Tag Archives: christian book reviews

Book Review – Sept 2015

2 Oct

Happy October, Readers! The month for pumpkins, pipes and puppies. (read: pumpkin patch, firepit evenings and a new puppy in two weeks!) I started this book review the beginning of this week but kept realizing I had forgotten another book I had read. Whew! I will, in order to relieve your mind, tell you that some of these I started the end of August. I did not read a dozen odd books in four weeks. Because that is kind of insane. More like six weeks. Somehow that’s better…??

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The Time Machine by H.G. Wells – An Inventor travels first thousands of years, and the millions, into the future and comes back with a fantastic story of his travels.

– short synopsis for you but this is a very enjoyable read. The tale he tells is engrossing. All a little fantastic, but it’s time travel, it’s supposed to be.

Quilter’s Daughter by Wanda E. Brunstetter Daughters of Lancaster County book 2 – When Abby Miller comes to Lancaster County to help her pregnant mother, she leaves behind a full life – a quilt shop and loving fiance. But when tragedy strikes, her faith is shaken and she seeks answers to her questions. But where will she find them – in her love of quilting? her past? the heart of an overlooked Amish man?

– Ahh, I enjoyed this book. I like reading these types of novels when life is hectic, for the pace of the Amish is slower than ours, and for those moments I’m in their world, riding in a buggy to town, baking bread or knitting by the fire. They are busy but not at the mad-dash-pace of our world. I always feel slightly lazy though…

The Bishop’s Daughter by Wanda E. Brunstetter Daughters of Lancaster County book 3 – After her father, Bishop Weaver, has an accident, Leona finds her faith shaken. While teaching at the one-room schoolhouse, an Englisher in search of his family, Jimmy Scott, is hired to paint it. They are drawn to each other, even knowing the obstacles in the way. Will Leona find the answers she needs, will Jimmy find his real family? Will their love survive?

– This book was a great end to the trilogy. Seeing the characters develop and grow from the first and second books was enjoyable. I also like how Brunstetter brings faith into her novels – it’s not in-your-face but still a central theme. I feel like her books would be a great option for girls just starting to read more ‘adult’ books, a good transition point.

Francesca’s Kitchen by Peter Pezzelli – Francesca Campanile loves to cook for her family. But with her children grown, she feels useless. When she finds an ad for a part-time nanny, she is sure she’s found the answer to her problems. Loretta Simmons is a single mother of two, struggling to make ends meet. She’s not sure what to make of her new nanny, but both women are surprised to learn how much they needed the other.

– I fall in love with Francesca every time I read this book. I also wish she was my grandma. A perfectly normal reaction, trust me. Her memories of raising her kids are spattered throughout as she tries to connect with the new generation focused on video games and junk food. My mouth waters as time and again, she cooks these wonderful dishes – full of cheese (i’m dairy free so bear with me with that remark…) that just makes me want to hop in the kitchen as well. The only negatives I can really say about this book is one insinuation that I really just want to block out  because it adds absolutely nothing to the story line. And Loretta does go on a date with a slime ball who tries something but it’s very minor and not graphic. Francesca is Catholic so that is brought into the book but it’s not a major theme or preachy. Mostly she mentions a few saints, goes to confession a few times and tries to do what she feels God is calling her to do. Overall, I am glad I ran across this book years ago! A good read.

The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells – A young scientist becomes obsessed with finding a way to make things invisible. When he does create the serum, he tries it out on himself. Beforehand, he could only see the benefits of such an existance – freedom! – but reality sets in and with it, a descent into madness.

– I finished this just the other night and AH!! I enjoyed this immensely, even more than the Time Machine. I scored this book at Barnes and Noble on the sale on a sale on a sale rack – being a 2 books in 1 situation, I couldn’t pass it up. I’d never read Wells before but at least these two will be ones I come back to. I didn’t anticipate the ending at all.  And that makes me happy. I enjoyed the different ways the characters were brought into the story, and the adventures of the invisible man. I found on youtube that they made a movie in 1933 that I have simply got to own now.

The Problem of Pain by C.S. Lewis  -Man has been plagued by one question for years – ‘if God is good, why does he allow pain?” Lewis, who is known as the ‘greatest Christian thinker of our time’, answers this complicated question and seeks to heal a hurting world

-Lewis writes very differently than I am used to, so I am frequently re-reading sections in order to better grasp his point.  I am in the last few chapters now, it has moved from my bedside to the table so I read it while eating breakfast most mornings. I intend on putting it on the ‘read yearly’ list. There are many ‘ah-ha’ moments in it. Well worth the read.

HTML and CSS : Design and Build Websites – My OH got this for me and I intend on devoting a whole post to it once I’m through it. For now, let’s say that they have done a fantastic job on making it a book that while it teaches you how, it doesn’t intimidate the socks off of you at first glance. A huge bonus for me. I intend to work through it as it teaches, being more of a hands-on learner. Don’t hold your breath for the full review though – I have no idea when it’ll be.

The Count of Monte Cristo  by Alexandre Dumas – On the brink of the happiest day of his life, Edward Dantes is thrown in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Years later, he learns of a treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo. He then focuses on escaping the grim fortress and, after finding the treasure- exacting revenge on the three men who ruined him.

– Since I was reading this on my phone last month, I have somehow stopped reading it. Guess I called it when I said I need to get an actual copy in order to finish it.  But don’t take my not finishing it as a sign that it isn’t a good read for it is! The development of the characters and the descriptions of what is going on are great.

And there you have it for September’s book review! Are any of these your favorites?

~Laura

*I’d like to note that any books I read are free of foul language or any immoral …stuff. If there is a hint of it, I will tell you but that is the most that I will read, and by default, will share with you. Not everything I read is faith-based though, so keep that in mind if that is your priority. *

*If you click any link here and buy from amazon, I will get a percentage from the sale. Just a way I’m trying to make a little money from this hobby of mine*

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The O’Malley Series Review

29 Sep

I’m switching it up a bit and reviewing a whole series for you today! Yes, I read this series this month, and yes you’ll be getting a post reviewing the other books I’ve read. Have I done anything else this month, besides reading? Apparently not. Because that’s a lot of books!

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This is the O’Malley Series by Dee Henderson. If you haven’t read anything by her, you must – you simply must. I haven’t found even one book of hers that I didn’t like. She writes Christian suspense novels and has won awards for them.

If you’ve been following SGL for a while, you’ve seen at least a few reviews on Hendersons’ books. But this. This series is fantastic. I have picked all seven of them up at garage sales and thrift and used book stores over the years but when in the midst of book four, I realized I didn’t own book five! A tragedy there, my friends. Amazon was there to save the day though and the morning after I finished book four, book five came in the mail.

Now, when I say it’s seven books, that’s not completely accurate. Technically, there are only six in the series. But she wrote a prequel that I count as one of the series. Because it flows. And it’s just as good as the others.

I thought I’d give a brief description of each book and then review them as a whole. Grab your mug of hot tea, cocoa or coffee and get ready to fall in love with the O’Malley’s.

Danger in the Shadows (prequel)  – Sara has been hidden away in protective custody for years. Adam Black is a  former pro-football star. Falling for him could very well risk her life.

The Negotiator – Being an FBI agent, Dave Richman’s job is to keep people safe. Kate O’Malley is a hostage negotiator that doesn’t hesitate to step in the middle of danger. Falling in love with her is easy, but Dave is about to find out that keeping her safe isn’t.

The Guardian – Marcus O’Malley is a U.S. Marshall and his job is to keep the only witness of a judge’s murder safe. Shari Hanford unexpectedly steals his heart, and in the process, changes his life. The only problem? She’s in the center of an assassins crosshairs.

The Truth Seeker – Being a forensic pathologist keeps Lisa O’Malley surrounded by dead women. Solving mysteries is her job. But this time, she’s found the killer and now she’s gone missing. Quinn Diamond, U.S. Marshall, has slowly fallen in love with her. Now, he has to find her before time runs out for both of them.

The Protector – Fireman Jack O’Malley has an arsonist to catch – the man is targeting his district, shift and friends. Finding him means protecting the woman Jack loves, for she saw him…

The Healer – Working for the Red Cross in the midst of disasters, Rachel O’Malley is one of the best. But when a school shooting occurs and she knows the kids, dealing with the trauma and helping them proves too much.

The Rescuer – Stephen is a paramedic running from the pain of his past. Meghan is blind and caught in the middle of a criminal conspiracy. As she shows him God’s love, he finds himself falling in love with her. But then she’s kidnapped in the midst of a tornado….

Review: Faith is very much a part of each of these books. I like the fact that Henderson has each person have a different point of difficulty for believing. But there isn’t too much preaching going on – even I start skimming when someone preaches for a few pages straight. The characters are well developed and you become jealous of their sibling relationships! They adopted each other, choosing a last name to share, and that bond created is amazing. I enjoy stories that involve careers so far removed from what I know. I have read these books for years, and will continue to do so in the coming ones.

*I’d like to note that any books I read are free of foul language or any immoral …stuff. If there is a hint of it, I will tell you but that is the most that I will read, and by default, will share with you. Not everything I read is faith-based though, so keep that in mind if that is your priority. *

*If you click any link here and buy from amazon, I will get a percentage from the sale. Just a way I’m trying to make a little money from this hobby of mine*

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Book Review – August 2015

28 Aug

Happy end of August! Not that it’s really sunk in yet that summer is pretty much over – we are looking forward to vacation next week (finally one we are going on together!!!) which includes a wedding, lots of time with friends and family and possibly buying a car! EEK!

This month has been one full of reading a rather random assortment of books. But, really, it would be boring to read all one genre in a month wouldn’t it? Aug2015bkrvw

The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas – On the brink of the happiest day of his life, Edward Dantes is thrown in jail for a crime he didn’t commit. Years later, he learns of a treasure hidden on the Isle of Monte Cristo. He then focuses on escaping the grim fortress and, after finding the treasure- exacting revenge on the three men who ruined him. — I am reading this on my phone, which means it’s going much slower than if I had a book to pick up! I am loving the complexities of the story, and realizing that, of course, the movie changed some major components of it. I might need to get a copy just so I can actually finish it.

The Problem of Pain – C.S. Lewis – Man has been plagued by one question for years – ‘if God is good, why does he allow pain?” Lewis, who is known as the ‘greatest Christian thinker of our time’, answers this complicated question and seeks to heal a hurting world.  – I have this next to my bed to read before falling asleep = it’s taking me a very long time to get through….But I am learning from it and figure it will become a yearly read.

The Storekeeper’s Daughter – Wanda E. Brunstetter – Daughters of Lancaster County, book 1 – In Amish country in Pennsylvania, tragedy strikes  – Naomi Fisher’s mother dies in an accident. At the time when she should be going to singings and riding in a courting buggy, she is instead taking care of her seven siblings and helping her father in the family store. Just when she thinks she can’t take one more day in the restrictive world she now finds herself, the unthinkable happens. And any confidence she, or her family, had in her is shattered – will she be able to continue on? – This was a re-read for me but still just as enjoyable. Brunstetter rarely lets you down with her novels. The gospel message is clear throughout, without being overkill. I hope you know what I mean by that….I enjoy the slow-paced nature of books set in the Amish world, and inevitably feel incredibly lazy with having washers for clothes and dishes….and plenty of time to read novels!

The Hero and the Crown – Robin Mckinley – She had always known the story of how her mother, the witchwoman, had used a spell to get the king to marry her. Aerin had heard it from beginning to end many times – how, after giving birth to a daughter instead of the longed-for son, her mother had turned to the wall and died of despair. Being the daughter cast her into a difficult position – one with a destiny she couldn’t see. But through determination and with a willing war-horse, Aerin would learn that her destiny was far greater than anyone believed – she was to be the hero who would wield the Blue Sword, Gonturan. –  I picked this book up (along with #2 in the series) at Jupiter’s bookstore in Cannon Beach Or. Seriously, I love going to that bookstore. No matter what else I do while in the cute seaside town, I spend at least an hour in the cram-packed-full-of-used-books bookstore. I have read a few of Mckinley’s books – Beauty being one of my favorites – so I decided it was worth risking it. It is fantastic. A new world and language to get sucked into, plus it’s about a sword-wielding heroine? Yes please. The twists and turns and the growing that the heroine does from beginning to end are engrossing.

The Secret – Charlotte Bronte  – A collection of short stories by Charlotte and her siblings are in this light read. Each are set in the imagined world of Verdopolis and are full of intrigue, lies and love. – These were very fun to read even though due to taking so long to read them I did get a little confused about the repeating characters. The heroines are all gorgeous and brave and true while the heros are handsome and trustworthy and the villians easy to spot by their dark brows and evil intent  – all in all, very charming stories.

The Blue Sword – Robin Mckinley  – Harry Crewe, newly orphaned, has come to the desert land of Damar, a place of secretive, magical Hillfolk and the Outlanders. Her life is a bit dull and ordinary – until she is kidnapped by Corlath, the king of the Hillfolk. She begins training in the arts of war, even though she doesn’t understand it.  –  This is the second book in the series (not sure it’s actually a ‘series’ though) of the world of Damar. Absolutely engrossing so far. Fantastic characters and I do love a bit of magic in my novels. And when a book can make me forget I’m eating lunch, well, you know it’s good.

Hope you find something to fill the coming weekend,

Laura

What are you reading lately?

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Book Review- June 2015 (part 2)

25 Jun

As promised, here is part two of this month’s book review.

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Wrangler in Petticoats by Mary Connealy (Sophie’s Daughters bk 2) – Sally Mclellan is a total tomboy, and proud of it. But when artist Logan Mckenzie rescues her, she realizes that wearing a dress and being a woman isn’t so bad. But can she survive the outlaws that are intent on killing her, the only witness to their murdering, in order to really decide about loving a man who loves to paint the land instead of work it? And can she let her guard down and flourish as a woman? ~ I don’t think I’ve ever read a novel set in these times about an artist out in farming/ranching country. Loved the story line. Loved the characters. Definite re-read!

Sharpshooter in Petticoats by Mary Connealy (Sophie’s Daughters bk 3) – After a disastrous marriage that has left her the focus of a feud, Mandy Mclellan Grey has sequestered herself and her children in order to stay alive. It will take everything Tom Linscott has to convince her to come to his ranch and marry him. The way he figures it, she should have as soon as she finished burying her worthless husband, five years ago. When Tom goes up the mountain to get Mandy, he gets a whole lot more trouble that he expected – a great deal of that from the deadly-accurate sharpshooter he loves. ~ The final book in this series, Connealy keeps the fun and suspense in this novel. While this one has a slight more ‘adult theme’ it is still very tastefully done. And of course, you get to catch up on Beth and Sally’s lives. Another great read.

The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien – A precursor to the Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit  tells the story of Bilbo Baggins’ adventures with the dwarves that are going back to the Lonely Mountain in order to reclaim their homeland and treasure that was stolen from them by the dragon, Smaug. Through trolls’ snares, goblin tunnels, Mirkwood Forest and an angry Elvenking must they survive, before they even reach the deadliest of foes – the wily dragon who slumbers amid his horde of gold. ~ I just finished this a few hours ago and what a writer Tolkien is! I cannot wait to get the LOTR series now. The only part I didn’t thoroughly enjoy was the spider part –which makes perfect sense if you know me… An honest to goodness classic that I don’t know how I hadn’t already read.

The Bride Bargain by Kelly Eileen Hake ( Prairie Promises bk 1) –  Clara Fields is determined to get herself and her aunt to Oregon in order to start a new life there. But when they are booted from the wagon train, they must seek help in the small town along the Platte River. Striking a bargain with a shopkeeper, Clara agrees to help find his visiting son a bride in exchange for the shopkeeper’s house. The only problem is that  Dr. Saul Reed is not interested in getting married and settling in Buttonwood – he’s got a practice ready to start in Boston. ~ This is one of those I like to call ‘fluff’ books. Easy to read in a doctor’s office or a park but still well written to be worth reading and keep you interested. The circumstances throughout the book are laugh-out-loud ridiculous but definetly keep you turning the page. A very fun, quick read.

Book in a Month by Victoria Lynn Schmidt –  Guiding you through each day with advice, encouragement and worksheets, this book helps you stay focused on writing a book in 30 days. It is put out by Writer’s Digest. ~Gasp. I am SO excited about this book. I am not committing to writing a book in a month, but i am using it more as a guideline and to help me get the momentum back on the novel I’m currently working on. Which can make it a little difficult, what with having almost 40 pages written, and the intent is to start on day 1 with a blank page…errr, blinking cursor/blank document. I am excited to keep working through it and working out the kinks in my novel along the way.

~Sorry there’s no pictures or links for these books this month, but I’m getting these written out and scheduled for I’m heading for vacation tonight! So, while it’s not necessarily a ‘pretty’ post, the reviews are genuine and the books are awesome! Enjoy!

~Laura

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Book Review- March 2015

31 Mar

Short and sweet, friends, this will be short and sweet.

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  • Happy Wives Club by Fawn Weaver –  One night, Fawn started a club to get women who love being married together and speak positively about marriage. Very quickly it spread like wildfire across the world – and Fawn traveled around it to speak with some of these women/couples in order to find the secrets of a great marriage. I have enjoyed reading this so far. I am reading it as a part of the Meaningful Marriage Study group that I am a part of on facebook. It is a light read and getting to ‘meet’ these couples has been a joy and through each couple something new stands out to me and makes me pause in contemplation. I very much recommend it! – we are nearing the end of this book, i am hoping to do a post here on SGL all about it when we do!!!
  • Torah Rediscovered by Ariel and D’vorah Berkowitz –  This book shows how Jews and non-Jewish believers can honor the Torah. And also how years of neglect and abuse have muddled the difficult issues in the Torah, and clarifies them.  You might recognize this title as I started reading it mid last year, but as I never finished it, I am halfway through it and it is such a well-written book, and written so that I can understand! ( i am sad that this one is still on my ‘currently reading’ list as i had fully intended on finishing it the beginning of this month….)
  • Anne of the Island by L.M. Montgomery (book 3) – Even though Anne didn’t want to grow up, she did of course. Her childhood friends were getting married and she was leaving Green Gables for four years of college. But, even through all the changes, her spirit never changed. I loved this book so much, the characters in each of this series are so much fun and come alive so charmingly well. I would love to be able to walk into their home ‘Patty’s Place’ for tea time.
  • Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery (book 4) – Having gotten a job – her first away from home – Anne quickly learned that the real struggle wasn’t in lessons but in dealing with the stubborn Pringle family. But, she is able to become the town’s confidante and champion, winning all with her lovable nature.  Ahhh, this series. I enjoy how each book puts Anne in new surroundings as captivating as the last. Her spirit remains undaunted and draws even the crustiest of the townspeople to her side of things.
  • Anne’s House of Dreams by L.M. Montgomery (book 5) – Anne’s true love has become a doctor in a small town on the Island. Finally able to be married and start their new life together, Anne makes new friends and, along the way – solving new problems. I am almost done with this one, and I cannot wait to see how it ends. I very likely will finish it this evening, what with my OH working.

I am so excited for 3 new books that have just been added to my ‘to-read’ list!! 2 of them were birthday presents from a dear friend and 1 is a book on writing that I just ordered on Amazon!!!  I did try to avoid any ‘spoilers’ for any of you who have not read the Anne series yet… as you can tell, I am sucked in to them completely right now. I am normally reading multiple novels at one time but I just can’t do it with this series!!!!

Huzzah for days spent lazily reading, while spring is blooming around me,

~Laura

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Book Review February 2015

2 Mar

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Book Review time again! I am deep in my current book, and so so glad that i have the whole series so that i don’t have to wait before starting the next one! Aside from having company twice this month (so fun!) I have been snuggled on the couch under one of my two favorite blankets, tea on the coffee table and Lady laying near me while I’m reading, reading, reading.

  • Torah Rediscovered by Ariel and D’vorah Berkowitz –  This book shows how Jews and non-Jewish believers can honor the Torah. And also how years of neglect and abuse have muddled the difficult issues in the Torah, and clarifies them.  You might recognize this title as I started reading it mid last year, but as I never finished it, I am halfway through it and it is such a well-written book, and written so that I can understand!
  • Happy Wives Club by Fawn Weaver –  One night, Fawn started a club to get women who love being married together and speak positively about marriage. Very quickly it spread like wildfire across the world – and Fawn traveled around it to speak with some of these women/couples in order to find the secrets of a great marriage. I have enjoyed reading this so far. I am reading it as a part of the Meaningful Marriage Study group that I am a part of on facebook. It is a light read and getting to ‘meet’ these couples has been a joy and through each couple something new stands out to me and makes me pause in contemplation. I very much recommend it!
  • Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery  – Anne Shirley is an awkward, gangly redheaded orphan that is adopted by Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert, siblings who live on the homestead, Green Gables, they grew up on. Anne is prone to get into more scrapes and adventures than any other youngster in Avonlea, which proves for an interesting time for all. As she meets her ‘bosom friend’ and a few enemies in her new life, she quickly steals your heart as she grows up. I have owned this series for years and years but have never made it halfway through this book before! I have no idea why. I have completely fallen in love with the way Montgomery writes.
  • Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery –  Anne has grown up to be a fashionable young lady of sixteen and has gotten a job to teach at the Avonlea school. But she is still the mischievous and spirited young girl that arrived on Prince Edward Island all those years ago, proving that she isn’t all that different from her students.

on the to-read list: Heal Your Headaches by David Buccholz ; The Complete Adventures of the Borrowers by Mary Norton and the rest of Anne series! Plus, I’ve added to my long term reading list some of your suggestions of past months, so watch for those reviews too!

Have you been able to start the year out with quality reading time? What book has surprised you or disappointed you? 

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Book Review – January ’15

29 Jan

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Welcome to the first book review of 2015!!! How exciting!! On goodreads, I have a goal of reading 50 books this year. Seems quite reasonable to me, that’s only 4 books a month, right? Easy peasy. I mean, I’m currently reading 4 right now, with another one on the bottom of the stack to start whenever. My fellow book-lovers, that made perfect sense to you, I know it did.

Well, I’ll get right to the reviews!

  • Torah Rediscovered -by Ariel and D’vorah Berkowitz –  This book shows how Jews and non-Jewish believers can honor the Torah. And also how years of neglect and abuse have muddled the difficult issues in the Torah, and clarifies them.  You might recognize this title as I started reading it mid last year, but as I never finished it, I am starting it all over again and will finish it this time! It is such a well-written book, and written so that I can understand!
  • Happy Wives Club – by Fawn Weaver – One night, Fawn started a club to get women who love being married together and speak positively about marriage. Very quickly it spread like wildfire across the world – and Fawn traveled around it to speak with some of these women/couples in order to find the secrets of a great marriage. I have enjoyed reading this so far. I am reading it as a part of the Meaningful Marriage Study group that I am a part of on facebook. It is a light read and getting to ‘meet’ these couples has been a joy and through each couple something new stands out to me and makes me pause in contemplation. I very much recommend it!                                                    bookreviewjan2015
  • Wildwood Dancing -by Juliet Marillier – Jenica and her sisters and father live in the Transylvania woods, in Piscul Draculi – a castle that hides a portal to the Other Kingdom. Every month, with her sisters and pet frog, on the Full Moon, they go through the portal and dance the night away. But at home, in their world, everything is changing, and soon, events will bring their two worlds together and change everything. Forbidden love – Unswerving anger over an act of betrayal – an enchanted frog – and the ultimate test of trust. I mean, really, can you get any better than that in a story?? Sigh of contentment. A friend suggested this book to me years ago and I now read it a few (or several) times a year. I am pretty sure I’ve talked about it here on SGL before too. If you like a bit of magic and fantasy, this book is for you. (for those of you that are not sure, let me also say that I don’t read very much magic/fantasy but still love this one) Plus, my OH surprised me recently with a copy of my very own!

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  • Mrs. Mike – by Benedict and Nancy Freedman – A love story between a young Irish girl, Katherine Mary O’Fallon, new to the Canadian wild, and Sergeant Mike Flannigan of the Canadian Mounted police.  I am only a quarter of the way in, in this book so cannot give it a full recommendation yet. I can say that the opening is fantastic – it sucked me in quickly. It did lose me a little bit as it went on though, with a drunken right-hand man and some other random scenes that I can’t quite recall. But, i give it a tentative review so far. Check back next month for a full review! ( this was a Christmas gift from a friend, and you can see the packaging in the back of the photo, I didn’t waste any time starting it!)
  • Lousia May Alcott : Her Life, Letters and Journals – Edited by Ednah Dow Cheney – This book gives an intimate look at one of America’s most beloved authors.  It was originally published in 1889 (!!), just one year after her death. Combining her letters and journal entries with comments from a family friend (Cheney), shows how ‘faithfully and fully she performed whatever duties circumstances laid upon her’.  I really enjoyed this book, even though it took me over a month to complete it. I talked about it here and still recommend it for any young/older woman to read as motivation to keep at our tasks of loving and taking care of our families.

And for the book that’s on my list to start in the near-future – Heal Your Headache by David Buchholzm M.D. – this book has the “1-2-3 program for taking charge of your health”.  With answers to questions that nearly all headache sufferer asks, this book is a treasure-trove of information, based on ‘the breakthrough understanding that virtually all headaches are forms of migraine.’   “Step 1 – Avoid the Quick-Fix. Step 2 – Reduce Your Triggers. Step 3 – Raise Your Threshold” – I have owned this book for a few years now, after having been recommended to it for years by several doctors. While I have read bits and pieces of it, I haven’t ever read all of it. I highly recommend it to fellow headache/migraine sufferers from the bits I’ve read though.

Two boards for you to check out on my pinterest page – SGL (that way you’ll never miss a post if you don’t want an email!) and my quotes and books board!

Happy reading friends!

~Laura Starr

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Book Review – Dec. 2014 and Happy New Year!

31 Dec

this honestly is probably the most pathetic book review i’ve ever done, and probably ever will do! What with being on vacation for the last two weeks and sleeping the first two weeks of the month, I have only read half of one book.

GASP.

I know, I’ll wait a second for you to recover from the shock of that. . . . . . .

Okay, while I waited for you, I researched where the closest public library is to our house! 10 minutes away, I can handle that. Let the checking-out begin!

~Louisa May Alcott : Her Life, Letters and Journals – Edited by Ednah Dow Cheney  -Originally published in 1889 by a family friend, this book gives an intimate picture of one of America’s most beloved authors. Through commentary, surviving letters and journals, it shows how Alcott ‘fully and faithfully performed whatever duties circumstances laid upon her’.   Like I said above, I am only halfway through and love it love it. I have decided that every woman – young or old – should read about this persevering woman.

I am excited to start a new marriage study with a group online, this time around we are going through The Happy Wives Club. (which means, I have got to get it soon!!!)

As almost everyone else, I am thinking about the new year and what I would like to accomplish in it. No, this is not a list of goals that I am going to write out, feel good about planning such lofty things, and then promptly forget about it. I am talking about things that I have been saying I want to do once we got a little more settled here in our new home.   To help me accomplish some of them,over the holiday break, my OH bought me an office chair so I can write and blog without stressing my hip out! I am very excited to set up my little ‘office area’ with an inspiration board and whatever else finds its way there. I am planning on some new series here on SGL and hope by years’ end to be self-hosted.

So please, if you have anything you’d like me to start writing about – let me know and we’ll see what happens! For right now though, Happy New Year and I’ve got to get ready for an impromptu party with some friends tonight.

God Bless,

Laura Starr

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Book Review Oct 2014

28 Oct

What with packing-cleaning-eating-sleeping-doctor appointments-meeting with friends, I am not going to be able to do a full book review with you this month! I will list them out for you and you can check them out for yourselves!

A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers (not going to finish, didn’t like it enough to)

Libby’s Story by Judy Baer (still haven’t finished)

Castles: Maidens Meet Their Knights by  Tracie Peterson  (loved!)

Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne  (loved!!!)

The Whitney Chronicles by Judy Baer  (love love)

Our house is pretty bare right now, and it’s only a few days until we load up the uhaul truck! I am excited, nervous, ready and kind of scared. This is the biggest move I’ve done – ever, so it’s a little hard on the nerves! But it will be so nice to have my OH home every evening, have a synagogue to be a part of, have a nice house and yard and to start a new adventure. I am not sure when I’ll get back on here – it will be a week or so I imagine.

But for today and until then, I leave you with these  deep words courtesy of Dutch Bros (and my mom’s cup) Book Review Oct 2014

Any favorites or new books you’ve found that just have to be shared??? 

don’t forget – you can find me on goodreads!!! 

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Book Review – Sept 2014

30 Sep

book review sept2014

“The Smallest Bookstore Still Contains More Ideas of Worth

Than Have Been Presented in the Entire History of Television.” -Andrew Ross

I disappeared there for a while, didn’t I? So sorry, I thought about you guys a lot if that’s any consolation. Not only has my body decided to behave worse than normal by adding in a few more pains and frustrations, it was Rosh Hashannah last week! My OH and I were able to go to a local community’s service for it. It was the first time I had been a part of a service for this special day so it was cool to be able to attend. This week is Yom Kippur, so I don’t know if I’ll end up missing posting again but for today we have this months’ book review!

I must say that I love the quote for this month. It kind of makes me chuckle for the truth of it.

And now let’s get on to the books! I didn’t get near as much reading done this month but two of them I have absolutely LOVED!

  • The Merchant’s Daughter – by Melanie Dickerson — Once the daughter of a wealthy merchant but now an indentured servant, Annabel faces danger and and choices she’d never dreamed of. Caught between the slimy baliff who presses his attentions on her and the new Lord Ranulf who is rumored to be beastly and absolutely terrifying, she believes that life in a nunnery is the way to solve her problems. But as her encounters with Lord Ranulf result in feelings of safety and happiness, Annabel must struggle to face her feelings and decide which plans she will follow – hers or God’s. ACK! I love this book. Last month I had just started it and mentioned it briefly in the review for August. It is now one of my favorites that I will probably end up buying.
  • The Healer’s Apprentice – by Melanie Dickerson  — As a woodcutter’s daughter, Rose knows that her opportunity to train under the healer of Hagenheim Castle is a rare opportunity. Even though she gets squeamish at the sight of blood she wants to prove herself capable. When Lord Hamlin is injured and Rose is the one to heal his wound, she feels emotions toward him that she knows are forbidden, for he is betrothed to a mysterious lady in hiding. —and yes, she did it again folks!! another favorite! The twists and turns that she incorporates into her stories are wonderful.
  • A Voice in the Wind – by Francine Rivers — Falling in love with a handsome aristocrat is ridiculous but that’s just what Hadassah has done. She clings to her faith that God will deliver them from decadent Rome while struggling with her feelings.  — I don’t know about this one. I’m really trying to like this novel . I feel like there are too many characters that seem to have no connection to each other and no real forward movement with the plot line…. I’m 80 pages into the almost 500 and still not sucked in. Normally at this point I just give up on it but I’ve been told that it is really good so I’ll probably dive back into it in the next few days. I’ll let you all know if my opinion changes.
  • Libby’s Story – by Judy Baer — A chance encounter brings together tenderhearted and loyal Libby Morrison and sensitive and angry Reese Reynolds. While Libby is struggling to take care of her aging parents and Reese is nursing self-pity over being paralyzed, their friendship slowly blossoms. — I really enjoy this book. It is actually the third in a ‘series’ ( i can’t find anything that says it is actually a series…) It is enjoyable on its’ own but much more so after having read the first two. Each covers the story of the three friends, Jenny, Tia and Libby. (Jenny’s Story, Tia’s Story and this one, Libby’s Story)
  • An Unexpected Match – by Gayle Roper — As an upstanding Amish woman, Rachel Beiler can’t believe what she’s doing. She begins a hidden life as a college student. All she wants to do is learn but she doesn’t know yet how it will change her and what it will cost her. On the first night of class she meets two people – Amy Steiner who has secrets of her own and Rob Lanier an army vet. — ummm, YES! As I’m sure you know if you’ve read at least a few of my book reviews, I love stories about the Amish. And this one has a plot that I’m not used to seeing so it was very fun to read and I definitely got drawn in quickly.

And that’s it! I think this is the least amount of reading I’ve done all year! But, I’m all set to start one of my favorite novels, Mara: Daughter of the Nile and have another favorite coming from the library!

Happy Reading friends and do share what you’ve been reading lately!

~Laura

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