubbard's latest, A Mother's Love. I'm all into getting and staying organized, to I figured Organizing for Your Lifestyle by Jane Stoller would be a helpful read. The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow by Jessica Haight and Stephanie Robinson was a blog giveaway win. 

What did the mailman bring you last week? Any other fun news you would like to share? 

Enjoy the rest of your week!

Book Review: Your Body, Your Style by Rani St. Pucchi

Looking for some helpful, quick fashion tips to make an immediate difference in selecting the best colors, prints, and styles for your body? Then you need to buy a copy of Your Body, Your Style by Rani St. Pucchi.

Award-winning couture fashion designer Rani St. Pucchi shares decades of experience in this informative guide that you'll be able to implement without much effort. Within a day I had started make changes that brought about positive results.

St. Pucchi shares the defining moment that changed her life forever and credits her parents for introducing her to the world that would become her destiny. After a discussion of body shapes, she shares dos and don'ts for each shape, dressing for your age, the importance of proper fitting undergarments, what and how to pack, how to organize your closet, defining your personal style, and more. Perhaps my favorite part of the book--other than the color photographs of her work--is the 101 styling tips.

When I make my annual spring/summer changeover I'll be implementing some of the more time-consuming changes, like laying out all my clothes by color and finding out which colors work best for my skin tone. I've never really been into fashion or thought much about personal style, but Your Body, Your Style by Rani St. Pucchi has definitely piqued my interest. I see a new, more fashionable me right around the corner.

Highly recommended!

Publisher: Koehler Books (October 15, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0997697717
ISBN-13: 978-0997697711

I received a copy of this book from the author through Pump Up Your Book. This review contains my honest opinions, which I have not been compensated for in any way.