Reading this Week

Finished

The Cupcake Caper by Gertrude Chandler Warner

Assault and Beret by Jenn McKinlay

Death is Like a Box of Chocolates by Kathy Aarons

The Amazing Mystery Show by Gertrude Chandler Warner

The Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner

           

Currently reading

A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz

Her Rancher Bodyguard by Brenda Minton

All Sales Final by Josie Belle

Non-fiction reading

Shaken by Tim Tebow

Getting ready to read

 Take the Key and Lock her up by Ally Carter

A Frozen Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

UnHooked by Lisa Maxwell

As Old as Time by Liz Braswell

ButterCream Bump off by Jenn McKinlay

Truffled to Death by Kathy Aarons

Classic

Audio on the Way to Work

 My Heart Remembers by Kim Vogel Sawyer

Reviewing

Devotional reading

Bible

365 Devtions for Hope by Karen Whiting

Did not Finish

Reviews Posted this week

Reading this week

Finished

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (book discussion group at work)

Wed on the Wagon Train by Tracy Blalock

Heist Society by Ally Carter

Ever the Hunted by Erin Sumerill

Currently reading

A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz

Murder in a Basket by Amanda Flower

Non-fiction reading

The Fringe Hours by Jessica Turner

Getting ready to read

 Take the Key and Lock her up by Ally Carter

A Frozen Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

UnHooked by Lisa Maxwell

As Old as Time by Liz Braswell

Classic

Audio on the Way to Work

Reviewing

Devotional reading

Bible

365 Devtions for Hope by Karen Whiting

Did not Finish

Reviews Posted this week 

Review of Katie in Waiting

Title: Katie in Waiting

Author: Erynn Mangum

Series: Carrington Springs book 1

 

Chapters: 20

Pages: 277

Genre: Christian Chick lit

Rating: 5 stars

     Katie in Waiting is the first book in the Carrington Springs series novels by Eyrnn Mangum. Its Christian chick lit as well as new adult. It's  a refreshing change from most of the new adult out there. I love all of Erynn's novels, and Katie in Waiting is now different.  I always find myself relating a little bit to each of her heroines. But with Katie I found myself relating to Katie a lot. Katie is Erynn's oldest heroine to date. (Now I believe that goes to Eliza in Once Upon and Eliza ).  I could relate to to Katie's comments about her hair not being blond, red, or brown but a crazy combo  of each. The way that it's not wavy or cruly or straight but a combo   of each.  I can also relate to how close she is to her grandmother. 

     It's nice to see Erynn's characters getting older as I myself get older. Katie moved back her mother's hometown of Carrington Springs to be close to her grandmother because her job allows her to work from home.

    

     Katie in Waiting is the perfect blend of light hearted fun and chick litness as well as serious and Faith filled. I can't wait to next two books in the series. I love how even though it is a series each book is from a different point of view of each girl.

     Erynn is one of my favorite authors as well as an auto buy author. 

Review of The Shadow Queen

Title: The Shadow Queen

Author: C.J. Redwine

Series: Ravenspire book 1

 

Chapters: 40 plus epilogue

Pages: 387

Genre: fanstay fairy tale retelling

Rating: 4 Stars

     Once Upon a Time made like Snow White. The Shadow Queen made me love her. Lorelai is not your typical Snow white character. She's willing to fight for her kingdom to take it back from the evil queen. To me The Shadow Queen is what would happen if you took Snow from Once and combined her with Emma from Once.

     Lorelai is Snow from the first seasons flash backs and Emma, because she's tough like Snow and has magic like Emma.  However that is where the similarities to Once end.  The evil queen in The Shadow Queen isn't a misunderstood victim, she's just plain evil there's no redeeming her.  

     However The Shadow Queen isn't a Once retelling it's an unique twist on the whole Snow White story.  It's a story that shows that princesses can save themselves that they aren't all damsels in distress.  

Reading this week

Finished

A Father's Promise by Carolyne Aarsen

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

Prose and Cons by Amanda Flower

Unexpected Father by Carolyne Aarsen

Maid of Murder by Amanda Flower

Currently reading

A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz

Roseblood by A.G. Howard

Non-fiction reading

Getting ready to read

 Take the Key and Lock her up by Ally Carter

A Frozen Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

UnHooked by Lisa Maxwell

As Old as Time by Liz Braswell

Classic

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (book discussion group at work)

Audio on the Way to Work

Heist Society by Ally Carter (listing to this on the way home from taking my sister back to school Sunday

Reviewing

Devotional reading

Bible

365 Devtions for Hope by Karen Whiting

Did not Finish

Reviews Posted this week

Read three books off my TBR pile that I had owned prior to 2017

Review of Salt to the Sea

Title: Salt to the Sea

Author:  Ruta Sepetys

Pages: 393

Genre: Teen historical fiction

Rating: 4 stars

     Salt to the Sea is a young adult historical fiction novel set towards the end of WWII. It's also the fourth or fifth YA novel I've read set during this time period. It foucses on an event that I had never heard about before I read the book. The greatest tragedy in Martine history, even worse than the sinking of the Titanic.  I love that the book is told from the point of view of four different teens from four different countries.  With nothing in common  other than they want to get to safety away from the Russian army and possibly out of Germany as well.

     The characters each brought  something different to the story and I loved that it was told from different points of views. It's what brought the story life.  Each character's point of view allow the story to unfold in a way that wouldn't have happened if only one character had been telling the story. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.

Reading this week

Finished

Stars Above by Marissa Meyer

Lizzy and Jane by Katherine Reay

The Beautiful Pretender by Melanie Dickerson

Currently reading

Prose and Cons by Amanda Flower

A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz

A Father's Promise by Carolyne Aarsen

Wolf in the Snow by Matthew Cordell

Non-fiction reading

The New Trail of Tears by Naomi Riley Schaefer

To Read Next

 Take the Key and Lock her up by Ally Carter

A Frozen Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

UnHooked by Lisa Maxwell

As Old as Time by Liz Braswell

Classic

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier (book discussion group at work)

Audio on the Way to Work

Devotional reading

Bible

365 Devtions for Hope by Karen Whiting

Did not Finish

Reviews Posted this week

Hoping to get caught up on my reviews from 2016 in the next couple of weeks.

Reading goals for 2017

Reading Goals for 2017

Read at least 12 nonfiction books.

Read at least 75 books from my TBR pile either physical (I have 90 physical books on my TBR pile) or from my E book TBR don't know how many I have on that pile.

Read 10 owned books before I am allowed to buy any more books. The only books that are excluded are books I buy in May my birth month.

Read three classics.

My goodread challenges are

January's Clean off Book shelf

Audio books 2017

Disney Challenge

Read your Bible

Children's Book challenge

What's in a Name Challenge 2017

Through the Ages Challenge

Reading Bingo

Genre Jump

Non fiction

Around the World in 365 Days

50 States

Slay the TBR Dragon Pile

Cozy Reading Challenge

Finish the series

Library Challenge

Back to the Classics

E Book Challenge

January TBR

The Beautiful Pretender by Melanie Dickerson

A Moonbow Night by Laura Frantz

Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell

The Secret to Hummingbird Cake by Celeste Fletcher  McHale

The Silent Songbird by Melanie DIckerson

A Frozen Heart by Elizabeth Rudnick

The Mark of Athena by Rick Riordan (audio)

Heist Society by Ally Carter (audio)

Take the Key and Lock Her Up by Ally Carter

Chivalrous by Dina L Sleiman

As Old As Time by Liz Braswell

Prose and Cons by Amanda Flower

Stars above by Marissa Meyer 

Top Reads of 2016

These Books are posted in no particular order


   These two books are the books that helped get me out of my reading slump that I was in after losing my mom.  As well as my grandpa. Once Upon Eliza the main characters deals with similar grief.  And Land of Silence reminded me that I am still someone's daughter.
  Was the Only Christmas book that made the list as well as the only one I gave 5 stars to.  This one reminded me of the Hallmark Christmas movies i use to watch every year with mom.(I couldn't bring myself to watch any this year. The pain of losing mom still to fresh. Maybe next year.) But this one was prefect it gave me those same feelings as watching the hallmark movies but in many ways the main character was dealing with her own type of grief. So in that way it helped me deal with mine.




 This Devotional book helped a bit for me to process my grief of losing my mom.