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Customer Reviews for Pelican Ventures LLC Wisdom Tree
Pelican Ventures LLC Wisdom Tree
After his parents' death, Jake Samuels has his hands full leading a fledgling church and raising his mischievous younger brother, Corey. The last thing he needs is a rambunctious woman to contend with. But when Corey's antics toss Carin and Jake together, will they draw from God's wisdom---and accept his will? Includes a one-month devotional. 228 pages, softcover from Pelican Ventures.
Average Customer Rating:
(18 Reviews) 18
Rating Snapshot (18 reviews)
5 stars
10
4 stars
7
3 stars
1
2 stars
0
1 star
0
18 out of 18100%customers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for Wisdom Tree
Review 1 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Wisdom Tree
Date:May 9, 2013
Rebaka
Location:Huntsville, TX
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
The Wisdom Tree is a book of loss and love. It shows how healing can become complete with God’s help. Jake, Corey, and Carin all have their issues but together they seem to complete each other. Once I started this book it was very hard to put down. I hope there will be a sequel to this story as the ending has so many possibilities for one. I would love to see into the future with these characters.
This is the first book by Mary Manners and it definitely won’t be my last.
This was given to me by bookfun.org in exchange for a fair and honest review.
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Review 2 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Uplifting Journey
Date:April 24, 2013
Ksmith
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
A wonderful warm loving story which weaves tragedy, faith and healing through the lives of the main characters. The story is well written and very easy read you will find yourself turning the pages quickly to find where the journey will lead. The author has also provided a wonderful 30 day devotional to allow the reader a journey to their own personal wisdom tree.
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Review 3 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Sweet Story
Date:April 16, 2013
Mrs ARS
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
This was my first book I have read by Mary Manners. I really enjoyed getting to "visit" this small town and church. The characters were grieving over their lost loved ones and through the story we see how they help each other in this process. This was a very poignant and sweet story. This was a very fast read for me, and before I knew it I was finished. The author also includes a 31 day devotional at the end. My favorite part of the story was the first couple of chapters of how they meet. That part had me smiling for awhile. I received this book from bookfun.org for my honest review.
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Review 4 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Wisdome Tree
Date:April 15, 2013
Cindi
Location:Pennsylvania
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Jake Samuels, a young pastor takes in his 13 year old brother, Corey, after their parents die. Both struggle with loss and dealing with the huge void in their lives. Although Jake wants the best for his younger brother, it proves to be quite challenging for Jake to take over the role of parenting.
Carin is Corey's school teacher and has experienced losses of her own. Carin turns to Jake to try to figure out how to handle Corey's rambunctious behavior.
Can these broken families find the help they need, or are things too difficult to turn things around?
This is a great story about family, love, loss, and healing by relying on God’s wisdom to see us through. Mary Manners’ novel keeps you turning the pages. I thoroughly enjoyed Mary’s writing style.
The devotional at the end of the story helps to guide us with realistic ways to have a closer relationship with God.
I rate this book with 4-1/2 stars
I was given a copy of this book from bookfun.org in exchange for my honest review.
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Review 5 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Date:April 13, 2013
Tablet
Age:55-65
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
This is the first book I've read by Mary Manners and it won't be the last. A sweet little romance where the three main characters, Jake, Carin, and Corey have each suffered terrible loss. This story is very easy to get into; once you start, you will keep the pages turning to see what happens next. You will fall in love with Jake, Carin, and Corey as they share their hearts, hurts, loss, pain, and guilt with each other and how they allow God's grace to set them free. The ending of the book leaves room for a sequel. An added bonus is devotions at the end of the book. Highly recommend!
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Review 6 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Date:April 9, 2013
Britt98
Location:Grand Prairie, TX
Age:35-44
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
What a good book! The author did a very good job of creating believable characters. She developed good back stories for the characters. They all had baggage and in the course of the novel, we followed one of the main characters as she made her way back to trusting in God. The romance was a sweet one and the attraction between the two main characters was easy to believe. I could have kept reading this book even longer and was surprised when it ended a little earlier than I expected. Still, I think the author tied everything up in the end nicely. I look forward to doing the devotional included at the back of the book. I received this book for free to read and to give an honest review of it from the publisher.
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Review 7 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Well written and realistic
Date:April 7, 2013
toliverc
Age:55-65
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
3
out of
5
Mary Manners’ Wisdom Tree was well written with very human portrayals of the young minister, Jake Samuels and his love interest, English teacher, Carin O’Malley. So often we put clergy on a pedestal and fail to allow them to come down to earth with the rest of us mere mortals. Ms. Manners approached the couple’s blooming courtship and the problems brought to the relationship from a very realistic perspective. Overcoming grief is a major theme of the book. While coping with grief, the protagonists must also come to terms with issues of guilt, faith and trust.
I was not ready for the ending. I expected the villain to rear his head again as so often happens in contemporary drama, perhaps to pose a more ominous threat to Carin or her father. Instead Carin’s ex fades into the sunset and all live happily ever after. While I felt the ending was somewhat abrupt, I was pleasantly surprised by the devotion at the end of the book, the very first of which was as though it had been written especially for me.
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Review 8 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Clean and entertaining
Date:April 5, 2013
British
Location:Ga
Age:55-65
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
I Loved the way all the human elements appeared from the beginning. Suspence a little tease that interlocked, yet it was clean honest fun. I loved this book. Made me more aware of how we ought to walk as christians.
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Review 9 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
beauty from ashes
Date:April 4, 2013
msharry
Location:Georgia
Age:55-65
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Wisdom Tree is a gentle story of Jake, Corey, and Carin, wounded souls struggling to find their way while dealing with the debilitating emotions of grief, guilt, anger and confusion. The characters are believable and likeable; and, as their lives unfold in the sweet and often humorous narrative, the reader sees the amazing hand of God in bringing the three together. It is a story of pain and healing, faltering and trusting, doubt and faith, loss and redemption—just as the story of most of us. This book is a refreshing reminder that God has a perfect plan for our lives, whether we understand it or not, and will work things for good if we will just trust and lean on Him.
A month of devotional entries accompanies the book. They are short, anecdotal and pertinent. I received the book from the publisher through a giveaway on TBCN in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are solely mine.
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Review 10 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
beauty from ashes
Date:April 5, 2013
msharry
Location:Georgia
Age:55-65
Gender:female
Quality:
4
out of
5
Value:
4
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
4
out of
5
Wisdom Tree is a gentle story of Jake, Corey, and Carin, wounded souls struggling to find their way while dealing with the debilitating emotions of grief, guilt, anger and confusion. The characters are believable and likeable; and, as their lives unfold in the sweet and often humorous narrative, the reader sees the amazing hand of God in bringing the three together. It is a story of pain and healing, faltering and trusting, doubt and faith, loss and redemption—just as the story of most of us. This book is a refreshing reminder that God has a perfect plan for our lives, whether we understand it or not, and will work things for good if we will just trust and lean on Him.
A month of devotional entries accompanies the book. They are short, anecdotal and pertinent. I received the book from the publisher through a giveaway on www.bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed are solely mine.
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Review 11 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Wisdom Tree
Date:March 26, 2013
duns
Quality:
3
out of
5
Value:
3
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
3
out of
5
This was a good book and I thought the story was very sweet, but I felt that the end of the book was rushed and there was something lacking with the story.
I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review from TBCN.
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Review 12 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
This Book Will Touch Your Heart!
Date:February 4, 2013
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
The loss of a loved one is never easy to handle. Imagine losing your parents at a young age. How do you cope with the pain? How would you feel being raised by an older sibling? Would you act out? Would you be angry? Pastor Jake Samuels has his hands full trying his best to Pastor his church as well as make a good home for his brother Corey. The loss of their parents is great.
Carin O'Malley is suffering loss herself. First her Mother and then her brother Cameron. Will she ever stop blaming herself for her 17 year old brothers death? Can she ever trust God again?
This is the first book that I have read by Mary Manners. I loved Wisdom Tree because this book was God centerd. Also, the characters in this book were real, meaning they were believable. This same situation could very well have been taken from a life experience. I could relate to what some of the characters were going through. I've experienced a death of a husband, I've been in an abusive relationship, and I have wondered if God was even hearing my prayers.
I wish to thank the author for making this book so real. Putting our faith and trust in God can bring us through tough issues that face us in life. I'm looking forward to reading other books by Mary Manners.
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Review 13 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
I loved this book
Date:March 14, 2013
inspiremichelle
Location:Loureauville, LA
Age:35-44
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Wisdom Tree by Mary Manners
What can I say, I love this book. Pastor Jake is raising his orphaned younger brother Corey. When he struggles in Carin’s English class she turns to Jake for help. All three have suffered great loss. God uses Jake’s strong faith to help Carin reclaim hers. While Carin uses her experiences to help Corey she finds more than she bargained for in a relationship with Jake. Mary Manners has brought the characters to life. She found a way to give hope to the hopelessness, faith to the unfaithful and healing to the hurting soul. Her style of writing is believable and shows her strong faith. I especially love the devotional at the end of the book. I highly recommend this book and any other she has written.
What can I say, I love this book. Pastor Jake is raising his orphaned younger brother Corey. When he struggles in Carin’s English class she turns to Jake for help. All three have suffered great loss. God uses Jake’s strong faith to help Carin reclaim hers. While Carin uses her experiences to help Corey she finds more than she bargained for in a relationship with Jake. Mary Manners has brought the characters to life. She found a way to give hope to the hopelessness, faith to the unfaithful and healing to the hurting soul. Her style of writing is believable and shows her strong faith. I especially love the devotional at the end of the book. I highly recommend this book and any other she has written.
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Review 14 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Wisdom Tree is a winner!
Date:January 3, 2013
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
This book touches many familiar chords with my heartstrings as I am a former middle school teacher and was married to a pastor, so the situations that Jake and Carin are placed in bring many memories to my mind. I also felt a great deal of empathy for them. I know what difficult jobs teaching and pastoring both are! Jake and Carin have so many things going for them, and yet, they both face many challenges along the way. Romance should just come easy, huh? but no, Corey throws a monkey-wrench or two into the mix for this young couple. I loved Mary's book and appreciate the scriptural references and faith-based writing. This is a 5-star novel, for certain!
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Review 15 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Heartwarming & Sensitive
Date:December 5, 2012
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Jake Samuels, pastor of a church in the foothills of the Smoky Mountains is raising his younger brother Corey, after their parents were killed in a freak automobile accident. Carin O'Malley has taken on a 7th-grade English teaching position in the local middle school, with the hope of overcoming her own insurmountable losses. Young Corey is a student in Carin's class, and has assumed the role of class troublemaker and underachieving student. Carin visited the church where she had hoped to speak with the pastor regarding his younger brother, and mistakenly believed him to be the groundskeeper. It couldn't have been worse timing for Jake, but he arranged a meeting with Carin for after church on the following Sunday with the goal of discussing ways to improve his younger brother's predicament. Jake has a strong faith in God while Carin has lost her faith as a result of her painful circumstances. Jake, Corey and Carin agree to work together to improve Corey's attitude and lack of effort in school, resulting in a budding attraction between Jack and Carin.
Mary Manners is an artist with language, creating detailed portrayals both in character definition and settings. Her usage of descriptive details is both eloquent and authentic. In Wisdom Tree Ms. Manners portrays realistic characters who are likable and believable, and her addition of biblical references is appropriate to the circumstances, adding a beauty to this multilayered story of tragedy, loss, heartache and healing. I was disappointed to have the story end. I'd love to see a sequel to Wisdom Tree. Ms. Manners has also added a daily devotional in the back of the book, which is helpful for those whose faith may not be as well developed, as well as seasoned Christians. I highly recommend this Christian fiction romance.
This book was provided by Mary Manners for the sole purpose of my honest review. All opinions stated are my own.
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Review 16 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Beautiful. Just beautiful!
Date:January 6, 2013
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
What a beautiful story of heartache and loss, of love and healing...and of the slow, steady, sweet growth of spiritual wisdom.
WISDOM TREE is one of those books the reader doesn't want to end. I rooted for Jake and Carin--and young Corey, of course--from page one. My entire being yearned for a happy ending for these three angst-ridden souls, but as the story unfolded and I felt the approach of that very thing, I wanted to scream, "No, no! Not yet! I'm not ready to say good-bye!" I was so reluctant to part company with these characters that I kept reading all the way through the 31-days of devotions at the end (and found them as lovely as the story itself).
Nothing is more beautiful than love when it arrives right out of the blue--no plans, no reservations, no phone call to say, "I'm on my way." It just shows up, and has to be dealt with. This is especially true when that first, delicate bloom has to push through multiple layers of pain, regret, angst and sorrow before it can finally unfold its petals. Mary Manners paints this scenario with delicate, painstaking pen strokes (green ink, of course!) that dance across the page and into the reader's heart with an unforgettable, life-altering touch.
Read WISDOM TREE. It's time well spent. Just know that when you close that last page, you will not have reached the end. This one will be in your heart for a long time to come.
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Review 17 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
So great I wanted it to keep going!
Date:October 16, 2012
Dora
Location:North Carolina
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Mary Manners creates strong characters I can really relate to, guys and gals I'd like to hang out with on a Friday evening. Like Jake and Carin in Wisdom Tree.
I immediately connected with Jake, understood his frustration and foul mood. After all, he's raising his teen brother. It's hot outside, and he's mowing the church yard because somebody has to do it. He's running late to pick up Corey from football practice. Toss in a new slasher, er...teacher, who shows up unexpectedly and assumes the worst of him, and Jake hits the overload button. He acts out a little himself, not unlike his brother, which I enjoyed. He showed a little weakness, which endeared him to me.
I love the conflict between Jake and Carin, and it's not the arguing kind. No, Ms. Manners creates plenty of internal/external conflict as the characters head towards their happily-ever-after, and she'll tickle every one of your senses along the way.
This story involves a teenager, dealing with grief. Ms. Manners wrote teen angst in a realistic way without making me, as a reader and a parent, want to fling my e-reader at something...or someone. I think parents will appreciate some of the wisdom on dealing with teens imparted in this book.
Wisdom Tree is a fast read. Find a comfy spot and plan to read it all in one sitting! My only wish is that Wisdom Tree were a little longer, so I could spread out my enjoyment over more evenings. I did appreciate the surprise tucked in at the end! Congratulations, Ms. Manners, on a great read!
Disclosure: I received this book from BTS for a fair and honest review.
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Review 18 for Wisdom Tree
Overall Rating:
Date:August 8, 2012
Dora
Location:North Carolina
Age:45-54
Gender:female
Quality:
5
out of
5
Value:
5
out of
5
Meets Expectations:
5
out of
5
Mary Manners creates strong characters I can really relate to, guys and gals I'd like to hang out with on a Friday evening. Like Jake and Carin in Wisdom Tree.
I immediately connected with Jake, understood his frustration and foul mood. After all, he's raising his teen brother. It's hot outside, and he's mowing the church yard because somebody has to do it. He's running late to pick up Corey from football practice. Toss in a new slasher, er...teacher, who shows up unexpectedly and assumes the worst of him, and Jake hits the overload button. He acts out a little himself, not unlike his brother, which I enjoyed. He showed a little weakness, which endeared him to me.
I love the conflict between Jake and Carin, and it's not the arguing kind. No, Ms. Manners creates plenty of internal/external conflict as the characters head towards their happily-ever-after, and she'll tickle every one of your senses along the way.
This story involves a teenager, dealing with grief. Ms. Manners wrote teen angst in a realistic way without making me, as a reader and a parent, want to fling my e-reader at something...or someone. I think parents will appreciate some of the wisdom on dealing with teens imparted in this book.
Wisdom Tree is a fast read. Find a comfy spot and plan to read it all in one sitting! My only wish is that Wisdom Tree were a little longer, so I could spread out my enjoyment over more evenings. I did appreciate the surprise tucked in at the end! Congratulations, Ms. Manners, on a great read!
Disclosure: I received this book from BTS for a fair and honest review.
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