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Ivana A. | Diary of Difference (1171 KP) rated Beast: A Tale of Love and Revenge in Books
Jul 16, 2018
Almost ruined my childhood favorite
One of my favorite books while I was growing up was the Beauty and the Beast. I usually love retellings,as they show me a different side of the story that might be, that I have never considered before. This book, however, almost ruined it all for me. The only reason it didn't was because I wouldn't let one bad retelling to ruin my childhood favorite!
The story is about Lucie, who is a servant in Jean Leup's palace. Through Lucie's story, we see Jean Leup as a horrible person who only cares about money and the respect he received from his aristocratic community. He treats the servants badly and doesn't even bother to look at them.
Lucie likes the thought of him. He is a very handsome man, and all she dreams about is for him to notice her. And one day, he does. And something really bad happens. Jean Leup does something horrible to Lucie.
[SPOILER - PLEASE CONTINUE CAUTIOUSLY]
He rapes her. And not only that this scene was very disturbing, it was also three pages long, with broad descriptions and it made be cringe badly. It made me hate everything and this was the part where I almost quit on reading this book.
[SPOILER FINISHED - YOU CAN CONTINUE READING]
After this big spoiler scene, the first reaction Lucie has is to kill herself. I am aware that this was a huge trauma for her, and people react differently, but if the author gives me this as a solution to her problem, do I want to continue reading? Is this really the lesson she learns?
With a bit of help of magic and wisdom words, she decides that now she wants for Jean Leup to suffer, and she wants to be able to see this happen. Suddenly, wish becomes a reality and the next thing we know, she is a candle that can't move, and Jean Leup has turned into a Beast.
Do you get the Beauty and the Beast reference now? We see the story from the candle's point of view, who is Lucie.
Well - not really!
Because here's the twist - the Beast doesn't remember what happened before. He doesn't know he was Jean Leup. He doesn't know he was bad in the past. The Beast is good by default, and a bit sad that he's alone in a big castle. So I have to ask again - Where is the lesson? Where is the punishment? If he can't remember he was bad, he'll never learn why he is a Beast.
To continue and shorten the story - Lucie (the candle) can talk to the Beast through her mind. The Beauty (Rose) comes to the castle and the story goes on. Lucie decides that she is in love with the Beast, and I won't reveal the rest, in case you want to read the book and see for yourself.
Now - I know that the author's point wasn't the lesson that the Beast learns as in the original story. Her point was to tell the story of the Beast, and Lucie, and how this tale can have a different plot, and ending, and back story. But I really believe that this was the wrong way of saying it, and it didn't leave a clear message.
The writing was poor, and it went from one moment to another, leaving me there in the middle, wondering what happened. One scene begins, and another starts before anything is finished. It was disorientated, and I felt lost in the first 40 pages.
This is a no from me, and I will give it 2 stars because I managed to finish it.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for providing me with an ARC e-copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The story is about Lucie, who is a servant in Jean Leup's palace. Through Lucie's story, we see Jean Leup as a horrible person who only cares about money and the respect he received from his aristocratic community. He treats the servants badly and doesn't even bother to look at them.
Lucie likes the thought of him. He is a very handsome man, and all she dreams about is for him to notice her. And one day, he does. And something really bad happens. Jean Leup does something horrible to Lucie.
[SPOILER - PLEASE CONTINUE CAUTIOUSLY]
He rapes her. And not only that this scene was very disturbing, it was also three pages long, with broad descriptions and it made be cringe badly. It made me hate everything and this was the part where I almost quit on reading this book.
[SPOILER FINISHED - YOU CAN CONTINUE READING]
After this big spoiler scene, the first reaction Lucie has is to kill herself. I am aware that this was a huge trauma for her, and people react differently, but if the author gives me this as a solution to her problem, do I want to continue reading? Is this really the lesson she learns?
With a bit of help of magic and wisdom words, she decides that now she wants for Jean Leup to suffer, and she wants to be able to see this happen. Suddenly, wish becomes a reality and the next thing we know, she is a candle that can't move, and Jean Leup has turned into a Beast.
Do you get the Beauty and the Beast reference now? We see the story from the candle's point of view, who is Lucie.
Well - not really!
Because here's the twist - the Beast doesn't remember what happened before. He doesn't know he was Jean Leup. He doesn't know he was bad in the past. The Beast is good by default, and a bit sad that he's alone in a big castle. So I have to ask again - Where is the lesson? Where is the punishment? If he can't remember he was bad, he'll never learn why he is a Beast.
To continue and shorten the story - Lucie (the candle) can talk to the Beast through her mind. The Beauty (Rose) comes to the castle and the story goes on. Lucie decides that she is in love with the Beast, and I won't reveal the rest, in case you want to read the book and see for yourself.
Now - I know that the author's point wasn't the lesson that the Beast learns as in the original story. Her point was to tell the story of the Beast, and Lucie, and how this tale can have a different plot, and ending, and back story. But I really believe that this was the wrong way of saying it, and it didn't leave a clear message.
The writing was poor, and it went from one moment to another, leaving me there in the middle, wondering what happened. One scene begins, and another starts before anything is finished. It was disorientated, and I felt lost in the first 40 pages.
This is a no from me, and I will give it 2 stars because I managed to finish it.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for providing me with an ARC e-copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated A Piece Of The World in Books
Dec 14, 2018
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.</i>
Until reading Christina Baker Kline’s note at the end of the book, it is impossible to guess that it is based on real people, although, admittedly, it is a little strange to name the main character after oneself. In fact, <i>A Piece of the World</i> is written around a single painting in the Museum of Modern Art, New York: <i>Christina’s World</i> (1948) by Andrew Wyeth, a man who appears and paints this work in the story.
Baker Cline researched thoroughly into the background story of the painting. Christina Olson, the main character of this book, was a real person who posed for Wyeth as he painted this striking picture. Although the overall story is a work of fiction, the dates and key characters are biographically accurate. Beginning in 1939, the narrative weaves too and fro, from Christina’s present day to her childhood and back again. Christina is an ageing woman who can barely walk and lives in a dilapidated cottage with her brother on a hill in the village of Cushing, Maine. Having lived in this state for so long, it is a welcome surprise to be visited by the young Andrew Wyeth who falls in love with the cottage and regularly comes to work on his canvases in their upper rooms. Through their peaceful relationship and flashbacks to her past, Christina’s character development is investigated and knitted together to explain why she has become this recluse on a hill.
Christina had problems from a very young age. After almost dying from a fever, she developed an undiagnosed degenerative disease that slowly ate away at the nerves in her arms and legs. Today, neurologists believe this to be <i>Charcot-Marie-Tooth</i> disease but there were no doctors able to provide this diagnosis at the time. Christina suffered aches and pains growing up and could barely walk in a straight line. Her determination to keep going is admirable and makes her a strong female protagonist.
One day in her early twenties, Christina meets a boy who pays her the kind of attention that she has never received before. Believing his promises that they will be together forever, she dares to dream of having a normal life. The reader, however, knows that the future Christina is alone with only her brother for company, making it heartbreaking to read of their developing romance knowing that it is not going to last.
There is no “happy-ever-after” to this story, nor is there a sad ending. It is an account of a woman who had been dealt a raw deal in life but continued getting on despite it. The end result, the painting <i>Christina’s World</i>, shows Christina as she sees herself. She may not be able to walk but she is still a woman; she made the most of her childhood, she never complained. This painting is her “letter to the World that never wrote to [Her].”
<i>A Piece of the World</i> is a powerful novel about purpose and determination. Christina may not have had a typical, successful life or become famous but she had her daily achievements: crawling through a field for an hour to visit a friend, cooking dinners despite not being able to stand up, carrying on after the end of a romantic relationship …
Written as gracefully as the brushstrokes of a painting with elements of Emily Dickinson thrown in here and there, </i>A Piece of the World</i> is a beautiful piece of work. It is something that can be enjoyed as you are mentally drawn into the storyline, leaving you wondering what happens to Christina and her brother after the completion of the painting. It is a novel the author can be proud of.
<imgsrc="https://www.moma.org/media/W1siZiIsIjE2NTQ1NyJdLFsicCIsImNvbnZlcnQiLCItcmVzaXplIDIwMDB4MjAwMFx1MDAzZSJdXQ.jpg?sha=33c151dba7f8de4c"width="100"height="40"alt="ChristinasWorld"/>;
Until reading Christina Baker Kline’s note at the end of the book, it is impossible to guess that it is based on real people, although, admittedly, it is a little strange to name the main character after oneself. In fact, <i>A Piece of the World</i> is written around a single painting in the Museum of Modern Art, New York: <i>Christina’s World</i> (1948) by Andrew Wyeth, a man who appears and paints this work in the story.
Baker Cline researched thoroughly into the background story of the painting. Christina Olson, the main character of this book, was a real person who posed for Wyeth as he painted this striking picture. Although the overall story is a work of fiction, the dates and key characters are biographically accurate. Beginning in 1939, the narrative weaves too and fro, from Christina’s present day to her childhood and back again. Christina is an ageing woman who can barely walk and lives in a dilapidated cottage with her brother on a hill in the village of Cushing, Maine. Having lived in this state for so long, it is a welcome surprise to be visited by the young Andrew Wyeth who falls in love with the cottage and regularly comes to work on his canvases in their upper rooms. Through their peaceful relationship and flashbacks to her past, Christina’s character development is investigated and knitted together to explain why she has become this recluse on a hill.
Christina had problems from a very young age. After almost dying from a fever, she developed an undiagnosed degenerative disease that slowly ate away at the nerves in her arms and legs. Today, neurologists believe this to be <i>Charcot-Marie-Tooth</i> disease but there were no doctors able to provide this diagnosis at the time. Christina suffered aches and pains growing up and could barely walk in a straight line. Her determination to keep going is admirable and makes her a strong female protagonist.
One day in her early twenties, Christina meets a boy who pays her the kind of attention that she has never received before. Believing his promises that they will be together forever, she dares to dream of having a normal life. The reader, however, knows that the future Christina is alone with only her brother for company, making it heartbreaking to read of their developing romance knowing that it is not going to last.
There is no “happy-ever-after” to this story, nor is there a sad ending. It is an account of a woman who had been dealt a raw deal in life but continued getting on despite it. The end result, the painting <i>Christina’s World</i>, shows Christina as she sees herself. She may not be able to walk but she is still a woman; she made the most of her childhood, she never complained. This painting is her “letter to the World that never wrote to [Her].”
<i>A Piece of the World</i> is a powerful novel about purpose and determination. Christina may not have had a typical, successful life or become famous but she had her daily achievements: crawling through a field for an hour to visit a friend, cooking dinners despite not being able to stand up, carrying on after the end of a romantic relationship …
Written as gracefully as the brushstrokes of a painting with elements of Emily Dickinson thrown in here and there, </i>A Piece of the World</i> is a beautiful piece of work. It is something that can be enjoyed as you are mentally drawn into the storyline, leaving you wondering what happens to Christina and her brother after the completion of the painting. It is a novel the author can be proud of.
<imgsrc="https://www.moma.org/media/W1siZiIsIjE2NTQ1NyJdLFsicCIsImNvbnZlcnQiLCItcmVzaXplIDIwMDB4MjAwMFx1MDAzZSJdXQ.jpg?sha=33c151dba7f8de4c"width="100"height="40"alt="ChristinasWorld"/>;
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) rated Spin in Books
Jun 21, 2019
The synopsis for Spin by K.J. Farnham really grabbed my attention. I had to know why Jenna was acting out. Plus, I liked how the synopsis mentioned that diary entries would be involved. Luckily, I was not disappointed one bit.
Jenna is a 16 year old high school girl. She's the picture of perfection. She's beautiful, popular, makes good grades, athletic, and is a great friend and daughter. However, when a certain person from her past moves back to her town, Jenna's painful memories of the past resurface. When it all becomes too much, Jenna acts out by drinking, taking drugs, and other bad behaviors. One night, on the way to confront her abuser, Jenna disappears. Through Jenna's diary, her point of view, and the points of view from her friends and family, we are able to piece together what happened to Jenna during her childhood and leading up to her disappearance.
I found the plot for Spin to be very interesting. Although it has been done many times before, Farnham was able to keep it fresh as well as fascinating. The plot leaves no cliff hangers and every question I had was answered. The one thing that was a little annoying was that in the same chapter, in a few parts of the book, the tense would switch between past and present. This was obviously missed in editing since the whole book is written in past tense. Other than that, Spin was written beautifully.
I really did enjoy the characters in Spin. Jenna was very likable, and I felt bad for her. I wanted things to go back to normal for her throughout the book. She was so vulnerable, and I hated how her events of her childhood had robbed her of all she had going for her. Keeley and Delaney, Jenna's best friends, felt realistic. Their actions regarding Jenna's behavior seemed like what most friends would be like at that age. I enjoyed reading things from their point of view. Dustin, Jenna's boyfriend, was also a great character. I hated how Jenna was treating him. I understood why she was acting the way she was towards him, but I just hate that he never knew the reasoning behind her actions. It still wouldn't have made it right, but at least Dustin would have had some insight. Leighton was my favorite character in Spin. Even I wanted to be friends with Leighton. I love what a great friend she was to Jenna and how loyal she was. Yes, Leighton did make some bad decisions, but her love for Jenna was admirable. I do wish Bonnie, Jenna's mom, would have read more of her diary. My heart went out to Bonnie especially when she felt like it was her fault after reading an entry in Jenna's diary before she went missing. I did feel that Bonnie was a little strict with Jenna especially when it came to Dustin. I felt like the character of Joseph was written perfectly. Was he truly a changed man or was he still sick?
The pacing for Spin was fantastic. Not once did I feel like the pacing was too slow or slowing down. It was never too quick either where I became lost. This book held my attention throughout. I was buckled up to go wherever Spin wanted to take me!
Trigger warnings for Spin include underage drinking, drug use, sexual situations (although not graphic), rape, attempted rape, child and teen sexual abuse, incest, profanity, and death.
All in all, Spin is a great read with a fantastic set of characters and an enthralling plot. Yes, it is a dark and emotional read, but it will not be a disappointing one for sure! I would definitely recommend Spin by K.J. Farnham to those aged 16+!
Jenna is a 16 year old high school girl. She's the picture of perfection. She's beautiful, popular, makes good grades, athletic, and is a great friend and daughter. However, when a certain person from her past moves back to her town, Jenna's painful memories of the past resurface. When it all becomes too much, Jenna acts out by drinking, taking drugs, and other bad behaviors. One night, on the way to confront her abuser, Jenna disappears. Through Jenna's diary, her point of view, and the points of view from her friends and family, we are able to piece together what happened to Jenna during her childhood and leading up to her disappearance.
I found the plot for Spin to be very interesting. Although it has been done many times before, Farnham was able to keep it fresh as well as fascinating. The plot leaves no cliff hangers and every question I had was answered. The one thing that was a little annoying was that in the same chapter, in a few parts of the book, the tense would switch between past and present. This was obviously missed in editing since the whole book is written in past tense. Other than that, Spin was written beautifully.
I really did enjoy the characters in Spin. Jenna was very likable, and I felt bad for her. I wanted things to go back to normal for her throughout the book. She was so vulnerable, and I hated how her events of her childhood had robbed her of all she had going for her. Keeley and Delaney, Jenna's best friends, felt realistic. Their actions regarding Jenna's behavior seemed like what most friends would be like at that age. I enjoyed reading things from their point of view. Dustin, Jenna's boyfriend, was also a great character. I hated how Jenna was treating him. I understood why she was acting the way she was towards him, but I just hate that he never knew the reasoning behind her actions. It still wouldn't have made it right, but at least Dustin would have had some insight. Leighton was my favorite character in Spin. Even I wanted to be friends with Leighton. I love what a great friend she was to Jenna and how loyal she was. Yes, Leighton did make some bad decisions, but her love for Jenna was admirable. I do wish Bonnie, Jenna's mom, would have read more of her diary. My heart went out to Bonnie especially when she felt like it was her fault after reading an entry in Jenna's diary before she went missing. I did feel that Bonnie was a little strict with Jenna especially when it came to Dustin. I felt like the character of Joseph was written perfectly. Was he truly a changed man or was he still sick?
The pacing for Spin was fantastic. Not once did I feel like the pacing was too slow or slowing down. It was never too quick either where I became lost. This book held my attention throughout. I was buckled up to go wherever Spin wanted to take me!
Trigger warnings for Spin include underage drinking, drug use, sexual situations (although not graphic), rape, attempted rape, child and teen sexual abuse, incest, profanity, and death.
All in all, Spin is a great read with a fantastic set of characters and an enthralling plot. Yes, it is a dark and emotional read, but it will not be a disappointing one for sure! I would definitely recommend Spin by K.J. Farnham to those aged 16+!
To the farm!
Book and Education
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* Nominated for the prestigious Cybils Awards 2012 in the Books category * Best10APPS said: "The...
Suswatibasu (1703 KP) rated A Life of My Own: A Biographer's Life in Books
Nov 29, 2017
A stunning memoir of a life well lived
A biographer's autobiography makes for fascinating reading. Claire Tomalin attempts to recount the past 84 years of her life to the best of her ability, revealing tragic losses without self-pity, and an enduring spirit.
From an unstable childhood, moving from place to place during the war, with her family living across several countries, to having an unstable marriage. She describes her unusual relationship with her first husband, the renowned journalist Nick Tomalin, who was killed while covering the Yom Kippur war in 1973. His constant fleeting from his family to other women, and abusive behaviour is dark and quite a difficult read. In this instance, Tomalin appears to be stuck in a pattern of staying with her abuser for the sake of her children, a common occurrence in the 1960's. In between the chaos of her life, she loses a baby only one month old and has another who is permanently disabled.
In the same way, the dark, inexplicable suicide of her youngest daughter is laid bare, but out of it comes a change of direction of life dimension as Claire's vocation as a literary biographer floods in to fill the gap. These are, ironically, the most touching and well-written scenes. Through her own writings of women such as Mary Wollstonecraft, and Charles Dickens' affair with Ellen Ternan, we see Tomalin's own creativity and resilience. She copes because she must, and because she can.
The literary name dropping is everywhere because it is woven into the huge patchwork quilt of her long life. The candour of her resentment for the Murdoch empire is matched by the awe and admiration she has for Harold Evans and her mother.
One of the final scenes, in which she describes her father's great grandchildren dancing unknowingly on the bed, where he himself lay dead in his coffin only hours before, encapsulates the spirit of this beautiful book. A truly wonderful look into her life.
From an unstable childhood, moving from place to place during the war, with her family living across several countries, to having an unstable marriage. She describes her unusual relationship with her first husband, the renowned journalist Nick Tomalin, who was killed while covering the Yom Kippur war in 1973. His constant fleeting from his family to other women, and abusive behaviour is dark and quite a difficult read. In this instance, Tomalin appears to be stuck in a pattern of staying with her abuser for the sake of her children, a common occurrence in the 1960's. In between the chaos of her life, she loses a baby only one month old and has another who is permanently disabled.
In the same way, the dark, inexplicable suicide of her youngest daughter is laid bare, but out of it comes a change of direction of life dimension as Claire's vocation as a literary biographer floods in to fill the gap. These are, ironically, the most touching and well-written scenes. Through her own writings of women such as Mary Wollstonecraft, and Charles Dickens' affair with Ellen Ternan, we see Tomalin's own creativity and resilience. She copes because she must, and because she can.
The literary name dropping is everywhere because it is woven into the huge patchwork quilt of her long life. The candour of her resentment for the Murdoch empire is matched by the awe and admiration she has for Harold Evans and her mother.
One of the final scenes, in which she describes her father's great grandchildren dancing unknowingly on the bed, where he himself lay dead in his coffin only hours before, encapsulates the spirit of this beautiful book. A truly wonderful look into her life.
juliebreader (9 KP) rated It Ends With Us in Books
Sep 7, 2017
Contains spoilers, click to show
** spoiler alert ** This book. I finished it last night and can't stop thinking about it. I'm no expert, but the development of the characters, and the story, are superb. All of the characters had so much depth and I was completely immersed in the story. I didn't just read this book, I devoured it. My only caveat, and here's the spoiler, was Ryle's explanation for the abuse. I thought it should have been further explained, and made really clear, that his behavior had nothing to do with trauma related to his childhood. He was not blacking out. He was just plain abusive. Saying he was blacking out is a cop out. This is such an important and educational book about domestic violence, that it's a disservice to allow this reasoning without explaining that domestic violence isn't about anger, but about power and control. A perfect illustration of this is when Lily first meets Ryle on the roof deck and he's beating up the furniture. Did he black out at the hospital and beat up a co-worker? No. Did he black out and throw his sister down the stairs? No. He went to the roof and took it out on the furniture. A conscious choice. Did he black out when he was in their new apartment when he destroyed Lily's belongings then waited for her in the kitchen and sexually assaulted her then beat her? No, it was a very calculated assault. I would have liked a better explanation for this behavior from an educational standpoint. Lily made a smart decision,but I think she believed the excuse, which is so common and what can keep a person in that abusive situation. Even if it had been explained in the afterward, at least then it would have been made clear that his excuse was just that, an excuse. Despite this, it's still 5 stars for me. I will be thinking about this one for a long time to come.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Vengeance in Books
May 10, 2018
Wicket is a world famous performer. She dazzles crowds wherever she goes and she's sold more albums than most artists. She is known to her friends, which are very few as Ladonna Sterling and even fewer know her as Caprice Tatum. When Caprice was 15 years old, she was brutally attacked by the people she trusted. Having been cut as a young girl by her mother her life hadn't been the easiest, but she never thought anything like that would happen. Now as she approaches her fortieth birthday she hopes to get vengeance against those who wronged her.
It has been a while since I've read one of Zane's books. I used to read her books a lot when I was in my early twenties. This book took quite a different turn that I wasn't expecting. There is always sex involved in her books, but this one was not the same.
Wicket has a lot of issues that have stemmed from her childhood. She has never gotten the kind of therapy necessary for the type of trauma she has experienced in her life. Now she has issues with intimacy and finds it difficult to connect with people in general. Sure her fame as a little to do with it, but trust is not something that comes easily.
The book started out slowly for me. But once Wicket made her big move, it started to pick up. This young lady had been through a lot of hardship in her life. Without those things, she may not have made it this far in her life, but no one should have to go through all of that to find happiness. Zane always made me look at events in my life to know that things can be much worse and for a lot of people out there they are.
Zane had a new book released earlier this year that I can't wait to read [b:Three-Piece Meal: A Novel|32920252|Three-Piece Meal A Novel|Zane|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482355789s/32920252.jpg|53537928]
It has been a while since I've read one of Zane's books. I used to read her books a lot when I was in my early twenties. This book took quite a different turn that I wasn't expecting. There is always sex involved in her books, but this one was not the same.
Wicket has a lot of issues that have stemmed from her childhood. She has never gotten the kind of therapy necessary for the type of trauma she has experienced in her life. Now she has issues with intimacy and finds it difficult to connect with people in general. Sure her fame as a little to do with it, but trust is not something that comes easily.
The book started out slowly for me. But once Wicket made her big move, it started to pick up. This young lady had been through a lot of hardship in her life. Without those things, she may not have made it this far in her life, but no one should have to go through all of that to find happiness. Zane always made me look at events in my life to know that things can be much worse and for a lot of people out there they are.
Zane had a new book released earlier this year that I can't wait to read [b:Three-Piece Meal: A Novel|32920252|Three-Piece Meal A Novel|Zane|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1482355789s/32920252.jpg|53537928]
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Letter to My Daughter in Books
May 10, 2018
Maya Angelou has long been one of my favorite authors. I have even performed her poetry during my high school day in regional speech & debate tournaments. [b:I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings|13214|I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings|Maya Angelou|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1327957927s/13214.jpg|1413589] was her first book that I read as an adolescent. Her words are always inspiring and listening to her read [b:Letter to My Daughter|4016515|Letter to My Daughter|Maya Angelou|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1320448534s/4016515.jpg|4062985] was incredible. Reading her books always leave me feeling refreshed and alive, but hearing the emotion in her voice while she was reading her words, gives the book even more enjoyable. Hearing her voice crack as she talks about being beaten and raped almost brought me to tears. It made me feel a deeper connection to Ms. Angelou.
It's ironic that this book is called <u>Letter to My Daughter</u> when Maya Angelou doesn't have a daughter. She claims women such as Oprah Winfrey, Rosa Johnson Butler, Valerie Simpson, Brenda Crisp, and Frances Berry allowed her to be a mother to them. This book goes through different aspects of Maya Angelou's life from childhood living with her grandmother, to becoming an undeveloped woman who thought sex would bring in her breasts. And it did, but they were filled with milk.
We as women go through many struggles in life. A lot of the time, we put ourselves on the back burner in order to take care of those around us. In this book, Maya Angelou proves to us that no matter the struggle, if we work hard and put ourselves first, we can accomplish anything. She had it just as hard, actually harder than any of us and look at all she had done in this world.
I recommend this book to all the women I know. It will leave you feeling empowered, strong and on top of the world.
It's ironic that this book is called <u>Letter to My Daughter</u> when Maya Angelou doesn't have a daughter. She claims women such as Oprah Winfrey, Rosa Johnson Butler, Valerie Simpson, Brenda Crisp, and Frances Berry allowed her to be a mother to them. This book goes through different aspects of Maya Angelou's life from childhood living with her grandmother, to becoming an undeveloped woman who thought sex would bring in her breasts. And it did, but they were filled with milk.
We as women go through many struggles in life. A lot of the time, we put ourselves on the back burner in order to take care of those around us. In this book, Maya Angelou proves to us that no matter the struggle, if we work hard and put ourselves first, we can accomplish anything. She had it just as hard, actually harder than any of us and look at all she had done in this world.
I recommend this book to all the women I know. It will leave you feeling empowered, strong and on top of the world.
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated Keturah (The Sugar Baron's Daughters, #1) in Books
Mar 5, 2019
England, the year 1773. Keturah and her sisters find themselves heiresses to their father's properties and assets. A letter soon comes telling them of the drought, machinery failure and an overseer lost to the "fever", all with profits far lower than the last.
Lady Keturah is determined to make sure her sisters are well provided for and the three sisters head off to the West Indies, which was totally unheard of for ladies of England's society at that time.
Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson, a widow, from an abusive marriage has sworn that she will never marry again, but her childhood friend Gray Covington is traveling to the West Indies to develop his sugar plantation that happens to border Keturah's. Will Keturah's heart ever soften again?
This was a fantastic story of a woman bound and determined to make a way for herself, as well as her sisters in a society that demanded women to be dependant on men. Keturah's strong character is what makes this story flow. The reader is drawn to her supporting her and cheering her on throughout the story. A fast-paced read, and a truly enjoyable one. Set in the West Indies. The author has done a vast amount of research to make this novel so real to life, which makes it all the more enjoyable and true to the reader.
I was thrilled that the characters all leaned heavily on God in this novel. I think the lesson of this novel, or the point that is brought out, is that we too must rely on God, put our stubbornness behind us. A wonderful story of adventure, romance, and forgiveness.
. I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Lady Keturah is determined to make sure her sisters are well provided for and the three sisters head off to the West Indies, which was totally unheard of for ladies of England's society at that time.
Lady Keturah Banning Tomlinson, a widow, from an abusive marriage has sworn that she will never marry again, but her childhood friend Gray Covington is traveling to the West Indies to develop his sugar plantation that happens to border Keturah's. Will Keturah's heart ever soften again?
This was a fantastic story of a woman bound and determined to make a way for herself, as well as her sisters in a society that demanded women to be dependant on men. Keturah's strong character is what makes this story flow. The reader is drawn to her supporting her and cheering her on throughout the story. A fast-paced read, and a truly enjoyable one. Set in the West Indies. The author has done a vast amount of research to make this novel so real to life, which makes it all the more enjoyable and true to the reader.
I was thrilled that the characters all leaned heavily on God in this novel. I think the lesson of this novel, or the point that is brought out, is that we too must rely on God, put our stubbornness behind us. A wonderful story of adventure, romance, and forgiveness.
. I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
MaryAnn (14 KP) rated The Masterpiece in Books
Mar 5, 2019
In her latest novel, Francine Rivers brings us Roman Velasco a well to do artist who could have anything money can buy, except peace and contentment. Using graffiti to deal with his hurt and emotions, running from foster home to foster home as a child, Roman aka Bobby Ray Dean (the bird) is haunted by his past as a graffiti tagger.
Roman hires Grace as his personal assistant to help free up his time so he can concentrate on painting, but little does she know about Romans alter ego Bobby Ray Dean. Grace s dealing with her own secrets. Recovering from a bad marriage, Grace vows never to let a man hurt her again, but as they get to know one another the pieces begin to come together that alter the course of their lives.
Francine Rivers has done a superb job writing this novel. She has created intriguing characters that every reader can relate to. The author has run with an idea of how a childhood trauma can impact adult life; how two broken individuals can find completeness together. The author also brings out the issues of how we as persons can fall into traps and be thrown into the worldly ways, only to suffer the consequences of our actions.
She also points out that we are saved by Grace and that God loves us, and sometimes some of us have to realize there is a hell in order to hear and understand the truth.
A wonderful novel that the reader will not be able to put down. Well written and keeps the reader wanting more.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Roman hires Grace as his personal assistant to help free up his time so he can concentrate on painting, but little does she know about Romans alter ego Bobby Ray Dean. Grace s dealing with her own secrets. Recovering from a bad marriage, Grace vows never to let a man hurt her again, but as they get to know one another the pieces begin to come together that alter the course of their lives.
Francine Rivers has done a superb job writing this novel. She has created intriguing characters that every reader can relate to. The author has run with an idea of how a childhood trauma can impact adult life; how two broken individuals can find completeness together. The author also brings out the issues of how we as persons can fall into traps and be thrown into the worldly ways, only to suffer the consequences of our actions.
She also points out that we are saved by Grace and that God loves us, and sometimes some of us have to realize there is a hell in order to hear and understand the truth.
A wonderful novel that the reader will not be able to put down. Well written and keeps the reader wanting more.
I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”