Review of The Violets of March

Synopsis in a Sentence: A thirty something woman, Emily, reeling from a painful divorce decides to seek rest and refuge across the country with her aunt in Washington State, but finds herself embroiled in several mysteries instead.

My Thoughts:

This was an intriguing novel! It definitely kept my interest and I found myself turning the pages until well after dark on a few nights :). 

First of all, Emily is a pretty likable heroine...we can all identify with having a broken heart and what healing it entails. She finds out that her seemingly "perfect" husband has been cheating on her, and decides to flee New York City for the sanctuary of Bainbridge Island, off the coast of Washington. Her great aunt Bee lives there and tries to help Emily make sense of her life again. In her great aunt's quaint cottage, Emily happens upon a red velvet diary, which holds a delicious mystery concerning her aunt as well as other characters. She sets out to solve the mystery, discovering a new romance along the way.

What I liked:

The mystery itself was intriguing, if a little confusing. I had to go back and re-read a few parts to make sure that I figured it out correctly. I also loved the descriptions of Bainbridge Island...it sounds like such a beautiful place and the imagery used by the author made me feel like I was there. The cover art is what attracted me originally to the book...take a look above, it really is lovely! Who says you shouldn't judge a book by its cover?!

What I didn't love:

The romance between Emily and her new man seemed a little contrived and rushed given her recent, crushing divorce. The pair fall in love in a mere several weeks...but I guess there's nothing wrong with a little love at first sight! 

Review of The Wednesday Letters

Synopsis in a Sentence: After the death of their parents, Jack and Laurel, three adult children try to cope with their loss, while uncovering family secrets along the way.

My Thoughts:

What a quaint and charming book written by author Jason F. Wright! The best kinds of books are the ones which inspire deep feelings within you, and this novel did that for me.

First of all, I love the cover- a deep, rich red with a vintage feel to it. I sort of felt like I might find this book in an antique store, hidden away like a delicious secret next to other dusty, time worn tomes. For those of you, like me, who like to read certain types of books during certain seasons of the year, or even in different types of weather- this is a perfect novel to read around Valentine's Day, which is what I did, even though I am posting about it in April! (I'll slap my hand later for being behind on my reviews again!)

The characters. Jack and Laurel: the two lovebirds. Matthew, Samantha and Malcolm: the three adult children struggling to cope with their parents deaths and find some redemption for themselves in the process. After their parents die in one another's arms at their bed and breakfast, the trio find stacks of love letters that Jack wrote to Laurel throughout the course of their marriage. I won't spoil it, but a shocking family secret is revealed in the letters, prompting them to question everything they know about themselves and their faith.

This book will make you laugh and cry-but most of all, it will inspire you. A sweet, little book about the power of love, faith, family and forgiveness...

Unfortunately, my husband already said "no" to my request for Wednesday letters, but perhaps you will have better luck with your hubby! Slip him this book and it's possible his views on romance and your relationship will change forever :). *Sigh*

Review of Letters from Home

Synopsis in a Sentence: Three friends, Liz, Betty and Julia find themselves searching for love and adventure during the World War II era.

My Thoughts:

This was just such an absolutely lovely and charming book! I really loved it. The romance in this novel (which I believe is a debut for Kristina McMorris), is quaint, simple and so sweet. I have always been interested in the romance and heroism so prevalent during the World War II years. My Grandfather was injured while flying in a B-24 plane during the war, and I have never forgotten his story.

I love this book so much that I kinda wish I had written it hehe! :) It's one that I might even read again one day, which doesn't happen very often in my reading life. This book also has one of the prettiest covers I've ever seen- it's very vintage looking and feminine and is what attracted me to the book in the first place.

The gist of this story is that Liz meets a soldier, Morgan at a USO dance, shortly before he is about to be sent overseas. There is a misunderstanding between them, but they still end up writing letters to one another while Morgan is fighting the war in Europe. Meanwhile, Liz's best friends also are dealing with their own love lives and choices.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a sweet, sugary romance in anticipation of Spring! This would make a great beach read for those who are already embarking on vacations. Enjoy!!! :)

Review of The Red Pyramid

Synopsis in a Sentence: Carter and Sadie Kane, brother and sister, use their newly discovered magical powers to embark on an adventure to play their part in awakening the ancient Egyptian gods in order to save the world.

My Thoughts:

What a cute book (and series!) by Rick Riordan, author of the widely popular Olympians series featuring Percy Jackson. I actually haven't read the Olympians series yet, but I have the first two books on my to-read shelf! My mom gave me the first two books of this series for Christmas and so I jumped right in!

The Kane kids finally find out that they have magical powers when their archeologist father disappears after blowing up the Rosetta Stone at a museum in London. Their uncle, Amos, and the ancient Egyptian cat goddess, Bast, explain to them who they are (magicians who are able to channel ancient Egyptian magic), and tell them that they are to go on a quest to stop an evil god, Set from rising up and building the Red Pyramid which he will use to control the Earth. The Kanes realize that they must resurrect the other gods in order to help them do this. In other words, Ancient Egypt still lives.

Sound confusing? It actually is a little bit, and that's my only qualm with this book. It's meant for young adults, even kids, and I just had the feeling that this might be over their heads somewhat. However, it's a fascinating and fun adventure, and you really do learn some stuff about Ancient Egypt which is informative and cool! Rick Riordan writes fluidly and the action scenes are very well placed. Sadie and Carter are uniquely and well developed characters- you can't help but come to care about them. There were also a few laugh out loud moments in this book- I think Mr. Riordan probably has a pretty good sense of humor :).

I've always been interested and fascinated by Egyptology, and that's why I was excited to read this book! There are five books in the Olympians series, so I'm sure this author is planning on adding more to this series as well- can't wait to see what other adventures Sadie and Carter fall into next!

Review of last Eragon book

Synopsis in a Sentence: In the last book of the Inheritance cycle, dragon Rider, Eragon finally faces the evil king, Galbatorix and his destiny.

My Thoughts:

Wow, finally! Chris Paolini finally has wrapped up his Inheritance cycle, which began with the book, Eragon. I have to admit that while I loved Eragon, the rest of the series has been slowly a little bit of a downhill trek for me. Paolini definitely took us all on a journey through Alagaesia (the world in which this series takes place) and I came to love all of the characters, but this book leaves us wanting a little more, I think. It's a great book, don't get me wrong, and I will always love this series and think fondly of it, but I agree with many of the reviews on Amazon...there was just something missing.

This book still does deliver in many ways, however. The characters grow, learn and continue to be fleshed out by the author. Many of the action scenes are pretty exciting and intense- they reminded me of the epic battle scenes in Lord of the Rings. There is also a satisfying conclusion between Eragon and Galbatorix at the end of the novel.

But...there are some questions left unanswered that I personally feel Paolini should have addressed. We have been on this journey with him for years, and I feel he owed it to his readers to have everything wrapped up and concluded. I also feel as if Paolini was trying too hard to make this book an "epic fantasy." Some of the events feel forced and at a whopping 860 pages, there are things that could and should have been edited out, such as a random child birthing scene with minor characters, and a corny "battle" episode with Roran, Eragon's cousin.

*Spoiler alert*

There are many reviews on Amazon by fans who absolutely hated the fact that Eragon and Arya did not end up together. Surprisingly, I disagree with them, although I can definitely understand why they are upset. For some reason, the unrequited love thing works for me. From the very beginning of the series, I just had this feeling that they wouldn't end up together. For one thing, Arya is a lot older than Eragon, and she had like a fifty year romance with another elf, Faolin. To go from that to being with essentially, a boy, was a stretch for her, and I always got that. I think Paolini avoided cliches and added a deeper element to his book by ending things the way he did with these two characters.

However, before you get too mad at me, I have read books before where it drove me absolutely insane when characters didn't get their happy ending, and so, I can definitely sympathize with those who are disappointed. For example, I am still dying and hoping to see King Zachary and Karigan get together in the Green Rider series, which isn't looking very promising per the latest book in the series #4 (wiping tears!). Therefore, I do understand!

Overall, I am still giving this book 4 keys because I have really liked reading this series from the beginning, even though there's been some tedious aspects to everything. If you are looking for a quasi- epic fantasy series geared toward young adults with romance, dragons, magic, and the whole good vs. evil thing, check out this series. I would definitely recommend it. Congratulations to Paolini for finally finishing his Cycle! It's been a great adventure, I think, for him and for us.

Review of Two Tickets to the Christmas Ball

Synopsis in a Sentence: Cora isn't sure she's in the holiday spirit this year as she's tired of family drama, but she finds festivity (and love) when she's invited to a Christmas ball.

My Thoughts:

This was such a fun, fast, and sweet read for Christmas. I love reading holiday themed books around Christmas and this was a good one. I actually noticed this book last year, but was too busy reading a lot of other books, and didn't pick it up. But I'm glad I remembered it for this year (thank you GoodReads to-read lists)!

Anyways, the plot is pretty simple. Cora is a vulnerable business woman who starts to fall for her boss, who is pretty stoic and doesn't have a lot of personal interaction with his employees. They bump into one another at a quaint bookstore, and begin a friendship. It turns out that Simon (her boss) is actually a really nice guy who helps take care of his mother, aunt, and sister after his dad dies. They both receive mysterious invitations to attend a Christmas ball, hosted by the owners of the bookshop where they first began talking.The rest of the story leads up to the ball, which is the conclusion of the story.

Pretty cliche of course, as we know they are being set up in a "fairy godmother" type way, and that they will eventually fall in love. However, it's still a pretty charming and cozy little story. It's a Christian Cinderella Christmas story!

The author, Donita K. Paul, has also written a Christian fantasy series about dragons, of which I've read the first book. I didn't realize she had branched out into regular fiction until I saw this. It's cool when authors write Christmas books...it's similar to when your favorite music artist records a Christmas album!

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and will have an amazing New Year :)!

Review of Tell Me Something True

Synopsis in a Sentence: Gabriella, daughter of a famous movie producer, travels to her mother's homeland, Colombia, as she struggles to make sense of who her mother really was.

My Thoughts:

I really did not care for this book. I'm giving it only 1 star, but that might be slightly harsh...it's probably more like 1 and a 1/2 or maybe even 2 stars.

I did enjoy reading about a country in South America, as I don't often read about this part of the world, and it was interesting to see how different their lives are there from ours. I also identified with Gabriella's feelings of devastation over the loss of her mother, as I also almost lost my mother at a young age. I thought her need to learn all she could about her mother was very realistic...don't we all want to know as much as we can about the ones we love while we have the chance?

Unfortunately, Gabriella finds out that her mother was not content with their well to do life in Hollywood, and had been going back to Columbia on pretense of visiting her family, only to actually be having an affair with a man there. Gabriella finds her mother's diary, and so we get to hear Helena's side of the story in her own words, which added a deeper layer to the novel.

Gabriella travels to Columbia, finding herself not ready for college yet, and stays with her mother's family, whom she doesn't treat very well, in my opinion. She also becomes involved in an unhealthy relationship with the son of a drug lord.

I'm just not sure if I saw any change or growth on Gabriella's part as a character, which is what I kept waiting for as I read. The end is left sort of a mystery as we aren't sure whether or not Helena was actually abandoning her family on her last trip to Colombia, where she died in a plane crash.

Overall, there were some interesting and thoughtful aspects to this novel, but not enough to really impress me or to read more from this author. I could see a teenager perhaps enjoying this book more, as it deals with a young lady trying to understand herself, her parents, and her place in the world.

Review of A Discovery of Witches

Synopsis in a Sentence: Diana Bishop, a witch, whose ancestry traces back to the Salem Witch Trials, is a visiting professor at Oxford who meets a vampire and begins to stir things up among the magical races.

My Thoughts:

I read this book over Halloween actually (once again, I'm behind on my reviews!) and thought that it was a perfect book for the holiday! Spooky in some parts, but not scary...I don't really enjoy being scared!

Anyways, I'm giving this book 5 keys because even though it is a huge book, I raced through it very quickly...I couldn't wait to see what happened next in every scene. I've heard that some people are calling this Twilight for adults, and I could actually see that being true. The vampire in this book (which is the first book in a planned trilogy), Matthew Clairmont (don't you just love his name?!) is definitely as dark, and maybe even sexier than much lauded Edward Cullen! If you don't believe that can be true, read this book and you will find out that I'm telling the truth haha. In fact, (gasp) in some ways, I believe this author, Deborah Harkness describes and fleshes out her characters better than Stephanie Meyer. In other words, Matthew is sexy, tall, dark, handsome, protective, intelligent, charming, rich, and a little bit tortured...everything a good vampire should be lol!

I really loved this book and I felt as if the book began and ended well, but there are some slow parts in the middle. There isn't a lot of action that takes place, and the action which does happen feels a little bit forced. But, the premise of the story is so engrossing that you almost don't even notice the lack of excitement!

Diana Bishop, who is a witch but has decided to forsake her magical heritage after the death of her parents, is a visiting professor of alchemical history at Oxford in England. She happens to stumble upon an important manuscript while doing research...a manuscript that may hold secrets to the origin and survival of the three magical races: witches, vampires and daemons.

There are elements of history, time travel, science and yes, romance in this book and they all work together to really make the story come alive. The romance between Diana and Matthew was some of the best I've read in a long time. I'm looking forward to the next installment in the series which promises more action it seems...Check it out, you won't regret it! :)

Review of the Anne series

Hi dear followers! Unfortunately, I have long been absent from the wonderful book blogosphere. I still love my blog and all of your blogs, but October proved to be an exceptionally busy month! I have been diligently working on my first book, among all of the other concerns and happenings of life :).

On to my review...Like so many other girls (young and old), I have always loved and been enamored by Anne of Green Gables! It's hilarious because I've actually used "Anne" as an icebreaker before! You mention the books or the CBC tv miniseries and you become instantly bonded in kinship with other women lol. There's just something about Anne, her spunk, her overactive imagination and her ability to always turn lemons into lemonade...not to mention her endearing love story with Gilbert Blythe! I know that characters such as Rhett Butler and James Bond have made women swoon over the years, but for me, Gilbert is the one I fell in love with! :)

Anyways, I recently re-read the entire Anne series, which is 6-8 books depending on whom you ask. The 7th and 8th books technically just focus on her children and their doings, rather than about Anne's life...therefore, I decided to only read the 6 books about Anne. Below, is a brief synopsis and analysis of these charming and enduring novels. I hope after reading this review, you too will be inspired to revisit this old friend. Enjoy!

All books written by Lucy Maud Montgomery.

Anne of Green Gables:

In this book, quirky, daydreaming Anne Shirley comes from an orphanage to live with Marilla and Matthew Cuthbert on Prince Edward Island, Canada. Her antics are laugh out loud cute and funny, and while she drives Marilla fairly crazy, she ends up winning the hearts of everyone she meets.

I love all of Anne's girlhood dreams in this book. LM Montgomery so accurately portrays the adventures and daydreams that most little girls have and it's so cozy and charming to revisit those golden days of youth! Anne's friendship with Diana Berry remains one of the sweetest and most compelling stories of female friendship that I've ever encountered in literature. It makes us all want to have that "bosom friend."

Anne of Avonlea:

In this book, Anne grows up a little bit, but still has plenty of her endearing misadventures! Gilbert is falling in love with Anne, but while Anne learns to accept his friendship, does not yet care to have romance in her life. During the course of this 2nd novel, several new "kindred spirits" are introduced and Anne teaches for several years at the Avonlea school.

This book was a little bit slower paced than Green Gables, with several random side stories, but overall, an excellent and heartwarming 2nd addition to the series.

Anne of the Island:

This happens to be my favorite book of the series! In this novel, spirited Anne attends Redmond College in Kingsport and begins to discover her love of writing. Several new characters are introduced including Anne's new friends Stella and Phillipa. Anne gains a suitor in this novel, much to the chagrin of Gilbert Blythe who is also attending college at Redmond! At the very end of the book, Anne realizes that it is, and always has been, Gilbert who she loves...*sigh*! :)

Anne of Windy Poplars:

This book is mainly comprised of letters written by Anne to Gilbert as they are engaged, but sadly, parted while Anne moves away to teach at an all girls school, and Gilbert begins attending medical school. The letters are sweet, touching and funny as she chronicles her newest misadventures in a new place. You can't help but feel (along with Anne) a little homesick for Green Gables and Avonlea, but it is fun to read about her experiences with teaching and growing into a graceful and happy woman.

Anne's House of Dreams:

In this book, Anne once again wins the hearts of all she encounters, including a sad young woman with a mystery behind her sadness. Here, Anne and Gilbert are reunited after several years of being engaged, are married and beginning their new life together in a small, cozy house at Four Winds Harbour.

I loved reading about Anne's newlywed bliss with Gilbert...you've rooted for them to end up together for so long that it's a huge "Yay" moment when they finally get to settle down!

Anne of Ingleside:

This was perhaps my least favorite Anne book, but I didn't dislike it by any means...it just focuses a lot on Anne's kids and has her giving up her writing. Anne (Mrs. Doctor Dear) and Dr. Blythe move into a huge, impressive mansion closer to town, which Anne names Ingleside. In this book, Anne is getting ready to have her 6th child and the rest of her children are all a fun mixture of Anne and Gilbert! By this novel, Anne has obviously changed a lot and is now a mother, but she remains a dear friend to all who read about her.

Review of Something More

I wasn't a huge fan of this book. Sarah Ban Breathnach tries to sell to women that we have something "missing" and we need to fill up that hole inside of us. I definitely agree that women can give so much of themselves that we need to "rediscover ourselves," but Breathnach just seems to talk a lot about herself and her divorce in this book and presents her ideas in a rather rambling and jumbled way.

I'm only giving this one 2 keys, but Breathnach's other book (which I read several years ago), Romancing the Ordinary was actually one of the best self-help/inspirational books I've ever read! Breathnach's ideas of how to connect with our five senses in simple ways was very comforting and inspiring to read. She includes recipes in this book from making herbal tea to homemade facials and fun things to add to your bath. With this book, Breathnach really does make you want to fall in love with the simple pleasures of life!

I'm definitely going to check out her other books at some point, but I just wouldn't necessarily recommend Something More.

Synopsis in a Sentence: This is the real-life story of Jodee Blanco, who was ridiculed and bullied for years at school.

My Thoughts:

This was such an inspirational book, and one that I feel all parents should read, regardless if their children are being picked on at school or not. If your child is not being bullied, this book might help give you some information and resources on what to do if it does start happening.

Jodee is truly a heroine for what she had to endure during her teenage years, and she did it with a lot of grace!

My favorite part of the book is where she and her family take a trip to Greece (where their ancestors are from) and Jodee begins to finally come into her own. She realizes that their is this whole other world out there, filled with people who will treat her with dignity.

My least favorite part of the book is obviously all of the heart wrenching scenes of what the bullies did to her. Hard to read, but gives you a realistic portrait of how cruel some teenagers can be.

Sorry such a short review today...it's been a busy week! :) Happy Tuesday!

Ode to Nicholas Sparks

Hi dear followers...I first would like to say again that I haven't forgotten about any of you or about my book blog...I've just been really busy with "life" lately. As soon as things settle down some, I will definitely be going to your blogs for updates and to read your awesome reviews!

So lately, I've re-read two Nick Sparks favorites (A Walk to Remember and The Notebook). I've also read two of his newer ones (The Last Song and Dear John). They all seemed like summery type reads! I have always loved A Walk to Remember for its old-fashioned ambiance and the sweet story of love and hope over disease. However, I remember liking The Notebook more than I did this time around. It is a quick read, but I forgot about how totally sappy it is haha. I do enjoy the perspective of how Noah is an old man reflecting back on how he and Allie fell in love, but I found myself realizing that I actually like the movie version a lot better than the novel! In the film, their love story is fleshed out and given detail...for example, the scenes where Allie smashes ice-cream into Noah's face and when they eat pancakes for dinner at Noah's dads house. With poignant moments like this, we are able to understand how Noah pines for Allie after all the years. In the book, Sparks seems to "tell" rather than "show" how they fell in love. I was actually a little shocked even when I realized how he simply skips over their entire courtship and instead focuses on them getting back together years and years later. This is one of the only cases where I like the movie better than the book! I can still appreciate some of the romance and the ideal of life-long love depicted in the novel, however :).

The cover of The Last Song is haunting and beautiful and I actually read this book on a beach vacation! There is real sand in the book now as well as the sand depicted on the cover! Despite the cover, I found this book to be extremely dull to be honest. The sappy teenage romance is sort of cute, but it feels forced. I found out later that Sparks actually only wrote this book so that a movie could be adapted from it for Miley Cyrus to star in...this just kind of took the charm out of it for me. I did love the side story of the turtles hatching and being so fragile, trying to find their way to the sea. Also, the relationship between Ronnie, her brother and their father is a realistic and poignant one. I could have done without the teenage angst and silly romance, and been left with a great book about a father's relationship with his changing kids.

Dear John was actually a little bit of an exciting read. I read it pretty quickly because I wanted to see if John and Savannah ended up together. I found it hard to believe, though, how Savannah seemed so in love with John and he was like this massively hunky solider and then she suddenly decides she can't wait for him any longer. It just didn't seem to fit the personality Sparks initially gave her. Even though the ending is bittersweet, I found myself actually being moved by John's sacrifice, which I didn't expect to feel. Once again, I liked the movie version better than the book!

Overall, I loved A Walk to Remember, but I could have done without reading the others. It's a little sad because I really want to like his books, but they always just end up seeming a little too sappy, underdeveloped and unbelievable for my taste. I don't think I will read anything more by him for a long time unless I hear somewhere about a fantastic new one. Sad, but true! :)

While my town dries out of record-setting, epic flooding from Hurricane Irene, let me ask you:
What’s your book with weather events? Hurricanes? Tornadoes? Blizzards? Real? Fiction? Doesn’t matter … weather comes up a lot in books, so there’s got to be a favorite somewhere, huh?

My answer:

Interesting question! I actually do seem to crave certain genres/books during various seasons or even weather patterns during the year! In the summer, I lean toward chick lit, and other light, happy books...for example, I just re-read the entire Anne of Green Gables series by L.M. Montgomery. It was great re-visiting Anne and all of her spiritedness and adventures...it just seemed an appropriate series for the summer! However, when it's raining outside and during the fall and winter, I seem to crave deeper and more complex reads. For instance, I hope to really delve into some good fantasy books this upcoming winter. Thanks for the question!

Review of Imperfect Birds

Synopsis in a Sentence: A teenage girl, Rosie, spends the summer rebelling and exhibiting teenage angst against her mother, Elizabeth.

My Thoughts:

Wow, can I just say how much I completely hated this novel? Haha! Harsh, yes, but I have to be honest! This was truly one of the worst books that I have EVER read. Where do I begin in order to explain just how horrible it was?

Well, first of all, it had absolutely no plot. The entire book takes place during the summer before Rosie's senior year of high school and it's basically about her being a parent's worst nightmare. I suppose I might recommend this to the parent of a teenager in order for them to feel glad about what THEIR teenager is like, but that's about it.

Probably the worst part of this book, though, is that there's no redeeming quality or theme to it. Rosie's behavior finally deteriorates to the point where Elizabeth needs to send her to a youth wilderness camp for out of control kids. While there, Rosie seemingly learns nothing about how to improve herself and doesn't even come to an awareness of what got her sent there.

I kept waiting for something exciting, or even just interesting to happen, but it never does. There's nothing here to be shared or learned except that this book made me dread my future children becoming teenagers one day haha!

This book had promise...it has a beautiful cover, an intriguing title and was seemingly about the complexities of a mother/daughter relationship. However, in reality, it ends up only being a boring portrait of an incredibly spoiled and smug teenager.

Having said all this, though, I have read that author, Anne Lamott, has written such wonderful and witty memoirs, such as Traveling Mercies. I'm willing to read one of these and give her another chance, but I'll never read another one of her novels.

Sometimes I feel like the only person I know who finds reading history fascinating. It’s so full of amazing-yet-true stories of people driven to the edge and how they reacted to it. I keep telling friends that a good history book (as opposed to some of those textbooks in school that are all lists and dates) does everything a good novel does–it grips you with real characters doing amazing things.
Am I REALLY the only person who feels this way? When is the last time you read a history book? Historical biography? You know, something that took place in the past but was REAL.

My answer:

I love reading history books, you are not alone!! I think it's important for people to read about others doing interesting and great things so that they can be inspired and encouraged by them. Also, they say that learning about history helps us not to repeat the mistakes of the past!

Right now, my hubby and I are listening to 1776 by David McCullough on audiobook. It's fascinating to hear a detailed, true-life account of the Revolutionary War. I kind of feel like history books are like fantasy books...they really take you out of your own life and mind and truly transport you to another place.

So overall, not my favorite genre, but one that I definitely indulge in now and then :).

Reviews of two non-fiction books

Hi friends! Sorry I haven't posted on here in awhile...the last couple of Summer weeks here have been busy! Hope all of you are enjoying August!

Lately, I've read these two non-fiction books, and they were very quick, interesting little reads!

Faith Journey Through Fantasy Lands was an e-book, which I read on my Nook. The writer, who is the head of some religious education programs, lives in Dayton, OH where is which I am originally from! In this book, he analyzes the Christian themes behind the three most popular fantasy stories ever written: Star Wars, Harry Potter and The Lord of the Rings. I love reading anything that has to do with any of those stories, and so I thought I'd give this one a try! It was a little bit repetitive, but it also hit on a lot of deep truths about these fantasy stories.

B.O.O.B.S was a compilation of stories about women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer in multiple stages. As my mother suffered with and eventually became a survivor of this disease, I have always been eager to read about other women's experiences. This book definitely puts a human face on this horrible illness. The bravery of these women illuminates how hope and friendship can turn something terrible into something that can be survived and that can even bring blessings.

Give them both a try if you're in the mood for some quick, thought provoking non-fiction!

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

My answers:

I'm currently reading a book called B.O.O.B.S by Ann Kempner Fisher. My mother had breast cancer at a young age, and so I'm always interested in reading about other women's experiences with this disease. The title stands for: A Bunch of Outrageous Breast Cancer Survivors!

I recently finished reading The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. A book about food and friendship!

I think I'll read a few Nicholas Sparks books next...I know he's had a few new ones out in the past couple of years. I'm in the mood for some sappy romance!

Review of The School of Essential Ingredients

Synopsis in a Sentence: A group of varied people come together to learn about cooking and life in this slim novel.

My Thoughts:

This was such a sweet, charming little book...I liked it better than I thought I would! The owner of a small, intimate, and quaint restaurant, Lillian, gives cooking lessons every Monday night to a group of eight people. The group's lives end up intertwining during the course of this novel.

We learn about Lillian's history and love for food, as the novel unfolds. Each chapter is dedicated to the other members of the group and we learn about what is going on in each of their lives. Every Monday night, Lillian has the class members create a new dish and I was excited each time to read about what they would make! My mouth was definitely watering during this book!

What I loved most: The dishes that the students create are not simply about food...they end up having some symbolism for the character's lives as well. For example, the creation of a spicy tomato sauce ignites a romance between two of the characters! Several foods remind Lillian of her mother and her childhood. I love the idea of food having meaning to us and impacting our lives, rather than just something we consume every day!

What I liked least: A few of the characters were a little bit boring, perhaps, and many of them had cliche type dilemmas. The book wasn't very unique I guess, but it was a charming, fast read and I loved the descriptions of all the food and what it ended up meaning to the characters as I mentioned above!

3 stars

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

My answers...

I'm currently reading The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. A sweet, charming and slim little novel about an eccentric group of people whose lives intertwine when they all take a cooking class together.

I recently finished reading Blackveil by Kristen Britain. I can't wait for the next installment in this fantasy series, but it probably won't be out for another 2 years! :(

I think I'll read a couple of non-fiction books next...my mother is a survivor of breast cancer and I like to read about other women's experiences with this type of cancer. There is a book called B.O.O.B.S by Ann Kempner Fisher which looks promising.

Book review of Blackveil

Synopsis in a Sentence: In this fourth book of the series, the main character, Karigan Glad'heon fulfills her duties as a messenger to the king by going on a quest to help stop the evil of their enemy, Morhaven the Black.

My Thoughts: I love this fantasy series! I have been devoted to this series since the first book, Green Rider. Unfortunately, while this author is extremely talented, she takes about 3-4 years in between each book...and so sometimes I can't believe I've been reading this series since high school! These books are actually the reason I wanted to begin a book blog because I wanted to share my love of this series with other readers and hear their thoughts on the books.

Ms. Britain's writing reminds me of J.K. Rowling's writing style...which is high praise, indeed! They are both able to not only write a great story, but to actually make that story come alive. As you read this book, you just almost feel the world (Sacoridia) Ms. Britain has created. Reading books is wonderful of course, but sometimes you end with just feeling as if you read a cute story. But when you find a book where you actually feel as if you went on the adventure yourself and that this other world might be real...that is magic! This feeling doesn't happen to me very often...but it happened with this series.

In summary, this series is about a girl, Karigan who through a set of circumstances and a mysterious "calling," gets caught up in an adventure which eventually leads her to the capital and the King. She finds out about the Green Riders, who work as messengers and scouts for the King and each of them has their own special magical "ability." Karigan realizes that her calling is to join them, and she eventually becomes a Green Rider. All four books are her subsequent adventures in helping to quell the dark forces (Morhaven the Black and his comrades) which threaten their land...typical epic fantasy type stuff, but so special and magical as I mentioned above.

Having given the series much praise...I do have to mention one incredibly frustrating subplot to the books, something which many of her fans are driven crazy by, including me! The King (Zachary) and Karigan fall in love, but are not able to be together for a variety of reasons. The romantic tension between them is one of the best relationship plots I've ever read...it's almost unbearable, but highly interesting watching them struggle with their feelings for each other. I would absolutely love to see them eventually be allowed to be together and many fans agree with me (check out Amazon reviews), but others feel as if they are on two different paths and would be better off marrying certain other characters.

Overall, I would recommend this series to anyone. I love the genre of fantasy, but I've been delving into other genres for the past couple of years...this is really the only fantasy I've read since Harry Potter, Twilight and the Inheritance Cycle. I hope to return to the genre soon and really get into it again. I might start with The Game of Thrones as I keep hearing great things about the HBO series they've adapted from those books!

What I loved most: Everything. The author herself is kind of unique as well...I'd love to meet her in person one day. She was actually a former National park ranger who eventually published Green Rider and has since become a full time writer (although this hasn't seemed to help with her getting the books out any sooner!) She's supposedly single and lives in a log cabin in Maine. I'm always checking out her website for updates on future books!

What I liked least: The romance between King Zachary and Karigan is a little bit torturous and it's made worse by the fact that the series is ongoing and there's little hope of it being resolved anytime soon. It's a huge cliffhanger and it sometimes makes me wish I hadn't discovered this series until all of the books have come out!! Ahh!!!!

4 stars