Book Review: Cross Her Heart by Sarah Pinborough

Life can get so complicated in just a moment. In Sarah Pinborough’s Cross Her Heart, main character Lisa’s life is going along just fine when everything changes. Her daughter, Ava, is turning sixteen when the novel opens. We can tell that she loves her job, and her best friend, Marilyn. But we all know that’s going …

Chicken With Creamy Mushrooms (Guest Post)

Please enjoy this guest recipe for chicken with creamy mushrooms contributed by Melissa Gallo of Recipe Barn. This is one of those meals that’s perfect to throw together on crazy weeknights when you don’t want another bland supper of boxed mac ‘n’ cheese and frozen fish sticks. Though creamy and full of flavor this chicken …

Book Review: Pieces of Her by Karin Slaughter

Lots of people have complicated relationships with their mothers. In Karin Slaughter’s Pieces of Her, we meet a mother-daughter duo with a very complicated relationship. Andrea Oliver believes that she knows everything she could know about her mother Laura. The two are close, and Andrea has no reason to believe any differently. Laura has many friends, and every …

Book Review: The Daisy Children by Sofia Grant

Sometimes, in order to move forward, it’s important to look backward. Whenever I’m working on revamping aspects of my life, I tend to look back and see where I’ve been to remind myself of where I’m going and how far I’ve come. In Sofia Grant’s The Daisy Children, main character Katie Garrett does just that. She …

photo of planner and writing materials

How to Get Started Planning Your Homeschooling Year

I’m a big fan of lesson planning. I know, I know, there are many people out there who do not enjoy the planning process, and many balk at it. I find that planning is a key component of having a successful year and combating that malaise we get when the excitement of new curriculum wears off. It …

Book Review: Under a Dark Sky by Lori Rader-Day

There is no better way to start winding down summer reading than with reading a good murder mystery. Under a Dark Sky by Lori Rader-Day fits this niche nicely. The story she weaves together keeps the reader guessing to the very end.  It’s not just the mystery that keeps readers guessing, it’s also the way that the …