Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Cole. . . I Love YOu to the Moon and Back by Aaron Ruotsala (Book Review) and Giveaway!


Title: Cole. . .I Love You to the Moon and Back
Author: Aaron Dean Ruotsala

Publisher: Xulon Press

About the book: Aaron Dean Ruotsala, 24-year-old husband, father, business owner, and pilot shares a true story about a heart-wrenching experience he calls the best and worst experience of a lifetime. This story will provoke you to laughter, tears, and cause you to examine yourself and your role as a human on this temporal journey. His prayer is that all who read this amazing story will learn from the experience in which they had no choice, to realize that when life brings you to the darkest, deepest, loneliest point imaginable, you will recognize what really matters in life. So, please laugh, cry, share, examine, and mostly enjoy this book that is certain to make you ask the question: "What if this happened to me?" The reality is that it could.

My thoughts: The strength and faith of this family is amazing. I am not sure that I would have such grace under these circumstances. They set up a Caring Bridge site and through it received much comfort and strength, but I believe at the same time they also gave as much as they received. Much of the book is the journal entries that were Aaron posted at Caring Bridge as well as many of the entries that guests left. This little boy had over 600,000 hits on his website within 2 months. He touched so many people, many of whom shared their stories of renewed marriages, renewed faith, new faith, due to Cole and his illness - with the majority of these people having never met him or his family. This book makes you take a look at what is important in your life - and realize that these people may not be there tomorrow - so make the most of them and your relationships with them today! I highly recommend reading this book.

The family has set up a foundation at www.colesfoundation.com which provides support to families in crisis, especially those who have children fighting cancer. Everyone, whether they read this book or not, should visit this site. You can also read more about Cole's story at his Caring Bridge page.

As an aside, I had started reading this book before we left to go skiing last week - and finished the book at Big Powderhorn Mountain - in Ironwood, Michigan - where the Ruotsala's are from - if that isn't a strange coincidence, I don't know what is!

Cole. . .I Love You to the Moon and Back
Publisher/Publication Date: Xulon Press, May 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60791-444-0
220 pages




~I received this book free for review from Side Door Communications.~

For the Giveaway!

Side Door Communications has provided an audio version of Cole. . .I Love You to the Moon and Back for one of my readers!

To enter the giveaway - just leave a comment here. You can get an additional entry if you follow or subscribe, etc and another one for tweeting! Please leave each entry in a separate comment and leave an email address so that I can reach you!

The giveaway is restricted to US/Canada and will end on April 7th. Good luck!

22 comments:

bermudaonion said...

I'm sure that's a very touching story, but I think it might be too sad for me.

rubynreba said...

Please enter me for this. It does sound touching but I do want to read it.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

rubynreba said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
rubynreba said...

I am a follower.
pbclark(at)netins(dot)net

Simply Stacie said...

Please count me in.

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

Simply Stacie said...

old follower

simplystacieblog at gmail dot com

Susan Helene Gottfried said...

No need to enter me, darling. I'm dropping in to say thanks for the e-mail. I've got this posted at Win a Book for you.

Benita said...

Please count me in.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Benita said...

Old follower/Email subscriber.

bgcchs(at)yahoo(dot)com

Vera said...

Please enter me! vvperesk@gmail.com

Anonymous said...

would love to listen to cole's story...

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Anonymous said...

i'm a subscriber :0

karenk
kmkuka at yahoo dot com

Cheryl said...

Please enter me in this contest!
cherylbaryl@hotmail.com

Cheryl said...

I am a follower and would like to enter!
cherylbaryl@hotmail.com

Edna said...

Please enter me

I am a follower

I tweeted

I have your button on my blog http://edna-myfavoritethings.blogspot.com/

mamat2730(at)charter(dot)net

Linda Kish said...

I would love to have this audiobook to listen to.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Cindy said...

I would love to read this book! Please include me in the giveaway.

Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com

Cindy said...

I follow your blog on Google.

Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com

Cindy said...

I also subscribe by email.

Cindy
Socmom213@aol.com

Nancye said...

Follower

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

This story seems like it is a very moving story. Thanks for the chance.

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

Nancye said...

Tweet! Tweet!

http://twitter.com/NancyeDavis/status/11734986744

nancyecdavis AT bellsouth DOT net

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