Delivered with Love by Sherry Kyle

★★★★☆
An old love letter found in the glove compartment of a young woman's inherited 1972 Volkswagen propels her to leave her life in Los Angeles and go to the small town of Capitola, California.There her dream of finding the writer of the letter leads her on an unexpected journey that changes her life forever.

Claire James, age twenty-three, is ready to make it on her own. When she's fired from her job as a waitress and subsequently kicked out of her sister's home, she sees it as an opportunity to start over. But even before moving, a thirty-five-year-old love letter written to her mother keeps Claire stuck in the past. Michael Thompson, a middle-aged real estate agent, wants to keep the past where it belongs—at least until his grown daughter is married. But, then a young woman comes to town . . .

To be honest, I read this book because it was a freebie, and I debated whether to give it 3- or 4-stars.  It was better than a 3 but not as good as a 4.  :)  Delivered with Love is a sweet, Christian fiction book.  I felt at times like some of the characters were not extremely well-developed.  There are several instances where the book is very predictable as well.  But the overall story is sweet, and there is a really cute love story, so I ultimately decided to give it 4-stars.  :)  I probably would have been disappointed had I paid full price for it, but it made for a good freebie read.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

★★★★★
Be prepared to meet three unforgettable women:
 
Twenty-two-year-old Skeeter has just returned home after graduating from Ole Miss. She may have a degree, but it is 1962, Mississippi, and her mother will not be happy till Skeeter has a ring on her finger. Skeeter would normally find solace with her beloved maid Constantine, the woman who raised her, but Constantine has disappeared and no one will tell Skeeter where she has gone.
 
Aibileen is a black maid, a wise, regal woman raising her seventeenth white child. Something has shifted inside her after the loss of her own son, who died while his bosses looked the other way. She is devoted to the little girl she looks after, though she knows both their hearts may be broken.
 
Minny, Aibileen's best friend, is short, fat, and perhaps the sassiest woman in Mississippi. She can cook like nobody's business, but she can't mind her tongue, so she's lost yet another job. Minny finally finds a position working for someone too new to town to know her reputation. But her new boss has secrets of her own.
 
Seemingly as different from one another as can be, these women will nonetheless come together for a clandestine project that will put them all at risk. And why? Because they are suffocating within the lines that define their town and their times. And sometimes lines are made to be crossed.
 
In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women-mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends-view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don't.
 
I loved The Help!  This is such a great book!  I couldn't put it down.  This is one where some of my household to-do's got neglected because I was reading.  The main characters in this book are so quirky and likable.  You mentally root for them the whole time.  Although this book is a work of fiction, it is amazing to me that this time was not so long ago, a time where inequality was part of life.  This story is filled with emotion, both good and bad, and it is so moving.  I am definitely going to see the movie just to experience it again.  I hope I'm not disappointed in the movie!  I'm not one for re-reading books regularly, but I may just re-read this one!!  Definitely recommended.

The Queen of New Beginnings by Erica James

★★★★★

What happens when your best hope for the future is through the past?

Voice-over artist Alice avoids telling the truth. It's not lying, exactly, and the freedom of reinvention makes those tough years in the past a little easier to bear. So when she meets writer Clayton Miller, she recognizes the suspicious signs of someone who wants to shrug off his old life. Untangling the web of secrets they've constructed creates an unlikely friendship-until Alice discovers that Clayton has betrayed her in the worst possible way.

The author of fifteen international bestsellers, Erica James deftly explores infidelity, bereavement, and the bonds of family with a sparkling voice that will resonate long after the book is finished.

Praise for Erica James.

I thought The Queen of New Beginnings was a great book!  I didn't know what to expect because I had never read anything by Erica James.  I picked this up when it was a freebie at bn.com.  It's another British chick-lit story, which I'm coming to find I really enjoy!  Even thought it is a light-hearted book, the story definitely has some depth of emotion to it.  I thought the plot was good and was really well thought out.  I was not expecting it, but this book was a page-turner!  I am going to keep my eye out for more by Erica James.  Great book!

The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks

★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
In the fall of 1984, high school students Amanda Collier and Dawson Cole fell deeply, irrevocably in love. Though they were from opposite sides of the tracks, their love for one another seemed to defy the realities of life in the small town of Oriental, North Carolina. But as the summer of their senior year came to a close, unforeseen events would tear the young couple apart, setting them on radically divergent paths.


Now, twenty-five years later, Amanda and Dawson are summoned back to Oriental for a funeral. Neither has lived the life they imagined . . . and neither can forget the passionate first love that forever changed their lives. Forced to confront painful memories, the two former lovers soon realize that everything they thought they knew-about themselves and the dreams they held dear-was not as it seemed. And in the course of a single, searing weekend, they will ask of the living, and the dead: Can love truly rewrite the past?

I was so excited to read The Best of Me by Nicholas Sparks.  After reading 3 not-so-great books in a row, I was ready for something good and knew Sparks wouldn't disappoint!  Of course he did not.  This book is definitely a page turner and of course includes a great love story (actually 2 of them).  Sparks has such a knack for creating these stories that make you feel the emotion of his characters.  He did a great job with this novel.

I certainly don't want to ruin the book, so I'm not going to say too much - but there are reasons I enjoyed some of his other books better.  But trust me, this book is most definitely worth the read!

Gap Creek by Robert Morgan

★★☆☆☆
There is a most unusual woman living in Gap Creek. Julie Harmon works hard, "hard as a man," they say, so hard that at times she's not sure she can stop. People depend on her to slaughter the hogs and nurse the dying. People are weak, and there is so much to do. She is just a teenager when her little brother dies in her arms. That same year she marries and moves down into the valley where floods and fire and visions visit themselves on her, and con men and drunks and lawyers come calling.

Julie and her husband discover that the modern world is complex and that it grinds ever on without pause or concern for their hard work. To survive, they must find out whether love can keep chaos and madness at bay.

Robert Morgan's latest novel, Gap Creek, returns his readers to the vivid world of the Appalachian high country. Julie and Hank's new life in the valley of Gap Creek in the last years of the nineteenth century is more complicated than the couple ever imagined. Sometimes it's hard to tell what to fear most-the fires and floods or the flesh-and-blood grifters, drunks, and busybodies who insinuate themselves into their new lives. Their struggles with nature, with work, with the changing century, and with their disappointments and triumphs make this a riveting follow-up to Morgan's acclaimed novel, The Truest Pleasure.

I was so disappointed in Gap Creek!  I got it because not only was it a freebie, but it was part of Oprah's Book Club.  It has to be good, right?!  Wrong!!  :(  The most riveting part of this book is the summary.  It is really a slow, depressing book.  :(  After I read it, I read some of the reviews at bn.com.  The most recent comments said things like 'Slow,' 'Like Watching Paint Dry,' 'Mega-depressing Oprah Book, 'ZZZ,' and 'Free is the Perfect Price.'  I guess I should have read the reviews BEFORE I read it!


Unfortuantely there's not too much to say about this book.  It is slow.  It is depressing.  Most definitely not a page turner.  It doesn't even end well.  Boo.  :(


I'm ready for a good book!  I've read 3 not-so-great ones in a row.  So I just purchased and started Nicholas Sparks' new one, The Best of Me.  So far, soooo good!

Mitten Strings for God: Reflections for Mothers in a Hurry by Katrina Kenison

★★★☆☆
As mothers today we are faced with a daunting list of responsibilities. How easy it is to simply rush headlong through our lives, slaves to our daily obligations, and in the process race our children through their childhood. But there is a better way... In Mitten Strings for God, Katrina Kenison shares her own search for a more satisfying balance in her life. The result is a lyrical and tender series of reflections, interwoven with gentle suggestions and advice, that remind us what happens when we slow down and are fully present in our lives. Suddenly there is room for joy and play and intimacy, space for wonder and reverie, and time to awaken to the beauty of the world and discover the sacred in the ordinary. Tranquil in our own hearts and minds, we can offer our children the one thing they need more than anything else: us. And we receive something priceless in return-the chance to savor our lives and the precious people in them.


I was really looking forward to reading Mitten Strings for God because I think so many times I feel caught up in getting 'stuff' done, even if it's for the kids, that I have to remind myself to sit down with them and just enjoy the moment.  Based upon the title, I also thought this book was written from a Christian perspective.


I thought the concepts in this book were great: slow down, play with your kids, enjoy being with them.  Your time with your children doesn't have to be constant instruction.  I thought these were great concepts and great reminders.  However, contrary to what I thought, this book wasn't written from a Christian perspective (which was fine); but for me it was a little too 'touchy-feely.'  I could only read so much about watching trees sway in the wind and listening to crickets chirp (I may be making that up, but that's the feeling I got when reading).  Maybe that's my not-slowing-down mentality coming through!!  But I actually didn't finish reading the book because I got the gist pretty early on and got bored of reading more of the same.


This book has high ratings on bn.com, so if it sounds interesting I'd say give it a whirl.  I totally agree with the concepts of enjoying your children, but the style of this book was a little over-the-top for me. 

Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell

★★★☆☆
When you meet the man of your dreams on girls night out, it's hardly…Perfect Timing.  In this fresh and funny contemporary romance by bestselling author Jill Mansell, Poppy Dunbar's whole life gets turned upside down after a chance encounter with a handsome stranger...Never a troublemaker, Poppy had always been content with the way things were supposed to be done—which included marrying predictable Rob McBride. But that was before she met Tom Kennedy the night before her wedding. Could she really be falling in love with a stranger?  Unable to forget Tom, or go through with the wedding, Poppy runs off to London. Her new life and colorful friends are anything but predictable. Misunderstandings, family secrets, and jealous quarrels ensue, but can Poppy stop running long enough to figure out what—or, rather, who—is in her heart?

I've read a few Jill Mansell novels and thoroughly enjoyed them, so I was really looking forward to reading Perfect Timing.  Sadly, this book was a bit of a let down for me.  It certainly wasn't a page-turner for me like her other novels I've read (Miranda's Big Mistake and Millie's Fling).  Unfortunately, I thought this book was a little slow and boring at parts.  The last 60 or so pages were really good, and I did like how the book ended (although slightly predictable).  I thought there was a good story buried in there, but it could've used to have been trimmed of the slow sections.  Cute story, but not as good as her others.

Double Shot by Erynn Mangum

★★★★☆
Like I did for the last Maya Davis Series book, Latte Daze, I am not going to post the summary for Double Shot because it will be a spoiler since this is the third book in the series!  (The first is Cool Beans).

This book is just a continuation on in Maya's story.  It is so sweet.  I was so very sad when this book was over because it was the last in the series.  I honestly felt a little down for a few days because it felt like I had lost a few friends!  Pathetic, I know.  But these books are so cute and sweet, I would definitely recommend them for something light and semi-romantic!

Latte Daze by Erynn Mangum

★★★★☆
I'm not going to post they summary of Latte Daze because, since it's the second in the Maya Davis series (Cool Beans is the first), there are some spoilers in the summary!

And I'm not going to post much about what happens in this book, either, because there is a third book in the series! (Double Shot).

But like Erynn's other books, this was a great read.  You wish you were actually hanging out with her group of friends.  Such a cute, sweet story.  I was sad when it was over, but at least there is a 3rd book in the series!

Cool Beans by Erynn Mangum

★★★★☆
Everything seems to be going perfectly for Maya Davis: She has a great job at a coffee shop, gets along with her parents, and is happily single. That is until her best friend starts dating Maya’s high school sweetheart.
 
This funny, heartwarming fiction story by best-selling author Erynn Mangum uses the power of story to challenge teens to discover the relevance of faith in their relationships and their lives.

Okay, so I know the summary for Cool Beans says for "teens," but I am clearly not a teen and still really enjoyed this book!  Like Erynn's other books, her main character (Maya in this book), has a great group of friends.  You just want to hang out with them all.  Such a cute, sweet story.  This is the first book in the Maya Davis Series, the second is Latte Daze and the third is Double Shot.  Highly recommended for a light, semi-romantic read!

When I Lay my Isaac Down: Unshakable Faith in Unthinkable Circumstances by Carol J Kent

★★★★★
-This is a true story- When the phone call came at 12:35 a.m., a bleary-eyed Kent listened as her husband passed on the unbelievable news that their son, a Unite States Naval Academy graduate and Navy lieutenant, had shot and killed his wife's ex-husband. During those first few hours after receiving the harrowing news, major decisions, both legal and financial, needed to be made quickly. So began the Kents' two-and-a-half-year journey that led to the trial, conviction and sentencing of their son for first-degree murder. Kent (Tame Your Fears; Becoming a Woman of Influence; Secret Longings of the Heart), whose position as President of Speak Up Speaker Services made her the family's primary breadwinner, had no option but to continue working and speaking throughout this ordeal. She wondered if people would even want her as a speaker if they knew she was the mother of a murderer. Using a biblical story from Genesis 22 where God asked Abraham to literally "lay down his Isaac" as a sacrifice and then intervened at the last moment, Kent prayed for a similar miraculous outcome for her son. She shares her story with a transparency and vulnerability that readers will find both disarming and bracing. The Kent family's ongoing fight against despair and hopelessness is fittingly paired with their resolute faith in God's ability to transform even the most crushing circumstances into something good.

When I Lay My Isaac Down: Unshakable Faith in Unthinkable Circumstances is a fantastic book.  It is a true story written by Carol Kent, a Christian speaker and author.  When something unthinkable happens, their upstanding son commits murder and is sentenced to life in prison, the Kent's world is turned upside down.  You can sense her vulnerability and transparency in her writing - she feels angry, depressed, shameful, guilty.  Even though the Kents' reaction was to be angry with God for allowing it all to happen and for not stepping in, in the process they came to the realization that God loves us more than we love our 'Isaac' (Genesis 22).  They find hope in what appears to be a hopeless situation.  This book is very powerful, and the Kent's story shows how they were able to find a new meaning for their lives after all their dreams for their son's future were destroyed.  I would recommend this book for anyone, especially those that have had life-altering situations (death, illness, job loss, etc.) and are having trouble coping.

Size 12 is Not Fat by Meg Cabot

★★★★☆
Heather Wells Rocks!

Or, at least, she did. That was before she left the pop-idol life behind after she gained a dress size or two — and lost a boyfriend, a recording contract, and her life savings (when Mom took the money and ran off to Argentina). Now that the glamour and glory days of endless mall appearances are in the past, Heather's perfectly happy with her new size 12hape (the average for the American woman!) and her new job as an assistant dorm director at one of New York's top colleges. That is, until the dead body of a female student from Heather's residence hall is discovered at the bottom of an elevator shaft.

The cops and the college president are ready to chalk the death off as an accident, the result of reckless youthful mischief. But Heather knows teenage girls . . . and girls do not elevator surf. Yet no one wants to listen — not the police, her colleagues, or the P.I. who owns the brownstone where she lives — even when more students start turning up dead in equally ordinary and subtly sinister ways. So Heather makes the decision to take on yet another new career: as spunky girl detective!

But her new job comes with few benefits, no cheering crowds, and lots of liabilities, some of them potentially fatal. And nothing ticks off a killer more than a portly ex-pop star who's sticking her nose where it doesn't belong . . .

I really enjoyed Size 12 is Not Fat!  It is a funny, chick-lit story, but it is also a mystery that keeps you guessing.  Heather, the main character, is funny and self-deprecating.  There are some hilarious scenes in the book.  It is a pretty quick read as well, the mystery aspect of it makes it a page-turner.  It is the first book in a series, so if you like it, there are more!!

Divine by Karen Kingsbury

★★★★★
Mary Madison was a child of unspeakable horrors, a young woman society wanted to forget. Now a divine power has set Mary free to bring life-changing hope and love to battered and abused women living in the shadow of the nation’s capital.
 
Mary is educated and redeemed, a powerful voice in Washington, D.C. - both to the politically elite and to other women like her. But she also has a past that shamed polite society. Her experiences created in her paralyzing fear, faithlessness, addiction, and promiscuity. At the crossroads of her life, only one power set Mary free and gave her a lifetime of love and hope. A power that could only be divine.
 
Peggy Madison is Mary’s grandmother, a quiet woman who has spent her life praying for her granddaughter. Peggy clings to the belief that God has a special plan for Mary. Through years of sorrow and longing, Peggy walks the journey in faith and watches from a distance as one key person after another comes into Mary’s life and demonstrates the timeless, powerful love of the Master, the Savior. The divine Lord.
 
Emma Randall is a single mother fleeing an abusive relationship, wondering whether there is hope for her and her young daughters. She is desperate, broken, and unloved, tempted to commit the unthinkable. Then Mary Madison introduces Emma to the greatest love of all, greater than any either of them has ever imagined.

Wow, Divine was a really intense book.  When the book overview mentions "unspeakable horrors," it's not exaggerating.  Divine was written as a parallel to the story of Mary Magdelene from Scripture and the seven demons she dealt with.  The modern Mary of this book certainly faces her seven demons as the book delves into heavy topics such as prostitution, sex slavery, abuse, and more.  As dark as these topics are, this book is NOT explicit in any way; however, Kingsbury certainly leaves no question as to what the women in this book deal with.  Parts of it are certainly hard to read.  But it is a story of finding the all-encompasing and redeeming love of Christ, a love that is Divine.  It's a very good book, reminding us that whatever sins we have committed, even if they are unspeakable, and whatever is in our past, we are made alive and anew by Jesus and His sacrifice.

Match Point by Erynn Mangum

★★★★★
Matchmaker Lauren Holbrook is happy after putting together four successful couples. That is, until the tables are turned and she’s on the receiving end of the matchmaking!
 
Lauren and her boyfriend, Ryan, devise a plan to make it look as if they’ve broken up so people will get off their backs about marriage. No problem, right? That’s of course until Lauren realizes she’s in love.

Ah, another Erynn Mangum book.  :)  I loved Match Point, just like all of Erynn's other books.  This was such a sweet little love story.  It's the third book in the Lauren Holbrook series (the first is Miss Match, and the second is Rematch).  These stories are characterized by a tight-knit group of friends that you feel a part of while reading, fun characters, and Lauren's matchmaking schemes.  All of these books include love stories, my favorite kind.  :)  You wish you could hang out with the characters in real life.  I was really bummed out when I finished this book (and series).  Such great stories.  I would definitely recommend this series and this book if you are looking for something sweet and lighthearted!

Rematch by Erynn Mangum

★★★★★
Lauren Holbrook believes that God matched couples before time began-some just require a coordinated introduction. And no one plays love connection better than Lauren, an undercover Cupid on a mission to connect clueless friends.

The next couple-in-waiting? Brandon and Hannah, two unsuspecting pals who are perfect for each other in every way. They just don't realize it yet. But as Lauren grows closer to her friend Ryan, and her single father unexpectedly falls in love, she discovers the joy found in trusting God's perfect plan instead of her own.

The Lauren Holbrook series delivers fun stories on topics girls care about, such as boys, chocolate, and dating. Each book balances the lighthearted antics of Lauren with spiritual insights that will encourage teen readers to trust God for their lives. 

I loved Rematch!  This is the second book in the Lauren Holbrook series, the first is Miss Match.  Erynn Mangum has such a gift for writing entertaining, fun love stories that incorporate faith.  These are my kind of books.  :)  As ironic as it is, I can't put her books down although I dread having them end!  If I'd just slow down reading them, they would last longer!  I don't know what her target audience is, maybe young adult?  The characters in her books are in their early 20's (which, sadly, I am not anymore!)  But I guess it's because I'm a romantic at heart, I love reading stories of people falling in love.  :) 

Lauren has such a tight-knit group of friends, and this story makes you feel like you are part of 'the group' while you're reading.  You feel like you're just hanging out with them, that you're part of their lives and crazy antics.  :) 

I would definitely recommend this book if you're looking for a lighthearted, faith-filled romance-type book.  I love Erynn Mangum stories!

Life's a Beach by Claire Cook

★★★☆☆

Life's a bit of a beach these days for Ginger Walsh, who's single at forty-one and living back home in the family FROG (Finished Room Over Garage). She's hoping for a more fulfilling life as a sea glass artist, but instead is babysitting her sister's kids and sharing overnights with Noah, her sexy artist boyfriend with commitment issues and a dog Ginger's cat isn't too crazy about. Geri, her BlackBerry-obsessed sister, is also nearly over the deep end about her pending fiftieth birthday (and might just drag Ginger with her). Toss in a dumpster-picking father, a Kama Sutra T-shirt-wearing mother, a movie crew come to town with a very cute gaffer, an on-again-off-again glassblower boyfriend, plus a couple of Red Hat realtors, and hilarity ensues. The perfect summer read, Life's a Beach is a warm, witty, and wise look at what it takes to move forward at any stage in life.

Overall I was disappointed in this book, Life's a Beach.  I chose it to read next because I was looking for something light, funny, and set in a beach town, and the book description seemed to match.  Sadly, I was disappointed.  Maybe it was just that I couldn't really connect with Ginger, the main character, or really anyone in the book for that matter.  Maybe it was just that the storyline was kind of boring.  I did enjoy the last 30 pages or so, but that's really it.  I would say it was a mildly entertaining book, but definitely not one I would recommend running out and purchasing.  It has some quirky characters, but none I really fell in love with or could relate to.

Miss Match by Erynn Mangum

★★★★★

Lauren Holbrook has found her life's calling: matchmaking for the romantically challenged. And with the eclectic cast of characters in her world, there's tons of potential to play "connect the friends."
 
Lauren sets out to introduce Nick, her carefree singles' pastor, to Ruby, her neurotic coworker who plans every second of every day. What could possibly go wrong? Just about everything.

I loved Miss Match!  I had downloaded this book while it was free, not sure what to expect.  It was so, so cute.  It is a Christian Fiction book.  The characters are so likeable.  It's about a young twenty-something girl, Lauren, navigating the things of life, setting up her friends, and working.  Lauren is just a normal girl trying to figure things out, but I love how she incorporates her Chrisian perspective into the desicions she makes.  I really enjoyed this book (and I'm a mom with 2 kids!), but I think it would also be great for a high school/college girl navigating relationships and friendships.  This is the first book in a series, and the next two are both on my reading list.  Definitely recommended as a fun, light, uplifiting read.

Miranda's Big Mistake by Jill Mansell

★★★★☆
Now a New York Times and USA Today Bestseller

Miranda's track record with men is horrible.
Her most recent catastrophe is Greg. He seems perfect—gorgeous, witty, exciting. And he and Miranda are in love… until Miranda discovers he left his wife when he found out she was pregnant.

With the help of her friends, Miranda plans the sweetest and most public revenge a heartbroken girl can get. But will Miranda learn from her mistake, or move on to the next "perfect" man and ignore the love of her life waiting in the wings…

Even the worst mistake of your life can lead to true love in the end…

I really enjoyed Miranda's Big Mistake!  It's the second book I've read by Jill Mansell (the first was Millie's Fling).  Mansell is a British author, and I love how you can just 'hear' her characters speaking with British accents while you are reading!  This book was a fun, enjoyable read.  The characters are loveable and quirky.  One thing I loved about this book (as well as Mansell's other) is that it is a longer book.  A point comes in the story where many other authors would have chosen to end the novel, but Mansell continues with the rest of the story.  Many times when I finish a book, I feel like, "Yes, it was a good story, but what happened later?"  Mansell continues her stories to the point where all the loose ends are wrapped up and you feel satisfied with the ending.  I love that about her books, and this book is no different.  I would recommend Miranda's Big Mistake if you are looking for something light, fun, funny, and witty!

Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks

★★★★★
When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.

But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo's empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.


Oooooh, Save Haven was such a good book!  I'm a definite fan of Nicholas Sparks, and this book certainly didn't disappoint.  As always, the characters have depth and a history.  There are some heart-pumping scenes in this story and an unexpected twist.  Of course there is a great love story as well.  It was definitely a great book, one I would recommend for sure.

Just Beyond the Clouds by Karen Kingsbury

★★★★☆
#1 bestselling author Karen Kingsbury tells the heartwrenching story of Cody Gunner, a widower fighting for stability, and the woman who wants to help him trust again--even when trust is the most terrifying thing of all.

Still aching over his wife's death, Cody Gunner can't bear the thought of also letting go of his Down's Syndrome brother, Carl Joseph. Cody wants his brother home, where he will be safe and cared for, not out on his own in a world that Cody knows all too well can be heartless and insecure. So when Carl Joseph's teacher, Elle, begins championing his independence, she finds herself at odds with Cody. But even as these two battle it out, they can't deny the instinctive connection they share, and Cody faces a crisis of the heart. What if Elle is the one woman who can teach Cody that love is still possible? If Cody can let go of his lingering anger, he might just see that sometimes the brightest hope of all lies just beyond the clouds.

I really enjoyed Just Beyond the Clouds.  What I didn't realize until after I'd read it was that it's the second book in a series! (The first is A Thousand Tomorrows, which I haven't read).  You definitely don't need to read the first book in the series to get up to speed in this book, but I may go back and read the first one anyways.  This was a really sweet and enjoyable story.  Elle works with handicapped young adults, and their personalities are so sweet and innocent.  I loved reading about Elle and Cody and how they carefully navigate their relationship.  This is the second Christian fiction book I've read by Kingsbury, and she is definitely on my list of authors to watch for.  A really enjoyable and sweet read.

(By the way, A Thousand Tomorrows and Just Beyond the clouds are available as one Nook book here!)

Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly

★★★★☆
BROOKLYN: Andi Alpers is on the edge. She’s angry at her father for leaving, angry at her mother for not being able to cope, and heartbroken by the loss of her younger brother, Truman. Rage and grief are destroying her. And she’s about to be expelled from Brooklyn Heights’ most prestigious private school when her father intervenes. Now Andi must accompany him to Paris for winter break.

PARIS: Alexandrine Paradis lived over two centuries ago. She dreamed of making her mark on the Paris stage, but a fateful encounter with a doomed prince of France cast her in a tragic role she didn’t want—and couldn’t escape.

Two girls, two centuries apart. One never knowing the other. But when Andi finds Alexandrine’s diary, she recognizes something in her words and is moved to the point of obsession. There’s comfort and distraction for Andi in the journal’s antique pages—until, on a midnight journey through the catacombs of Paris, Alexandrine’s words transcend paper and time, and the past becomes suddenly, terrifyingly present.

Jennifer Donnelly, author of the award-winning novel A Northern Light, artfully weaves two girls’ stories into one unforgettable account of life, loss, and enduring love. Revolution spans centuries and vividly depicts the eternal struggles of the human heart. 

Revolution is probably not a book I'd typically pick up, but I checked it out from the library on my Nook.  I didn't have anything else I really wanted to read at the time, so I gave it a go.  I am so glad I did!  Andi is a girl with a very hard exterior, but I love how the story reveals who she really is.  Alexandrine is a girl who lived centuries ago, and Andi finds her diary and wants to learn more about her.  The author is able to weave stories of these two girls together in a captivating way.  This was definitely a unique and unpredictable story, and it was very interesting in a good way.  I also enjoyed the historical Paris setting.  I'm glad I checked it out from the library on the Nook!

Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury

★★★★★
Jack and Molly Campbell can imagine no greater happiness than sharing their lives with their adopted son, Joey. Then, suddenly one day, their joy is dispersed like dandelion dust in the wind: A judge rules that four-year-old Joey must be returned to his biological father. As the Campbells desperately search for a solution, they begin to grapple with the moral core of life's problems. A heart-wrenching, ultimately uplifting novel.

Wow.  I thought Like Dandelion Dust was a fantastic novel.  It was the first Christian fiction book I had read in a while, and I thought it was wonderfully written.  The story is very rich - it explores both emotional and moral dilemmas.  Kingsbury makes you feel the gut-wrenching situations and decisions as her characters are experiencing them.  I liked the 'unpredictable-ness' of this book and thought it was a great read.  Very uplifting.  After reading this, I downloaded a few more of Kingsbury's books to my Nook - I have a new author to follow!

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

★★★☆☆
As a young man, Jacob Jankowski was tossed by fate onto a rickety train that was home to the Benzini Brothers Most Spectacular Show on Earth. It was the early part of the great Depression, and for Jacob, now ninety, the circus world he remembers was both his salvation and a living hell. A veterinary student just shy of a degree, he was put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It was there that he met Marlena, the beautiful equestrian star married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. And he met Rosie, an untrainable elephant who was the great gray hope for this third-rate traveling show. The bond that grew among this unlikely trio was one of love and trust, and, ultimately, it was their only hope for survival.

I was really excited to read Water for Elephants, it has almost 10,000 ratings on BN.com and still has a 4.5 star rating.  They made a movie about the book after all - it has to be good, right?!  However, I was really disappointed in this book. 

There are some very depressing overtones - much of the beginning of the story is told by Jacob, the main character, while he is in a nursing home in a decrepit, depressive state.  It was a relief when the book jumped back to the 20-something Jacob telling the story.  But the whole first half to two-thirds of the book is filled with traumatic and depressing occurrences.  In addition, there's not much of a story up to that point, just a lot of describing what life on the circus was like and some character descriptions.  The book title includes the word 'Elephant,' the synopsis of the book talks about Rosie the elephant, and yet she doesn't even make an appearance in the book until it's halfway over.  I started reading some of the 'bad' reviews on BN.com, and the people who gave it 1 and 2 stars said things like, "Am I missing something?" and "What's all the hype about?"  Those were my feelings exactly for the vast majority of this book.

As disappointed as I was in the beginning, once I got through the first two-thirds of it, the storyline really started to pick up (there was actually a story!), and the love story emerged.  As I've said before, I am a sucker for a good one.  So even though this love story took a while to reveal itself, there were a good 45 pages or so of this book that I really enjoyed.

I will say it is interesting to read about the circus from a historical perspective.  I think the author did a lot of background research to make it historically accurate, and she even incorporated some real events into the book.  I just wish the plot filtered through the whole book instead of just a portion, and I wish much of it weren't so depressing.  Also, I feel like it just kind of ended empty.

There are several scenes of violence in this book, both toward people and toward animals.  There are some sexually explicit scenes as well.  I get that the author was trying to depict some of the things that happened, I just thought the level of detail was probably unnecessary.

Overall, I am glad I read this book.  Although I didn't love all of it, there was a portion that I did enjoy.

The Good Daughters by Joyce Maynard

★★★★☆
The bestselling author of Labor Day returns with a spellbinding novel about friendship, family secrets, and the strange twists of fate that shape our lives

The Good Daughters

They were born on the same day, in the same small New Hampshire hospital, into families that could hardly have been less alike.
Ruth Plank is an artist and a romantic with a rich, passionate, imaginative life. The last of five girls born to a gentle, caring farmer and his stolid wife, she yearns to soar beyond the confines of the land that has been her family's birthright for generations.

Dana Dickerson is a scientist and realist whose faith is firmly planted in the natural world. Raised by a pair of capricious drifters who waste their lives on failed dreams, she longs for stability and rootedness.

Different in nearly every way, Ruth and Dana share a need to make sense of who they are and to find their places in a world in which neither has ever truly felt she belonged. They also share a love for Dana's wild and beautiful older brother, Ray, who will leave an indelible mark on both their hearts.
Told in the alternating voices of Ruth and Dana, The Good Daughters follows these "birthday sisters" as they make their way from the 1950s to the present. Master storyteller Joyce Maynard chronicles the unlikely ways the two women's lives parallel and intersect—from childhood and adolescence to first loves, first sex, marriage, and parenthood; from the deaths of parents to divorce, the loss of home, and the loss of a beloved partner—until past secrets and forgotten memories unexpectedly come to light, forcing them to reevaluate themselves and each other.

Moving from rural New Hampshire to a remote island in British Columbia to the '70s Boston art-school scene, The Good Daughters is an unforgettable story about the ties of home and family, the devastating force of love, the healing power of forgiveness, and the desire to know who we are.

The Good Daughters was a good book - I did want to keep reading it to see how it would turn out.  However, I thought it had mildly depressing undertones, perhaps because of the solemn tone in which it was written.  I thought it was sort of a 'flat' novel, somehow some of the characters didn't seem very dimensional.  I waivered between giving it 3 and 4 stars and ultimately decided on 4 since I did want to see how it would end.  There are some suprising twists that occur throughout the book; some are unexpected and others are not.  Overall it was a good read - not one of my favorites, but worth reading.

The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

★★★★★
Part blistering espionage thriller, part riveting police procedural, and part piercing exposé on social injustice, The Girl Who Played with Fire is a masterful, endlessly satisfying novel.

Mikael Blomkvist, crusading publisher of the magazine Millennium, has decided to run a story that will expose an extensive sex trafficking operation. On the eve of its publication, the two reporters responsible for the article are murdered, and the fingerprints found on the murder weapon belong to his friend, the troubled genius hacker Lisbeth Salander. Blomkvist, convinced of Salander’s innocence, plunges into an investigation. Meanwhile, Salander herself is drawn into a murderous game of cat and mouse, which forces her to face her dark past.

The Girl Who Played with Fire is the second book in Stieg Larsson's Milennium Trilogy Series (the first is The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).  I thought this book was as good as the first.  Larsson has such an ability to create a very complex story while still allowing the reader to follow along.  The characters are so real in his books that, if they were actually real, you could pick them out from a crowd and would know their personalities and quirks.  As in the first book of the series, this book contains some very dark, violent scenes.  But again, there was so much to this story that those scenes didn't ruin it for me.  This book is another long one, but it's definitely a page-turner!

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

★★★★★

An international publishing sensation, Stieg Larsson's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo combines murder mystery, family saga, love story, and financial intrigue into one satisfyingly complex and entertainingly atmospheric novel.

Harriet Vanger, a scion of one of Sweden's wealthiest families disappeared over forty years ago. All these years later, her aged uncle continues to seek the truth. He hires Mikael Blomkvist, a crusading journalist recently trapped by a libel conviction, to investigate. He is aided by the pierced and tattooed punk prodigy Lisbeth Salander. Together they tap into a vein of unfathomable iniquity and astonishing corruption.

Wow. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is definitely one of those books that makes you think 'now THAT is a good book.'  This story was so riveting and page-turning.  There is a lot happening all at once, and there are a lot of characters, but it is so wonderfully written that I never lost track of what was going on.  This book is long, as are the rest in the series, but once I picked it up I didn't want to put it down - even through several hundred pages!  There are definitely some gruesome, evil, dark, horrendous scenes in the book.  However, for me that didn't overshadow the story as a whole.  There was so much more to it.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is brilliantly written.  It's definitely not an uplifiting tale, but it is an amazing story.

Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen

★★★★★
Ever since her parents began fighting, Auden has been unable to sleep at night. Now, spending a summer at a charming beach town with her father and his new family, she has to find new places to pass the time she spends awake. And so she meets Eli, a fellow insomniac who becomes her nighttime guide. Together, they embark on parallel quests: for Auden, to experience the carefree teenage life she has missed; for Eli, to come to terms with the death of a friend. In her trademark blockbuster-style, Sarah Dessen creates a powerful and irresistible story of two people learning how to connect. 

I thought Along for the Ride was a really great light, easy read.  At first I was a bit disappointed to find out it was about a couple of teenagers - I wasn't sure how much depth the book would have.  But the characters are so well-developed and likeable, the fact that they are teenagers certainly didn't have a negative impact on my impression.  I loved reading about  Auden and Eli's love story, I certainly am a sucker for a good one.  :)  I also really enjoy books set in easygoing, beachy locations, and this one fits the bill for that, too.  After reading this, I will definitely keep my eye out for other books by Sarah Dessen.  Who doesn't like getting lost in a good love story?!  Definitely recommended if you like these types of books, such an enjoyable read!

Millie's Fling by Jill Mansell

★★★★★

He's the best thing that ever happened to her. He's also the worst. He's Millie's Fling.

From one of the premiere contemporary authors in the UK, here is a fun and romantic tale that proves the road to matchmaking hilarity is paved with good intentions.

Bestselling novelist Orla Hart owes her life to her friend Millie Brady, whose rotten boyfriend has just left her. So Orla invites Millie to Cornwall, where Millie looks forward to a summer without any dating whatsoever. But Orla envisions Millie as the heroine of her next novel and decides to find Millie the man of her dreams. Except the two women have drastically different ideas about what kind of guy that should be.

With Orla and Millie working at cross-purposes, and a dashing but bewildered hero stuck in the middle, the summer will turn out to be unforgettable for all concerned...

I loved Millie's Fling, I thought it was a really fun romantic comedy.  It is set in the UK, and I found myself reading in my head with a British accent because of the words they use in the story!  There are bits of humor that don't translate, but it was fun to read this book.  The characters are very likable, and I honestly didn't want the story to end.  I was so glad that this was a longer novel!  I liked this book so much that I purchased another of Jill Mansell's books, Miranda's Big Mistake.  I may actually be bummed out a bit that Millie's Fling is over!  Definitely recommended.

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

★★★★★
Seventeen year old Veronica "Ronnie" Miller's life was turned upside-down when her parents divorced and her father moved from New York City to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. Three years later, she remains angry and alientated from her parents, especially her father...until her mother decides it would be in everyone's best interest if she spent the summer in Wilmington with him. Ronnie's father, a former concert pianist and teacher, is living a quiet life in the beach town, immersed in creating a work of art that will become the centerpiece of a local church.

The tale that unfolds is an unforgettable story of love on many levels—first love, love between parents and children — that demonstrates, as only a Nicholas Sparks novel can, the many ways that love can break our hearts...and heal them.

The Last Song was so amazing, such a good story! As much as I LOVE Nicholas Sparks, ever since reading The Notebook, I am cautious when I pick up his books because I'm not usually in the mood for a tear-jerker! Although this book will take you through a variety of emotions, I certainly didn't end up with an empty box of kleenex. It was such a great story that I had to watch the movie just so I could experience it again (of course the movies are never as good, but at least the important parts of the story were similar!). I would most definitely recommend this book.  Probably one of my favorites.

Heaven is For Real by Todd Burpo

★★★★★
Heaven Is for Real is the true story of the four-year old son of a small town Nebraska pastor who during emergency surgery slips from consciousness and enters heaven. He survives and begins talking about being able to look down and see the doctor operating and his dad praying in the waiting room. The family didn't know what to believe but soon the evidence was clear.

Colton said he met his miscarried sister, whom no one had told him about, and his great grandfather who died 30 years before Colton was born, then shared impossible-to-know details about each. He describes the horse that only Jesus could ride, about how "reaaally big" God and his chair are, and how the Holy Spirit "shoots down power" from heaven to help us.

Told by the father, but often in Colton's own words, the disarmingly simple message is heaven is a real place, Jesus really loves children, and be ready, there is a coming last battle.

Heaven Is for Real was a wonderful book, and it was absolutely amazing to read about this little boy's account in heaven.  I will be honest, it was gut-wrenching to read the events leading up to Colton's surgery.  As I was reading, I felt so much anxiety as Todd Burpo described their ordeal with Colton.  But during surgery, Colton visited heaven.

The things Colton described could only be explained by a true visit to heaven.  This book left me with such a sense of peace that heaven is a real place where Jesus lives and reigns.  I think this book provides so much hope for those that have lost people they love, people they will one day see again.