A refreshing way to start the year!
920129
I am having a hard time managing chores around the house while doing my online job. I am a single parent with two kids and my day to day chores is a struggle to me. Good thing I came across this book! It helped me a lot, it changed my daily routine. There were a lot of tips on how to prepare a "to do list" and what productive apps you can use using your smartphone. A refreshing way to start the year!
3960218
First, I would like to extend a heartfelt Thank you to Ace Collins and his publisher for sending me a copy of "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" to review for them. I am truly grateful for this generosity. I really appreciate the time, effort and expense it takes to make a reviewer copy available to me.

"The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" by Ace Collins is so much more than a Christmas devotional book!  This amazing read will have you reminiscing during your quiet time about holidays past with its 31-derful devotional offerings.  Each day theres something new to discover or something old to rediscover.

Filled with beautiful memories, treasured hymns, creative gift ideas, recipes for eating and for pampering, poems, Christmas carols and holiday cheer, this little book will prepare your heart to celebrate the birth of the Savior of the world!

As part of our review, I was asked to share a favorite holiday memory.  I loved holidays as a child in New York when my Mom would pick me up from school early and the whole family would drive into the City to see The Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.  Then we'd all go to my Grandparents' house for dinner.  Christmas always meant veal cutlets.  Yum!  I can smell them cooking right now!  I always snuck a piece or two as they were cooling.  I had a great childhood!
1229996
This is a wonderful book of poetry to read as we approach the New Year.  It makes you reflect on your life, and who you are as a person.  What value are you adding to this journey?  Who are you lifting up as you climb higher? Why do you do behave the way you do?  What do you want out of life?  Do you have it all figured out? I enjoyed several of the poems. "Gifts" and "Lament of Africa" were particularly inspiring. I would recommend it to everyone.
3130893
Fantastic Read!  I will be purchasing a few hard copies as gifts for friends and family this year...Happy New Year!
350138
A great read for any time of the year, but especially for kicking off the new year! Uplifting and thought provoking with lots of great essays and different perspectives that will inspire you to follow your dreams!
2409402
Wonderful all (Richard) Strauss program for welcoming the New Year. Great value. Recommended!
3407410
This is just what I needed, at this time of year, heading into the Christmas season. For the past couple of years, I have been wanting to "do Christmas differently", but never really knew how to change things up! Especially since I didn't think of this until I was in the throes of the season itself. I love Alexandra's practical and realistic guide to help the reader incorporate small changes, encourage shifts in our thinking, and to inspire to ask ourselves what we really want this season to be for our own actual family in the midst of our own actual life.

**I received this book in advance for review writing purposes, positive review NOT required...just honesty. This is my honest and true opinion and I will be purchasing a paperback copy for myself so that I can bookmark all of my favorite ideas and highlight all of my favorite quotes!**
1343632
i looked forward to each day's reading in this lovely book throughout Advent and Christmas- so much so that it was tempting to keep reading beyond the day's reading. Surprisingly some of the very best were around Epiphany. Every Advent and every Lent i treat myself to a new devotional and this was my best choice in years! I highly recommend this gem of a book; it re-focused my attitude and I know I will be referring to it often. My deepest gratitude to the author for her thoughtful insights. I will be searching for more of her writing and i encourage anyone who is interested in more than shopping and frantic activity to buy it for next year for yourself and/or an early gift for friends and family.
2779136
Carol's Christmas Devotional,"Let there Be Joy" has been truly a Joy to me! I have been refreshed, challenged and encouraged each day as I have read the daily readings. Her writing style is delightful and causes you to feel like you are right there experiencing the story firsthand! I loved the daily Bible passages along with the reflective questions and room to journal. This devotional will definitely be a tradition I will look forward to each year! I recommend it highly!
3038840
I could not wait for a whole year of reading to give my review so I I turned to random pages to get a feel for the writing style and devotional content. I was well pleased and now look forward to reading the book day by day and feel I really will benefit from the author's insights. A big plus for me is that the days are simply numbered and not calendared. This is great for starting anytime throughout the year rather than January 1st. I recommend this devotional.
824046
So simple but effective when you need a little inspiration to keep going, and do what you feel most strongly about.  Refreshing and it put a smile on my face today!
1819227
This is a fun, quick read - - especially during the holiday season, when I read it!  A fresh turn on the story of a dispirited person who finds new hope and motivation after receiving a timely call for help from an old associate.
462575
For my family, this is truly The Most Wonderful Time of the Year!

Mr. Collins book will make a great Christmas gift to a friend or family member. It has songs, devotions, scriptures, Christmas traditions, crafts, recipes and more activities to last you year after year. As a Christian family, we have a special appreciation for Christian faith-based stories  and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year doesnt disappoint.

Merry Christmas!
1469505
I bought this as a gift for myself and my boyfriend to start the new year. Taking the time to answer the questions daily or every few days reminds us to refocus on our relationship and to appreciate it. It's easy to get caught up with busy schedules but this guarantees that we take time to reflect and appreciate each other. I recommend it for any couple!
3114504
A great cookbook to kick off the new year! My family loves everything I've made from here, and the recipes are highly adaptable. The chicken with butternut squash, kale, and farro was a particular hit at our house. The recipes are healthy, but not oppressively so - you will not feel deprived!
47473
This Better Homes & Gardens "Santa Claus Collection" book is the first in the series and is a real joy to bring out and look through at the start of the Holidays. The books in the series all pretty much follow the same format and contain a gorgeous selection of photos, moving Christmas stories, fun craft projects, and delicious recipes.

These are fairly large "coffee table" books that have become part of our decorating tradition and really helps everyone get in the Christmas spirit!

Highly Recommended!

CFH
785759
The past week has been challenging with the events around the world.  Not a good way to start the year.  One promise I made myself this year was to be kind to myself.  Yoga, pilates and more yoga.  Just repeat the mantra "will what happened today be important to me in a year".  So what does this have to do with the book. Nothing really except the book made me smile and that is all we really need some days.  Just something to put a smile on our face.  Illustrator and author Seabrook has put together a rather clever and darling collection of animals with little one liners.  This is a book that is guaranteed to make you smile and think just a little.  There is the lion smiling all proudly who tells you that "  All power corrupts.  Absolute power is kinda neat", the little bird saying "if you do not agree with me...you are not listening.  The illustrations are really lovely and quite well done. What I really enjoyed about the illustrations is that the author has chosen a wide array of animals, there are meekrats, birds, frogs, penguins, owls squirrels and more.  Even without reading the one liners the  illustrations will have you coming back for more.  The book is lighthearted and just enjoyable.

I may just have to put this by my desk and remember to pick it up when I want a smile.  Or then again I may just have this on my bedside table as a gentle way to end the day.  Wherever I find myself reading through the book again I know that a smile will come to my face.