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BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Irish Meadows (Courage to Dream, #1) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
Romance, drama and faith can be found on every page of Irish Meadows. Delve into the pages of this book and get lost on Long Island, 1911.
In order to save his farm from complete ruin, James O'Leary pressures his family to do what they have to do in order to save their home. His daughters, Brianna and Coleen, have very different plans for their future however. Brianna wishes to further her education by attending college. And Coleen is content to marry, as long as the man in questions meets her standards. Gilbert Whelan, who has practically been adopted by the O'Learys, returns and Brianna begins to question her outlook on her future. While Rylan Montgomery, a distant cousin attending seminary, sends Coleen's heart on a wild ride. Will they live the life that James has dictated for them? Or will they have the courage to dream?
Irish Meadows had me riding an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. This book is packed with dramatic events that left me frustrated, yet I kept turning the page in hopes that everything would work out for the best. I am going to need a couple of days for my emotions to settle down. While reading this book, I was reminded of how crucial it is to keep in mind the effects our actions have on others. Are we acting with other people's best interest in mind? Or are we only concerned with furthering our own ambitions and goals? And most importantly, are we keeping God at the center of our decisions? I really enjoyed Susan's first historical novel. And I am looking forward to the second book A Worthy Heart coming 2016.
I received a free copy of Irish Meadows from Susan Anne Mason and Bethany House Publishers for promotional purposes. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
In order to save his farm from complete ruin, James O'Leary pressures his family to do what they have to do in order to save their home. His daughters, Brianna and Coleen, have very different plans for their future however. Brianna wishes to further her education by attending college. And Coleen is content to marry, as long as the man in questions meets her standards. Gilbert Whelan, who has practically been adopted by the O'Learys, returns and Brianna begins to question her outlook on her future. While Rylan Montgomery, a distant cousin attending seminary, sends Coleen's heart on a wild ride. Will they live the life that James has dictated for them? Or will they have the courage to dream?
Irish Meadows had me riding an emotional roller coaster from beginning to end. This book is packed with dramatic events that left me frustrated, yet I kept turning the page in hopes that everything would work out for the best. I am going to need a couple of days for my emotions to settle down. While reading this book, I was reminded of how crucial it is to keep in mind the effects our actions have on others. Are we acting with other people's best interest in mind? Or are we only concerned with furthering our own ambitions and goals? And most importantly, are we keeping God at the center of our decisions? I really enjoyed Susan's first historical novel. And I am looking forward to the second book A Worthy Heart coming 2016.
I received a free copy of Irish Meadows from Susan Anne Mason and Bethany House Publishers for promotional purposes. I was not required to post a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
Hazel (1853 KP) rated The Last Leaves Falling in Books
Dec 14, 2018
This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
The Last Leaves Falling is an emotional read by the author Sarah Benwell. Set in modern day Japan, Abe Sora, a 17 year old boy is trying to come to terms with his diagnosis: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ASL). Although Sora is aware that he will die soon he is ashamed of his deteriorating muscles and his inability to walk and function like other boys his age. In order to attempt to have a "normal" life he signs up to KyoToTeenz forum where he hides behind the username SamuraiMan. He never lets on to his new friends about his disability but they soon find out when they meet in person.
Despite his initial predictions, Mai and Kaito want to stick by Sora and remain his friends. The three of them spend as much time together as possible making Sora's life more bearable while his body rapidly deteriorates.
It is very sad to read about Sora's life knowing that he will never grow up to be the person he always wanted to be. Even though there will never be a happy ending to his predicament, Sora encourages his friends, particularly Mai, to fight for who they want to be rather than giving into the the pressures of parents and school.
Knowing that Sora is going to die makes the ending slightly predictable however it is still heartbreaking. It makes the reader wonder what happens to the other characters: Mai, Kaito and Sora's mother; after the final pages.
This is a brilliant book for young adult readers. As well as dealing with difficult themes such as death, Benwell emphasises the importance of wishes and dreams. Due to certain aspects of the story (death and suicide) this book is unsuitable for the more vulnerable reader. Overall The Last Leaves Falling is an excellent work of fiction.
The Last Leaves Falling is an emotional read by the author Sarah Benwell. Set in modern day Japan, Abe Sora, a 17 year old boy is trying to come to terms with his diagnosis: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ASL). Although Sora is aware that he will die soon he is ashamed of his deteriorating muscles and his inability to walk and function like other boys his age. In order to attempt to have a "normal" life he signs up to KyoToTeenz forum where he hides behind the username SamuraiMan. He never lets on to his new friends about his disability but they soon find out when they meet in person.
Despite his initial predictions, Mai and Kaito want to stick by Sora and remain his friends. The three of them spend as much time together as possible making Sora's life more bearable while his body rapidly deteriorates.
It is very sad to read about Sora's life knowing that he will never grow up to be the person he always wanted to be. Even though there will never be a happy ending to his predicament, Sora encourages his friends, particularly Mai, to fight for who they want to be rather than giving into the the pressures of parents and school.
Knowing that Sora is going to die makes the ending slightly predictable however it is still heartbreaking. It makes the reader wonder what happens to the other characters: Mai, Kaito and Sora's mother; after the final pages.
This is a brilliant book for young adult readers. As well as dealing with difficult themes such as death, Benwell emphasises the importance of wishes and dreams. Due to certain aspects of the story (death and suicide) this book is unsuitable for the more vulnerable reader. Overall The Last Leaves Falling is an excellent work of fiction.
Merissa (13597 KP) rated Ghost Moon (The Wolfborne Saga #4) in Books
Jan 20, 2020
Ghost Moon is the fourth book in The Wolfborne Saga and we continue with Zev's story. Isley doesn't feature in this one so I'm guessing she isn't 'the one' for Zev (for now, at least). Instead, we have Zev and the usual crew trying to clear up after the earthquake and also find reason to keep going. Virgo is especially hard hit after the events at the end of the prior book.
Now, I know I said I thought Dark Coven was the best so far, and it was... until this one. This one has just ticked all of my boxes, making me devour the whole book in one sitting.
There are many emotions in this book, some good, and some bad. I certainly feel for Zev, and for Ceren, but in different ways. I thought my heart would break with Virgo but then he had to act like a tool at the end. I know I will still like him for it in the next book, but I struggled to understand just HOW he could do that to Zev. Zev isn't Virgo's pet, to do as he wishes, and Zev's agreement was never sought. I found this to be very disappointing and so am hopeful Virgo will redeem himself soon.
As for the rest of it, you still have an amazing supporting cast, and now the werewolves aren't as many, you can see the different temperaments coming through. The pacing remains smooth and the story keeps you turning the pages.
This is definitely my favourite of the series so far but I also highly recommend reading them in order as it just won't make any sense if you don't.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Now, I know I said I thought Dark Coven was the best so far, and it was... until this one. This one has just ticked all of my boxes, making me devour the whole book in one sitting.
There are many emotions in this book, some good, and some bad. I certainly feel for Zev, and for Ceren, but in different ways. I thought my heart would break with Virgo but then he had to act like a tool at the end. I know I will still like him for it in the next book, but I struggled to understand just HOW he could do that to Zev. Zev isn't Virgo's pet, to do as he wishes, and Zev's agreement was never sought. I found this to be very disappointing and so am hopeful Virgo will redeem himself soon.
As for the rest of it, you still have an amazing supporting cast, and now the werewolves aren't as many, you can see the different temperaments coming through. The pacing remains smooth and the story keeps you turning the pages.
This is definitely my favourite of the series so far but I also highly recommend reading them in order as it just won't make any sense if you don't.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
ClareR (6054 KP) rated One Year of Ugly in Books
Apr 3, 2020
A different look at refugees.
I didn’t expect to like this book as much as I did, and I really didn’t expect to laugh as much. It’s not a particularly funny subject, when you consider that it’s about Venezuelan refugees in Trinidad. Honestly, I didn’t know that there WERE Venezuelan refugees in Trinidad. The whole Palacio family have fled Venezuela and it’s corrupt regime, and have started a new life in Trinidad as refugees. The work they do is under the radar of the authorities. When their matriarch, Aunt Celia, suddenly dies, a rather flamboyant character, Ugly, turns up and demands his money. This is the point where they find out that they’re actually illegal refugees, and that Aunt Celia hadn’t actually secured them any legitimate, legal rights to be there. So they’re now at the mercy of Ugly. He demands that they work off the debts that Celia incurred, by taking in fellow refugees as they pass through to nw lives in Trinidad. He leaves them under no misapprehension that if they don’t comply to his wishes, violence will follow.
There is a real dark humour throughout this book. Parts are genuinely funny, but there are other parts, mainly those involving Ugly, which are really menacing. This isn’t a fluffy ‘everything works out for the best’ type of story, and I think it’s really good that Mackenzie is highlighting something that a lot of us know nothing about. It seems universal that no matter where a refugee comes from, that their lives are constantly in danger and that they are preyed upon by the unscrupulous. I’ve read a couple of books about refugees that broke my heart, and while I did feel sympathy for the characters in this book, I appreciated the humour - after all, some people do deal with trauma with humour.
I was really pleasantly surprised by this book, and yes, I would recommend it. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author will write about next.
There is a real dark humour throughout this book. Parts are genuinely funny, but there are other parts, mainly those involving Ugly, which are really menacing. This isn’t a fluffy ‘everything works out for the best’ type of story, and I think it’s really good that Mackenzie is highlighting something that a lot of us know nothing about. It seems universal that no matter where a refugee comes from, that their lives are constantly in danger and that they are preyed upon by the unscrupulous. I’ve read a couple of books about refugees that broke my heart, and while I did feel sympathy for the characters in this book, I appreciated the humour - after all, some people do deal with trauma with humour.
I was really pleasantly surprised by this book, and yes, I would recommend it. I’m looking forward to seeing what the author will write about next.
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