Sunday, January 29, 2017

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



Sunday, January 22, 2017

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 

Wednesday, January 18, 2017

Review of Katie in Waiting

Katie in Waiting (Carrington Springs #1): 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. 

Monday, January 16, 2017

Review of The Shadow Queen

The Shadow Queen (Ravenspire, #1): 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.  

Saturday, January 14, 2017

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

Friday, January 13, 2017

Review of Salt to the Sea

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.

Saturday, January 7, 2017

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.



Tuesday, January 3, 2017

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




Monday, January 2, 2017

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 

Sunday, January 1, 2017

Top Reads of 2016

These Books are posted in no particular order


Once Upon Eliza (The Carrington Springs #2):   Land-of-Silence:  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.
Wrapped in Red (A Three Rivers Romance Novella):   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.




My Mother's Quilts: Devotions of Love, Legacy, Family and Faith:  This Devotional book helped a bit for me to process my grief of losing my mom.




The Captive Heart: Review: Can't Help Falling // SO GOOD 😊: Salt to the Sea:    Guide Me Home:     Rachel McMillan - The Bachelor Girl's Guide to Murder / http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25913867-the-bachelor-girl-s-guide-to-murder?from_search=true&search_version=service:

Stalking Jack the Ripper (Stalking Jack the Ripper, #1):
her one and only: A Spy's Devotion (The Regency Spies of London #1):   The Wedding Shop:    Cress (The Lunar Chronicles, #3):     Winter (The Lunar Chronicles, #4):    Katie in Waiting (Carrington Springs #1):