The Best Man

Posted on October 31, 2013 by opesopinions

Author: Kristan Higgins
Publisher: Harlequin HQN
Pages: 432
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Little Bird Publicity

Amazon: Sometimes the best man is the one you least expect…

Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she’s ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family’s vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there’s some great scenery there….

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief—and best friend of her former fiancé. There’s a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it’s not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she’s having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

Ope’s Opinion: I would give this book 3.5 chairs if I had a half of a chair! It was very predictable, but had some little surprises along the way.

The main characters are well developed and enjoyable to follow as they grow up. Watching their relationships change over the years had a very natural progression.

There was a large cast of minor characters. They were easy to keep track of and follow. Some of the side stories felt like page filler – Pru’s for example – her and her husband’s sex life was weird and did not add anything to the rest of the story. I wish I had heard more about Pru’s part of the family business.

In the end, I understood why Faith was trying to get her father to date. But the women she came across in the process were not realistic.

Let me just say, an absolute shout of happiness at the fact that there was not much foul language in this book. I also loved that when two people were intimate – it was not explicit. You knew what they were doing, then they just woke up together the next morning! That is all I need!! I loved that part of this book!

Rating: Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.

Coming Soon….

Posted on October 29, 2013 by opesopinions

….On a Bookshelf Near You!

This is what I am looking forward to in November.

Publication Date: November 19, 2013
Publisher: William Morrow

Goodreads: At twenty-one, Shandi Pierce is juggling finishing college, raising her delightful three-year-old genius son Natty, and keeping the peace between her eternally warring, long-divorced Catholic mother and Jewish father. She’s got enough complications without getting caught in the middle of a stick-up in a gas station mini-mart and falling in love with a great wall of a man named William Ashe, who willingly steps between the armed robber and her son.

Shandi doesn’t know that her blond god Thor has his own complications. When he looked down the barrel of that gun he believed it was destiny: It’s been one year to the day since a tragic act of physics shattered his universe. But William doesn’t define destiny the way other people do. A brilliant geneticist who believes in science and numbers, destiny to him is about choice.

Now, he and Shandi are about to meet their so-called destinies head on, in a funny, charming, and poignant novel about science and miracles, secrets and truths, faith and forgiveness,; about a virgin birth, a sacrifice, and a resurrection; about falling in love, and learning that things aren’t always what they seem—or what we hope they will be. It’s a novel about discovering what we want and ultimately finding what we need.

What is coming soon …. On a bookshelf near you?
Let me know – I am always looking for a good read!

The Prayer Box

Posted on October 25, 2013 by opesopinions

Author: Lisa Widget
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Pages: 400
Genre: Christian Fiction
Source: Kristi of Kritters Ramblings

Goodreads: When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola’s rambling Victorian house.Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola’s walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola’s youth to her last days. Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper–the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything for Tandi.

Ope’s Opinion: Lisa Wingate really knows how to tell a story. I never felt like I was being preached to or that judgement was being passed on the characters in the book.

Wingate let the characters, especially Tandi grow and become independent. Watching her healing process showed that God could heal anyone. Her self esteem was slowly restored, which made it feel real – not rushed.

I am not usually a fan of books in letter form. This one was better then most. The writing carried me through parts that I thought were a bit slow. I had just finished reading The Sea Glass Sisters – it was such a short, fast moving book – I was wishing this one would have been a bit faster moving.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.

Inexcusable

Posted on October 23, 2013 by opesopinions

Author: Chris Lynch
Publisher: Atheneum Books
Pages: 176
Genre: Young Adult
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: “I am a good guy. Good guys don’t do bad things. Good guys understand that no means no, and so I could not have done this because I understand.”

Keir Sarafian knows many things about himself. He is a talented football player, a loyal friend, a devoted son and brother. Most of all, he is a good guy.

And yet the love of his life thinks otherwise. Gigi says Keir has done something awful. Something unforgivable.

Keir doesn’t understand. He loves Gigi. He would never do anything to hurt her. So Keir carefully recounts the events leading up to that one fateful night, in order to uncover the truth. Clearly, there has been a mistake.

But what has happened is, indeed, something inexcusable.

Ope’s Opinion: This book was so difficult to read. I felt like the author was just rambling all over the place. It was so repetitive, I found my mind drifting off while I was reading.

This felt like a male justification for rape. In the end, I wanted Keir to see he made a mistake. All he did was continue to say I am a good guy, so I couldn’t do it. No growth in his character. I wanted to yell at him to grow up and take responsibility for his actions. I hope this character is not a reflection of this author.

Rating: Two Chairs – I may have one friend who might like this book.

A Whisper To A Scream

Posted on October 21, 2013 by opesopinions

Author: Karen Wojcik Berner
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 267
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source: Karen Wojcik Berner

Goodreads: Ovulation detectors. Hormone surges. Anxiety-ridden dreams. This is the world in which Annie Jacobs is thrust when she and her husband John receive a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. A 37-year old PR executive, Annie has wanted to be a mother since she first cuddled her Baby Tenderlove at age five. She is dreading another Christmas of relatives asking when they will be hearing the pitter patter of little feet, and Uncle Joe slapping John on the back, telling him to relax and take a cruise. Lots of people get pregnant on vacation, you know.

Across town, stay-at-home mom of two, Sarah Anderson, attempts grocery shopping with a toddler intent on hurling items from the cart at passersby. She notices a box of rice heading straight for a gray-haired head. Leaping across the aisle, Sarah grabs it, saving the woman from certain doom, or at least a minor head injury. Little Alex screams at being thwarted. The unknowing octogenarian shakes her head and admonishes Sarah for not knowing how to keep her child quiet in public.

“A Whisper to a Scream” is the story of two women on opposite ends of the child-bearing spectrum who come to realize the grass is not necessarily greener on the other side of the fence. A vivid portrayal of contemporary marriage and its problems, the novel speaks to a longing in all of us, a yearning that might start as a vague notion, but eventually grows into an unbearable, vociferous cry.

Ope’s Opinion: I enjoyed seeing two women deal with the issues of having children. I was disappointed that the two stories did not intertwine more. The two women were not involved with each other as much as I expected.

The author did write the two main characters in such a way that I could relate to each of them. I felt sorry for them in different ways. I could see where each thought the other one had the better life.

I did not feel like the ending gave me a feeling of resolution. I know this is a series and may be followed up in the coming books, but I wanted these two characters to find some peace in their situations.

Rating: Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.

Operation Oleander

Posted on October 18, 2013 by opesopinions

Author: Valerie O. Patterson
Publisher: Clarion Books
Pages: 192
Genre: Realistic Young Adult
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: Ninth-grader Jess Westmark had the best of intentions when she started Operation Oleander to raise money for a girls’ orphanage in Kabul. She named her charity for the oleander that grows both in her Florida hometown and in Afghanistan, where her father is deployed. But on one of her father’s trips to deliver supplies to the orphans, a car bomb explodes nearby and her father is gravely injured. Worse, her best friend’s mother and some of the children are killed, and people are blaming Operation Oleander for turning the orphanage into a military target for the Taliban. Is this all Jess’s fault?

Ope’s Opinion: This book is so good I am saving it for when my granddaughter gets older. I have a shelf of books for her, so this one will definitely be on it.

It was good to see the support of the military children. You hear about the support for adult members, but this really showed the children of the military.

I enjoyed watching the characters develop. The story moves at a nice, quick pace. I would like to have heard more about Jess’s coming into this family.

This book should be in school and public libraries. It would open up a conversation for students with military families.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.

The Sea Glass Sisters

Posted on October 16, 2013 by opesopinions

Author: Lisa Wingate
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
Pages: 86
Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction
Source: Lisa Wingate

Goodreads: Elizabeth Gallagher has been balancing on the ragged edge for a while now. Then a rough case on the boards of her 911 operator’s job collides with a family conflict at home, and Elizabeth finds herself finally coming apart at the seams. A four-state road trip–trapped in a car with her mother–is the last thing she needs. Their destination may be beautiful Hatteras Island, but the reason for going is anything by pleasant. After one disastrous hurricane, and with a second one working its way up the coast, it’s time to convince Aunt Sandy to abandon her little seaside store on North Carolina’s Outer Banks and return to the family fold in Michigan. But when the storm sweeps through, the three women will discover that sisterhood and the sea can change hearts, lives, and futures . . . often in the most unpredictable of ways.

Ope’s Opinion: My suggestion is that you don’t start this book until you have time to finish it. It is a short one that will grab you from page one and keep you there until the end. It is good to know there will be more since this is a prequel to The Prayer Box.

I am a huge Outer Banks fan, so a book set there always catches my attention. This one moved very quickly and made me want more. So, now I am looking forward to The Prayer Box.

Now I am looking forward to The Prayer Box.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.

Early Decision

Posted on October 14, 2013 by opesopinions

Author: Lacy Crawford
Publisher: William Morrow
Pages: 384
Genre: Contemporary
Source: Kristi of Kritters Ramblings

Goodreads: In Early Decision, debut novelist Lacy Crawford draws on 15 years of experience traveling the world as a highly sought-after private college counselor to illuminate the madness of college admissions.

Working one-on-one with Tiger-mothered, burned-out kids, Anne “the application whisperer” can make Harvard a reality. Early Decision follows five students over one autumn as Anne helps them craft their college essays, cram for the SATs, and perfect the Common Application. It seems their entire future is on the line—and it is. Though not because of Princeton and Yale. It’s because the process, warped as it is by money, connections, competition, and parental mania, threatens to crush their independence just as adulthood begins.

Whether you want to get in or just get out, with wit and heart, Early Decision explodes the secrets of the college admissions race.

Ope’s Opinion: Since I worked in a high school guidance office for a few years and have two daughters who went to very different colleges, I was attracted to the subject of this book. I really do enjoy the whole matching a college and student process.

I felt like there were times when the book was wordy and lost my attention. I kept reading because I did want to see where each of Anne’s students ended up going and how it worked out for them.

Personally, I did not connect with Anne. I did not find her personal life added to the story.

Reading diary’s, emails and texts as a work of fiction is not usually my favorite read. I see how in this subject matter that was the best form mat.

Rating: Three Chairs – I like the book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.

Lost in London

Posted on October 10, 2013 by opesopinions

Author: Cindy Callaghan
Publisher: Aladdin
Pages: 240
Genre: Middle Grade
Source: Book Sparks

Goodreads: A tween’s foreign exchange experience lands her in London luxury—and some hot water as well!

Twelve-year-old Jordan isn’t unhappy, but she’s definitely bored. So when she gets the chance to take part in a London exchange program, she’s thrilled to ditch her small town in Delaware and see the world across the pond.

Unfortunately, Jordan’s host sister in London, Caroline, isn’t exactly enthusiastic about entertaining an American girl. Despite the chilly welcome, Jordan finds herself loving the city and Caroline’s group of friends, who are much nicer than Caroline herself.

And then a major misstep leaves Jordan and Caroline trapped together overnight—inside Daphne’s, the world’s largest department store. Given they have complete access to all the fancy shoes, designer dresses, and coolest makeup around, there are worse places to be stuck. But when the girls’ fun has not-so-fun consequences, Jordan’s wish for excitement abroad turns into a lot more than she ever bargained for..

Ope’s Opinion: This is a cute, quick read. I will definitely be putting it on my granddaughter Emma’s shelf. It is a great pleasure to read, review, and save books for her.

This is every young girls dream – to be locked in a department store.

This may not be a realistic book, but it is very cute and one I would recommend to parents looking for something to keep their girls reading.

Rating: Four Chairs – I like this book so much I know several friends to share it with.

Lambert’s Code

Posted on October 8, 2013 by opesopinions

Author: Rachel Hauck
Publisher: Barbour Publishing
Pages: 173
Genre: Christian Fiction
Source: Purchased

Goodreads: After three years of medical treatment, Julie Lambert faces the irrefutable truth: She will never have children. Devastated, lost, and alone, she buries her pain by making several life decisions that threaten her relationship with her husband, Ethan. Ethan Lambert can’t imagine a life without Julie. Yet, his marriage is failing and he doesn’t know how to save it. Urged by his grandpa, Ethan launches a journey to understand the Lambert Family Code – submit one to another. Can Ethan and Julie overcome the loss of their dream and rediscover their love for each other? Will they learn to live by Lambert’s Code? Fall in love with this inspiring love story and our entire collection of Christian romance novels from Heartsong Presents!

Ope’s Opinion: If you enjoy Christian Fiction you will like this book. The story is very God centered. Not preachy at all. This is one of the first books Rachel Hauck wrote. Her newer books are still God centered, but not as blunt.

This book has wonderful characters with flaws. It was great to read about a marriage as a work in progress. Ethan and Julie have difficulties to overcome and work out. They weren’t always being mature and communicative. This is so real and awesome to read about. It was nice to see the people who surrounded Ethan and Julie wanted their marriage to succeed. So many books are written as though a marriage is disposable.

This book is very uplifting and encouraging. I will be reading more of Rachel Hauck.

Rating: Three Chairs – I like the book enough to to suggest it to a friend or two.

Ope's Opinions

Blogging about books, life, and the beach.

Monthly Archives: October 2013

The Best Man

Coming Soon….

The Prayer Box

Inexcusable

A Whisper To A Scream

Operation Oleander

The Sea Glass Sisters

Early Decision

Lost in London

Lambert’s Code