And then there were none, book #54

Whew.  That is about all I have for this one!  Rebecca's friend Emily got me hooked on this book and I must say it was quite a change from my usual reading material. First of all, it is not classified as my lovely "Christian fiction." Secondly, it was originally written in 1939, the same year my dad was born.  And finally, it was written in good old "English English" with properness all over it.  

All in all, it was a really good book.  I do love me some mysteries and this one is completely loaded with it.  All the way to the end you are wondering "whodunnit??"  Even the last sentence "...kicked the chair away" makes you want to scream ..... BUT WAIT....WAIT...WAIT .... like a movie whose ending you are left to figure out for yourself.  (I hate those, for the record.  I like closure!)  Luckily there is an epilogue with the police and examiners, and even they are stumped after going over every shred of evidence ... but then.... well I'm not giving it all away ....

I could not find a good summary on Amazon, but I found this at Wikipedia (no comment....) :

Eight people – Lawrence Wargrave, Vera Claythorne, Philip Lombard, General John Macarthur, Emily Brent, Anthony Marston, Dr Edward Armstrong and William Blore – are en route to Indian Island, off the coast of Devon. Each person has an invitation, most in writing, in some cases seemingly from actual friends or acquaintances, tailored to his or her personal circumstances, i.e. ranging from offers of employment for some to an unexpected late summer holiday for others. The island, although remote, had been the subject of some relatively recent news gossip, with differing, mostly false, reports about its purchase by a new owner. After arriving on the island, the guests are informed by the butler and cook, a married couple, Thomas and Ethel Rogers, that their hosts, Mr and Mrs Owen (Ulick Norman Owen and Una Nancy Owen) are not present but will arrive soon, which the guests all find odd. They find a framed copy of the nursery rhyme "Ten Little Soldiers" ("Niggers" or "Indians" in respective earlier editions) hanging on the wall.
After the evening meal, guests notice ten soldier figurines on the dining room table. When a victim dies as described in the rhyme, one figure will go missing or be found broken into pieces. Each guest was lured by an individually tailored pretext, none can leave without the boatman, who has been instructed not to return to the island. As instructed by Isaac Morris, the servant for "Mr and Mrs Owens", the manservant Rogers plays a gramophone recording as he had been instructed to do which accuses each person in the house of having intentionally caused the death(s) of another (others), but had evaded earthly justice.

I'm ready to go back to my sweet little pioneer Christmas stories now!!

O:)
Melissa

The Christmas Angel, book #53

When choosing a book for Book Club this month I was in a bit of a dilemma.  Our lovely Books-a-Million where we hang out had a very pitiful collection of Christmas books.  Lifeway, on the other hand, had tons, but I wasn't sure if my friends had read any of them or not.  So, before our November meeting I searched our stacks for what we had on hand.  I found this little gem, which was a nice break from action/mystery and Christian love twists.  Ends up, of course, that this is a series book and this one is #6.  And there are 14.  However, since I still have the stack beside my bed, I'm pretty sure these series is going to have to go on hold for now.  

As the spirit of the season spreads through the seaside hamlet of Cape Light, town mayor Emily receives an unexpected and precious Christmas gift: a baby girl tucked away in a decorative cradle set up outside the church, with a note begging whoever discovers the child to take care of her. Now, in the midst of the year's most joyous season, Emily must come to terms with her duty to her family, her own feelings of regret and loss-and what her heart truly desires. (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Angel Song, book #52

This is another book from my nightstand.  At first it started out a little odd, but probably because I have not had someone really close to me die before.  It's so hard for me to relate to stories that involve death like that.  (Not that I'm complaining ...) But in the end I stuck with it and this really turned out good.  It won't be on my list of favorites (I do have one for anyone interested) but it is now off my nightstand and moved to the church library.

Angels eagerly watch over Ann Fletcher's every move. She just doesn't know it yet.
Ann Fletcher has returned to Charleston to see her younger sister Sarah receive her master's degree. But she soon finds herself riding in the back of an ambulance, watching helplessly as Sarah fights for her life. As they race to the hospital, Sarah talks to someone who is not there...and hums a melody Ann has never heard before.
That unfamiliar, unearthly beautiful melody keeps finding Ann--first in the hospital chapel, then in her dreams, and finally in Sarah's empty house.
Two neighbors have a profound effect on Ann. Ethan McKinney lends her a shoulder to lean on. And as a carpenter, he volunteers to help Ann get the Fletcher family home into shape for selling. His strong presence is a pleasing distraction. Ann's twelve-year-old neighbor, Keith, has Down Syndrome and the guile to believe he can actually see and hear angels. In fact, he insists they are looking out for her in ways she's never imagined.
God begins to reveal himself to Ann--both in her newfound friends and through supernatural events. As she discovers the very real presence of angels around her, will she finally open her heart to receive God's healing love? (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

The Return of the Half-Stitched Quilting Club : The Tattered Quilt, book #51

Hooray!  Another book from my night stand read!!  And it was a good one, once again.  I do love Wanda Brunstetter books, although I don't think I could read them all the time.  She writes great little stories, but they aren't very deep and sometimes there is a little bit too much obvious detail in them that doesn't really need to be said.  

That said, it was fun to visit again with Emma and Lamar and their latest batch of students.  Nearly every student had a connection with students from the first class, but it was fun to reconnect with them.  As is typical, there was some drama, some frustration, but it all worked out in the end.  If you like fairly quick easy reads and are not worn out from Amish Christian books, you'll enjoy this one!

Amish widow-turned-newlywed Emma Yoder Miller begins another class in quilting with a new patchwork group of students, all with tattered pieces of their lives that need mending. Selma the busybody; Terry the rugged roofer; Blaine who s only there because he lost a bet; Anna whose mother signed her up; Carmen who s hiding secret motives for (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Livvie's Song, book #50

I made it to book #50!!!!  I think I started some time in November, but this may be my limit per year.  Of course, I know all of my faithful fans would be so sad if I quit updating, so just for all three of you I will!!  (hehehe!)

Livvie's Song was so-so to me.  I read it in just a few days since Book Club was coming up so I may not have had time to fully digest it, but it wasn't anything to jump up and down about.  It did have a pretty dramatic near ending that kept my pulse pretty high for a while, but other than that it was pretty drab.  Looking forward to some Christmas books for a while now ...

Life is far from a breeze for Olivia Beckman, owner of Livvie's Kitchen, a favorite of locals in Wabash, Indiana. The widowed mother of two is struggling to make ends meet-no simple feat, especially when her cook turns in his resignation. Yet she's determined to pull through on her own, just as she did when God failed to save her beloved Frank. Newly released from a ten-year prison sentence, Will Taylor is ready for a fresh start. With harmonica in hand-the only possession he values, aside from his Bible-he makes his way to Wabash, where a late-night meal at Livvie's Kitchen turns into a job opportunity when the outgoing cook learns about his restaurant experience. What he doesn't know is that the "restaurant" was a prison cafeteria. But Will became a new man behind bars, thanks to a Christian friend, and he credits God's providence with landing him a job he loves. Soon, he cooks and bakes his way into the stomachs of his customers-and the heart of his employer. Both are hesitant, though, still healing from past hurts. A recipe for love between them will require sharing secrets, braving dangers, and believing God for a bright future. (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Every Waking Moment, book #49

Well for all you folksies who fuss at me because I am so old fashioned and want *a book* to read, you'll be happy to know that I read this entire book on Kindle.  And by Kindle I mean the Kindle App on my phone, so it was quite interesting.  

This latest book by yet another one of my fav authors (Chris Fabry) was on sale on download for only $1.99 so I decided to give it a try.  I was not disappointed.  Having just recently been to Roger's grandmother's 99th birthday party at the assisted living place she lives, the plight of the elderly was fresh in my mind.  I have at times had a tender spot in my heart for them, and after reading this book it made me want to perhaps follow wherever it may lead.  

It also brought to mind my dear friend Shelley.  She was the same age as me and as a child was exposed to some sort of spillage in a river or something that later in life manifested itself in cancer and took her from this life too early.  This stuff really happens these days, people.  It's not just in the movies.  

Read for yourself (paper or electronic!) and soak in a very thoughtful story.

Treha Langsam is a mysterious young woman who has fallen through the cracks, much like many of the elderly people she works with at Desert Gardens Retirement Home. But Miriam Howard, director of the facility, sees her extraordinary gift and untapped potential. Treha is a whisperer of sorts, calling those who have slipped into dementia back to a life of vibrant, if only temporary, clarity.

When Treha’s and Miriam’s stories intertwine with a documentary team looking for stories of the elderly, Treha’s gift is uncovered, and the search begins for answers to the mysteries of her past. As their paths converge, each person is forced to face the same difficult question: What if this is as good as my life gets?

An uplifting, human tale of an ordinary woman with an extraordinary gift. (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Starting Now, book #48

Ahh...the final Blossom Street Novel.  At least that I know of!!  This one was just published this year so I don't know if she is working on another one or not, but it has been a nice ride in Seattle.  

This has been not my favorite book in the series, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  It was interesting because the male main character was a doctor who spent too much time at the hospital in an effort to "run away" from his problems at home, just like the one in the last book I read.  I have enjoyed this series and reading Debbie's works.  It makes me want to move on to other books she has written, but then all those other books sitting on my nightstand would *never* get read!!!  

Truthfully I need to take a reading break to work on other projects, but I may wait until I at least hit 50 books.  Hhm....

Debbie Macomber returns to Seattle’s beloved Blossom Street in this heartfelt tale of friendship, renewal, and discovering what’s truly important in life.

For years Libby Morgan dreamed only of making partner in her competitive, high-pressure law firm. She sacrificed everything for her career—her friends, her marriage, her chance at creating a family. When her boss calls Libby into his office, she assumes it will finally be good news, but nothing can prepare her for the shocking reality: She’s been let go and must rebuild her entire life . . . starting now.

With no job prospects in sight, Libby reaches out to old friends and spends her afternoons at A Good Yarn, the local knitting store. There she forms a close bond with Lydia, the sweet-natured shop owner; Lydia’s spirited teenage daughter, Casey; and Casey’s best friend, Ava, a shy yet troubled girl who will shape Libby’s future in surprising and profound ways.

As A Good Yarn becomes a second home—and the women a new kind of family—Libby relishes the different person she’s become. She even finds time for romance with a charming and handsome doctor who seems to be her perfect match. But just as everything is coming together, Libby must make a choice that could forever change the life she holds so dear.

Warmly told and richly textured, Starting Now is filled with the promise of new beginnings and the unending delights of companionship and love. (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

At the Scent of Water, book #47

When I start a book I always want to finish it.  No matter how bad it is, because I always want to hold out hope that it will get better.  And I have read some books I really wasn't sure it was going to happen.  But, in all my years of reading, there was only one book I read, where I hated it and I actually threw it away because I was so mad I had wasted my time.  (For the record, it was a used book I bought at a library sale so I didn't feel too bad about throwing it away!)

This book almost became one like that.  The first several chapters (maybe even up to 10!) were so incredibly depressing I thought I would die!  It is a church library book and I actually was going to return it last week.  But on a whim I found a friend who had read it and I asked her if it was worth it, if it was going to make me happy, if they were going to live happily ever after.  She assured me it would, but I wasn't sure.  

On a side note, it was a sweet conversation we had that veered off to teenagers and raising kids and it was just the shot in the arm I needed about being a good mama.  I'm adding this sweet lady to my list of mentor moms!!!

So, I did indeed finish it. In fact I consumed it.  Once it got past the yucky part and glimmers of hope started showing up I was hooked!  In fact, I was coming up on the amazing end last night where all the pieces were about to come together and I was so tired I kept falling asleep.  I was so mad, but during the night I got up to take care of some business (ahem!) and grabbed it and finished it in the bathroom.  The end was so wonderfully sweet and tender, but the epilogue just left me in happy tears!!!!   So my recommendation is persevere through the first part and you will be rewarded in the end!!!

Life is rewarding for Samuel Truelove. He's a gifted heart surgeon, he's married to the love of his life, and he has a beautiful daughter. But when he misdiagnoses his daughter's illness and is suddenly called away to perform emergency surgery, a deadly cascade of events is set in motion. After multiple tragedies, Sam withdraws into himself, takes a leave of absence, and joins a small town clinic. His search for redemption and healing will test the idea that God has the power--and the will--to repair what seems irreparably broken.
(picture and description from amazon.com) 

O:)
Melissa

Camp High Five and the Great Cabin Caper, book #46

Ok, most everyone who knows me knows I am NOT a fan of Boosterthon. Or any fundraising in general, but life is what it is.  But Katie brought this book home as a "free" resource for the kids and it was sitting around so I decided to pick it up and read it over lunch yesterday.  

Yes it was heavy on cheesy, but a great story with awesome pictures.  Their theme this year was Bullying so this book tied right into it.  

Book Summary: Agent Camden is devastated. Instead of spending the summer reuniting with his best friend Maria at the world’s coolest spy camp, Agent Camden is being dumped at a regular summer camp. And after a bully at school made fun of his spy gadgets, Camden goes to camp “undercover as a normal kid,” vowing to never reveal his true spy identity to anyone but a real friend.
Readers will rappel down ropes alongside Agent Camden as he learns the meaning of friendship and musters the courage to show an unlikely bunch of campers across the lake how to be a friend through a strange camp activity called a Cabin Caper.  (picture and description from boosterthon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Noah Webster and His Words, book #45

So the other day I took the girls to the public library to replenish their stock since there was "nothing to read" at our house.  While waiting for them to choose some (my stock hardly needs replenishing!) I saw this little gem in the children's section out on top.  Our local library has a pretty amazing kids section and looking at all the new books they have in Easy and Juvenile Fiction takes me back to my grad school days and elementary library days.  I couldn't resist opening this one and taking a peek.  Luckily it was a fairly quick read, but how amazing was it!!  What I love about it is not only the amazing text and pictures, but that it was really a biography in disguise!!  I love it when Easy books and poetry books sneak in Non Fiction when kids don't even realize it, like sneaking veggies into foods kids like!!  What was also fun was how when the author used a word the kids might not (or might!) know, he added a definition to it, just like the ones Noah wrote!! (see colored phrase below)

Webster’s American Dictionary is the second most popular book ever printed in English. But who was that Webster? Noah Webster (1758–1843) was a bookish Connecticut farm boy who became obsessed with uniting America through language. He spent twenty years writing two thousand pages to accomplish that, and the first 100 percent American dictionary was published in 1828 when he was seventy years old. This clever, hilariously illustrated account shines a light on early American history and the life of a man who could not rest until he’d achieved his dream. An illustrated chronology of Webster’s life makes this a picture perfect bi-og-ra-phy [noun: a written history of a person's life].  (picture and description from amazon. com)

O:)
Melissa

A Turn in the Road, #44

Ahhh... another trip to Blossom Street.  Except, this was actually a road trip from Seattle to Florida, with a grandma/ex-mother in law headed for her 50th high school reunion and an old lover, a mom/ex-daughter in law trying to think through some hard decisions about her ex-husband, and a daughter/granddaughter whose boyfriend just dumped her instead of proposing to her like she thought he was!!!  Needless to say, they all had a lot to work through.  The trip took them via Las Vegas, Branson, New Orleans where adventure was around every "turn", including finding old friends, a motorcycle gang who ended up rescuing them, love in an unexpected place, and a 1960s prom remade in the matter of one day!!!  I have liked all these Blossom Street books, but this one rates right under Hannah's List for me!!!

Sometimes, where you think you're going isn't where you end up…

In the middle of the year, in the middle of her life, Bethanne Hamlin takes a road trip with her daughter, Annie, and her former mother-in-law, Ruth.
They're driving to Florida for Ruth's 50th high school reunion. A longtime widow, Ruth would like to reconnect with Royce, the love of her teenage life. She's heard he's alone, too.…
Bethanne needs time to reflect on a decision she has to make—whether or not to reconcile with her ex-husband, Grant, her children's father.
Meanwhile, Annie's out to prove to her onetime boyfriend that she can live a brilliant life without him!
So there they are, three women driving across America. They have their maps and their directions—but even the best-planned journey can take you to a turn in the road. Or lead to an unexpected encounter—like the day Bethanne meets a man named Max.…  (picture and description from amazon.com)

Only one more book left in the Blossom Street series, then I will have to let them go.  I am loving Debbie Macomber's style and I'd love to read more of her stuff, but if I add it to my list of books to read before I die ... well, I'm already afraid I'm going to die before I finish the list I have already!!  

O:)
Melissa

The Living Room, book #43

And yet another supremely well written book by our favorite author, Robert Whitlow. Super amazing book I can't wait to discuss with my Book Club Buddies next week.  The one thing that stuck with me about this book is how the main character totally flopped, and then later redeemed herself.  But I did not see the flop coming!!  I was shocked and surprised that she could go so wrong, but in the end it still ended up good. (or "well", my kids are always correcting me on that and now I have a low sense of confidence in the use of that word!) The description below sums it up great...

Amy Clarke’s dreams are coming true—and that’s the problem.
Legal secretary by day, romance novelist by night, Amy Clarke lives with a precious secret. For years, she has traveled to a holy place in her dreams—a sublime place she calls the Living Room. When she awakes, her faith and energy are supernaturally restored. And when she dreams, she receives vibrant inspiration for her novels. 
As she begins to write her third book, the nature of her dreams shifts. Gone are the literary signposts. Instead, her dreams are studded with scenes that foreshadow real life. Before long, the scenes begin to spill over into her waking hours too.
As Amy becomes entangled in a high stakes case at work, her visions take on a dark hue—implicating someone dear to her, causing her to question everything. And convincing her to trust someone with his own shadowy secrets.
Things are not always what they seem. But as fiction, dreams, and real life begin to overlap, Amy must stop dreaming and act to prevent tragedy. (picture and description at amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Hannah's List, book #42

This book is one I have been anxious to read since I started the Blossom Street series, and once again Debbie Macomber did not disappoint.  The more I read her books (although I am going to try to limit myself to just this series!) the more I love her style.  She intersperses big words that still make this 46 year old use her context clues, and she uses lots of detail, then explains in the story why that detail is important.  

Hannah's List also hit home to me because of the topic.  Hannah and Michael had been married for more than a decade when they discovered stage 4 cancer.  She tried chemo and radiation, but since it was an aggressive cancer she was gone before he knew what hit him.  Hannah was his one love, his only love, and the past year he spent in depression, grieving, and almost became "at home" with it.  

Then on the one year "anniversary" of her death his brother in law (aka best friend) gave him a letter Hannah wrote, encouraging him to move on, stop moping -- as she knew he would be! -- and find someone new to marry to make him happy and have children.  

Here is where this hits home to me.  No, as far as I know I do not have cancer and besides these menacing migraines I'm healthy as a horse.  But I do think about my girls.  And Roger.  And what would happen if I did die before him while the girls were still at home. I have do have one dear friend on my "list" (which he knows about!) but as much as I love her I'm not sure she may be the best.  I know it is a dismal topic, but I would like to have a few friends, if any are left unmarried, to encourage Roger to consider.  That poor boy will need all the help he can get to carry on with the girls!!

That said, let's hope I don't ever have to use it.

You really will enjoy this book, written in first place from various characters points of view, but mainly Michael's.  


On the anniversary of his beloved wife's death, Dr. Michael Everett receives a letter Hannah had written him.  

In it she reminds him of her love and makes one final request. An impossible request. I want you to marry again. She tells him he shouldn't spend the years he has left grieving—and she's chosen three women she asks him to consider.

First on Hannah's list is her cousin, Winter Adams, a chef who owns a café on Seattle's Blossom Street. The second is Leanne Lancaster, Hannah's oncology nurse. Michael knows them both. But the third name is one he's not familiar with—Macy Roth.

During the months that follow, he spends time with these three women, learning more about each of them…and about himself. Learning what Hannah already knew. He's a man who needs the completeness only love can offer. And Hannah's list leads him to the woman who can help him find it.
(picture and description at amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Si-Cology 1, book #41

Uncle Si, Uncle Si, Uncle Si, what are we going to do with you?!?!?  I am currently in the "take in everything I can about the Robertson's" stage since we were late comers to the Duck Dynasty fan club.  So, when this book came out I couldn't wait to get it in my hands and read it.  

However, I was a little disappointed.  I mean, in reality, Uncle Si is a little bit like the cherry on top of the milkshake.  It's just what it needs in small doses, but really if you had any more than, say, 5 cherries, it would be overload.  So in some respects this book wasn't quite overload, mainly because it almost seemed like two people were writing this.  It was interesting to read about his growing up years, his time in Vietnam and Germany, his wife and kids.  And it was refreshing how he could take all the hard times he had endured and use that quirky personality to make them bearable.  But it would have been more enjoyable if it had of been written 3rd person with his antics stuck in between the "real" part.  That way you would have known how to distinguish between the two.  Or maybe there is another side of Si, the serious one, that we never see on TV.   

As you read this book, there are a few things you have to understand: 95 percent of my stories are truthful. Every member of the Robertson family has the God- given gift of storytelling. Hey, when you’ve sat in a duck blind for more than half of your life, you have to figure out some way to pass the time! It’s better than looking at Willie and Jase for six hours! Many of the stories I like to tell happened when I was a young boy or when I was in Vietnam. At my age, a few of the details are cloudy, but I’ll recollect the coming stories as best I can. Hey, just remember it isn’t a lie if you think it’s true! It’s up to you, the reader, to figure out what’s truth and what’s fiction. Best of luck with that, Jack! May the force be with you.
Hey, another thing you have to know: my stories are kind of like my vocabulary. You might have noticed I like to say “hey” quite a bit. “Hey” can mean anything. It can mean “yes,” it can mean “maybe,” and it can mean “no.” Hey, it could mean “next week.” The bottom line is, you have to understand “hey” to understand me.
And if you know anything about Silas Merritt Robertson, you know I’m a hard rascal to figure out.
—From the Prologue
(picture and description from amazon.com)


O:)
Melissa

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Books #37 - #40

Matthew the Apostle

Mark the Evangelist

Luke the Evangelist

John the Baptist

Back at the first of the year our Connect Group worked through a series and we were encouraged to read through the Gospels in chronological order rather than book order.  I have read the Bible through several years ago in chronological order and it makes so much more sense!!  It really is amazing to see how tied together everything is.  It was especially interesting reading just the Gospels and comparing/contrasting the versions of the miracles and events of Jesus' life and how the different writers saw things different ways.

For example, Matthew's main aim was to show that Jesus really was the Jewish Messiah.  In his book, of the 1071 verses, 60% are the spoken words of Jesus.  (That's a lot of red ink!)  Mark has often be referred to as the newspaper version of the gospel.  It is the shortest gospel but the most action packed one.  The word "immediately" is used over 40 times!  Luke, being a doctor, is more in tune with details and other people in the gospels, like women, children, and social outcasts.  He records the fullest life story of Jesus Christ as a way to strengthen the faith of the Gentiles.  It is the longest New Testament book. John the Baptist sees the bigger picture.  While he does not record any of Jesus' parables and carefully chooses from His numerous miracles, he does highlight the reactions of people to Christ; how they either responded in faith or, in unbelief, rejected Him.
(All of the information above I gathered from various sources while I was reading the Bible through chronologically in 2010.  If you are interested I can dig some of them out for you!)
 

I highly recommend reading the Bible through at least once in your life, and if you have the chance to read it through chronologically you will see it in a whole new light!!!

O:)
Melissa

James & Mercy Triumphs, Books #35 and #36

Earlier this year I worked through this Bible Study with my friends from The People's Church in Spring Hill.  It was led by my good buddy Lori Leal and was life changing indeed.  During the course of the study I was challenged to dig deep to see what sin I had buried so deep I didn't even know I had it, but needed to bring it out and confess it.  After a week or so of praying that prayer the LORD brought to my eyes my sin of judgementalness and He helped to free from it once and for all.  I never realized how something so deep I didn't even know it was down there could be so disruptive to my life but it sure felt good to get that out!!

James: Mercy Triumphs - Member Book by Beth Moore provides a personal study experience five days a week plus viewer guides for the 8 video sessions of this in-depth women's Bible study. James, Jesus' own brother, started out as a skeptic. See how one glimpse of the resurrected Savior turned an unbeliever into a disciple. Bible scholars compare James to the prophet Amos. In other ways, James more closely resembles the Book of Proverbs than any other New Testament book. Topics in this study include: joy, hardship, faith, reversal of fortunes for rich and poor, wisdom, gifts from above, single-mindedness, the dangers of the tongue, humility, and prayer.  (picture and description from christianbook.com)

Naturally, during the course of the study I also read the book of James, writing down the complete book in the study, and picking apart each verse or set of verses daily as we attempted to grasp all that James had to share.  (picture from wikipedia)

O:)
Melissa

Time for Bed, book #34

Ok, I decided that if I am ever going to get close to 100 books by the end of November I need to start being more realistic and writing down ALL the books I have read, even if they are board books and have only a few pages.  Granted I have read this one before, so it may be cheating, but I wanted to add it. 

This sweet book I read over and over and over every night to Rebecca when she was a baby.  Just going back and reading it recently made me wish she was a baby again when I could rock her to sleep and love on her all I wanted to ....

“It’s time for bed, little cat, little cat / So snuggle in tight, that’s right, like that.” This 1993 bedtime favorite from the Australian author Mem Fox and the illustrator Jane Dyer is now available in this small, square board book edition. Even the most reluctant snoozers will find themselves lulled by the repetitive rhythms, as the parent sheep, cat, snake, and fish implore their babies to get some shuteye: “It’s time for bed, little sheep, little sheep, / The whole wide world is going to sleep.” Dyer’s watercolor illustrations are bucolic and beautiful. A sweet, soothing lullaby.   (picture and book from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Summer on Blossom Street and The Twenty-First Wish, books #33 + 1/2

About a month ago as I perused my night stand and saw all the books piled high, I told Solo Hombre that I seriously needed to start reading faster if I was EVER going to get through all those books piled high.  Since then I seem to be averaging about a book a week so maybe there is hope.  But then again, new books just keep appearing out of nowhere so I'm not sure.  :)

I was back on Blossom Street this week and enjoying every minute of it!  Lydia at the yarn store decided to have a new class called "Knit to Quit" which was to encourage folks that needed to quit something to learn how to knit to get their mind off whatever they needed to quit.  Poor Alix at the bakery needed to quit smoking once and for all so she and Jordan could get pregnant and have a baby.  She really wanted that, but she was also afraid of being a mother since she was in too many to count foster homes growing up.  A newbie Phoebe shows up to get over "a man", while conveniently enough a man joins the group to "quit" his stress at work.  And lucky this guy is not married and something began to happen ... Finally Anne Marie at the bookstore is doing great with Ellen, her adopted daughter, when a tall, dark and handsome stranger shows up.  And that just gets it started ...

Knitting and life.

They're both about beginnings—and endings. That's why Lydia Goetz, owner of A Good Yarn on Seattle's Blossom Street, offers a class called Knit to Quit. It's for people who want to quit something—or someone!—and start a new phase of their lives.

First to join is Phoebe Rylander, who's trying to get over a man. Alix Turner and her husband want a baby, so she has to quit smoking. And Bryan Hutchinson needs a way to deal with the stress of running his family's business.

Then there's Lydia's friend Anne Marie Roche. She and her adopted daughter, Ellen, have finally settled into a secure and happy routine—when a stranger appears asking questions.

Meanwhile, Lydia and her husband, Brad, have their hands full with the angry, defiant twelve-year-old who unexpectedly becomes their foster child….

But when your life—and your stitches—get snarled, your friends can always help!
(picture and description at amazon.com)

 
My other 1/2 book was one story in this collection called "The Twenty -First Wish."  It is a short story follow up to one of the characters in the Summer book.  I can't give it away or you'll know what happens!!!  Suffice it to say, this one was a quick read in just one morning and tied up loose ends from Summer that didn't really need a whole book.  
(picture at amazon.com)


Now I'm trying to decide what to read next.  Book Club is tonight, but we have already picked out one for October.  I try to read a non-Blossom Street book in between to spread out the joy so I'll have to see what I can pick off the library of my night stand.  Oh wait!!  I just remembered I pre-ordered Si-cology 1 and I'm getting it tomorrow!!!  THAT is what is next!  Quack! Quack!

O:)
Melissa

Rosemary Cottage, Book #32

Ahhh, this book I blew through so fast it was almost like a weekend trip to the beach.  It was full of romance, mystery, intrigue, sleuthing, fearful yet hopeful love, a cute little one year old, all in one sweet package at my favorite place on earth ..... the beach!!! This is the second in the Hope Beach series, set in Outer Banks, North Carolina.  I always love when authors tie in characters from other books in the series and you can see how things have progressed in their life since the last book left off.  

A must read for sure!!!


Amy came to Rosemary Cottage to grieve, to heal, maybe even find love. But there’s a deadly undertow of secrets around Hope Island . . .

The charming Rosemary Cottage on the beach offers Amy Lange respite she needs to mourn her brother, Ben. She’s even thinking of moving her midwife practice to the Outer Banks community. It’s always been a refuge for her and her family. She also wants to investigate Ben’s disappearance at sea. Everyone blames a surfing accident, but Amy has reason to wonder.

Coast Guard officer Curtis Ireland has lost a sibling too. His sister, Gina, was run down by a boat, leaving him to raise her infant daughter. If anyone knew who little Raine’s father was, Curtis could lose his beloved niece. Yet he can’t help being drawn to Hope Beach’s new midwife, Amy. He even agrees to help her investigate what happened to both Ben and Gina.

Can two grieving people with secrets find healing on beautiful Hope Island? Or will their quest for truth set them at odds with each other…and with those who will go to any length to keep hidden things hidden?  (picture and description found at amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Kids' Allowances : How Much, How Often, and How Come, Book #31

Ok, since I am being honest about sharing ALL the books I read this year, no matter what, I'll admit this one was also on my list.  Roger and I "read" this on our way to the beach back in July hoping to glean some valuable information.  Alas, we did not get the free workbook as this was purchased at the library used book sale for about 50 cents.  

This book is basically a fleshing out of a survey that was done by adults and kids about 14 or 15 years ago, divided into various areas like (1) how do you come up with the amounts? (2) how much allowance do you give? (3) how often do you give allowance? (4) what factors go into consideration, etc etc etc.  After that a few experts share what they think and then the author, David McCurrach, shares "Dave's Way."  
 
Unfortunately it did not answer or solve our allowance debate.  In one camp you have those who say, "give kids money with no strings attached and teach them how to handle it" whether it be an envelope system, various bank accounts, investments, or whatever.  We are not completely in that camp, although we do feel we need to teach them about money management.  In the other camp you have those who say allowance should be tied to chores, whether it be a blanket amount, or price per chore.  Here is my challenge with that.  First of all, I don't want to nickle and dime each thing around the house.  You also have to take into consideration not only was it done, but was it done well.  Is it the same amount no matter what?  Do different aged children get paid different amounts for the same job?  How do you keep track of all that?  Is it fair that only one child can iron clothes, clean bathrooms, etc because she is the oldest one? Also, we have made it quite clear that schoolwork is their job, LifeWay stuff is daddy's job, and house work is my job.  As a stay at home mom, I feel like it is my job to keep the house and all that goes along with it taken care of.  Yet, I want to teach my girls how to wash clothes, iron, dust, etc too.  

And then our heads start spinning and we drop the book and conversation and run away as fast as we can.  

However, our oldest child is at a point where she needs money.  I'd love for her to get some babysitting jobs or something so she can earn someone else's money and not mine, but that hasn't happened yet.  Even though the other two really have no need for extra money, no item they are dreaming off, saving up for, etc (except hot chocolate at the World Cafe at church) does that mean they shouldn't get any money?  And with the times the way they are, apparently 50 cents isn't enough for drying dishes and putting them away one night.  They don't see the cost/benefit worth it.  

Wait, run away fast again ......

And here we sit.  

Maybe if you are interested you could borrow this book from me, or find one for yourself at a used book sale.  Maybe you will have more luck with it.  

O:)
Melissa

Twenty Wishes, Book #30

Well this past week I took another walk down Blossom Street. This time I poked around in Anne Marie's Bookshop.  This would surely be one of my favorite stores!  I loved loved loved this book and the way it told of four lonely widows who formed a little group. They decided it was time for them to get over their mourning with each others help and starting make a wish list of things they hadn't done but wanted to.  It was everything from elaborate to simple.  Anne Marie has a hard time starting out, but then with the help of precious 8 year old who comes into her life it doesn't take long to work on getting those wishes filled!!!  What I especially love about these Blossom Street books is that while one shop is featured and that owner may be the "main character" the other ladies and men also get a full nod too.  Each widow had their own story and while they might not get as many details as Anne Marie did, you still got to see how their wishes worked out.  

What do you want most in the world?
What Anne Marie Roche wants is to find happiness again. At thirty-eight, she's childless, a recent widow, alone. She owns a successful bookstore on Seattle's Blossom Street, but despite her accomplishments, there's a feeling of emptiness.
On Valentine's Day, Anne Marie and several other widows get together to celebrate…hope. They each begin a list of twenty wishes—things they always wanted to do but never did.
Anne Marie's list includes learning to knit, falling in love again, doing good for someone else. When she volunteers at a local school, an eight-year-old girl named Ellen enters her life. It's a relationship that becomes far more involving—and far more important—than Anne Marie had ever imagined.
As Ellen helps Anne Marie complete her list of twenty wishes, they both learn that wishes can come true…but not necessarily in the way you expect.  (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

The Duck Commander Family, Book #29

Ok, we are a little behind on the whole Duck Dynasty thing, but we are trying to catch up fast.  We have fallen in love with the Robertsons, even if the show is a little hokey at times.  It bothered me a little at first, after getting burned with Jon & Kate, and I had to wonder how much was true and how much was made up because it makes a good story.  But as I was discussing this with a friend of mine, she enlightened me in this way, "Who cares if it is real or not, it's hysterically funny and its clean family fun!"  That freed me to sit back and enjoy the ride, wherever it may lead!!!

Faith. Family. Ducks—in that order.This book gives readers an up-close and personal, behind-the-scenes look at the family in the exploding A&E show—Duck Dynasty. This Louisiana bayou family operates Duck Commander, a booming family business that has made them millions. You’ll hear all about the Robertson clan from Willie and what it was like growing up in the Robertson household. You’ll sample some of Willie’s favorite family recipes from Phil, Kay, and even some of his own concoctions; and you’ll get to know the beautiful Robertson women. You’ll hear from Korie about the joys and hardships of raising a family, running a business, and wrangling the Robertson men while staying fashionable and beautiful inside and out. Discover more about the family dynamics between brothers Willie, Jase, Jep, and parents Phil and Kay. You’ll even meet a fourth brother who isn’t in the show. (picture and description from amazon.com)

Now, back to Blossom Street!!

O:)
Melissa

Savannah's Garden, Book #28

I am going to be SOOOOO very sorry in the morning (oh wait, I mean in 3 hours when my alarm goes off!) but this book was SOOOO good I couldn't put it down!!  As you know, I got hooked on Blossom Street a few weeks ago and couldn't wait to read the series.  Luckily since these books are older they are easy to find at the library.  Amazingly, the first two I read were actually the first two in the series, so I just picked right up with the next one.  

So apparently I hit a zombie mood tonight, which happens every few months, and could not put this down!  I'm pretty sure I read half of this tonight, especially when you consider I just posted the last book I read on Monday.  And that I have been very busy at home attempting to reclaim my house from the last few weeks of crazy.  Again, I loved loved loved this book like the others, despite it not being a "Christian" book.  There was just a little language and that whole wine drinking thing, but other than that if I put this up against some "Christian" books that aren't as well written and just throw the Jesus stuff in there here and there, I'd say this one would win hands down.  

Now to find the next ones at the library!!

It was the year that changed everything…When Susannah Nelson turned eighteen, she said goodbye to her boyfriend, Jake—and never saw him again. She never saw her brother, Doug, again, either. He died unexpectedly that same year.  Now, at fifty, Susannah finds herself regretting the paths not taken. Long married, a mother and a teacher, she should be happy. But she feels there's something missing in her life. Not only that, she's balancing the demands of an aging mother and a temperamental twenty-year-old daughter. Her mother, Vivian, a recent widow, is having difficulty coping and living alone, so Susannah goes home to Colville, Washington. In returning to her parents' house, her girlhood friends and the garden she's always loved, she also returns to the past—and the choices she made back then. What she discovers is that things are not always as they once seemed. Some paths are dead ends. But some gardens remain beautiful…. (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Reclaiming Lily, book #27

I must be a book reading  machine these days!!  While waiting to get the Blossom Street books from the library, I picked up this one from my bedside.  It captivated me at first, (a couple picking up a baby in a China orphanage in the early 90s before the boom, since I could totally see it in my mind) then got a little weird, then I could not put it down!!  It really just let me see another little crack into the world of Asian adoption, the families left behind, the adoptee himself/herself, the new family ..... and left me with many questions about the topic itself.  Even though we have never adopted, I know many, many families that have and I always love a good (or bad) adoption story. Remember, I'm a storyteller.  Love to hear them, love to tell them! I love to know the situation, how it came to be, if there were birth parents/grandparents, how much the adoptee knows/remembers from their past, if anything, how the birth children react (if there are any) ... things that probably aren't any of my business and not that I would retell, it just really interests me.    I highly recommend this book, especially if you have been involved with Asian adoption, Asia in general, adoption in general .... and I'd love to hear your take on how real or unreal it is. 

A Mother's Love. A Sister's Promise.
Will Two Women Find the Path to Save a Young Woman's Life?

When an insidious genetic disease strikes her family, Harvard graduate Dr. Kai Chang must alert Lily, the sister Kai left on orphanage steps years earlier. Standing in her way are the Powells, Lily's adoptive parents. Gloria Powell, a shy pastor's wife, distrusts Kai and thinks her presence will send their troubled seventeen-year-old over the precipice of teenaged angst. A Texas-sized tornado whirls when Kai summons the Powells to a Fort Worth hotel. Tempers and cultures collide. Can Kai and Gloria, separated by culture and faith but devoted to Lily, reconcile their differences and trust their dreams to God? (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Back on Blossom Street, Book #26

Ok, I can't believe it, but I actually read another book this week!!  It took me about 5 or 6 days. in the middle of piles of laundry, grocery shopping, clothes/shoe shopping, recovering from weeks on in and out vacations, getting ready for school, AND planning 2 birthday parties and a baby shower.  But superwoman here somehow managed to sneak in a book too.  (Secret ... about 4 hours sleep a night.  I plan to crash tonight!!!)

Please, don't judge me, but I am usually not a fan of non-Christian books.  Granted, I've heard Debbie is a Christian and I do love her writing, but as appealing as her covers are (yes, I'm still a sucker for judging books by their cover!) I've tried to steer away from them.  The last few non-Christian books I've stuck with or quit reading seemed to be full of filthy language, immoral behavior, etc and I'd just rather not fill my mind with that.  (although apparently I have no trouble watching it on TV or in the movies, but that's another story!).  But this book had been on my bedside for quite a while and for some reason I decided to pick it up.

Yes, it still had some stuff I wasn't entirely comfortable with, but I must say her writing style is something I really, really love.  Several years ago I read the first book, The Shop on Blossom Street.  When I started this book, I was surprised at how many of the characters I remembered.  It was fun to "pick up" and see what happened to them.  There were several plots going as always, and in the end it all turned out good.  

There's a new shop on Seattle's Blossom Street—a flower store called Susannah's Garden, right next door to A Good Yarn. Susannah Nelson, the owner, has just hired an assistant named Colette Blake, a young widow who's obviously hiding a secret—or two.
When Susannah and Colette both join Lydia Goetz's new knitting class, they discover that Lydia and her sister, Margaret, have worries of their own. Margaret's daughter, Julia, is the victim of a random carjacking, and the entire family is thrown into emotional chaos.
Then there's Alix Townsend, whose wedding is only months away. She's not sure she can go through with it, though. A reception at the country club, with hundreds of guests she's never met—it's just not Alix. But, like everyone else in Lydia's knitting class, she knows there's a solution to every problem… and that another woman can usually help you find it! (pic and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Picture Perfect, Book #25

Another awesome book I highly recommend.  I read her Weddings by Bella series last year and absolutely LOVED it!  I knew this book would not disappoint and indeed it did not.  I had the opportunity to go to the beach this past week and I consumed this book in two days.  Laughed my lovely off.  You will too.  Guaranteed!!


Feisty wedding photographer Hannah McDermott has dealt with her share of difficult brides. But none can compare to the ultimate Bridezilla she's dealing with now. Still, she's trying desperately to impress Bella Neeley, Galveston Island's most sought-after wedding planner, so she can take the top spot in Bella's list of recommended photographers--a spot currently occupied by her arch-rival, Drew Kincaid. What she doesn't count on, however, is falling head over heels for the competition.

With her contagious humor and cast of quirky characters, Janice Thompson gives readers more of the bridal business drama they want in a brand-new series all about those long-suffering people who make beautiful weddings happen. Readers are desperately waiting for more of Bella and this new series brings her back in a big way, while introducing new characters fans will love. Fans will laugh out loud as they experience this breezy and entertaining novel from a great storyteller. (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa

Wonderland Creek, Book #24

Back in June we took a Campbell Family Vacation (as in, 19 Campbells!) to Gatlinburg and one day we went to Dollywood.  The very first ride me and my crazy roller coaster riding girl Leah rode was the Wild Eagle, their new coaster in which you have nothing on top of you and nothing underneath you, as though you were indeed an eagle.

 It was utterly AMAZING, full of ups, downs, twists, turns, upside downs, right side ups, crazy insane FUN!!!  When the ride ended and we straightened out to glide back into the building to get out, all I could do was say, "Oh my cow, oh my cow, oh my cow!"  

That is how I feel right now as I just moments ago finished book #24.

 

My mom, who is also in a Book Club in Kentucky, had this on her list of books for her club.  Unfortunately for her (but fortunate for me!) she didn't enjoy it ~ and oddly enough she doesn't enjoy roller coasters either! ~ so she passed it on to me.  It has sat here beside my bed for several months and since I decided to wait to read our next book for book club I picked this one to read.  And I read all 385 in one week.  It's that good.

So what about this calm serene cover with a pretty girl and a calm, scenic cabin in the woods makes this such a roller coaster ride?  It begins, 

"If my life were a book, no one would read it.  People would say I was too boring, too predictable. A story told a million times. But I was perfectly content with my life--that is, until the pages of my story were ripped out before I had a chance to live happily ever after. 

The end came, appropriately enough, at a funeral."

From there, in 1936 boring little Alice Grace Ripley from Blue Island, Illinois ends up in Acorn, KY, an old mining town as backwoods as she can imagine. She had been collecting books from the library she worked at (before she got laid off due to the Depression), and decided to deliver them herself via her loony aunt and uncle.  This was a library set up through the WPA to help put people to work.  There was one librarian (who ended up being a man) and four ladies who came a few times a week to deliver the books to people in the country who couldn't get out, thus called packhorse librarians.  The second day she is there someone gets shot but not killed but they have to fake his death so the real person who shot him (who could be anybody!) doesn't come back to finish him off.  This girl, who has had life handed to her on a silver platter has to learn how to cook on a woodstove, take care of and ride a horse, wash clothes in tub, take care of chickens and a rooster, plant a garden, make tonics and rubs with the help of a crazy but God loving 100 year old former slave the size of a twig.  She meets another "flatlander" who is now a widow and taking care of her mother in law who is dying, a teenager (married) who gives birth to a colicky baby and is left alone to tend to baby and house while her husband goes off the find work, a pack of children who look forward to her visits as she reads Treasure Island, Tom Sawyer, and Huckleberrry Finn.  All the while still taking care of the supposedly dead man and trying to help him with his secrets.  Throw in a 60 year old feud between nearly all the townsfolk, breaking into the abandoned mine twice, throw in a little love interest, and .. and .. well, how could anyone NOT love this book?!?!?

Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend, Gordon, breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real world. Then to top it off, Alice loses her beloved job at the library because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression.

Fleeing small-town gossip, Alice heads to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the library in the tiny coal-mining village of Acorn. Dropped off by her relatives, Alice volunteers to stay for two weeks to help the librarian, Leslie McDougal.

But the librarian turns out to be far different than she anticipated--not to mention the four lady librarians who travel to the remote homes to deliver the much-desired books. While Alice is trapped in Acorn against her will, she soon finds that real-life adventure and mystery--and especially romance--are far better than her humble dreams could have imagined. (picture and description from amazon.com)

O:)
Melissa