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Under the Boardwalk (The Landmarks Series #1)
Under the Boardwalk (The Landmarks Series #1)
Felice Stevens | 2017 | Fiction & Poetry
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Under the Boardwalk (Landmarks #1) by Felice Stevens
Under the Boardwalk is the latest book by Felice Stevens, an author that I have long admired. It's starts with last summer, as our two main characters first lay eyes on each other and want more. The timing isn't right though, so a year goes by. Now we are at this summer.

Alexi is an American, with Russian ancestry. He works for his father at the local custard stand, and dreams of travelling the world. Cam is the busker that Alexi dreams about. He has travelled the world, and found that there was no place like home (sorry, couldn't resist!). These two finally connect, and BOOM!!! We're off.

I love Felice Stevens' way of writing. She wraps you up, and immerses you in the story. This is one of her 'sweeter' books, I would say, although there is some low-level angst in here. One thing I will always be grateful for, is the explanation given to Cam about what the difference is between ice-cream and custard. As someone who grew up in England, custard is a hot, sweet, liquid that goes on top of treacle tart, or jam roly-poly. Not in a cone! I was thankful when the explanation was given as I then understood what everyone was eating! ?

I don't think there were any editing or grammatical errors, but if there were, I missed them as I was so engrossed with the story. I love the epilogue, and love these two together. I am seriously hoping for more in this series, and also hope that we get to see a cameo from these two, just so I can find out if they're still okay.

Absolutely recommended by me, just be warned that you may lose time when you start reading this book!

* 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!
  
Conor Grennan is an American traveling the world for one year. One of his planned stops on his journey is at Little Princes orphanage in Nepal. After this 3 months stay at the orphanage, he promises the children that he would return in one years time. Hardly did volunteers return to the orphanage, after they left. Conor was abe to keep his promise and after his return he set out on a true journey...to find the families of the children at Little Princes and other orphanages in the area. He set up a foundation in order to fund this necessary endeavor. Many of the children had been taken from their homes by child traffickers with the promise to provide a better life for the children Many of these parents had no idea where their children were and just as many children thought their parents were dead. Conor ended up staying in Nepal for the next three years helping reconnect Nepal's lost children with their families.

Many times when we do volunteer work whether it is within our own country or abroad, we go into it thinking how much good we are going to do for someone else. What really is the case is that the volunteer is the one who ends up benefiting the most. Hearts and minds are forever changed. We implore our friends and family to help with the cause we are involved in and pray that we are making a difference. I have never met anyone who has not had their lives impacted by volunteer work.

Conor is no exception. He has made friends with these children, learned something new about a different culture and has taught us all something new with this book. Little Princes, has touched my heart and I'm eager to know how the children of Nepal are doing now after all of the help that Conor has brought to the region. You can find out more about Conor's work visit http://www.nextgenerationnepal.org/
  
40x40

Rachel King (13 KP) rated Mockingjay in Books

Feb 11, 2019  
Mockingjay
Mockingjay
Suzanne Collins | 2012 | Young Adult (YA)
10
8.1 (174 Ratings)
Book Rating
This novel deeply impacted me. I had to let the review sit for awhile before I could coalesce my thoughts on it because I kept replaying the many aspects of the series over and over in my head, wondering if the series could really have ended any differently. I suppose if some of the key characters had made different decisions, there would have been some difference, but keeping everything else the same, Katniss really could not have responded differently. I felt that this book was much more realistic regarding the behavior of a 17-year-old in her circumstances than many other books I have read of the Young Adult genre.
I felt that the second and third books revolved largely around what it would take to break Katniss. The reader can guess the answer quite easily, but Katniss is haunted by not being certain of this answer. She is only a young adult after all, not even experiencing all of the atrocities that the Capital visited on the other Hunger Games victors before her. She is naive in many ways, though her inner strength and determination to survive are great personal motivators.
There is maybe one part of the book that I really wish would have happened differently, and that is what happens to Finnick, especially given his reunion with Annie. I could not understand how it was so necessary to the continuance of the main plot, and I felt sad for Annie.
I don't want to give away the ending for Katniss's personal story, but in the grand scheme of things, even this was necessary for Katniss's personal survival, as well as the betterment of the remaining districts of Panem. While that statement is appropriately confusing, the way I described the ending to my husband, who still needs to read the second and third books, is the ending was bittersweet - heavy on the bitter and light on the sweet.
  
UB
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
When the past holds the future captive, there is only ONE chain breaker… Tori Bishop has carved out a safe circle of friends who know nothing of her privileged status. But when she’s roped into attending a glitzy fundraiser, she brings along strong and steadfast Derek for support. As long as her secret stays safe, she never has to question his motives. Derek Miller wants his life to count for something, to make a difference—especially in the life of Tori Bishop, the spunky smart-mouth who loves razzing him. But if his prison record comes to light, she’s sure to take off running. When Tori and Derek get involved in building a local women’s shelter, the extra time together stirs more than an ember of attraction. Haunted by the fear of exposure, each must wrestle with the chains of their pasts to experience freedom, love, and the full depths of God’s grace.



My Thoughts: This is another book I truly enjoyed. The reader can identify with the characters in the book. A wonderful book on breaking down walls, letting go of our fears, taking chances and of course grace.



A Story of two people trying to escape their position in life, one a privileged one and the other a life of poverty.



I love how author Michelle Massaro develops the story-line that shows us no matter what has happened in our lives, our past is our past, God loves us and we can be used by Him.

There is one line in the book that still sits with me " I can see Jesus in his eyes". This is what Tori says about Derek This is what I want people to see in me.



It's also a reminder that once we accept Christ, we all have a new beginning.



This book was a wonderful read, that was hard to put down. I look forward to reading more from Michelle Massaro.
  
The Ever After
The Ever After
8
8.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
What would you do if you found out your husband had an affair? Would you try to end the marriage, or work it out? What if sex was not a part of the affair, would that make a difference? These are the questions that Josie has after she finds out that her husband, Frank, has been having an affair for the past seven weeks. Should she stay or go? He's so great with the kids, but what about her? This book takes you on Josie's journey from her discovery of the affair, to her final decision on whether to stay with her husband or get a divorce.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.


I'm not sure what I would do if infidelity was a question in my marriage. I think, we can all say what we would do, but until we are faced with that situation, I don't think we fully understand how we would feel. Love is a tricky thing and when you find it with someone, it can be devastating when they break that love apart.

When Josie finds out about Frank's affair, her world is turned upside down. She has to find out the answer to all of her questions. She doesn't know if she will ever be able to trust Frank again or how she is going to live without him, as well. This is the man who is the father of her children and the man she has shared a bed with for so many years. But how could he betray her like this? They both decide to go to counseling. But Josie has conditions that Frank must agree to before she will even entertain the fact of sharing just her time with him. Will he agree or will they just end up going their separate ways.

This book is good for any married woman to read and may help you if this is a situation that you may be going through in your life.