Language Arts and Reading Variety

I just ordered a couple Life-pacs. I am a bit afraid as I have read so many negative reviews. But I've met couple of people that use Life-pacs and are very satisfied with them. I ordered three booklets in Language Arts, just to try them. Like with the ACE paces I ordered for Science I only got a couple to see if I will like them or not. Alpha Omega is having a special offer of 12% off and free shipping until December 1st.
Money for homeschooling is limited, especially right now. I have such a desire to do this, but I really just want to experiment with different curricula and methods to see what fits me and my daughter best. I like workbooks. Not as much as 'living books', but I don't think workbooks should replace books. I like to see the evidence of what my daughter is learning. Maybe that is a newcomer thing, but I think I'm doing well with a combo method.
Laura reads all the time. She has read so many books since we began homeschooling. Yet, sometimes I wonder if her comprehension level is increasing or not. I ask questions, but I'm still not sure that she has grasped things at the level she should. When I tested her on mindsprinting.com she tested in the 4th grade level in comprehension. However, I had her reading Pilgrim Boy by A Beka, which is a third grade reader, and she was struggling. She's never had an issue with any of the other readers by A Beka until this point.
At this point I am still trying to find a happy medium between too much reading and not enough mixed with good Character building stories.
So, I ordered a couple Lifepacs. We'll see if Laura does well and likes them or not. The Harcourt Flash Kids books I am using are alright. Laura like the reading skills book. I'm just worried that it isn't deep enough or cover enough in Grammar and Reading skills. For instance, there is nothing on poetry, which is covered in Lifepac and other curricula and is recommended in the Indiana Standards.
I guess I should have just bought one comprehensive curriculum for the year. That's what most new homeschoolers do until they figure out what they are doing. Not me. I had to do things more difficultly.