On Hummingbird Wings, book #21

 

A nice break from the heavy stuff I have been reading!  It was a quick read because it drew me in fast.  Gave me several thoughts about what it might be like if I was "dying" and how my girls might respond.

"But Mother is always dying," is Gillian Ormsby's sarcastic response when her younger, favored sister tells her that she has to go take care of their hypochondriac mother. Begrudgingly, Gillian arrives in California to find the garden and yard dead, the blinds all drawn, and her mother indeed waiting to die. But when Gillian talks with the doctor, he assures her there's no medical reason behind her mother's state.  Gillian insists Mother get out of bed, eat, exercise and hopefully, choose to live. She also sets about reviving the garden to its former glory, enlisting the help of Adam, a handsome man who owns a family gardening business with his father. Gillian is delighted when a pair of hummingbirds appear, and her friendship with Adam grows.  Soon, Mother's health improves, and one day she announces she and her friend Enzio are going on a cruise. Before Gillian has time to turn around, her mother is gone and she is left high and dry again, and wondering, what is she going to do with the rest of her own life?   (picture and description at Amazon)

Gonna get started on the Christian Fiction book for July so I will have time to read all three book in the series for August! 

Hope you are enjoying summer reading!

MeLissa

Until We Find Home, book #20

 

Wow but wow but wow!  It took a while to get into this, but once I was hooked I was hooked!  This poor girl was so mixed up with so may emotions and situations, but once she worked through all of them (about 80% of the way through!) she had her head on straight and did what needed to be done.  Loved the characters, loved the detailed writing to help me "see" the locations, loved the history mixed in to teach me things that didn't come up in my class books & loved the ending.   Highly recommend!

For American Claire Stewart, joining the French Resistance sounded as romantic as the storylines she hopes will one day grace the novels she wants to write. But when she finds herself stranded on English shores, with five French Jewish children she smuggled across the channel before Nazis stormed Paris, reality feels more akin to fear.  With nowhere to go, Claire throws herself on the mercy of an estranged aunt, begging Lady Miranda Langford to take the children into her magnificent estate. Heavily weighted with grief of her own, Miranda reluctantly agrees . . . if Claire will stay to help. Though desperate to return to France and the man she loves, Claire has few options. But her tumultuous upbringing―spent in the refuge of novels with fictional friends―has ill-prepared her for the daily dramas of raising children, or for the way David Campbell, a fellow American boarder, challenges her notions of love. Nor could she foresee how the tentacles of war will invade their quiet haven, threatening all who have come to call Bluebell Wood home and risking the only family she’s ever known. (photo and description at Amazon)

I'm thinking it's time for another mystery thriller ...

Keep up summer reading!

Melissa

Run for the Hills, book #19

 

So, this book.  Hhm.  How do I feel about this book?  Quite honestly I'm not entirely sure.  

Rebecca got it for me for Christmas, as he is a Tennessee author and she thought I would like it.  The description sounded like it would be a fun read:

Ever since her dad left them twenty years ago, it’s been just Madeline Hill and her mom on their farm in Coalfield, Tennessee. While it’s a bit lonely, she sometimes admits, and a less exciting life than what she imagined for herself, it’s mostly okay. Mostly.  Then one day Reuben Hill pulls up in a PT Cruiser and informs Madeline that he believes she’s his half sister. Reuben—left behind by their dad thirty years ago—has hired a detective to track down their father and a string of other half siblings. And he wants Mad to leave her home and join him for the craziest kind of road trip imaginable to find them all.  As Mad and Rube—and eventually the others—share stories of their father, who behaved so differently in each life he created, they begin to question what he was looking for with every new incarnation. Who are they to one another? What kind of man will they find? And how will these new relationships change Mad’s previously solitary life on the farm?  Infused with deadpan wit, zany hijinks, and enormous heart, Run for the Hills is a sibling story like no other—a novel about a family forged under the most unlikely circumstances and united by hope in an unknown future. (pic and description from Amazon)

But was it really fun?  Yes and no.  I had trouble getting into it at first because I didn't much care for the writing style (a personal preference) and it was only the first two kids.  As the others were added it did pick up some, but I would hardly call it filled with zany hijinks.  I almost felt like there was more that one person writing it, as parts were really, really good, other parts took off on ways that did NOT sound like the author at all (all the basketball stuff), and the end was a major let down.  

All that to say ... last night when Katie casually asked me at supper what the book was about I went into a long 15-20 minute explanation, first about what actually happened and then about what the book was about (you will understand after you read it! 😊) and then I explained what happened in the book.  And as I was telling the story it was pretty unbelieveable, because of course I was adding crazy to it.  After a long deep sigh, I asked, 'So do you guys want to read it?' They just looked at me and said, 'Well, we don't need to read it now...' 

All in all, I'm ready to get back to my pioneers and indians or Civil War or something after these last few books! 🤣

Happy Summer Reading!

Melissa

To Win a Crown (True Blue Royal Book 3), book #18

 

Well, this was another Christian Fiction Readers Challenge book and even though I decided not to read the first two, I think I have a good idea about how these folks got to where they are today.  I wouldn't mind going back and reading them at some time, but not right now.

Cute book. good plot and drama, enough love to keep me happy.  Here is the thing that I kept thinking, though.  Rachel Hauck has written a plethora of books about royal families and I just wonder if she has some royal blood in her or if she just does A LOT of research.  I haven't read one of her "royal" books lately, but this one had a lot of rules, guidelines, laws, etc in it, along with all these different places.  How on earth does she come up with all these different names of countries and areas and castles and ... and ... and .... I look forward to asking that question on our Zoom meeting later this month! 

Scottie O'Shay has built a perfect life as creative director of her family's Tennessee fashion empire — until a reporter's exposé reveals she's the secret daughter of the Queen of Lauchtenland. Flying to Europe for answers, she's thrown into palace intrigue, ancient rivalries, and the steady gaze of Michael Cross — the bodyguard whose quiet strength makes her feel dangerously at home.  Michael has loved and lost. He won't risk his heart again — especially not on an American heiress with one foot already on a plane home.  But when a late-night kiss in a hidden doorway melts duty into devotion, neither one can pretend anymore. Then devastating news from Tennessee shatters the fairy tale, and Scottie faces an impossible choice: the safe life she built, or the uncharted kingdom where a crown — and a love she's barely begun to claim — wait for her. (picture and description at Amazon)

Not sure what is next, but I'm excited to finally be off for my half summer break from work!

Keep up the summertime reading!

O:)

Melissa

Before We Were Yours, book #17

 

To say this book slayed me, to say it ripped me to the core ... would be an understatement.  Especially with the picture on the cover (I did read a hard copy of this, one I borrowed from Leah, although apparently I have one on my Paperwhite and didn't realize it!).  This author is known for digging deep and writing as though you are walking through emotional minefields with her, and she did not disappoint this go around.  (See here + here + here) I just can't even imagine the situation these girls were put in, and the fortitude with which Rill/May handled it.  Things 12 year olds should not have to handle!  I know our orphanage/foster care systems have improved greatly since 1950, but there is still so much that needs to be done.  

Must read = 20/10!!

Memphis, 1939. Twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her four younger siblings live a magical life aboard their family’s Mississippi River shantyboat. But when their father must rush their mother to the hospital one stormy night, Rill is left in charge—until strangers arrive in force. Wrenched from all that is familiar and thrown into a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage, the Foss children are assured that they will soon be returned to their parents—but they quickly realize the dark truth. At the mercy of the facility’s cruel director, Rill fights to keep her sisters and brother together in a world of danger and uncertainty.  

Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Born into wealth and privilege, Avery Stafford seems to have it all: a successful career as a federal prosecutor, a handsome fiancé, and a lavish wedding on the horizon. But when Avery returns home to help her father weather a health crisis, a chance encounter leaves her with uncomfortable questions and compels her to take a journey through her family’s long-hidden history, on a path that will ultimately lead either to devastation or to redemption.  Based on one of America’s most notorious real-life scandals—in which Georgia Tann, director of a Memphis-based adoption organization, kidnapped and sold poor children to wealthy families all over the country—Lisa Wingate’s riveting, wrenching, and ultimately uplifting tale reminds us how, even though the paths we take can lead to many places, the heart never forgets where we belong. (picture and description at Amazon)

I think I'm going to need some light and fluffy after this!  

Happy Summer Reading!

O:)

Melissa

Home No Matter Where (Shell Collector Novel #3), book #16

 

What a sweet a delightful read.  The beach will always be a good place to escape to and find healing at.  Of course, it would help if I had family that lived in a beach house on the shore :)  This was the May read for the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge.  

Nina is at her wit's end with her teenage daughter, Kendra. Still dealing with her own wounds of divorce, Nina hopes a change of scenery will help. She and Kendra head to the serene coastal town of Whelk's Island to spend a restorative summer with Nina’s mother, Rosemary—bringing three generations under one roof for the first time in years. Amid the island's charm, old wounds begin to heal, and as new friendships bloom—especially with the steady and enigmatic Fisher—light begins to break through the cracks of Nina’s tightly controlled life.  Kendra's reckless behavior continues but Fisher’s intervention during a critical moment for Kendra sparks a sense of hope in Nina that she thought was lost. Still, change is never easy.  As the women navigate the tides of forgiveness, growing up, and letting go, healing begins and new love brings surprises. While Whelk’s Island may not hold all the answers, it has a way of reminding people that moving forward doesn't follow a set path—it requires the bravery to start anew. (picture and description at Amazon)

For anyone who cares, I have survived some of the busiest last two months of my life and amazingly only had maybe 2 migraines!  Shout out to doctors who found medicine that works!  Only 3 more quick weeks of work to finish the year, then I'll be HOME for several weeks to rest and recoup and visit family and go to the pool and do projects and ... and ... and ...

Not sure what is next up in my reading list, but I'm sure it will be good!

Holding on,

Melissa

All Booked Up, book #15

 

As you may remember, I was reading like a crazy woman trying to get through all the books in April.  I can't believe I read as many as I did!  I did not get to read the first four books of The British Are Coming but I felt like I still enjoyed the book without having read the whole past stories.  

I was headed to the beach last week and decided to take an *actual* book instead of my paperwhite for all the lazy days I would be soaking up sand and sun.  This was a new book by Melody Carlson I was excited to get my hands on so took this one.  Sadly, it was freezing cold and rainy at the beach, but I still got to enjoy the time with family and lazy reading days -- just inside on the sofa and in the car instead of on the beach.  

As always, I highly recommend anything by Melody Carlson!  This story was so much fun and it made me wish I had a big old house like this and made me think about who I would like to have live with me!

Of note, however, is the continuing issue I personally have with Christian authors using alcoholic drinks in their books.  I know this could start a whole rampage (if I actually had anybody reading this! 🤣) but this is just MY personal opinion.  I have decided that if I was a grad student I would take on a thesis research project titled "The Rise in Use and Mention of Alcoholic Beverages in Christian Fiction Novels: 2000-2026".  However, since I am not in school and am not working on a thesis and have entirely too many other projects more prevalent, this will just have to be a passing issue I chew on.  I may start some sort of something tracking it.  

*If you are curious as to why this bothers me, feel free to message me and I'll tell you my whole big frustration with it*

Widowed empty nester Riva Owen lives in the Victorian house that's been in her family for three generations, but finances have become a challenge she can no longer ignore. Her daughter is pushing her to move, and after considering all her options, Riva knows selling would be the smartest course. But she just can't bring herself to leave decades of memories--and her cherished library filled with hundreds of books. When she pursues an alternative--opening her home to women like her who need a room to rent--Riva is unprepared for the mix of personalities and peculiarities of her new housemates. She is even more unprepared for Marcus, the handsome and handy older brother of one of her new tenants. The possibility of finding love again feels overwhelming, even as her tenants seem to have romantic schemes of their own. (picture and description from Amazon)

Next up is the May book in the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge!

It's almost summertime!

O:)

Melissa

Amish Home Remedy for the Heart (Amish Newspapers of Mercer County Book 1), book #14

 

My last book for the Faith, Hope and Love Readers Choice Awards.  I liked this one the least.  I did have a faith element to it, but I felt it was pretty cheesy.  I feel like this book needed a LOT MORE development.

Blindsided by a heart-wrenching pain she didn't see coming, Leanna King, home remedy columnist for the Amish View newspaper, is thrust into a life that's suddenly shattered.  When her husband of fifteen years leaves and says he's never coming back, Leanna is left alone with seven young children looking to her for answers. Leanna must find a way to fight through her grief or lose all that remains precious to her.  Swept off into the fast pace of the Englischer world, Milo King is finally living the dream. With no fields to plow, no Amish bishop to answer to, and free from a wife he says he never loved, Milo is finally in a place where he feels he can become his true self. But when the unthinkable happens, Milo is set on a path spiraling out of control, making him wonder if anything will ever be right again.  Desperate to fix their shattered lives, Leanna searches for an Amish home remedy for the heart, only to discover her answer lies along a path she'd promised herself she'd never go. (picture and descriptio at Amazon)

I believe I am moving on to a paperbook book I can take with me to the BEACH!!!  

O:)

Melissa

His Alaskan Christmas (Swan Falls #2), book #14

 

This is the third book of the ones I have been reading for the Faith, Hope, and Love Reader’s Choice Award.  It looks like there is almost 30 books total and I was given four to read.  I'll be curious to see how this all plays out. I wonder if it is like bracket where they take you to the next round, or if they  just calculate our ratings and go from there.  I wonder how many people are reading the same books?  It would be interesting to know the process behind it.  (If I find out I'll let you know!) 

I did like this book, but I was disappointed again in the lack of faith element.  The other two books were also like that.  However since my final one is an Amish book, I'm hoping there will be some in there.  

The tiny town of Swan Falls, Alaska, has everything engineer Emily Cooper needs—except a nanny for the holidays. But her Christmas wish could be granted in the most unexpected way! Grounded as he waits for corrective eye surgery, pilot Nick Bernardi needs a place to stay. And helping his best friend’s widow with her two kids is an easy yes. But it’s not long before the dedicated bachelor starts to feel more than he should…especially considering he’s moving far away to Hawaii. Could falling in love change his flight plan? (picture and description at Amazon)

I'm almost through with my mad dash reading!  

Melissa

To Find Where She Belongs (The British are Coming #5), book #13

 

Whew!  Another one down!  This is the April pick for the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge.  It is book #5 in the series, but with all the other books I am trying to read for the other thing, I just did not have time to go back and read the other 4.  I believe I already purchased them, so I am hoping to go back later this year and pick them up.  

Desperate to leave Hooke Manor, Keely Boyle does what she feels she must in order to flee England for America, hoping to make a new life with the help of a man who befriended her years before. But when she arrives at Eden's Gate, a large cattle ranch in the shadows of the Tetons, it is William Overstreet who offers her a fresh start.  William—a steady, God-fearing man—doesn’t need the complications falling for the pretty Irish immigrant would bring. He has enough problems already: water on the range has been poisoned and cattle are dying. But even as danger stalks the ranch, William can’t stop himself from being drawn to Keely’s fiery spirit and winsome ways.  When Keely’s secret sin is exposed, her world—and the love she’s come to cherish—teeters on the edge of ruin. But through danger and redemption, both she and William will find that belonging isn’t a matter of where they stand, but Whose grace holds them fast.  (picture and description at Amazon)

Now my goal is to finish the other two books for the Faith, Hope and Love judging before mid-May.  Then back to the Reading Challenge ~ except I just realized it is book #3 in the series 😞

I just love reading ~ it lets me jump out of my ordinary crazy life into other times and places!

Melissa

The Correspondant, book #12

 

What an utterly, utterly delightful book!  It gave me flashbacks to the Dear Dana book, who hand wrote 580 letters to her Facebook friends.  It also made me wish I had to do it.  Maybe that will be this summer's project!

Favorite quotes:

p3 ~ Just as a summer afternoon is gorgeous from inside air-conditioning, and you step into the day, hot, muggy, miserable, a postcard from France with all the lavender and sunflowers, I imagine, so far more alluring that the place itself.

p46 ~ Imagine, the letters one has sent out into the world, the letters recieved back in turn, are like the pieces of a magnificient puzzle, or. a better metaphor, if dated, the links of a long chain, and even if those links are never put back together, which they will certainly never be, even if they remain for the rest of time dispersed across the earth like the fragile blown seeds of a dying dandelion, isn't there something wonderful in that, to think that a story of one's life is preserved in some way, that this very letter may one day mean something, even if it is a very small thing for someone?

p77 ~ There's no need for me to share my birthday as I would hate for you to have a sense of obligation to send me roses.  I have plenty.

p99 ~ I was worked up and I often find myself behaving with less civility over email.

p122 ~ An email can in no way replace a written letter.

p253 ~ I found it to be absolutely astounding all the trouble living has turned out to be.

“Imagine, the letters one has sent out into the world, the letters received back in turn, are like the pieces of a magnificent puzzle. . . . Isn’t there something wonderful in that, to think that a story of one’s life is preserved in some way, that this very letter may one day mean something, even if it is a very small thing, to someone?”

Filled with knowledge that only comes from a life fully lived, The Correspondent is a gem of a novel about the power of finding solace in literature and connection with people we might never meet in person. It is about the hubris of youth and the wisdom of old age, and the mistakes and acts of kindness that occur during a lifetime.  Sybil Van Antwerp has throughout her life used letters to make sense of the world and her place in it. Most mornings, around half past ten, Sybil sits down to write letters—to her brother, to her best friend, to the president of the university who will not allow her to audit a class she desperately wants to take, to Joan Didion and Larry McMurtry to tell them what she thinks of their latest books, and to one person to whom she writes often yet never sends the letter.  Sybil expects her world to go on as it always has—a mother, grandmother, wife, divorcee, distinguished lawyer, she has lived a very full life. But when letters from someone in her past force her to examine one of the most painful periods of her life, she realizes that the letter she has been writing over the years needs to be read and that she cannot move forward until she finds it in her heart to offer forgiveness.  Sybil Van Antwerp’s life of letters might be “a very small thing,” but she also might be one of the most memorable characters you will ever read. (picture and description from Amazon)

Now I am moving back to the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge to read our book for April ~ I belive I'm going back to pioneers! 😃

Keep Reading!

Melissa

 

The Heart of the Deal, book #11

 

This is another book I read for the Faith, Hope, and Love Reader’s Choice Award.  This one was a little more casual, but still a good read.

She thought no one had ever seen her work.  She was wrong.

Liz Quinn has spent years hiding the one thing that matters most: her landscape photography.

It was never meant to be found.  Until her best friend, a curator, discovers it… and everything changes.  But her best friend isn’t the only one who’s been paying attention.  Nigel Ashworth, her best friend’s brother. Her almost. The man she’s never quite gotten over has seen her work before.  And he’s never forgotten it.  While Liz has been playing it safe, Nigel has been quietly opening doors, believing in her talent long before she ever did.  Now, as autumn settles over the vineyards of Montauk, the connection they once set aside becomes impossible to ignore.  But stepping into the life Nigel sees for her means risking more than her work. It means trusting him with her heart.  And this time, walking away may not be an option.

Because some masterpieces aren’t captured.  They’re created… together.  (picture and description at Amazon)

The Wayfaring Widow, book #10

 

I won't go into too much detail on this, as I was a judge for Faith, Hope, and Love Reader’s Choice Award and this was one of the books I read.  It was cute!

As the trio explores Boston, Detroit, Chicago, Niagara Falls, and New York City, surviving fires, disreputable innkeepers, sickness, and storms, Victoria and Harrison are loathe to find that they cannot avoid each other’s company. But in such close proximity, will Victoria and Harrison’s initial flared tempers lead to even stronger and more unavoidable feelings about each other? Feelings that have them questioning whether their journey will have the most unlikely of destinations: love and healing―and happily ever after―with each other? (Picture and description from Amazon)

The Thursday Murder Club, book #9

 

This has been sitting on my bedside for a while now and finally had a chance to pick it up.  It was truly hilarious, sneaky, mysterious .. all the things it claimed to be.  Two regrets ~ I wish I had been taking notes all along because a lot got mixed up in my head and I wish I had time to just into the next in the series.  Maybe another time I can reread it (with notes!) and move on through the series.

In a peaceful retirement village, four unlikely friends meet weekly in the Jigsaw Room to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves the Thursday Murder Club.  When a local developer is found dead with a mysterious photograph left next to the body, the Thursday Murder Club suddenly find themselves in the middle of their first live case.  As the bodies begin to pile up, can our unorthodox but brilliant gang catch the killer, before it's too late?  (picture and description from Amazon)

Next I am reading several new books not out yet to judge for something or other, plus I need to read the April book for the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge (guess I'm not reading the first FOUR books in that series now!) PLUS our book for the school book club.  Whew!

But I do love it!

Melissa

When Justice Comes, book #8

 

What can I say but Whew!  When I got about 70% through with this, I really wanted to keep reading to see what happened ~ well, how it played out, I knew the good guys were eventually going to win! ~ but I also was sad because I realized this wild ride I had been on with Hez and Savannah and Simon was almost over!  I wasn't ready for that!  

The good news is, there are plenty of other Colleen Coble books that I haven't read it!

Hez and Savannah Webster have survived storms that would bury others without a love as strong as theirs--but can they withstand the final battle in the deadly Legare-Willard feud that threatens to sweep away everything they've fought for? Hezekiah "Hez" Webster and his fiancée, Savannah, stand on the brink of a new life, but their dreams are haunted by specters of the past. Just as they're getting ready to adopt her nephew, two other petitioners also file for custody--both of whom only want Simon for their own gains. Between the financial company that Hez outmaneuvered to save the university from ruin and the bad blood from the head of the Willard family, it's hard to say who wants them out of the way more. Hez and Savannah's quest for justice leads them through a labyrinth of family law, where loyalties are tested and trust is a dangerous luxury when every decision could be their last. With the clock ticking, Hez and Savannah must confront the ghosts of their past and their deepest fears to secure a future for Simon. But with every secret revealed, the stakes grow higher. Can they build the family they've always dreamed of, or will their enemies succeed in tearing them apart forever? The Tupelo Grove series reaches its breathtaking conclusion as an enemy's agenda for revenge runs darker than swamp water and justice remains as precarious as quicksand in this heart-pounding narrative that underscores the power of redemption and forgiveness. (picture and description from Amazon)

I don't even know what is next on my reading list, but I'll start a new book soon!

Keep Reading!

Melissa

Where Secrets Lie, book #7

 

Well, she did it again.  I had forgotten how much I LOVE Colleen Coble books!  I went on a little quick trip on an airplane and train this past week and didn't want to carry a book, so I splurged and got this for my *new* Paperwhite (thanks to my old one literally just dying out of the blue the other week).  I do love the bigger size of the Paperwhite and my pretty new cover,

Alas, the book.  I have no words.  After the major plot shocker in the Epilogue last book, I didn't even know where to begin with this!  It made me so sad for some of the characters because one of the "bad guys" was not at all who I thought.  But throughout this book you realize this person was sort of trapped in something that quickly got out of hand.  But they still did bad stuff.  And then THIS happened!  And then THAT happened! and by this point I realize indeed this will NOT wrap up like Savannah and Hez think, because here come the Epilogue again!!  By now I was ready for another shocker, but at least this time it wasn't quite as bad. I mean, it's still bad, but not as big as the shocker of the first book.

College professor Savannah Webster is ready to give her ex-husband, Hez, another chance, and she believes he's finally ready for them to face their many past trials as a team. But when Savannah finds evidence that points to Hez's old demons resurfacing, the fragile trust they've built begins to crumble. And it's not just their relationship that hanging in the balance--the survival of the university Savannah's family poured their lives into is also under threat.  Hez is determined to put his past mistakes behind him with his new role mentoring law students at Tupelo Grove University's legal clinic. His primary focus with the clinic is to help Savannah pull the university out of a pit of debt and bad decisions made by the previous leadership, including her father. But their quest for stability takes a dark turn as they try to root out the dangerous smuggling ring the university is entangled in, and their investigation puts them in the crosshairs of criminals who will stop at nothing to eliminate any obstacle in their path.  The twists continue until the final page as a dangerous world of smuggling and financial instability collides with the complex dynamics of legacy and family.  (Picture and description from Amazon)

I'm so glad I'm on Spring Break this week so I can tear into the final book!

Keep Reading!

Melissa

What We Hide, book #6

 

Wow but wow!  Our book for the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge for March is When Justice Comes, which is the third book in the Tupelo Grove series by Colleen Coble.  Some say the 3rd will make more sense if you read the other two, so I decided to jump in, especially since I was ready for a whodunit.  She did not disappoint it!  

At first you think — he did it!  Then you think — no, she did it!  Then you go WHAT?!?!  Then it all comes together (whew!) until the Epilogue.  Then you go AAAAUUUUGGGHHHHH!!!!!

For Savannah and Hez, a crumbling university, stolen artifacts, deep family secrets, and deadly ambitions all stand in the way of a second chance at happiness.  Savannah Webster is trying to find her way forward. She and her husband, Hez, have been separated since tragedy tore them apart and he began numbing his grief and guilt with alcohol. She returned to Tupelo Grove University, which her family helped found over a century ago, to teach history.  When Hez turns up in her classroom asking for a second chance, she rejects the idea immediately. But twenty-four hours later she's under suspicion for murder, and since Hez is the best attorney she knows, she reluctantly asks him for help. They suspect the murder is tied to someone selling off the university's pre-Columbian artifacts, but the secrets go much deeper than they realize.  The only hope they've got is each other, and they're going to have to put their past behind them if they're going to stay alive long enough to uncover all that's hidden.(picture and description at Amazon)

I can hardly wait to tear into Book 2!!

Keep reading!

Melissa

The English Masterpiece, book #5

 

Just finished this book, the second in the Christian FIction Reading Challenge.  I didn't much care for this one as much until the last 20% when things start hopping.  There was not as much mention of God and Jesus in this, and I understand why some Christian authors choose to write that way.  In fact, ones that I could almost try and sneak in as options for my FHS Book Club.  But we have overloaded on mysteries this year there so I'll not be suggesting this one :)

I'm honestly getting all mixed up in my reading right now and it's driving me crazy!  There are a variety of reasons for that, but mainly it has to do with this Reading Challenge.  I do enjoy it, don't get me wrong!  But for the Challenge, we read a book, then do the Zoom with the Author the end of the month.  But with my Book Club, we are a month behind.  So the book we read for Book Club was one I finished last month and watched the Zoom, but then we were going to talk about it this month.  So now, I have finished this book, and the Zoom is this coming week, but we are just now reading it in Book Club.  I am trying not to say too much about how I really felt about it so I don't mar their opinions of it before they read it.  ;)

As the recently promoted assistant to the Tate's Modern Collections keeper Diana Gilden, Lily helps plan a world-class Picasso exhibit to honor the passing of the great artist--and she's waited her whole life for this moment. The opening is beyond anyone's expectations--the lighting, the champagne, the glittering crowd, and the international acclaim--until Lily does the unthinkable. She stops in front of a masterpiece and hears her own voice say, "It's a forgery." The gallery falls silent.  Lily's boss, Diana, is polished perfection, schooled in art, and descends from European high society. She's worked hard to become the trusted voice in London's modern art scene and respected across the Continent. The Tate's Picasso Commemorative is to be her crowning achievement, featuring not only the artist's most iconic and intimate works, but a newly discovered painting--one she advised an investor to purchase. But when Lily makes her outrageous declaration, suspicion and scandal threaten everything Diana has achieved, as museums and collectors across Europe, already doubting most post-war acquisitions, fall into chaos and rumors of a world-wide forgery run wild.  All Lily has ever wanted is to follow in Diana's footsteps and take the art world by storm in her own right. Yet one comment puts not only her own career at risk but also her mentor's. Unless . . . Was she right? With the clock ticking and the clues starting to pile up against her, Lily must uncover the truth behind the Picasso before she loses not only the career she's always wanted, but her freedom.  (Picture and description at Amazon)

Now I am on to the audio book of Matthew Perry's last book for FHS Book Club, then back to the Reading Challenge, which is yet another one of my favorite authors: Colleen Coble!  (However, this is book 3 in the series and I believe there is chatter on the FB page that you need to read the other two books first!) 

Keep Reading!

Melissa

Transformed by the Messiah, book #4

 

Wow but wow!  This book took me a while to get through, even at only 223 pages, but each page was filled with amazing new revelations and things you probably didn't realize!  I can't even begin to describe it, but suffice it to say, I practically highlighted the entire book!

I first heard about this book listening to my good buddy Lisa Harper's podcast here and here when she had Rabbi Jason on her show.  Now, for a good little Southern Baptist girl, listening to a Jewish Rabbi made me a bit leary.  But I completely trust my buddy Lisa and figure she wouldn't have someone on her show that was not 100% real and in tune with Jesus.  I highly recommend listening to those podcasts!

Discover the Jesus who has been pursuing you since before time! Join an unforgettable journey through the birth, ministry, and death of the Messiah as found in the Old and New Testaments, and have your own life transforming experience.

When reading the Bible we often miss essential details that add richness and significance, and therefore don't grasp the bigger picture. New York Times bestselling author Rabbi Jason Sobel, in his unique and engaging way, helps readers see God's story in high definition, enabling them to better understand the cultural and historical background of Scripture, God's intention for every detail, and how it applies to our lives.

Revealing hidden gems of prophecy and promises, Transformed by the Messiah helps answer questions such as:

Is there any significance to the fact that Jesus was born in Bethlehem?

How does the Messiah's baptism set an example for us to emulate and what did it undo?

Did the Messiah have to die on a cross and why did he not rise until the third day?

Who are the shepherds and why was it important that the baby be found wrapped in swaddling cloth and laid in a manger?

How can we embrace a supernatural perspective—living with a sense of possibility--and not be limited by a strictly natural perspective?

Why does Genesis 3 talk about the "seed of a woman?"

Why were the disciples so willing to immediately drop their nets, leave their families, and follow Jesus?

You'll also learn how to respond with faith, not fear; trust God's plan, purpose, and provision; and move forward in the power of the Spirit.

If you need hope, or simply a better understanding of God's plan of redemption for all mankind and your part in it, Transformed by the Messiah will open your heart and mind to be able to live in the supernatural power of God's Spirit as you follow Jesus and His command to make disciples. And whether you are Jewish or not, to help you read and study in a way that connects His story in the Old and New Testaments. (picture and description at Amazon)

Now back to our latest book in the Christian Fiction Reading Challenge!

Keep reading!

O:)

Melissa

Uneasy Street, book #3 ~ January Christian Fiction Reading Challenge

 

So this starts our journey in the 2026 Christian Fiction Reading Challenge!  There are 12 books to read (one each month!) that features many of our favorite authors, including our beloved Tamara Alexander!  I believe all of the books are the most recent books the author has written, so sometimes they will be in a series, and not necessarily the first one.  But they can all be read as stand alones, according to the website.  I'm really excited about doing this for many reasons.  

First of all, we are choosing these books for our Book Club book, so no one has to rack their brain trying to decide what to pick.  Secondly, although we have read several of the authors, there are some new ones on here as well.  Finally, once a month the authors are doing a ZOOM with whoever wants to hop on and she will talk about the book, and perhaps we can join in?  (I've never been on a ZOOM with 500 people, so I'm not sure what that will look like! 🤣)  

If you want more information about the Reading Challenge and want to join, click on the link above.  

Once upon a time Max Cirillo and Sloane Madison were close friends and business partners. But when their business relationship imploded, so did the friendship. Now, four years later, Max is a rich CEO. Sloane’s a not-so-rich etiquette expert who returns to Maine to serve as her niece’s temporary guardian and help the girl search for her birth father. Sloane and her niece move into a darling garage apartment but Sloane’s joy in their accommodations soon turns to horror when she realizes their apartment belongs to Max. Thanks to an unbreakable lease, she’s stuck living right next door to him.  Max pulled strings to bring Sloane into his orbit because he needs closure on what went wrong between them. Quickly, though, his scheming comes back to bite him. The world might view him as a cold-hearted rake, but this one woman has dangerous power over his emotions.  They’ll have no choice but to confront their history—and the undeniable spark between them—while living side by side on uneasy street. (picture and description at Amazon)

Now on to a nonfiction book!

Keep Reading ...

Melissa

Project Hail Mary, book #2

 

SOME SPOILERS INCLUDED!

My initial review of this book was going to be:

Dumbest book I ever read.  The end.

But then I sat with it a while.  I chewed on it.  I discussed with some people.  And I slightly changed my mind.  

While I was ready for some meat in a book after all the fluff I read over Christmas, this was like going from marshmallows to burnt steak.  There is a lot of sciency words that the author seems to think I understand.  There was no romance, no whodunit mystery, nothing,  Just some guy stuck in space and at first he had no idea who he was or what he was doing or where he even was.  Not exactly something that grabs my attention.  

Time goes by.  I keep reading.  I get encouragement from Rebecca who suggests skipping over the sciency part.  More pages go by.  I get about 60% done and I am literally ready to quit.  And I am not a book quitter.  I will read to the end to see what hope lives for the characters, but I was getting close to chukking it.  

But I kept reading.  And one night I find myself up for 3 hours reading.  I find myself saying, "Just go with the absurdity."  Then all of a sudden I have one or two chapters left.  And I'm still not sure how it will end.  I'm still not really  enjoying it, but I'm intriqued how it will end.  I'm also afraid its going to be a generic ending like:

As he saw Earth in the distance, knowing he made it.  That he was still alive, that he had the answer to fix all the problems; he realized how lucky he was.  The end.   

If that was how it ended I informed Katie and Roger that I would throw the book across the room, pick it up, take it outside, rub it in the mud, rip it in 1000 pieces and put it down the disposal.  

But surprise, surprise.  That is not how the book ended.  In fact, in my "just go with it" attitude I almost like the ending.  It's still pretty unbelievable, but I guess considering the options it was pretty good.  

I would not consider this science fiction as such, because to me SciFi is like Star Trek or Star Wars, where aliens talk in English ;)  That is way more believable to me.  

If you consider this more a book about friendship than saving humanity and other living beings, then maybe I might put it on my "It Wasn't So Bad" list.   

My big pet peeve in the whole book that made it the most unbelievable was the fact that Rocky had no eyes and all his information gathering was done solely with sonar, his ears as such.  I cannot in any stretch of my imagination believe one's hearing could be so good that you can comprehend a whole solar system and the mass, air quality, etc of planets gagillions miles away.  

All in all, read at your risk.  I"ll be curious to know how the others in Book Club felt about it.  

Ryland Grace is the sole survivor on a desperate, last-chance mission—and if he fails, humanity and the earth itself will perish.  Except that right now, he doesn’t know that. He can’t even remember his own name, let alone the nature of his assignment or how to complete it.  All he knows is that he’s been asleep for a very, very long time. And he’s just been awakened to find himself millions of miles from home, with nothing but two corpses for company.  His crewmates dead, his memories fuzzily returning, Ryland realizes that an impossible task now confronts him. Hurtling through space on this tiny ship, it’s up to him to puzzle out an impossible scientific mystery—and conquer an extinction-level threat to our species.  And with the clock ticking down and the nearest human being light-years away, he’s got to do it all alone.  Or does he?  (picture and description from Amazon)

I'm very excited about my next book reading project!

:)

Melissa