Book Chat

 

I just read The Fifth Avenue Story Society last week and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. I'm pretty certain this is a new to me author, as well. The book switches back and forth between a small group of people that each receive a mysterious invite to join a local society. It follows their joys, triumphs, and lows during their time together. There were a few things I felt the novel could have left off, but otherwise, it was really good. There is a surprising twist at the end that I didn't see coming coupled with a few cheesy hallmark moments. 

I have read Colleen Coble's books for YEARS. Maybe over a decade, now? Her books are always suspenseful coupled with relatable characters. However, this book was probably a bit more on the thriller end. I couldn't put it down. Classic suspense with a weird twist at the end.

I have read most of Moriarty's books and I have to say this one was not a favorite. Too many weird scenes. Too many weird characters. And the ending just left me feeling blah. 

All that to say, I have thoroughly enjoyed having time to read this summer!! :D What have you been reading??

Jane of Austin

Who doesn't love a good Jane Austen novel? Better yet, who doesn't love a fun twist on an old classic? Those were my thoughts when I picked up "Jane of Austin" by Hillary Manton Lodge.

Not only was I intrigued by the gorgeous book cover, but one of my favorite authors penned the book!

The story follows three sisters: Jane, Celia and Margot as they make the move from San Francisco to Austin, Texas. Not only are they in for a rude awakening (read: culture shock) they are also in for a few twists and turns that seemingly uproots their otherwise low-key lifestyle.

The girls have been on their own since their mother's death and their father bailed town after his business scandal. The older sisters, Jane and Celia, care for their teen sister, Margot, who is studying ballet while trying to finish high school.

As they set out to put down roots and create a new life for themselves they are soon faced with betrayal, true love, and a life changing event that marks their sisterhood forever.

*Spoiler Alert*

While the story includes three sisters, it mainly focuses on the older two, Celia and Jane. Celia goes through a rough breakup, but eventually makes amends. I wish they had explored more of Celia's character and shared details on the "why's" of the breakup. But, perhaps it's just room for another novel? One can only hope.

Also, while Jane is considered level-headed, I find her reasons for dating someone she barely met a bit odd. Not too far-fetched, but enough that I knew early on that the relationship would fall through the cracks. And it did.

Otherwise, the novel was a fun and quick read. Perfect for a lazy summer afternoon!

Life After (Couldn't Put It Down)

"Did that really just happen?"

I asked myself that question when a VERY unforeseen twist took place within the pages of Life After.

I've read a couple of novels by Katie Ganshert, and one of the main reasons I'm drawn to her writing style is that A) She doesn't mind getting gritty dirty with her characters and B) Her character development is phenomenal. You feel what they are thinking and saying. You think about their life and then remind yourself that they are just fictional characters.

Twenty-Two lives are lost during a train explosion. One sole survivor find herself deeply steeped in both survivor's guilt and a desperate need to know everything there is about the victim's (former) lives.

Then, when her life takes an unexpected tangle with a victim's husband she is completely unprepared for the emotions and web of deceit she will soon face.

A million thanks to Waterbrook Press for allowing me the privilege of reviewing "Life After" by Katie Ganshert. All opinions are mine. 

What I've Been Reading Lately

So far, I've read four books this year. Quite a feat, considering I rarely get the chance to read anymore. But, with January came a cleared off schedule and lots of down time thanks to snow days, and cold temperatures. 

I've read four very different novels this month, and I thought I would share them today...

Friends Forever by Danielle Steele (Not pictured): This book was interesting. It follows the lives of five friends who attend the same school. The story begins as they enter kindergarten following them through Junior High, then High School, and then of course as they disperse ways whether it's for college or pursuing career goals. The friends are tight. They cry together, laugh together, and fight together. But, neither of them realize how quickly and abruptly their lives will change over the course of a few years. SPOILER ALERT: As each character dies off (tragically and abruptly), we are left with two at the end of the story, who, inevitably fall in love with each other. I confess, I did NOT see that ending coming. 

Everything I Never Told You by Celeste Ng: This was hands down the most depressing book I've ever read. The only redeeming quality was the ending, where forgiveness and new beginnings take place. The story follows the Lee family. They are a Chinese American family living in the 1970's. The mother, Marilyn, is an incredibly controlling and selfish character. We see flash backs to early on in their marriage when she abruptly leaves her husband and children without so much as a goodbye. The father is so consumed with fitting in and being accepted that he sacrifices his wedding vows. Each of the children are a mess: Lydia of course is dead. She was the favored daughter, and now her parents don't have anything to live for. The son is consumed with thoughts of leaving and starting is own life. And their youngest, feels as if she is nothing more than a shadow of her sister. With depressing detail, the story unfolds first hiding under the false pretense that this is a murder mystery. It's not, but I'll just leave it at that. 

The Princess by Lori Wick: I read this years ago when I was a teenager. I found a copy at a local library sale, so I thought I would read it again. It's a simple and sweet tale. We follow Shelby, a young woman committed to her faith and her family. She makes an impression on a friend of the King, and is asked to marry their son Prince Nikolai on the grounds of an arranged marriage. The prince still suffering the loss of his first wife, has no interest in being a husband. But, duty calls, and a princess must be found to help keep the royal family functioning according to laws. As fairy tales would have it, a sweet lovely story unfolds.  

The Mistress of Tall Acre by Laura Frantz: In true Frantz fashion, we are met with a story of triumph and tragedy as we follow the story of Sophie Menzies. Her family seen as an embarrassment to the community (her father was a sympathizer), and her mother has long been gone. She tries to keep her family's estate running on her own while rebuilding her reputation. Her neighbor, General Ogilvy is considered a war hero and a gentlemen. An unlikely friendship blossoms soon followed by tragedy, mystery and love.

Share Your Blessings And Enter GIVEAWAY!

I love November. It's the tail end of fall, yet there are still vibrant colors everywhere. It is also the month of giving thanks, and counting our blessings. For me, it's important to pause the every day hustle and bustle to carve a heart of thanksgiving for all that God is doing in our life. Doing so gives me a renewed perspective on the upcoming new year.

While reading "One Big Turkey" to Evie Grace, courtesy of Tommy Nelson Mommies, I realized that while my girls may be young, now is the time to start instilling a heart of gratitude. I loved how the rhythmic story line not only teaches counting skills, but they gently intertwined a theme of thanksgiving. It was perfectly suited for toddler ages, and even early elementary ages.

Giveaway Winner is Billie Joe!! If you haven't read her blog before, check it out, it's one of my favorites. She inspires me as a wife and mother. <3

The beautiful illustrations and vibrant colors helped keep my little one's attention. Always a big plus in my book! ;)

If you would like to win a copy, leave a comment sharing what YOU are thankful for this year! 

Giveaway closes THIS Friday, Nov. 4th at 2pm. Void where prohibited. Open to US readers only.

A Novel That Kept Me Up Late at Night...

You know that feeling you get when you start the first page of a book, and you think, "Oh, yes, this should be a good one..."?

Well, that's what happened with me, while devouring "Traces of Guilt". I've read Henderson's books for years. Literally. And I've loved just about all of them. However, this particular title had me sitting on the edge of my seat, and forgoing chores just so I could find out what happened next. It's been a while since I've been that deeply committed to a particular novel.

Traces of Guilt follows detective Evie Blackwell as she travels to a small town in Carin, Illinois. There she meets Gabe, the local sheriff, who's as intent on solving a high-profile missing persons case as she is. What follows is a series of events that unfolds secrets, heartbreak, yet ultimately offers healing to those it has wounded the most.

It's not your average fast paced mystery. Instead, it's a slow-paced, very detailed novel. I don't usually enjoy these, but Henderson so perfectly weaves together her characters that you enjoy knowing more about them. They feel real. Not too polished. Just honest people trying to make the world a better place, with real life issues and problems. 

While I was sad to finish the novel, I'm excited there will be more mysteries, and more details about Evie, and the Thane family. I'm ready for book two!

A million thanks to Bethany House for my free copy. All opinions are my own.

Do You Want To Create New Habits?

I've always enjoyed learning about personality types. I love learning more about myself, because the more I understand, the better I am able to give in other areas of my life. For example, if I understand what depletes me as a wife and a parent, I can better protect my boundaries so that I can be a better steward to my family.

Interestingly enough, while reading "Better than Before", Gretchen Rubin digs deeper to understand different personalities and what makes us tick habit wise. Why do some people thrive at eating healthy, while others struggle with constantly eating junk? Why do some people easily change workout habits, yet they continue to thrive with their commitments to working out? 

She tackles these questions, and more.

One of the main things that stood out to me were her notes on creating a "clean slate". Often, we try to merge new habits into our life during hectic times. Which often leads to failure. Example: If my goal is to create a new workout habit and I start in the middle of the week when I'm already exhausted and with a full schedule, chances are, I won't stick to the new habit. The busyness of life will be my excuse to quit. However, if I were to tackle a new workout habit at the beginning of the week when I can pencil in this new venture, I will have a greater chance to succeed. 

I'm interested in creating a few "clean slates" in my life. I plan to put into practice a few tips that I picked up from this book, and will share later on. 

What about you? Do you enjoy learning what makes you tick? If so, I think you'd highly enjoy "Better Than Before" by Gretchen Rubin. In true characteristic form, Rubin gives us an honest take on her own journey to making and breaking habits that lead to a happier life. 

Many thanks to Blogging For Books for my free copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodnight Manger (Review)

This was my first book by Laura Sassi, and I was pleasantly suprised. It's written in rhyming form, filled with beautiful images,  and it is an excellent storybook for children of all ages. I love how she takes us from the moment Jesus is born and gives a little glimpse in what may have taken that place that night. It would make a perfect gift for the little ones in your life!

I'm excited to share this book with Evie on Christmas Eve! Many thanks to BookLook Bloggers for allowing me to review this book in exchange for my honest review.

9 Thoughts That Can Change Your Marriage (Review)

I truly enjoyed Shela Wray Gregoire's fresh take on sprucing up our relationship with our spouse. She takes nine very hard hitting subjects, and gives us simple "take away" tips to apply to those areas in our life.

For example, one chapter was on communicating with our spouse. She points out that women are geared for "face to face" chats, while men are more geared for talking while actually doing something together or "side by side" talking. At the end of the chapter, she shares different challenges to find ways to better communicate by finding activities to do together. That way our female need for talking is satisfied, and our husbands are more relaxed and open to sharing their hearts.

Here's a few other things that I really loved:

• We are not in competition with our spouse. Remember you are on the same team!
• Make it your goal to focus on the postitive aspects of our husband rather than negative.
• She reminds us the importance of intimacy within marriage for both our sakes.
• She reminds us that we are to be a peacemaker not a peacekeeper within our marriage. I found this specific chapter very riveting. I've never thought about it within those terms before.

Lastly, I felt she really drove home the importance of marriage via the last chapter, and I quote:

"You cannot be a good mother unless you are first a good wife, because the best gift you can give your children is to love their father."

All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I'm looking forward to reading more of her work in the future. Many thanks to Blogging for Books for my copy.

Ties That Bind (Review)

I've been a fan of Cindy Woodsmall since Ada's House series. After reading that trio, I moved onto reading Amish Vines & Orchards series. Both were amazing storylines with powerful undertones. I devoured them with much gusto, so when I realized she yet another series out, Ties That Bind, I was excited to dive in the new book.

The book starts out at a slower pace than what I'm used to, but eventually picks up as the mystery surrounding Ariana's family begins to unravel. Told in true Woodsmall style, she's not afraid to share nitty gritty details of Amish lifestyle, while incorporating hard hitting topics.

Ariana's parents have both been harboring a secret that is eating them alive. Now, that they realize they have to address the deceit of their past, doing so will threaten to tear their family apart. In doing so, Ariana's first love is commited to shielding her from the pain of rejection. But, she's moved on to someone else, so sparks are starting to fly as jealousy descends.

While I've enjoyed this book, I found it hard for me to identify with Ariana on any level. Which is crucial for me to "fall in love" with the characters. It may be that the storyline is still new, or maybe I'm just trying to compare Ariana to Rhoda (My favorite Woodsmall character). Needless to say, the book was a good read, just not quite my favorite (yet).

Many thanks to Blogging For Books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank You Lord for Everything (Review)

This book arrived a few weeks ago, and it quickly became Evie's favorite. She may be only 1 1/2 years old, but she has already shown an interested in books (read: she likes to pull alll the books off the shelf all day everyday...haha). Needless to say, she also understands that some books are hers to carry around and play with. With this book, we have both found her sitting on the floor turning the pages. To say that the colors and pictures really stand out would be an understatement.

She also loves to listen to me read it to her. The storyline is just long enough to keep her entertained, and short enough that she doesn't lose interest. Out of all the children's books we've reviewed this year this one is my favorite. It's just a precious book, and one that we will refer to again and again as we teach the importance of giving thanks.

The topic is simple: Giving thanks to the Lord for everything. It's a great book to begin planting seeds of character development, and introduce a simple devotional reading to younger kids.

I received our copy in exchange for an honest review from the kind folks at BookLook Bloggers.

Capture The Moment (Review)

I was expecting a more "step by step" book on photography, instead I received a delightful book filled with images, and simple tips to better your skills. Sarah Wilkerson touches on a variety of topics that range from natural lighting, to embracing modern art, and steps to visual storytelling. It's a great way to softly introduce yourself to photography, or to give your rusty art a good 'ol boost (that would be me). The book is filled with dozens of images that give you a visual insight to her tips.

It's a simple read for a rainy afternoon with a cup of coffee...or camera in hand. I would give it a hearty 4 stars. Many thanks to blogging for books for my copy in exchange for an honest review.

Be The Best Mom You Can Be Review

I just finished reading "Be The Best Mom You Can Be" by Marina Slayton, and I can equate it to a "breath of fresh air". So many parenting books seem bent on telling you how to parent, and which type of parenting is best, rather just sharing Biblical truths. I found Slayton's book to be of the later sort, and it was greatly encouraging to my heart.

Instead of a traditional review, I thought I'd share a few things I learned from reading:

• She reminds us that as parents our greatest parenting tool is that of prayer. When you are discouraged or not sure how to approach a situation simply ask for God's direction. 
• She reminds us that our role of parenting is not just a hat to wear, but more importantly it is a ministry. One of the most important ministries that we will ever have.
• She reminds us that there will be days when we fail as mothers and it's important to accept God's grace and forgiveness when this happens. Doing so provides a model and basis to your children that no matter how many times they fail they too can have grace and forgiveness.
• She addresses the issues of "synthetic parenting" and getting so caught up in "busy" that we no longer operate as family units. She shares insight on how this is leading to depression, drug usage, etc in our young adults. An eye-opening issue for me, and has reminded me that I need to be more careful with our time as a family.

There were many issues that she tackled, but these really stood out to me. If you are looking for encouragement in your role as a mother, I highly recommend this book. Many thanks to Book Look Bloggers for my copy in exchange for my honest review.

Linking UP: Mommy Moments

What I've Been Reading

Thanks to the slower pace of summer, and the fact I've had some evenings by myself, I've had quite a bit of time to read. No complaining here, ha!

My mom gave me this copy a while back, and I just now sat down to read it. I'm still making my way through it, but it has been interesting so far. Basically MaCaulay presents an argument on why Classical Education is a preferred and sought after method. She shares insights from Charlotte Mason (whom I believe was considered a pioneer for Classical education). I'm still learning, and forming my ideas on what education should look like for our home. I tend to believe that every child's learning needs are very different and should be the basis for consideration while trying to balance traditional schooling vs. classical or other methods, etc.

I finished this book in about three days. It was an intense & action packed suspense novel. It was my first book by Singer, and I can whole heartedly say I'm a new fan. The main characters are very unique, and believe it or not...NOT very likeable at all. But, that lended to the unique aspect of the book. I really didn't have a favorite, instead enjoyed watching the mystery and suspense unravel. Also, I didn't see the end coming at all.

This was a fun, albeit, totally fluffy read. If I were to summon it up, I'd liken it to the Bachlorette meets Divergent. Ha! ;)

Anyway, those are a few of the books I plowed through over the last month or so. What have you all been reading?