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Molly J (Cover To Cover Cafe) (106 KP) rated A Hope Undaunted (Winds of Change, #1) in Books
Feb 27, 2019
*This review is from my blog and originally published in 2010*
Okay. Let me start this review with SHAME ON ME! Why? Because, sweet saints, I haven’t ever read a Julie Lessman novel until this one and I most definitely should have been reading her books already! She is absolutely FANTABULOUS! The power that Julie has over her readers when they open the first page is mind-blowingly INCREDIBLE!
In A Hope Undaunted, Julie combines tenderness and passion with wit and God’s love, to create a romance story set in the 1920’s that will carry you away and leave you utterly breathless. Katie O’Connor was such an amazing young woman….thinking she had her life all planned out for herself. That is until she encounters a very handsome “soda jerk” by the name of Luke. Luke “Cluny” McGee, the boy she hated as a child, has been chiseled into a stunningly remarkable character. (Julie, can you send him my way, please?!) So, that leaves Katie with a choice….to follow HER hopes and choices, or God’s hopes and choices for her life. A beautifully created plot line!
For years, I’ve collected The Queen of Christian Fiction, Karen Kingsbury’s books, including true crime novels she wrote prior to her Christian work, and the ones that are under her pen name, but after reading this breathtaking, passionate story of a hope undaunted and a love that’s pure, Julie Lessman has earned a spot on my favorite authors list at the very top, pushing Karen Kingsbury down one. It takes an absolutely fantastic author to do that because I’ve held Karen Kingsbury at the top of my list for years! I’m still in awe and savoring this unforgettable story and it’s characters!
So, what you waiting for?! Don’t be a ninny like myself , who waited TOO long to read her work. GO GET A COPY OF A HOPE UNDAUNTED RIGHT NOW! You will instantly fall in love with the people in this book as they crawl in and take over your heart. Worthy of 1,005 stars, this 5 star book is a MUST read for everyone! Thank you, Julie, for creating a story full of passion, history and a breathtaking plot….it’s what I was needing and looking for! Now, I anxiously await the release of book 2, A Heart Revealed, in the Winds of Change series!
Okay. Let me start this review with SHAME ON ME! Why? Because, sweet saints, I haven’t ever read a Julie Lessman novel until this one and I most definitely should have been reading her books already! She is absolutely FANTABULOUS! The power that Julie has over her readers when they open the first page is mind-blowingly INCREDIBLE!
In A Hope Undaunted, Julie combines tenderness and passion with wit and God’s love, to create a romance story set in the 1920’s that will carry you away and leave you utterly breathless. Katie O’Connor was such an amazing young woman….thinking she had her life all planned out for herself. That is until she encounters a very handsome “soda jerk” by the name of Luke. Luke “Cluny” McGee, the boy she hated as a child, has been chiseled into a stunningly remarkable character. (Julie, can you send him my way, please?!) So, that leaves Katie with a choice….to follow HER hopes and choices, or God’s hopes and choices for her life. A beautifully created plot line!
For years, I’ve collected The Queen of Christian Fiction, Karen Kingsbury’s books, including true crime novels she wrote prior to her Christian work, and the ones that are under her pen name, but after reading this breathtaking, passionate story of a hope undaunted and a love that’s pure, Julie Lessman has earned a spot on my favorite authors list at the very top, pushing Karen Kingsbury down one. It takes an absolutely fantastic author to do that because I’ve held Karen Kingsbury at the top of my list for years! I’m still in awe and savoring this unforgettable story and it’s characters!
So, what you waiting for?! Don’t be a ninny like myself , who waited TOO long to read her work. GO GET A COPY OF A HOPE UNDAUNTED RIGHT NOW! You will instantly fall in love with the people in this book as they crawl in and take over your heart. Worthy of 1,005 stars, this 5 star book is a MUST read for everyone! Thank you, Julie, for creating a story full of passion, history and a breathtaking plot….it’s what I was needing and looking for! Now, I anxiously await the release of book 2, A Heart Revealed, in the Winds of Change series!
Kristy H (1252 KP) rated The Other Woman in Books
Mar 12, 2019
Disappointed me (but many others loved it!)
Emily thinks she's finally met the perfect man when she runs into Adam at a bar. They quickly begin dating and all seems great, until Emily goes to meet Adam's mother, Pammie. Upon meeting Pammie, Emily realizes that the woman not only seemingly despises her, she will do just about anything to keep Emily and Adam apart. As Emily and Adam get closer, Pammie seems more and more determined to break the two up. Even worse, Adam seems oblivious to his beloved mother's schemes. Emily loves Adam, but she is powerless against Pammie's path of destruction.
I was so excited to read this one, as I had heard so many good things about it, but I wound up being really disappointed. This novel just wasn't for me. For a good portion of it, I felt like I was reading a similar-themed (better) book (Michelle Frances' The Girlfriend), and I couldn't shake that feeling of familiarity.
But, the worst part for me was Emily. I just found her to be so incredibly annoying and whiny. Most of the situations that involved her and Pammie seemed contrived and overblown, and I lost my patience over and over while reading these dramatic and ridiculous scenes. If I were Emily, I would have just walked away. It was all so stupid. I could have had so much sympathy for her if she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, but no. She was wimpy and self-centered and ugh. I would have stopped reading, but everyone had promised such a great twist.
So yeah. Twist?! There were no twists here that surprised me. I guessed the "big surprise" part of the book early on, though I still found a bit of the ending somewhat enjoyable. Still, it was not enough to make up for the rest of the book frustrating me so.
So, overall, irritating main character and no crazy, enjoyable twists--definitely not my favorite. Still, tons and tons of people *loved* this one, so it might be a good fit for you. It just didn't work for me.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
I was so excited to read this one, as I had heard so many good things about it, but I wound up being really disappointed. This novel just wasn't for me. For a good portion of it, I felt like I was reading a similar-themed (better) book (Michelle Frances' The Girlfriend), and I couldn't shake that feeling of familiarity.
But, the worst part for me was Emily. I just found her to be so incredibly annoying and whiny. Most of the situations that involved her and Pammie seemed contrived and overblown, and I lost my patience over and over while reading these dramatic and ridiculous scenes. If I were Emily, I would have just walked away. It was all so stupid. I could have had so much sympathy for her if she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, but no. She was wimpy and self-centered and ugh. I would have stopped reading, but everyone had promised such a great twist.
So yeah. Twist?! There were no twists here that surprised me. I guessed the "big surprise" part of the book early on, though I still found a bit of the ending somewhat enjoyable. Still, it was not enough to make up for the rest of the book frustrating me so.
So, overall, irritating main character and no crazy, enjoyable twists--definitely not my favorite. Still, tons and tons of people *loved* this one, so it might be a good fit for you. It just didn't work for me.
I received a copy of this novel from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an unbiased review (thank you!).
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The One (The Selection, #3) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
I haven't been this obsessed with a book series since The Hunger Games <3
As the Selection comes to a close, who will be the next princess of Illéa?
**Please be aware of possible spoilers if you have not read The Selection and The Elite**
With rebel attacks at their peak, is anyone safe anymore? Unexpected alliances may be the only hope left for Illéa. Where will Prince Maxon's heart lead him in the end of the Selection?
"The best people all have some kind of scar" - The One
I admit, I did NOT expect to become so obsessed with this series! But once I started, I simply could not put it down. Mercifully, I did not read these until now. Because now I only need to wait a little more than a month for the last book to come out. I have been sick the last few days, and therefore have had ample time to read. The only plus to having a cold. But thanks to my essential oils and books...I feel much better and have been quite entertained! Being that this is the third book in the series I don't want to give away too many spoilers. But let me just say that Kiera Cass did a wonderful job of bringing America's Selection to a close. There are still a few surprises along the way (especially if you DON'T read The Favorite first) and a few of the other characters found a special place in my heart that I previously despised. America's journey from being a poor artist's daughter to a confident, strong, influential woman is inspiring, to say the least. There are many times that she is criticized for speaking the truth and being herself, but she never loses who she is. Instead she uses these experiences to fine tune her character and comes to the realization of what truly matters in life. Although, there were many times that she drove me crazy because she couldn't make up her mind. In the end she always makes the right choice (in my opinion). And even we say it a lot, there is nothing more important than to truly be yourself.
Overall I would not recommend this to young teens. There is a lot of passion and kissing in this series. Parents please use your discretion for this series.
As the Selection comes to a close, who will be the next princess of Illéa?
**Please be aware of possible spoilers if you have not read The Selection and The Elite**
With rebel attacks at their peak, is anyone safe anymore? Unexpected alliances may be the only hope left for Illéa. Where will Prince Maxon's heart lead him in the end of the Selection?
"The best people all have some kind of scar" - The One
I admit, I did NOT expect to become so obsessed with this series! But once I started, I simply could not put it down. Mercifully, I did not read these until now. Because now I only need to wait a little more than a month for the last book to come out. I have been sick the last few days, and therefore have had ample time to read. The only plus to having a cold. But thanks to my essential oils and books...I feel much better and have been quite entertained! Being that this is the third book in the series I don't want to give away too many spoilers. But let me just say that Kiera Cass did a wonderful job of bringing America's Selection to a close. There are still a few surprises along the way (especially if you DON'T read The Favorite first) and a few of the other characters found a special place in my heart that I previously despised. America's journey from being a poor artist's daughter to a confident, strong, influential woman is inspiring, to say the least. There are many times that she is criticized for speaking the truth and being herself, but she never loses who she is. Instead she uses these experiences to fine tune her character and comes to the realization of what truly matters in life. Although, there were many times that she drove me crazy because she couldn't make up her mind. In the end she always makes the right choice (in my opinion). And even we say it a lot, there is nothing more important than to truly be yourself.
Overall I would not recommend this to young teens. There is a lot of passion and kissing in this series. Parents please use your discretion for this series.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Indian Family Kitchen: Classic Dishes for a New Generation in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Whether you are a lover of Indian Cuisine or unfamiliar with it's exquisite flavors, this book will have you craving these foods in no time!
I was first introduced to Indian cuisine while living in South Africa. I can see you scratching your head in confusion. South Africa's cuisine has a very large Indian influence. My roommate cooked with curry ALL the time! She would say "That is enough curry." And would then proceed to pour the rest of the packet into the pot. I couldn't be more grateful to her though (even if I was crying through my meal because of the heat)! Because out of that, a deep love for Indian cuisine was born. Curry is my number one comfort food. I got my husband hooked on it as well, and let me tell you, he makes AMAZING curry! A few years ago, we had the great honor of meeting a Pastor who grew up in India. And he gave us hands on cooking lessons in REAL Indian cuisine! So when I saw The Indian Family Kitchen, I knew I had to have it!
I love the design and format of this cook book. Very pleasing to the eye and the pictures are purely tantalizing! In the "Introduction" Anjali shares her heart about her family and her love for cooking. It was very touching! Anjali intros each of the recipes and the directions are easy to follow. On quite a few of the recipes you will find "My Secret" stamp, Anjali divulges her key to making the dish to perfection.Throughout the book you will find a few of her favorite recipes that are, not exactly Indian, but tasty nonetheless! There are also a number of pages with pictures of her family, and this adds a very personal touch. Along with starters, main courses and BBQ Indian Summer chapters, you will find sides, desserts and cocktails. Anjali is not afraid to give away her tips and tricks in the kitchen. Scattered throughout you will find her Pantry must-haves, Magical chiles, Kitchen shortcuts, Wine & spice, and more! Overall I am extremely impressed with this cookbook! This one will be on my counter and used often. Now excuse me while I go and bask in the deliciousness of Indian cuisine!
I was first introduced to Indian cuisine while living in South Africa. I can see you scratching your head in confusion. South Africa's cuisine has a very large Indian influence. My roommate cooked with curry ALL the time! She would say "That is enough curry." And would then proceed to pour the rest of the packet into the pot. I couldn't be more grateful to her though (even if I was crying through my meal because of the heat)! Because out of that, a deep love for Indian cuisine was born. Curry is my number one comfort food. I got my husband hooked on it as well, and let me tell you, he makes AMAZING curry! A few years ago, we had the great honor of meeting a Pastor who grew up in India. And he gave us hands on cooking lessons in REAL Indian cuisine! So when I saw The Indian Family Kitchen, I knew I had to have it!
I love the design and format of this cook book. Very pleasing to the eye and the pictures are purely tantalizing! In the "Introduction" Anjali shares her heart about her family and her love for cooking. It was very touching! Anjali intros each of the recipes and the directions are easy to follow. On quite a few of the recipes you will find "My Secret" stamp, Anjali divulges her key to making the dish to perfection.Throughout the book you will find a few of her favorite recipes that are, not exactly Indian, but tasty nonetheless! There are also a number of pages with pictures of her family, and this adds a very personal touch. Along with starters, main courses and BBQ Indian Summer chapters, you will find sides, desserts and cocktails. Anjali is not afraid to give away her tips and tricks in the kitchen. Scattered throughout you will find her Pantry must-haves, Magical chiles, Kitchen shortcuts, Wine & spice, and more! Overall I am extremely impressed with this cookbook! This one will be on my counter and used often. Now excuse me while I go and bask in the deliciousness of Indian cuisine!
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated The Painter's Daughter in Books
Jan 2, 2019
When Sophie is betrayed by the man she loves, she is forced to choose between living a respectable life and living for love. Will she be able to find love and acceptance on the path she has chosen?
Sophie Dupont is not only the daughter of a painter, but an accomplished artist herself. Although, she does not see the value in her work. When Wesley Overtree sweeps in and captures Sophie's love, she is sure he will marry her. But when he leaves her in a dire predicament, she has no one to turn to. Captain Stephen Overtree has become accustomed to picking up the pieces after his brother, but will he be able to rescue Sophie? With Wesley gone, and no promise of return or marriage, Sophie accepts Captain Overtree's proposal of marriage, in name only. Although her heart longs for his brother, she is grateful for the opportunity to save her reputation and give her child a fresh start in life. Will a marriage that is based on convenience ever have a chance at true love? Or will fate intervene and prevent the chance for love to bloom at all?
I have to be completely honest, it took me quite awhile to get into this book. All of the other books that I have read by Julie Klassen have sucked me right in and I devoured them like candy. But once I got about half way through The Painter's Daughter I was really beginning to enjoy it! There is a lot (and I mean A LOT) of tension throughout the story. Sophie being married to one Overtree, but in love with another for example. I found myself holding my breath through more than one scene. There are many supporting characters that I found to be quite entertaining and endearing. The message of sin, repentance and redemption is very clear within the pages of this book. It is a good reminder to live life to the fullest, but to be careful of the path we choose. We will have to live with the consequences, whatever the choices we choose. Overall this was a very good book, not my favorite by Julie Klassen (that would be The Secret of Pembrooke Park), but still an excellent story.
I received a free digital copy of The Painter's Daughter from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Sophie Dupont is not only the daughter of a painter, but an accomplished artist herself. Although, she does not see the value in her work. When Wesley Overtree sweeps in and captures Sophie's love, she is sure he will marry her. But when he leaves her in a dire predicament, she has no one to turn to. Captain Stephen Overtree has become accustomed to picking up the pieces after his brother, but will he be able to rescue Sophie? With Wesley gone, and no promise of return or marriage, Sophie accepts Captain Overtree's proposal of marriage, in name only. Although her heart longs for his brother, she is grateful for the opportunity to save her reputation and give her child a fresh start in life. Will a marriage that is based on convenience ever have a chance at true love? Or will fate intervene and prevent the chance for love to bloom at all?
I have to be completely honest, it took me quite awhile to get into this book. All of the other books that I have read by Julie Klassen have sucked me right in and I devoured them like candy. But once I got about half way through The Painter's Daughter I was really beginning to enjoy it! There is a lot (and I mean A LOT) of tension throughout the story. Sophie being married to one Overtree, but in love with another for example. I found myself holding my breath through more than one scene. There are many supporting characters that I found to be quite entertaining and endearing. The message of sin, repentance and redemption is very clear within the pages of this book. It is a good reminder to live life to the fullest, but to be careful of the path we choose. We will have to live with the consequences, whatever the choices we choose. Overall this was a very good book, not my favorite by Julie Klassen (that would be The Secret of Pembrooke Park), but still an excellent story.
I received a free digital copy of The Painter's Daughter from Bethany House Publishers through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated The First Lady in Books
Aug 8, 2019
It's four weeks until the election for the new President. Current President Tucker is enjoying himself at a hotel in Atlanta with his girlfriend, while his wife and first lady, Grace Tucker, is fulfilling the duties of her office. When the President leave the hotel with his mistress, all hell breaks loose. There are reporters everywhere, there to catch the scandal. It's all just too much for the First Lady to handle, so she retreats to one of her favorite places and then, she turns up missing. Sally Grissom is the Secret Service Agent in charge of the presidential detail and doesn't know how the First Lady going missing isn't something she is told. Until she is called into the President's office and is asked to look for her secretively. What is going on? Something isn't right. And Sally has her eye on the President's Chief of Staff and his strange request. But Sally doesn't work for him, she serves the Office of the President and she will find the First Lady, no matter what.
This is a book I really enjoyed. It captured my attention from the start and had some twists and turns, I didn't see coming. There was only one drawback from this audio version of the book, the narrator. She did a fine job of reading the story and the voices, but her pronunciation drove me crazy. If you're not from the Washington, DC area, you might not notice, but it is so obvious. Pronouncing Maryland like Merry-Land. Potomac like Pot A Mack, and Arapaho like Air a pay ho. I cringed every time.
Imagine in this day and time with smart phones everywhere if the First Lady went missing. It would be all over the news. Why doesn't the Chief of Staff want to share this with the world, to help find her? Why isn't the FBI involved? Something is going on in the White House and Sally doesn't know if the President is aware at all. Or is his mistress and the election much more important to him than finding his wife.
Sally is going to do all she can to do her job even when she is asked to stand down. Even when it seems like there is always an obstacle there to stop her. Will she find the First Lady before it's too late? You'll have to read the book to find out.
This is a book I really enjoyed. It captured my attention from the start and had some twists and turns, I didn't see coming. There was only one drawback from this audio version of the book, the narrator. She did a fine job of reading the story and the voices, but her pronunciation drove me crazy. If you're not from the Washington, DC area, you might not notice, but it is so obvious. Pronouncing Maryland like Merry-Land. Potomac like Pot A Mack, and Arapaho like Air a pay ho. I cringed every time.
Imagine in this day and time with smart phones everywhere if the First Lady went missing. It would be all over the news. Why doesn't the Chief of Staff want to share this with the world, to help find her? Why isn't the FBI involved? Something is going on in the White House and Sally doesn't know if the President is aware at all. Or is his mistress and the election much more important to him than finding his wife.
Sally is going to do all she can to do her job even when she is asked to stand down. Even when it seems like there is always an obstacle there to stop her. Will she find the First Lady before it's too late? You'll have to read the book to find out.
The Art of the Burger: More Than 50 Recipes to Elevate America's Favorite Meal to Perfection
Book
The essential book to have on hand before you fire up the grill this summer. In any city around the...
Becs (244 KP) rated Ready Player One in Books
Oct 2, 2019
Genre: Sci-Fi, Fiction, Dystopia, Fantasy
Audience: Young Adult
Reading level: High School +
Interests: science fiction, fantasy, video games, 80’s
Style: Sci-Fi
Point of view: First person.
Difficulty reading: It started off great and I flew through the first half of the book. It’s towards the 55%-75% mark that was a bore for me. But the ending was great!
Promise: Dystopian Sci-Fi video game world
Quality: Minus the 20% that was pretty darn boring and long, the book as a whole was a great read.
Insights: I’m not a huge gaming geek, so without Cline explaining half the time what these gaming terms are, I’d be as lost as a pig in a supermarket. For that, I thank him. It was nice seeing a Dystopian world set in the future that was still in our lifetime. I have never read anything like that – cool to see how Cline wrote it.
Ah-Ha Moment: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Okay, I knew Aech was hiding something. But I could not figure out what it was for the life of me. But when Aech and Parzival first met, in real life, face to face, I WAS NOT EXPECTING him to actually be a ‘her’.
This was me:
Favorite Quotes: “Going outside is highly overrated.” – Yea, I feel ya too. I just want to stay in and read all day every day. Who needs a job, who needs to eat, all we need are books. Am I right?
“You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever.” – I mean, you’re not wrong.
“One person can keep a secret, but not two.” – Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.
Aesthetics: The whole book is an 80’s aesthetic that I love. Plus, it gives a brief inside scoop on the whole “if we don’t care for the planet now, there will be nothing in the future” debate. Which is true, we should care for the planet more than what we do now. I mean we only live on Earth just as much as everybody else. The copy of Ready Player One that I have, is a 2015 Special Edition copy – I love the cover on it.
“People are more than just the way they look.”
Audience: Young Adult
Reading level: High School +
Interests: science fiction, fantasy, video games, 80’s
Style: Sci-Fi
Point of view: First person.
Difficulty reading: It started off great and I flew through the first half of the book. It’s towards the 55%-75% mark that was a bore for me. But the ending was great!
Promise: Dystopian Sci-Fi video game world
Quality: Minus the 20% that was pretty darn boring and long, the book as a whole was a great read.
Insights: I’m not a huge gaming geek, so without Cline explaining half the time what these gaming terms are, I’d be as lost as a pig in a supermarket. For that, I thank him. It was nice seeing a Dystopian world set in the future that was still in our lifetime. I have never read anything like that – cool to see how Cline wrote it.
Ah-Ha Moment: SPOILERS AHEAD!
Okay, I knew Aech was hiding something. But I could not figure out what it was for the life of me. But when Aech and Parzival first met, in real life, face to face, I WAS NOT EXPECTING him to actually be a ‘her’.
This was me:
Favorite Quotes: “Going outside is highly overrated.” – Yea, I feel ya too. I just want to stay in and read all day every day. Who needs a job, who needs to eat, all we need are books. Am I right?
“You’d be amazed how much research you can get done when you have no life whatsoever.” – I mean, you’re not wrong.
“One person can keep a secret, but not two.” – Secrets, secrets are no fun. Secrets, secrets hurt someone.
Aesthetics: The whole book is an 80’s aesthetic that I love. Plus, it gives a brief inside scoop on the whole “if we don’t care for the planet now, there will be nothing in the future” debate. Which is true, we should care for the planet more than what we do now. I mean we only live on Earth just as much as everybody else. The copy of Ready Player One that I have, is a 2015 Special Edition copy – I love the cover on it.
“People are more than just the way they look.”
Day One Journal
Lifestyle and Productivity
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Capture life as you live it. From once-in-a-lifetime events to everyday moments, Day One’s elegant...