Saturday, January 28, 2017

The Wedding Dress

The Wedding Dress
by Rachel Hauck

Genre: Christian Fiction, Romance, Historical Fiction

Synopsis:  Charlotte owns a chic Birmingham bridal boutique.  Dressing brides for their big day is her gift-and her passion.  But with her own wedding day approaching, why can't she find the perfect dress-or feel certain she should marry Tim?

Then Charlotte purchases a vintage dress in a battered trunk at an estate sale.  It looks brand-new, shimmering with pearls and Bit  satin, hand-stitched and timeless in its design.  But where did it come from?  Who wore it?  Who welded the lock shut and tucked the dog tags in that little sachet?  Who left it in the basement for a ten-year-old girl?  And what about the mysterious man in the purple vest who insists the dress had been "redeemed"?

Charlotte's search for the gown's history-and its new bride-begins as a distraction from her sputtering love life. But it takes on a life of its own as she comes to know the women who have worn the dress.  Emily from 1912.  March Grace from 1939.  Hillary from 1968.  Each with her own story of promise, pain, and destiny.  And each with something unique to share.  For woven within the threads of the beautiful hundred-year-old gown is the truth about Charlotte's heritage, the power of courage and faith, and the beauty of finding true love.
from the back of the book

Review:  After reading Rachel Hauck's The Wedding Shop, I knew I wanted to read other books in this series as I enjoyed Hauck's easy writing style that keeps the reader's attention.  This book did not disappoint!  In fact, I liked it more than I liked The Wedding Shop. I really liked Charlotte (whom I met in The Wedding Shop) and Emily, who was from a wealthy family during the early 1900s.  I like how the historical stories of Emily, Mary Grace, and Hillary were intertwined with the modern day story.  The Christian fiction aspects of the book were not heavy handed (I thought it was actually less than what was in The Wedding Shop) and really fit in with the story line.  This book warmed my heart as I read about the love stories between Charlotte and Tim and Emily and her beaus.  Definitely a lighter book but a feel good one!

Rating: 4 stars

To see my review of The Wedding Shop, click here.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

The Other Einstein

The Other Einstein
by Marie Benedict

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis:  What secrets may have lurked in the shadows of Albert Einstein's fame?  In 1986, the extraordinary gifted Mileva "Mitza" Maric is the only woman studying physics at an elite school in Zurich.  For her, math seems like an easier path than marriage, until she falls in love with fellow student Albert Einstein.  Charismatic and brilliant, Albert promises to treat her as an equal in both love and science.  But as Albert's fame grows, is there room for more than one genius in a marriage?

This is the untold story of Albert's first wife, a brilliant scientist in her own right, whose contributions to the special theory of relativity have been hotly debated.
from the book jacket

Review:  This book was a very interesting look into Mileva Maric's, Albert Einstein's first wife, life.  I enjoy reading historical fiction books about women who are little known behind the scenes of a famous man and about how women were strong and forward thinking at a time when women did not have equality.  Although even though the women are ahead of their time, they often are treated as non-equals and do nothing or unable to do anything about it which is a disappointment.  It was hard for me in this book to decipher truth from fiction.  The author says that she did a lot of research into Mileva Maric's life but there is still so much that is so much that is unknown about Maric's assistance with Einstein's theory and her skills as a physicist and mathematician.  I think the author takes many liberties with this story but it is still an interesting hypothesis.  I wouldn't go into this book thinking that you are going to read the absolute truth about Maric.  Make sure to read the author's note at the end of the book and perhaps read it before you read the rest of the story.  Other than that this is a fast paced, easy to read story.

Rating: 4 stars

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Left To Tell

Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust
by Immaculee Ilibagiza with Steve Erwin

Genre: Non-fiction

Synopsis:  Immaculee Ilibagiza grew up in a country she loved, surrounded by a family she cherished.  But in 1994 her idyllic world was ripped apart as Rwanda descended into a bloody genocide.  Her family was brutally murdered during a killing spree that lasted three months and claimed the lives of nearly a million Rwandans.

Miraculously, Immaculee survived the slaughter.  For 91 days, she and seven other women huddled silently together in the cramped bathroom of a local pastor's home while hundreds of machete-wielding killers hunted for them.

It was during those endless hours of unspeakable terror that Immaculee discovered the power of prayer, eventually shedding her fear of death and forging a profound and lasting relationship with God.  She emerged from her bathroom hideout having truly discovered the meaning of unconditional love-a love so strong that she was able to seek out and forgive her family's killers.

The triumphant story of this remarkable woman's journey through the darkness of genocide will inspire anyone whose life has been touched by fear, suffering, and loss.
from the book jacket

Review:  I was amazed by Immaculee in this book.  Her faith in God and her faith in hope was truly remarkable while going through such a horrific event.  My heart broke for her and all of the victims of the genocide in Rwanda.  Immaculee was hidden in a bathroom with seven women, fed minimally (for fear of discovery), had nothing to do because they needed to maintain silence so Immaculee decided to continue and further her spirituality and relationship with God.  She never lost hope that the country would make it out of this horror.  She believed with all of her being that God would protect her.  After she was rescued and discovered the fate of her family, she looked to God for comfort and managed to forgive the man who led the gang that killed her family.  How extraordinary. 

Rating: 4 stars

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Every Last Word

Every Last Word
by Tamara Ireland Stone

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Synopsis:  If you could read my mind, you wouldn't be smiling.

Samantha McAllister looks just like the rest of the popular girls in her junior class.  But hidden beneath the straightened hair and expertly applied makeup is a secret that her friends would never understand: Sam has Purely-Obsessional OCD and is consumed by a stream of dark thoughts and worries that she can't turn off.

Second-guessing every move, thought, and word makes daily life a struggle, and it doesn't help that her lifelong friends will turn toxic at the first sign of a wrong outfit, wrong lunch, or wrong crush.  Yet Sam knows she'd be truly crazy to leave the protection of the most popular girls in school.  So when Sam meets Caroline, she has to keep her new friend with a refreshing sense of humor and no style a secret, right up there with Sam's weekly visits to her psychiatrist.

Caroline introduces Sam to Poet's Corner, a hidden room and a tight-knit group of misfits who have been ignored by the school at large.  Sam is drawn to them immediately, especially a guitar-playing guy with talent for verse, and starts to discover a whole new side of herself.  Slowly, she begins to feel more "normal" than she ever has as part of the popular crowd...until she finds a new reason to question her sanity and all she holds dear.
from the book jacket

Review:  Oh, my.  I found myself crying along with Sam at the end without even realizing that I was crying.  My heart ached for her as she questioned everything that had happened to her throughout the book.  I could have given this book 5 stars just for the ending but I had to remember the beginning too and rate the book overall.  The book starts with Sam and her popular friends hanging out and being teenagers.  The girls were mean girls and very shallow who I just did not like.  I always felt such empathy for Sam but I could not feel anything but disgust for her so-called friends.  Teenage drama about popular girls being mean is not something I need to read or hear anything about.  I have no tolerance for it.  As Sam meets Caroline and the other members of Poet's Corner, the book turned a corner for me.  There was much less drama and more soul searching.  The poems that the author includes that were written by the high school members of Poet's Corner were so poignant and really touched my heart.  I could really feel for what each of the characters were struggling with.  Sam herself was struggling with OCD.  The synopsis talks about her having dark thoughts but those really only appear in the fist chapter.  Sam's disorder is more obsessing about the number 3 (which the author cleverly inserts into the story in various ways) and other things.  Throughout the story we watch Sam grow and blossom as she moves away from her popular friends to people who accept her for who she is.  What a beautifully written book!

Rating: 4.5 stars

The Edge of Lost

The Edge of Lost
by Kristina McMorris

Genre: Historical Fiction

Synopsis:  On a cold night in October 1937, searchlights cut through the darkness around Alcatraz.  A prison guard's only daughter-one of the youngest civilians who lives on the island-has gone missing.  Tending the warden's greenhouse, convicted bank robber Tommy Capello waits anxiously.  Only he knows the truth about the little girl's whereabouts, and that both of their lives depend on the search's outcome.

Almost two decades earlier and thousands of miles away, a young boy named Shanley Keagan ekes out a living as an aspiring vaudevillian in Dublin pubs.  Talented and shrew, Shan dreams of shedding his dingy existence and finding his real father in America.  The chance finally comes to cross the Atlantic, but when tragedy strikes, Shan must summon all his ingenuity to forge a new life in a volatile and foreign world.

Skillfully weaving these two stories, Kristina McMorries delivers a compelling novel that moves from Ireland to New York to San Francisco Bay.  As her finely crafted characters discover the true nature of loyalty, sacrifice, and betrayal, they are forced to confront the lies we tell-and believe-in order to survive.
from the book jacket

Review:  This book was not quite what I expected.  I thought there was going to be more a mystery in this book and there really wasn't any at all.  That did not detract from my enjoyment of the book, however, as I am a fan of historical fiction.  The book takes place between the 1920s and 1930s which is not a time frame I have read much about.  The book starts off with a short prologue about Tommy Capello on Alcatraz and a little girl who has gone missing.  Then the book jumps back in time and tells us about Shanley's life in Ireland.  I had no idea the connection between the two people and the first few chapters about Shanley's life were slow so I was a bit frustrated by the book.  As Shanley travels to America and his subsequent life there develops, I became much more involved in the book and Shan worked his way into my heart.  He was such a sympathetic character because of the tough life that he had led.  Without giving too much away, Shan is taken under the wing of an Italian family and his life improves greatly.  The story continues through Shan's childhood, teenage years and early adulthood.  We see love, compassion, jealousy, loyalty, friendship, trust, betrayal, and sacrifice all in one book.  This was a good read and one that I enjoyed but it is not one that stuck with me after I finished it.

Rating: 4 stars

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Cherries in Winter

Cherries in Winter
Suzan Colon

Cherries in Winter: My Family's Recipe for Hope in Hard Times

Genre: Memoir

Summary (from Goodreads): What is the secret to finding hope in hard times?

When Suzan Colón was laid off from her dream job at a magazine during the economic downturn of 2008, she needed to cut her budget way, way back, and that meant home cooking. Her mother suggested, “Why don’t you look in Nana’s recipe folder?” In the basement, Suzan found the tattered treasure, full of handwritten and meticulously typed recipes, peppered with her grandmother Matilda’s commentary in the margins. Reading it, Suzan realized she had found something more than a collection of recipes—she had found the key to her family’s survival through hard times.

Suzan began re-creating Matilda’s “sturdy food” recipes for baked pork chops and beef stew, and Aunt Nettie’s clam chowder made with clams dug up by Suzan’s grandfather Charlie in Long Island Sound. And she began uncovering the stories of her resilient family’s past. Taking inspiration from stylish, indomitable Matilda, who was the sole support of her family as a teenager during the Great Depression (and who always answered “How are you?” with “Fabulous, never better!”), and from dashing, twice-widowed Charlie, Suzan starts to approach her own crisis with a sense of wonder and gratitude. It turns out that the gift to survive and thrive through hard times had been bred in her bones all along.

Cherries in Winter is an irresistible gem of a book. It makes you want to cook, it makes you want to know your own family’s stories, and, above all, it makes you feel rich no matter what.


Review: This was a quick and interesting read about a magazine writer who lost her job during the recession of 2008.  She used her newfound free time to delve into her family's history, discovering that the women in her family were used to dealing with hard economic times.  Colón linked the past and the present using recipes, but food didn't feel like the primary focus of the book.  Instead, the author took her readers on a journey through the past, learning about her grandparents and great-grandparents, and how they made do with what they had.  Few people that I know were affected by the economic downturn in 2008, so it was educational to read about well-off New Yorkers who suddenly found themselves living on one salary instead of two.  I was a little frustrated that the author made a big deal of saying that she could no longer shop at Whole Foods and that she had to turn her heat down (to a temperature that's still higher than I keep my heat at!).  I have to believe the average person is already living their life the way that Colón did after she was laid off, and for her to make a big deal of it was a little patronizing.

Rating: 3 stars

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Everything I Never Told You

Everything I Never Told You
Celeste Ng

Everything I Never Told You

Genre: Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads): Lydia is dead. But they don’t know this yet.

So begins this exquisite novel about a Chinese American family living in 1970s small-town Ohio. Lydia is the favorite child of Marilyn and James Lee, and her parents are determined that she will fulfill the dreams they were unable to pursue. But when Lydia’s body is found in the local lake, the delicate balancing act that has been keeping the Lee family together is destroyed, tumbling them into chaos.

A profoundly moving story of family, secrets, and longing, Everything I Never Told You is both a gripping page-turner and a sensitive family portrait, uncovering the ways in which mothers and daughters, fathers and sons, and husbands and wives struggle, all their lives, to understand one another.


Review: I picked up this book solely because it had shown up in the top 10 on a booklist that I follow on Goodreads.  I figured that if so many women my age were reading it, I should try it, too.  And it was the kind of book that I would normally enjoy - a quiet and contemplative look at the difficulties of family dynamics, exacerbated by the unrealistic expectations that the parents have for their oldest daughter.  James, the son of a Chinese gardener, was sent to a private school on a full scholarship, but always longed to fit in among his snobbish peers.  Marilyn, an intelligent woman who chose to get married and have a child rather than pursue a medical degree, always wanted her daughter to have the opportunities that she missed out on.  Unfortunately, Lydia isn't interested in going along with her parents' expectations, and tries to find out how to stand up for herself.  There is very little communication going on within the family, but the author gets inside each character's head so that the reader can empathize with them.  Tragic and poignant.

Rating: 3.5 stars

A Robot in the Garden

A Robot in the Garden
Deborah Install

A Robot in the Garden

Genre: Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads): Warm-hearted fable of a stay-at-home husband who learns an important lesson in life when an unusual creature enters his life.

With all the charm and humour of THE ROSIE PROJECT and ABOUT A BOY mingled with the heart-swelling warmth of PADDINGTON BEAR MOVIE.

A story of the greatest friendship ever assembled.

Ben Chambers wakes up to find something rusty and lost underneath the willow tree in his garden. Refusing to throw it on the skip as his wife Amy advises, he takes it home.


Review: It's been a while since I read this book, and truthfully I don't remember very much about it.  The story was quirky and charming with a feel good ending.  I mean, who wouldn't love a story about a lonely man and his stubborn little robot sidekick?

Rating: 3.5 stars

Today Will Be Different

Today Will Be Different
Maria Semple

Today Will Be Different

Genre: Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads): A genius novel from the author of Where'd You Go, Bernadette, about a day in the life of Eleanor Flood, forced to abandon her small ambitions when she awakes to a strange, new future unfolding.

Eleanor knows she's a mess. But today, she will tackle the little things. She will shower and get dressed. She will have her poetry and yoga lessons after dropping off her son, Timby. She won't swear. She will initiate sex with her husband, Joe. But before she can put her modest plan into action-life happens. Today, it turns out, is the day Timby has decided to fake sick to weasel his way into his mother's company. It's also the day Joe has chosen to tell his office-but not Eleanor-that he's on vacation. Just when it seems like things can't go more awry, an encounter with a former colleague produces a graphic memoir whose dramatic tale threatens to reveal a buried family secret.

TODAY WILL BE DIFFERENT is a hilarious, heart-filled story about reinvention, sisterhood, and how sometimes it takes facing up to our former selves to truly begin living.


Review: I had high expectations for this book because of how much I loved the author's first book, Where'd You Go, Bernadette?  Sadly, this book didn't live up to the hype.  Eleanor was a mostly unlikeable, spoiled and self-involved woman, which may have made for an interesting book if she wasn't also completely dull.  There were definitely a few funny parts in the book, but overall, I just didn't care for it.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Breakfast at Sally's

Breakfast at Sally's
Ruta Sepetys

Breakfast at Sally's: One Homeless Man's Inspirational Journey

Genre: Memoir

Summary (from Goodreads): One day, Richard LeMieux had a happy marriage, a palatial home, and took $40,000 Greek vacations. The next, he was living out of a van with only his dog, Willow, for company. This astonishingly frank memoir tells the story of one man's resilience in the face of economic disaster. Penniless, a failed suicide, estranged from his family, and living "the vehicular lifestyle" in Washington state, LeMieux chronicles his journey from the Salvation Army kitchens to his days with "C"—a philosopher in a homeless man's clothing—to his run-ins with Pastor Bob and other characters he meets on the streets. Along the way, he finds time to haunt public libraries and discover his desire to write.

LeMieux's quiet determination and his almost pious willingness to live with his situation are only a part of this politically and socially charged memoir. The real story of an all-too-common American condition, this is a heartfelt and stirring read.


Review: I am of two minds about this book.  On the one hand, it is a well-written, relatively easy to read book about homelessness, a subject that most Americans never really think about.  The author brings to life many different types of homeless people, including women and children and entire families.  He presents some of the reasons why people face homelessness, including depression and other mental health issues, and touches on the difficulties that the destitute can face in trying to find an affordable place to live.  In short, he encourages readers to address their own thoughts and stereotypes about the homeless, and think about how they can help in their own communities.

On the other hand, I found myself a bit skeptical about LeMieux's journey - he mentions many times that he was a rich man with everything he could ask for, and then suddenly he is living in his van and his children have refused to help him.  I couldn't help but wonder why.  What did he do that was so terrible that his children have abandoned him?  He doesn't mention that at all in the story.  And he mentions that he couldn't find a job - why not?  Because of his depression, or his age, or his general desire to not have to work?  Additionally, he and his friends seemed to spend an inordinate amount of time hanging out at someone's place watching TV and smoking marijuana.  It's a little frustrating that he details this part of homelessness while also saying that people who spend their time working at a job should donate more of their time and money to help homeless people.

I wanted to love this book because of its ability to encourage readers to think differently about homeless people and housing and food challenges in their communities, but it fell a little short.

Rating: 3.5 stars

IQ

IQ
Joe Ide

IQ

Genre: Mystery

Summary (from Goodreads): A resident of one of LA's toughest neighborhoods uses his blistering intellect to solve the crimes the LAPD ignores.

East Long Beach. The LAPD is barely keeping up with the neighborhood's high crime rate. Murders go unsolved, lost children unrecovered. But someone from the neighborhood has taken it upon himself to help solve the cases the police can't or won't touch.

They call him IQ. He's a loner and a high school dropout, his unassuming nature disguising a relentless determination and a fierce intelligence. He charges his clients whatever they can afford, which might be a set of tires or a homemade casserole. To get by, he's forced to take on clients that can pay.

This time, it's a rap mogul whose life is in danger. As Isaiah investigates, he encounters a vengeful ex-wife, a crew of notorious cutthroats, a monstrous attack dog, and a hit man who even other hit men say is a lunatic. The deeper Isaiah digs, the more far reaching and dangerous the case becomes.


Review: An interesting take on a Sherlock Holmes type mystery, with young, black, inner-city hoodlum-turned-savior Isaiah as the brainiac hero.  Getting a glimpse into Isaiah's early life with his brother and friend Dodson gave some insights into his personality quirks in the present.  I found myself turned off by the amount of time and effort Isaiah put into committing crimes as a teenager, and would have liked to have seen some remorse on his part.  But I guess that's too idealistic for inner city LA.  In any case, Isaiah is a fascinating new hero with a new age vocabulary.  I'll definitely look for the next book if it becomes a series.

Rating: 4 stars

After the Storm

After the Storm
Linda Castillo

After the Storm (Kate Burkholder, #7)

Genre: Mystery

Summary (from Goodreads): In this electrifying thriller by New York Times bestseller Linda Castillo, Kate Burkholder must uncover a family's long-hidden past to solve a brutal murder

When a tornado tears through Painters Mill and unearths human remains, Chief of Police Kate Burkholder finds herself tasked with the responsibility of identifying the bones--and notifying the family. Evidence quickly emerges that the death was no accident and Kate finds herself plunged into a thirty year old case that takes her deep into the Amish community to which she once belonged.

Meanwhile, turmoil of an emotional and personal nature strikes at the very heart of Kate's budding relationship with state agent John Tomasetti. A reality that strains their fragile new love to the breaking point and threatens the refuge they've built for themselves--and their future.

Under siege from an unknown assailant--and her own personal demons--Kate digs deep into the case only to discover proof of an unimaginable atrocity, a plethora of family secrets and the lengths to which people will go to protect their own.


Review:  A bit grisly and gory when describing the murder scene and speculating about the remains, this novel is nevertheless an entertaining read.  While this is book number seven in Castillo's Katie Burkholder series, it read well as a stand alone novel.  I do think it would have helped to have read the earlier books in order to better understand the relationship between Burkholder and Tomasetti, and to help keep some of the minor characters straight.  I had expected this book to dwell more on the Amish community, but it focused more on Burkholder and her life as Chief of Police in a small town.

Rating: 3.5 stars

22 Britannia Road

22 Britannia Road
Amanda Hodgkinson

22 Britannia Road

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads): In her powerful debut, Hodgkinson takes on the tale of a family desperately trying to put itself back together after WWII. Silvana and Janusz have only been married a few months when the war forces them apart. Silvana and their infant son, Aurek, leave Poland and disappear into the forests of Eastern Europe, where they bear witness to German atrocities. Meanwhile Janusz, the sole survivor of his slaughtered military unit, flees to France. There, he takes up with a local girl and, though he loves her, awaits the war's end so that he can go in search of his wife and son. He eventually finds them in a refugee camp and they travel to England together, where they attempt to put the past behind them. But the secrets they carry pull at the threads of their fragile peace. Hodgkinson alternates viewpoints to relay the story of three desperate characters, skillfully toggling between the war and its aftermath with wonderfully descriptive prose that pulls the reader into a sweeping tale of survival and redemption.

Review: A different type of World War II book, this novel dealt more with the aftermath of the war when a married couple is reunited after seven years of separation.  Silvana is a Polish refugee who managed to survive the war with her young son by living in the forest.  Janusz escaped Poland early on, fought for the Allies and established himself as a factory worker in a small English town.  When Silvana and her son Aurek finally arrive in England, they not only experience a huge cultural adjustment, but they also have to learn to live with Janusz and the secrets he carries from the war.

The author beautifully captures the relationship between Silvana and her disturbed young son, and writes convincingly about the marital relationship and Silvana and Janusz are trying to establish after years of absence and tragedy.  The flashbacks were gripping and disturbing, as one would expect from a World War II drama.  I was engrossed in the story, but I did find it easy to guess the big secrets that each character was hiding.

Rating: 4 stars

Friday, January 6, 2017

Most Wanted

Most Wanted
by Lisa Scottoline

Genre: Mystery

Synopsis:  Donor 3319 Profile: Tall, blond, blue eyes.  Medical student.  Wanted for murder.

Christine Nilsson and her husband, Marcus, are desperate for a baby.  Unable to conceive, they find themselves facing a difficult choice they had never anticipated.  After many appointments with specialists, endless research, and countless conversations, they make the decision to use a donor.

Two months pass, and Christine is happily pregnant.  But one day, she is shocked to see a young blond man on the TV news being arrested for a series of brutal murders-and the blond man bears an undeniable and uncanny resemblance to her donor.

Delving deeper to uncover the truth, Christine must confront ad terrifying reality and ace her worst fears.  Riveting and fast-paced, with the depth of emotionality that has garnered Lisa Scottoline legions of fans, Most Wanted poses an ethical and moral dilemma: What would you do if the biological father of your unborn child was a killer?
from the book jacket

Review:  This book fell flat for me.  The characters were very flat and one-dimensional which lead me to not understand why characters acted the way that they did.  From the plot description I thought it would be a very interesting and engaging story and while I wanted to know whether the man accused of murder was the donor or not, I didn't really care for how the story progressed.  The whole story was quite unbelievable.  There was no motivation behind the murders even once we find out for sure who did it.  I've read one other book by Lisa Scottoline and while it was simplistic story it was enjoyable.  This one does not make me want to read another book by her.

Rating: 2 1/2 stars

Best Books of 2016


Here are the 14 best books that I read in 2016 in no particular order.  There are four young adult fiction novels, two memoirs (!!!), one thriller, and the rest just plain old fiction.

Place Last Seen by Charlotte McGuinn Freeman
Place Last Seen: A Novel
A richly descriptive and deeply emotional story of the search for a young girl lost in the wilderness.  You can read my review here.

The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend by Katarina Bivald
The Readers of Broken Wheel Recommend
A feel-good book for book lovers about a Scandinavian girl who moves to small town America and helps bring the townspeople together.  You can read my review here.

11/22/63 by Stephen King
11/22/63
A fascinating and impossible to put down historical fiction novel about an ordinary man trying to stop the JFK assassination.  You can read my review here.

Orphan X by Gregg Hurwitz
Orphan X (Evan Smoak, #1)
A fast paced thriller about a highly skilled ex-covert operative who helps those in desperate situation; action packed and full of lies and conspiracies.  You can read my review here.

Be Frank With Me by Julia Claiborne Johnson
Be Frank With Me
The hero of this story is a profoundly gifted nine year old boy with the fashion sense of Fred Astaire.  What's not to love?  You can read my review here.

All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven
All the Bright Places
A beautifully heart-breaking book about two teenagers discovering little known wonders in Indiana while dealing with the death of a sister and crippling depression.You can read my review here.

I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson
I'll Give You the Sun
A book about artistic twins dealing with a tragic loss while learning to be true to themselves.  You can read my review here.

Furiously Happy by Jenny Lawson
23848559
It's amazing that an author can write a hilariously funny book about depression and anxiety disorder, but that's exactly what Lawson has done.  You can read my review here.

Girl Underwater by Claire Kells
Girl Underwater
The story of a competitive swimmer learning to put her life back together after surviving a tragic plane crash.  You can read my review here.

Maybe One Day by Melissa Kantor
Maybe One Day
A powerful story about hope and friendship between a teenage girl and her friend battling leukemia; a deep connection with the characters will make it impossible not to cry.  You can read my review here.

Learning to Swear in America by Katie Kennedy
Learning to Swear in America
  This young adult novel tells the story of a Russian prodigy falling in love with a quirky American girl, all while trying to save the world from an incoming meteor that threatens to destroy all life on Earth.  You can read my review here

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
When Breath Becomes Air
A hauntingly beautiful book written by a neurosurgeon diagnosed with terminal lung cancer.  You can read my review here.

The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin by Stephanie Knipper
The Peculiar Miracles of Antoinette Martin
This exquisite story about an autistic girl living on a flower farm is sure to bring you to tears.You can read my review here.

My Name is Leon by Kit de Waal
My Name Is Leon
Written from the perspective of an eight year old boy, this novel brought to life the harsh realities faced by a biracial boy abandoned by his mother and sent to foster care in the 1980s. You can read my review here.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

The Wedding Shop

The Wedding Shop
by Rachel Hauck

Genre: Christian Fiction, Romance, Historical fiction

Synopsis:  It's the early 1930s, but Cora Scott is walking in stride as a career woman after having inherited her great aunt's wedding shop in Heart's Bend, Tennessee, where brides come from as far away as Birmingham to experience her famed bridal treatment.  Meanwhile, Cora is counting down the days until her own true love returns from the river to make her his bride.  But days turn into months and months to years.  All the while, Birch Good continues to woo Cora and try to show her that while he is solid and dependable, he can sweep her off her feet.

More than eighty years later, former Air Force Captain Haley Morgan has returned home to Heart's Bend after finishing her commitment to military service.  After the devastating death of her best friend, Tammy, and discovering the truth about the man she loved, Haley is searching for her place in life.

When Haley decides to reopen the romantic but abandoned wedding shop where she and Tammy played and dreamed as children, she begins a journey of courage, mystery, and love.

As Cora's and Haley's stories intertwine through time in the shadow of the beloved wedding shop, they both discover the power of their own dreams and the magic of everyday love.
from the back of the book

Review:  This was a heartwarming, feel good book about two women connected together by their love for the wedding shop.  The romance in the story was fairly predictable but what the reader wants from the book.  The author has an ease to her writing style to capture the reader and keep us reading.  I like the look back at the wedding shop in the 1930s and how it survived the Great Depression era.  I liked Cora more than I liked Haley as the former was a more believable character.  I did not know that this was a Christian fiction book when I picked it up and while there were some parts that were heavy on religion, they were very meaningful about forgiveness.  There were other parts where Christianity was sprinkled in but not in a heavy duty way.  This book was a great blend of Christian, fiction and romance.  Definitely a lighter book but one that was very enjoyable.  I think I will look up the rest of this series.

Rating: 4 stars