I just finished reading Goodbye to Yesterday by Wanda E. Brunstetter. Oh Wanda you're so naughty! I knew it was the first of six mini novels, but I missed the fact that they would end with cliffhangers! I was so caught up in the novel I didn't check to see how much was left and then ((((BOOM)))) who shot JR? Okay I know the who and no one was shot, but still!
Instead of the other Wanda E. Brunstetter novels I've read that are boy meets girl, they fall in love and wed, Goodbye to Yesterday begins 14 months after Meredith and Luke got married. Luke is unemployed and Meredith is possibly pregnant. Tensions are high and patients are short. Luke catches a break when his uncle decides to get out of his engraving business and asks Luke to learn the trade. He must leave Meredith behind for a couple weeks and travel in the dead of winter to get to his uncle's place, but if it gives him a steady income it's all worth it.
But the cliffhanger... what might it be? Read the book when it comes out on February 5th and see for yourself. Perhaps like me you will be in the middle of devouring the novel when it SUDDENLY ends. Happy reading. =)
This honest review was given at the request of NetGalley.
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Crochet Book
I get to review a crochet book and all I keep thinking is, "What do I make first?!!!" I think I've settled on a vest and skirt for my daughter's 18" doll. I know this isn't the same as reading a good novel, but I'm excited to try the pattern out. I have to hold off telling you the name of the book because it won't be published for two more months. Alright, I'm off to crochet!
Porcupette Finds a Family
I just read Porcupette Finds a Family by Vanita Oelschlager. What intrigued me about the book was the mama bear fostering a porcupine. Although it says it's aimed at adoption I think it's perfect for foster families with biological children. I'm sure it would be just as wonderful for the foster children too.
In the book the little porcupine's mother leaves to find food, but doesn't return. After searching for his mom and not finding her he stumbles upon a cave with a mama bear and her cubs. He's hungry so he snuggles up next to the cubs and drinks Mama Bear's milk. Mama excepts him and treats him as her own. Sure he's smaller and looks different, but that doesn't matter. While playing with his brother and sister bear he startled and shot them with his quills. Mama Bear wasn't mad; she just pulled the quills out. This happens a few times, but Mama still loves him. He went back to his home and Mama found him and brought him back. He learns that they will never leave him like his mommy did. It doesn't matter how different they are they still want him to be apart of their family.
I will most definitely be reading this to my daughter before we get foster children in our home. I'll also recommending this to a caseworker I know who collects foster/adopt books.
Reviewed for NetGalley.
In the book the little porcupine's mother leaves to find food, but doesn't return. After searching for his mom and not finding her he stumbles upon a cave with a mama bear and her cubs. He's hungry so he snuggles up next to the cubs and drinks Mama Bear's milk. Mama excepts him and treats him as her own. Sure he's smaller and looks different, but that doesn't matter. While playing with his brother and sister bear he startled and shot them with his quills. Mama Bear wasn't mad; she just pulled the quills out. This happens a few times, but Mama still loves him. He went back to his home and Mama found him and brought him back. He learns that they will never leave him like his mommy did. It doesn't matter how different they are they still want him to be apart of their family.
I will most definitely be reading this to my daughter before we get foster children in our home. I'll also recommending this to a caseworker I know who collects foster/adopt books.
Reviewed for NetGalley.
Beyond The Valley
Exercise can't wait until Christmas vacation is over so yesterday I took my daughter to the gym with me. I needed a good reason to dive into Beyond The Valley. I actually started it the evening before, BUT IT WAS GOOD AND NEEDED FINISHING!!!! Wow!!! Just in the time hubby was in the shower two people died in unrelated incidences and he doesn't take long showers. How could I go to bed after that?!!!!!! Well I did and it was agony!
Have you ever had a professor who spends so much time telling you things you MUST take notes on that you have a hard time keeping up? My human anatomy professor was that way. I took notes feverishly and recorded the class so I could go back and write down everything I missed. Beyond the Valley by Rita Gerlach is like that. SO MUCH HAPPENS in such a short amount of time. I remember breathing a little when the main character, Sara Carr, had a simi free time in her life. Of course the book decided to skip two years at the "calm" point so we were off to the races once again.
We meet Sara Carr as she goes out looking for her husband. There was a shipwreck that sent many men down to the shore hoping for some good loot to wash ashore. Unfortunately for the pregnant Sara, her husband drowned in the mayhem. Being poor she found herself at her sister-in-law's house and unwanted. She ends up tricked into slavery and her world really turns upside-down. I guess it was really never right side up seeing how she was abandoned at an orphanage as a baby and never adopted.
Once kidnapped into slavery it looks like Sara will never get a break. At one point a man falls in love with her, but her masters won't sell her to him. She does eventually get sold then kidnapped again. She escapes her kidnappers and then we get to take a breath (inhale-exhale). Don't worry the ride isn't over it's only about half done.
Beyond The Valley is a roller coaster that is WELL WORTH the read. This is actually book 3 in the Daughters Of Potomac series; it said it could be read alone so I decided to put it to the test and it's true.
This book was reviewed for NetGalley.
Have you ever had a professor who spends so much time telling you things you MUST take notes on that you have a hard time keeping up? My human anatomy professor was that way. I took notes feverishly and recorded the class so I could go back and write down everything I missed. Beyond the Valley by Rita Gerlach is like that. SO MUCH HAPPENS in such a short amount of time. I remember breathing a little when the main character, Sara Carr, had a simi free time in her life. Of course the book decided to skip two years at the "calm" point so we were off to the races once again.
We meet Sara Carr as she goes out looking for her husband. There was a shipwreck that sent many men down to the shore hoping for some good loot to wash ashore. Unfortunately for the pregnant Sara, her husband drowned in the mayhem. Being poor she found herself at her sister-in-law's house and unwanted. She ends up tricked into slavery and her world really turns upside-down. I guess it was really never right side up seeing how she was abandoned at an orphanage as a baby and never adopted.
Once kidnapped into slavery it looks like Sara will never get a break. At one point a man falls in love with her, but her masters won't sell her to him. She does eventually get sold then kidnapped again. She escapes her kidnappers and then we get to take a breath (inhale-exhale). Don't worry the ride isn't over it's only about half done.
Beyond The Valley is a roller coaster that is WELL WORTH the read. This is actually book 3 in the Daughters Of Potomac series; it said it could be read alone so I decided to put it to the test and it's true.
This book was reviewed for NetGalley.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
The Poodle and the Pea
We just read The Poodle and the Pea by Charlotte Guillain. Having read the original version I expected this one to be longer and was disappointed when it ended at 23 pages and most of those were pictures. Then again I typically read novels so my six year old will have to give the true kid review.
Kj liked the pictures of the poodles. This story had her when it featured dogs. The only things better would have been horses. She loved how the princess had to climb a ladder to get in her bed and when she woke up she was sooooo tired. When I was done reading her the story she wanted to hear more. Over all it was a winner with her.
This book was reviewed for NetGalley.
I'm posting my review now, but I'm a bit puzzled with the book's publishing date; NetGalley says February 1st and Amazon says April 13th.
Kj liked the pictures of the poodles. This story had her when it featured dogs. The only things better would have been horses. She loved how the princess had to climb a ladder to get in her bed and when she woke up she was sooooo tired. When I was done reading her the story she wanted to hear more. Over all it was a winner with her.
This book was reviewed for NetGalley.
I'm posting my review now, but I'm a bit puzzled with the book's publishing date; NetGalley says February 1st and Amazon says April 13th.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
Lovely Knits For Little Girls
I was given the chance to review Lovely Knits For Little Girls by Vibe Sondergaard for Net Galley. I flipped through all the photos and there are some cute sweaters in there, but they are above my abilities. There's one hat towards the back called Hat with Eyelets I'm going to give a try. Everything else appears above my ability.
So far I would say this book isn't for amateurs.
Has anyone checked this book out? I don't believe it's gym approved. =)
So far I would say this book isn't for amateurs.
Has anyone checked this book out? I don't believe it's gym approved. =)
The Lesson: A Stoney Ridge Seasons Novel
I just finished reading the Stoney Ridge Seasons novels. I'm reviewing The Lesson by Suzanne Woods Fisher for NetGalley, but hadn't read The Keeper and The Haven so over the last week and a half I read them.
With all three books I quickly found myself caught up in the stories. Suzanne does a great job of weaving people's lives together, throwing in some conflict and a little bit of romance. You don't get a wedding story in any of the books; I was slightly surprised and disappointed by this. I always want to know if they had kids, how many and so forth. I spend a lot of time getting to know the characters and cheering them on so I like to be rewarded with a "happily ever after". In The Haven we learn Julia and Rome got married and moved to Ohio, but nothing else is mentioned about them. Did they have kids? In The Lesson we learn during the seven year span between The Haven and The Lesson Amos and Fern got married as well as Sadie and Gid. Sadie and Gid live local and have redheaded twins; a boy and a girl. I felt more informed about Sadie then I did Julia, but we eventually learn that Julia has four boys. We didn't hear anything about Joe-Jo until the end of the book. =( I was really hoping to hear he lived close to Amos and Fern or at least know how he's doing.
In The Lesson we get to know Mary Kate (M.K.). She's 19 and still acts like a kid. She's VERY irresponsible. How many 19 year olds do you know would ride a scooter down a hill with their eyes closed? Well, her immaturity cost her big time when she runs her scooter into the Amish teacher and is forced to grow up and take her place. At first she's lousy at it, but after hearing some of the kids opinions of her she decides she wants to be the best teacher she can. She seeks out Erma Yutzy an almost 100 year old Amish woman who used to be a teacher. Erma is a sweet old lady who surprisingly lives alone and does very well for herself. Once M.K. takes her teaching serious she becomes really good addressing the needs of her students.
Back on the farm Amos needs help doing things that could make him sick like plowing the fields. On the same day he asks for help Chris, a 20 year old raising his kid sister, started looking for work. They just arrived in the town to claim their grandfather's house; it's their inheritance and will officially belong to Chris when he turns 21. For now it's in their drug addict mother's name. She's off at a rehab in Ohio. Chris starts working for Amos and uses all his wages to fix up the house and to take care of his sister. He avoids all personal conversations in fear someone will learn about his mother. His scumbag mother has spent more of her children's lives in either rehab or jail. Chris and Jenny are actually English, but were mostly raised by Old Deborah, an Amish healer, so when the time came Chris was baptized into the church.
Everything seems to be going well. M.K. is becoming a great teacher; her students are actually learning. Chris and Jenny's house is coming along. And then Jenny starts writing her mom who is about to get out of rehab. Somewhere at this point the roller coaster began. Suddenly Jenny is missing, someone is gambling, dreams are crushed, a future business is lost, and the truth of M.K.'s mother's death is revealed.
Although I was left with questions it's still a great book.
With all three books I quickly found myself caught up in the stories. Suzanne does a great job of weaving people's lives together, throwing in some conflict and a little bit of romance. You don't get a wedding story in any of the books; I was slightly surprised and disappointed by this. I always want to know if they had kids, how many and so forth. I spend a lot of time getting to know the characters and cheering them on so I like to be rewarded with a "happily ever after". In The Haven we learn Julia and Rome got married and moved to Ohio, but nothing else is mentioned about them. Did they have kids? In The Lesson we learn during the seven year span between The Haven and The Lesson Amos and Fern got married as well as Sadie and Gid. Sadie and Gid live local and have redheaded twins; a boy and a girl. I felt more informed about Sadie then I did Julia, but we eventually learn that Julia has four boys. We didn't hear anything about Joe-Jo until the end of the book. =( I was really hoping to hear he lived close to Amos and Fern or at least know how he's doing.
In The Lesson we get to know Mary Kate (M.K.). She's 19 and still acts like a kid. She's VERY irresponsible. How many 19 year olds do you know would ride a scooter down a hill with their eyes closed? Well, her immaturity cost her big time when she runs her scooter into the Amish teacher and is forced to grow up and take her place. At first she's lousy at it, but after hearing some of the kids opinions of her she decides she wants to be the best teacher she can. She seeks out Erma Yutzy an almost 100 year old Amish woman who used to be a teacher. Erma is a sweet old lady who surprisingly lives alone and does very well for herself. Once M.K. takes her teaching serious she becomes really good addressing the needs of her students.
Back on the farm Amos needs help doing things that could make him sick like plowing the fields. On the same day he asks for help Chris, a 20 year old raising his kid sister, started looking for work. They just arrived in the town to claim their grandfather's house; it's their inheritance and will officially belong to Chris when he turns 21. For now it's in their drug addict mother's name. She's off at a rehab in Ohio. Chris starts working for Amos and uses all his wages to fix up the house and to take care of his sister. He avoids all personal conversations in fear someone will learn about his mother. His scumbag mother has spent more of her children's lives in either rehab or jail. Chris and Jenny are actually English, but were mostly raised by Old Deborah, an Amish healer, so when the time came Chris was baptized into the church.
Everything seems to be going well. M.K. is becoming a great teacher; her students are actually learning. Chris and Jenny's house is coming along. And then Jenny starts writing her mom who is about to get out of rehab. Somewhere at this point the roller coaster began. Suddenly Jenny is missing, someone is gambling, dreams are crushed, a future business is lost, and the truth of M.K.'s mother's death is revealed.
Although I was left with questions it's still a great book.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)