Summary from Goodreads:
A mesmerizing, moving, and elegantly written debut novel, The Language of Flowers beautifully weaves past and present, creating a vivid portrait of an unforgettable woman whose gift for flowers helps her change the lives of others even as she struggles to overcome her own troubled past.
The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating grief, mistrust, and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings.
Now eighteen and emancipated from the system, Victoria has nowhere to go and sleeps in a public park, where she plants a small garden of her own. Soon a local florist discovers her talents, and Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But a mysterious vendor at the flower market has her questioning what’s been missing in her life, and when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.
Read December 2012
Library Book
4.5 Stars
My review:
Several weeks ago, Shannon Hale did a blog post about her favorite reads in 2012. She asked for comments about which books were our favorite reads. As I looked over people's comments, I saw the name of this book, The Language of Flowers. I checked Goodreads for the rating from other readers as well as a summary. It looked interesting, but not a top choice for me to read, I wasn't running to the library to get a copy. I didn't think another thing about it until a few days ago when I was at the library (my number 1 stop for books). On the first display they have their "Here and Now" books (basically I think they are books that are popular, but frankly I'm not sure). The librarian was adding some books to it. My eyes were immediately drawn to The Language of Flowers which she had just put on the shelf. I picked it up, not even remembering exactly what it was about.
This book was an emotional roller coaster for me. I usually choose books to read that help me escape reality. If you look at my list of books, there are a lot of historical romance and re-telling of fairy tales. That is because they are not what life is like now and can take me to another place. This book did not take me to another place, it was very real.
The main character, Victoria, is a child who was abandoned when only a few weeks old. She grows up in the Foster Care system. Some homes are better than others, but mostly it is an extremely difficult childhood. I have a tender place in my heart for children in foster care. I have wanted to foster a child so many times and each time my husband and I discuss it, it just isn't right for us. I want every child to have a home. I want every child to have parents that love them and cherish them. To read about this girl who is so abused and lonely and abandoned over and over again just breaks my heart. I immediately wanted to foster again and wrap my arms around every lonely child I see. Unfortunately, Victoria has lots of emotional scars from this environment. She lashes out, makes poor choices, and hurts those around her that are trying to help.
I see 2 main points to this story that really struct me.
1. We have a choice. We always have a choice to go one direction or another. We all make mistakes. Some of them REALLY BIG. And, we will have to face the consequences, good or bad, that come with that choice that we made.
2. We can be forgiven. When we make a really bad choice, there is almost always a way to come back and make it better in some way. It may be really tough and heart wrenching and people may not like us, but we can be forgiven. (I have personal religious beliefs on this, but I won't go into those in relation to this book. If you are interested, then let me know).
At times as I was reading this book, I was so upset that Victoria kept making choices that were pulling her further away from those who loved her. Why was she doing this? But, I did not have the same growing up that she did. Once I let go of what I would do and let her be her, I was able to see her journey a bit better. And, luckily, the author gave her the opportunity to make her choices, but also gave Victoria friends who loved her and taught her about forgiveness. There is a wonderful message of forgiveness in this story and being able to start fresh. I appreciate this.
Warnings: Abandonment, abuse, premarital sex, birthing scene, post birth physical and emotional turmoil
I would not let my 14 year old read this story.
Lady Crenshaw's Christmas by Heidi Ashworth
Summary by Goodreads:
Ginny and her beloved Anthony, Lord Crenshaw, are finally married and have spent the bulk of their first blissful six months of marriage in the country. However, Ginny must now hostess a Christmas ball at Dunsmere, the estate of the dowager Duchess of Marcross. How is a mere vicar's daughter to carry off such an event with no experience and little exposure to the ways of the ton? And how is she to meet the expectations of her Grandaunt Regina, earn the good graces of Anthony's uncle the Duke of Marcross, endure the spite of the duke's new wife, manage the hysterical escapades of Lucinda, Lady Avery, and find the perfect gift for her husband, all while expecting a babe? All these questions and more are answered in Lady Crenshaw's Christmas, a short story follow-up to two full length novels, Miss Delacourt Speaks Her Mind and Miss Delacourt Has Her Day available via Montlake Romance.
Read December 2012
E-book
4 Stars
My Review:
This was a cute short story about the Crenshaws. It was a little too sweet, but fun nonetheless. It is a nice little snippet of the Crenshaw's life after the 2 previous books (listed in the summary above).
Warnings: None
I would let my 14 year old read this.
A Timeless Romance Anthology: Winter Collection
by: Sarah M. Eden, Heidi Ashworth, Annette Lyon, Joyce DiPastena, Donna Hatch, and Heather B. Moore
Summary by Goodreads:
Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed brand new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Winter Collection. A collection unlike any other, readers will love this compilation of six sweet historical romance novellas, set in varying eras, yet all with one thing in common: Romance.
The Road to Cavan Town by Sarah M. Eden, set in 1864 Ireland, combines Eden’s sense of humor with her signature sweet romance. Alice Wheatley walks each weekend into town, accompanied by Isaac Dancy. And while Alice finds herself falling in love with the gentleman, unfortunately he has his eyes set on the belle of the town, Miss Sophia Kilchrest. Alice must find a way to turn Isaac’s eyes toward her.
Regency author Heidi Ashworth’s delightful story, It Happened Twelfth Night, set in England 1812, follows Luisa Darlington who discovers the man of her dreams, Percy Brooksby, isn’t in love with her as much as she thought he was. When Percy’s friend, the mysterious foreigner, Mr. Flynn, visits for the twelfth night holiday, he promptly sweeps Luisa off her feet, quite literally. Luisa is left catching her breath in more ways than one.
An Unexpected Proposal by Annette Lyon is a captivating romantic novella, set in remote Wood Camp, the snowy canyon of Logan, Utah, 1880. When Caroline Simpson is forced to thwart the aggressive advances of Mr. Butch Larson, she discovers that her long-time friend, James, has genuine affection for her. But as stubborn as Caroline is, she minimizes the feelings he’s awakened in her, and it takes almost losing James to admit her true feelings for him.
In Joyce Di Pastena’s charming medieval story, Caroles on the Green, we enter England of 1151, in which Lady Isabel has a dilemma. She promises herself that she’ll marry the man who sent a ring hidden in her pastry since the man she truly loves, Sir Lucian de Warrene, has proved to be impossible and exasperating. To forget him, Isabel sets her eyes on other eligible men, only to face another confrontation with Lucian—who isn’t about to back off and leave her to her newest plot.
Donna Hatch’s enchanting novella, A Winter’s Knight, begins when Clarissa Fairchild’s coach just happens to break down in front of the most forbidding estate in the county, that of Wyckburg Castle, a place where young brides have been murdered for generations by their husbands. Clarissa is horrified yet curious all in the same breath. When she meets widower Christopher de Champs, Earl of Wyckburg, she must decide if she should flee or uncover the greatest secret in the county about her handsome rescuer.
In Heather B. Moore’s exciting turn-of-the-century story, A Fortunate Exile, Lila Townsend finds herself the victim of a broken heart—broken by the most notorious bachelor in 1901 New York City. If that isn’t bad enough, her father sends her to Aunt Eugenia’s remote farm where Lila must wait for her father’s anger to subside and the gossip columns to find new fodder. When Lila meets her aunt’s boarder, Peter Weathers, she discovers a man who isn’t afraid to stand up to her formidable family and take a chance on a woman with a sullied reputation.
Read December 2012
E-book
4 Stars
My Review:
I have read some books by 2 of the authors in this anthology. I knew that I would enjoy these stories if they were anything like the books I had previously read. I was not disappointed in this collection of historical romance stories. I will now look for other works by the authors in this anthology.
Warnings: None
I would let my 14 year old read this book.
The Unexpected Miss Bennet by Patrice Sarath
Summary from Goodreads:
Pride and Prejudice's Mary Bennet gets her own story...
The third of five daughters, Miss Mary Bennet is a rather unremarkable girl. With her countenance being somewhere between plain and pretty and in possession of no great accomplishments, few expect the third Bennet daughter to attract a respectable man. But although she is shy and would much prefer to keep her nose stuck in a book, Mary is uncertain she wants to meekly follow the path to spinsterhood set before her.
Determined that Mary should have a chance at happiness, the elder Bennet sisters concoct a plan. Lizzy invites Mary to visit at Pemberley, hoping to give her sister a place to grow and make new acquaintances. But it is only when Mary strikes out independently that she can attempt to become accomplished in her own right. And in a family renowned for its remarkable Misses, Mary Bennet may turn out to be the most wholly unexpected of them all...
Read December 2012
Library Book
4 Stars
My Review:
This story takes place a year or so after Pride and Prejudice. I thoroughly enjoyed this story for Mary. Mary is more mature and comes in to her own. I thought some things were a little too much out of character for her and also for the other characters. Otherwise, it was a lovely story.
Warnings: None
I would let my 14 year old read this story.
Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter
Summary from Goodreads:
Katarina Bishop has worn a lot of labels in her short life. Friend. Niece. Daughter. Thief. But for the last two months she’s simply been known as the girl who ran the crew that robbed the greatest museum in the world. That’s why Kat isn’t surprised when she’s asked to steal the infamous Cleopatra Emerald so it can be returned to its rightful owners. There are only three problems. First, the gem hasn’t been seen in public in thirty years. Second, since the fall of the Egyptian empire and the suicide of Cleopatra, no one who holds the emerald keeps it for long, and in Kat’s world, history almost always repeats itself. But it’s the third problem that makes Kat’s crew the most nervous and that is simply… the emerald is cursed.
Kat might be in way over her head, but she’s not going down without a fight. After all she has her best friend—the gorgeous Hale—and the rest of her crew with her as they chase the Cleopatra around the globe, dodging curses, realizing that the same tricks and cons her family has used for centuries are useless this time.
Which means, this time, Katarina Bishop is making up her own rules.
Read November/December 2012
3.5 Stars
My Review:
This is the second book in the Heist Society Series by Ally Carter. I really enjoy that she makes teenagers heroes and heroines and they have such interesting jobs. In the Heist Society books Kat is a thief and her crew are mostly teens/young adults also. It makes for some fun situations.
I didn't enjoy this book as much as I did the first book, but I still liked it and feel invested in the characters. Heist Society #3, Perfect Scoundrels, is coming out in February 2013 and I am looking forward to this next installment.
Warnings: None
I would let my 14 year old read this, as well as my 11 year old. In fact, the 14 year old has already read this book and is looking forward to book #3.
For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund
Summary from Goodreads:
It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.
Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jump-starting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.
But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret—one that could change their society... or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever.
Inspired by Jane Austen's Persuasion, For Darkness Shows the Stars is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.
Read November 2012
5 Stars
My Review:
Jane Austen's Persuasion set in a post apocalyptic society. Fascinating. Really this was a surprise for me (meaning I liked it more than I thought I would). There was the familiar elements of Persuasion, but also so much more.
The setting was almost a character on its own. So many of the circumstances of the story revolved around the setting. Elliot, the heroine of the story, was tied to her farm, keeping it running, trying to keep her family and the workers alive.
The ages of the characters is very young. It was hard for me to picture these teenagers dealing with all of this, but that is part of the post-apocalyptic society.
The post-apocalyptic rules and regulations create much of the conflict in the story. When do you follow the rules? When do you do what you believe is right, if that goes against those rules?
This was a book about decision making and the consequences that follow, good or bad.
Luckily, with the base of Jane Austen's Persuasion, there was at least some sense of there being a happy ending. And, as much as this is a love story, it had little physical romance in it.
Warnings: None
I would let my 14 year old read this story.
Lady of Quality by Georgette Heyer
Summary from Goodreads:
When spirited, independent Miss Annis Wynchwood embroils herself in the affairs of a runaway heiress, she is destined to see a good deal of Lucilla’s uncivil and high-handed guardian Mr Oliver Carleton.
Read November 2012
3 Stars
My Review:
This is another regency romance by Georgette Heyer. It has similar writing, words and sayings that I have no idea what they mean but I "go with it", and a wicked leading man. She has a good formula going.
My main complaint about this book is the lack of romance between the lead characters. The wicked leading man was really a mean guy. I had a hard time finding anything I liked about him. How the leading lady ever fell for him I'll never understand. I did enjoy the few kisses they shared at the end, but other than that, the romance part of this book was lacking.
I've enjoyed other books by Georgette Heyer more than this one.
Warnings: None
I would let my 14 year old read this, though I don't think she wouldn't like it, too wordy.
A Season for Tending by Cindy Woodsmall
Summary by Goodreads:
In a community where conformity flourishes, seeds of Rhoda’s odd behavior were planted long ago. Can she cultivate her relationships with the same care and tenderness that she gives her beloved garden?
Old Order Amish Rhoda Byler’s unusual gift and her remarkable abilities to grow herbs and berries have caused many to think her odd. As rumors mount that Rhoda’s “gift” is a detriment to the community, she chooses isolation, spending her time in her fruit garden and on her thriving canning business.
Miles away in Harvest Mills, Samuel King struggles to keep his family’s apple orchard profitable. As the eldest son, Samuel farms with his brothers, the irrepressible Jacob and brash Eli, while his longtime girlfriend Catherine remains hopeful that Samuel will marry her when he feels financially stable.
Meanwhile, Samuel’s younger sister Leah is testing all the boundaries during her rumschpringe, and finds herself far from home in Rhoda’s garden after a night of partying gone badly. But Leah’s poor choices serve as a bridge between Rhoda and the King family when a tragic mistake in the orchard leaves Samuel searching for solutions.
Rhoda’s expertise in canning could be the answer, but she struggles with guilt over the tragic death of her sister and doesn’t trust herself outside her garden walls. As the lines between business, love, and family begin to blur, can Rhoda finally open up to a new life? And what effect will this odd, amazing woman have on the entire King family?
Read November 2012
5 Stars
My Review:
I am now officially obsessed with the Amish people. I want to learn all about them and their culture after reading this book.
I grew up in Maryland and we often traveled to areas of Pennsylvania where we saw Amish and Mennonite people. As a kid I always found them interesting and I've even taken my children to Lancaster, PA to a "touristy" Amish community (with shops selling their goods, a restaurant, photo opportunities, etc.).
Lately on TV, there has been a show about Amish young adults who are going through a time of self discovery, do they want to be Amish or do they want to leave what they've known all their lives. I have not watched this show. However, I have heard others post about it on Facebook. I am a little saddened to see these youth exploited at such a vulnerable time in their lives. Reading about their culture in this book has increased my emotions toward them.
Now, I don't know how accurate the depiction is of the Amish culture since this is a fiction book, but I could tell the author had done a lot of research and was trying her best to be true to the culture she was writing about.
A Season for Tending is a fiction book that takes place in an Amish community, with both Amish and Englisch (non-Amish) characters. I was drawn in by the characters, their stories, as well as their culture. I was carried away in this book. It is the first in a series called "Amish Vines and Orchards" and unfortunately the next book doesn't come out until sometime next year. This book wrapped up the immediate story, but left off with quite a cliff hanger. I want to find out what happens next!
Warnings: Teen drinking and sex mentioned
I would let my 14 year old read this book.
The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson
Summary by Goodreads:
Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town’s charity event, Taycee Emerson wants out. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it's up to the viewers--not her--to decide which bachelors stay or go.
Coerced into participating, Taycee does what any self-preserving girl would do. She launches a subtle attack on Luke’s good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. Unfortunately, Luke's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she's up to, it means revenge.
But when their pranks go south, will they screw up any chance they have at a future together, or will they be able to forgive and forget and prove that love really does conquer all?
Read October 2012
5 Stars
My Review:
This is a clean, funny, heart-warming romance. I liked that the author made the characters flawed, yet loveable. I laughed, I cried, I had butterflies. This is one of my favorite reads this year.
Warnings: None
I would let my 14 year old read this. I don't think she would, but I would let her.
Lemon Tart by Josi S. Kilpack
Summary by Goodreads:
A recipe for murder!
* 5 families living on Peregrine Circle
* 1 flowered curtain tieback
* 1 missing child
* 1 body in the field
Mix with a long list of suspects and top with two very different detectives. Increase heat until only the truth remains.
Award-winning author Josi S. Kilpack introduces a new series of culinary "cozies" that is sure to tantalize mystery lovers. In this debut volume, cooking aficionado-turned-amateur detective, Sadie Hoffmiller, tries to solve the murder of Anne Lemmon, her beautiful young neighbor - a single mother who was mysteriously killed while a lemon tart was baking in her oven. At the heart of Sadie's search is Anne's missing two-year-old son, Trevor. Whoever took the child must be the murderer, but Sadie is certain that the police are looking at all the wrong suspects - including her!
Armed with a handful of her very best culinary masterpieces, Sadie is determined to bake her way to proving her innocence, rescuing Trevor, and finding out exactly who had a motive for murder.
Read November 2012
4.5 Stars
My Review:
What a fun culinary mystery! I really enjoyed this story and the main character Sadie. I thought the story had intrigue, heart (I really liked these characters and felt bad for them), and just a touch of romance. And, I was totally surprised! My one complaint is that it annoyed me how much Sadie got herself into difficult situations. What was she thinking?!!! But, I guess that is part of her charm.
Warnings: There is obviously murder (it is a murder mystery), some infidelity, lots of lying and deceit. With all of that said, I still consider this a "clean" book.
I would let my 14 year old read this.
The Flight of Gemma Hardy by Margot Livesey
Summary by Goodreads:
When her widower father drowns at sea, Gemma Hardy is taken from her native Iceland to Scotland to live with her kind uncle and his family. But the death of her doting guardian leaves Gemma under the care of her resentful aunt, and it soon becomes clear that she is nothing more than an unwelcome guest at Yew House. When she receives a scholarship to a private school, ten-year-old Gemma believes she's found the perfect solution and eagerly sets out again to a new home. However, at Claypoole she finds herself treated as an unpaid servant.
To Gemma's delight, the school goes bankrupt, and she takes a job as an au pair on the Orkney Islands. The remote Blackbird Hall belongs to Mr. Sinclair, a London businessman; his eight-year-old niece is Gemma's charge. Even before their first meeting, Gemma is, like everyone on the island, intrigued by Mr. Sinclair. Rich (by Gemma's standards), single, flying in from London when he pleases, Hugh Sinclair fills the house with life. An unlikely couple, the two are drawn to each other, but Gemma's biggest trial is about to begin: a journey of passion and betrayal, redemption and discovery, that will lead her to a life of which she's never dreamed.
Read October 2012
4 Stars
My Review:
As this is a re-telling of Jane Eyre, I knew what to expect in the big scheme of the story. I liked the new setting, Scotland and Iceland. It made me want to visit these countries.
I thought Gemma was a good heroine, not as great as Jane Eyre, but good. With this being a modern re-telling, the "dark secret" that Mr. Sinclair was hiding was different. For me it wasn't very convincing.
Although it was different than the original, I quite liked the way Gemma had to look into her past and her ancestry. That was a healing moment that worked well.
I liked the symbolism of the cover. It came up several times throughout the book and I liked that.
I wish there had been a bit more resolving at the end of the story.
Warnings: Sexuality, including touching and brief scene of intercourse, not detailed. Homosexuality mentioned, but nothing described.
I would not let my 14 year old daughter read this book at this time.
Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George
Summary from Goodreads:
Hoping to escape the troubles in her kingdom, Princess Poppy reluctantly agrees to take part in a royal exchange program, whereby young princes and princesses travel to each other's countries in the name of better political alliances--and potential marriages. It's got the makings of a fairy tale--until a hapless servant named Eleanor is tricked by a vengeful fairy godmother into competing with Poppy for the eligible prince. Ballgowns, cinders, and enchanted glass slippers fly in this romantic and action-packed happily-ever-after quest from an author with a flair for embroidering tales in her own delightful way.
Re-read October 2012
4 Stars
My Review:
Jessica Day George has a new book expected to release on December 11, 2012 called Princess of the Silver Woods. In anticipation of this next book coming out, I have re-read Princess of the Midnight Ball and now Princess of Glass.
I didn't enjoy this book as much as Princess of the Midnight Ball, but it was another fun, and different, retelling of a familiar fairy tale. This is a Cinderella story with its own twists and turns. I had no idea what was going to happen next. In this re-read I was grateful to realize that Poppy, the heroine, is very strong and a worthy role model.
I look forward to reading this next book and seeing what Jessica Day George has in store for another fairy tale!
Warnings: None
I would let my 14 year old daughter read this book. She has read it and enjoyed it very much.
Count Down to Love by Julie N. Ford
Summary by Goodreads:
Kelly Grace Pickens is an excited bride until she's abandoned at the altar. Desperate, she accepts an offer to appear on a reality TV show, Count Down to Love. Her country ways are a stark contrast to the mysterious bachelor from New York. Wading through hurt and betrayal both on and off screen, Kelly discovers that being true to yourself is essential to finding happiness and love.
Read October 2012
4 Stars
My Review:
I picked this up as a clean, quick romance.
It was clean, it was a fairly quick read, but it wasn't as "fluffy" as I thought it would be. I was expecting it to not have much depth. However, I found lots to think about while reading this book.
This really is like a book version of The Bachelor. Having seen the show, it felt like getting an insiders view on how things happen. If you really aren't in to watching that kind of show, then this may not be the book for you.
What I liked about this book is the emotions I felt from both Kelly and the bachelor, Dillon. The author really helped me feel what they were feeling.
One of the things that was difficult about this book was that I could feel the emotions from these two characters. The author really helped me feel what they were feeling.
No, that isn't a typo. This was a good thing and a bad thing for me. I appreciated getting to know these characters and what they were feeling. However, I also became angsty myself. I got totally sucked in and found myself in a bad mood and wanting to hide away in my bed and not face the world. I guess that could be a problem with me, not the book. : )
Warnings: None
There isn't anything on a "clean" scale that would keep me from letting my 14 year old daughter read this book. However, I do not recommend it for that age. This is definitely an adult book that deals with more mature emotions.
Book Blogs are fun. If you like books, then book blogs give you lots of ideas on what to read next, what to take off of your "to read" shelf, and what to buy your friends for that next great event. Whether you use an e-reader or you like the feel of the book in your hands and the smell of the pages in your nose, books are something that can enlighten, entertain, whisk you away to another world, or inform you more on the world you live in now.
Check out some of the blogs I have posted in my sidebar. I get lots of my ideas on what to read next from these great sites and blogs.
This month I even got to do a review for Bookshop Talk on one of my favorites of this year, Edenbrooke.
If you have a book blog that you love to refer to, then please comment. I love getting new resources!
The Hourglass Door by Lisa Mangum
Summary from Goodreads:
His past. Her future. Can love bring them together in time?Abby's senior year of high school is textbook perfect: She has a handsome and attentive boyfriend, good friends, good grades, and plans to attend college next year. But when she meets Dante Alexander, a foreign-exchange student from Italy, her life suddenly takes a different turn. He's mysterious, and interesting, and unlike anyone she's ever met before. Abby can't deny the growing attraction she feels for him. Nor can she deny the unusual things that seem to happen when Dante is around. Time behaves differently when they are together - traveling too fast or too slow or sometimes seeming to stop altogether. When the band Zero Hour performs at the local hangout, Abby realizes that there's something dangerous about the lead singer, Zo, and his band mates, Tony and V. Oddly, the three of them are also from Italy and have a strange relationship to Dante. They also hold a bizarre influence over their audience when performing. And Abby's best friend, Valerie, is caught in their snare. Dante tells Abby the truth of his past: he once worked for Leonardo Da Vinci, helping to design and build a time machine. When Dante was falsely implicated as a traitor to his country, he was sent through the machine more than five hundred years into the future as punishment. As the past and the present collide, Abby learns that she holds a special power over the flow of time itself. She and Dante must stop Zo from opening the time machine's door and endangering everyone's future. More than one life is at stake and Abby's choice could change everything.
Read September/October 2012
3.5 Stars
My Review:
Time travel. It always confuses me. I find it interesting, but I get lost along the way.
There were things I liked about this book...Dante, Jason, Natalie, Leo, and Abby. Some things I did not like...being confused, wanting it to just be resolved instead of loving the story in its process. It also ended with a cliff hanger. Do I want to read the next book in this story? Yes. Will I rush out and get it to see what happens? No, I will read it when I get around to it.
Warnings: None
I would let my 14 year old read this book.
Warning, some pretty strong opinions shared. Enter with caution. ; )
First Date by Krista McGee
Summary from Goodreads:
The last thing Addy Davidson wants is to be on a reality TV show where the prize is a prom date with the President's son.
She's focused on her schoolwork so she can get a scholarship to an Ivy League college, uncomfortable in the spotlight, never been on a date, and didn't even audition for it.
But she got selected anyway.
So she does her best to get eliminated on the very first show. Right before she realizes that the President's son is possibly the most attractive guy she has ever seen in person, surprisingly nice, and seemingly unimpressed by the 99 other girls who are throwing themselves at him.
Addy's totally out of her comfort zone but that may be right where God can show her all that she was meant to be.
Read Septemer 2012
3 Stars
My Review:
I am a Christian. It is part of who I am and part of how I choose my books. I am careful about what I read in an effort to have my mind filled with positive things. Do I sometimes choose books to read that probably aren't that uplifting? Sure. I'm a work in progress. : )
Lately I have been reading a lot of clean reads by Christian authors. I find that in general I don't have to worry about there being swear words or explicit sex scenes. Not all of the books are considered Christian Fiction, in fact, I think most aren't in that genre (whatever that genre is and who decided to categorize books there, I'm not sure).
Last week I read a book that was categorized as Christian Fiction. I enjoyed the book and found that the references to God and Jesus Christ were refreshing. When I read the summary for this book, I knew it would be a fun story. I love Esther in the Bible and this is a modern retelling of that story. With my previous experience, I thought that there would be reference to God. I was expecting this. However, I felt that this was way over the top. Again, I haven't read a lot of books in this genre, so perhaps this was totally normal.
I believe that God, my Eternal Father, loves me and has a plan for me. I believe that His Son, Jesus Christ, is my Savior and that I need him to return to Heaven one day. I could identify with the main character's concerns about sharing her faith with others and I could identify with her dependence on God and wanting to do what is right. What I couldn't figure out was why the author wrote about it SOOOO much. I almost felt like the main character was judging others for not being the same type of Christian as she was. If a person believes that Jesus Christ is their Savior, then they are a Christian. If they practice their faith through their actions, then they are a Christian. It does not matter if they are the same religion, they are still a Christian. At one point, the main character expresses her concerns that the First Son goes to church, but that he may not be a Christian. I do not understand this.
As far as the story of this girl being plucked from obscurity to be a reality TV star, this was adorable. I loved the interactions with friends and with other contestants. I loved the interactions the main character had with the First Son. In fact, I think he was my favorite character, a really genuine guy. This was a feel good story.
Warnings: None (other than the ones expressed above).
I would let my 14 year old daughter read this book.
