Tag Archives: book review

The Girls from Ames

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Author:  Jeffery Zaslow               ames
Publisher:  Gotham
Genre: Non – Fiction
Source:  Purchased

 

 

Barnes and Noble:  As children, they formed a special bond, growing up in the small town of Ames, Iowa. As young women, they moved to eighth different states, yet they managed to maintain an extraordinary friendship that would carry them through college and careers, marriage and motherhood, dating and divorce, the death of a child, and the mysterious death of the eleventh member of their group. Capturing their remarkable story, The Girls from Ames is a testament to the enduring, deep bonds of women as they experience life’s challenges, and the power of friendship to overcome even the most daunting odds.

The girls, now in their forties, have a lifetime of memories in common, some evocative of their generation and some that will resonate with any woman who has ever had a friend. The Girls from Ames demonstrates how close female relationships can shape every aspect of women’s lives-their sense of themselves, their choice of men, their need for validation, their relationships with their mothers, their dreams for their daughters-and reveals how such friendships thrive, rewarding those who have committed to them. With both universal events and deeply personal moments, it’s a book that every woman will relate to and be inspired by.

Ope’s Opinion:   This was an enjoyable read.  It was interesting to meet all these girls and see how the friendships grew, how each of them changed and where they are so many years later.  They reminded me of some of my friends that I grew up with and still have in my life.

Friendships are so important to us.   Even with all their changes and not living near each other, they kept in touch.

I would hope after you read this book, you might look back on someone you would love to reconnect with or someone you want to call and thank them for their friendship.

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

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Author:  Gwendolyn Heasley                          where i belong
Publisher:  HarperTeen
Genre:  Young Adult
Source: Little Bird Publicity

 

 

 

 

Goodreads:  Meet Corrinne. She’s living every girl’s dream in New York City—shopping sprees at Barneys, open access to the best clubs and parties, and her own horse at the country club. Her perfect life is perfectly on track. At least it was. . . . When Corrinne’s father is laid off, her world suddenly falls apart. Instead of heading to boarding school, she’s stripped of her credit cards and shipped off to the boonies of Texas to live with her grandparents. On her own in a big public school and forced to take a job shoveling manure, Corrinne is determined to get back to the life she’s supposed to be living. She doesn’t care who she stomps on in the process. But when Corrinne makes an unlikely friend and discovers a total hottie at work, she begins to wonder if her life B.R.—before the recession—was as perfect as it seemed.

Ope’s Opinion:  Corrinne was very whiny in the beginning of this book.  I thought she was very self centered.  Some times it takes a difficult situation to bring out the best in someone.  There are always lessons to be learned in each event in life.

Corrinne’s attitude toward drinking really bothered me.  She acted like most people did it and she was just staring high school.  When Rider said he didn’t drink, she acted like he was weird.  I don’t think I would want a young person to read this and think that it was acceptable.

I did like that the story was mostly about Corrinne and her friendships.  There were boys involved, but that wasn’t the center of the story.  Her family was great, especially her grandpa and her brother.

In the end, this was a good, easy read with lessons learned.

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

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Author:  Brenda Janowitz               recipe
Publisher:  St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Source:  Author

 

 

 

Goodreads:  There’s more than one recipe for a happy life.

Hannah Goodman doesn’t grow up like most kids on the Upper East side. Her mother, Gray, is an award-winning photojournalist with little time for the banalities of child-rearing, and when she’s not jetting off to follow the latest scoop, she’s camped out at the Hotel Chelsea. The closest thing Hannah’s got to a traditional matriarch is her grandmother—a glamorous widow six times over with a sprawling Hampton’s estate. But Gray is determined that her daughter resist the siren song of the trust fund set, and make her own way in the world. So Hannah does just that—becoming a successful lawyer in New York City, and dating a handsome musician. Hannah has it all, or so it seems, until one hot June day the carefully constructed pieces of her life break apart. When she throws it all in and seeks solace at her grandmother’s estate, she discovers that where happiness is concerned, you don’t have to stick to the recipe.

Ope’s Opinion:  If you like family relationship books – you will really like this one!  It has a very deep loving relationship between granddaughter and grandmother.  There is a difficult relationship between mother and daughter.  There are some romantic relationships as well.  

The writing sweeps you away to the Hamptons – I did not want to come back!  You can see the houses as she describes them.  You can hear the waves hit the beach.  Janowitz draws a beautiful picture with her words.

I love strong women characters.  This grandmother was so much fun to read – everyone should have someone like her in their lives.

I want to read another Brenda Janowitz book.

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

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Author: Katie McGarry                                               crash
Publication:  Harlequin Teen
Genre:  Young Adult
Source:  Library

 

 

 

Goodreads:  From acclaimed author Katie McGarry comes an explosive new tale of a good girl with a reckless streak, a street-smart guy with nothing to lose, and a romance forged in the fast lane

The girl with straight As, designer clothes and the perfect life-that’s who people expect Rachel Young to be. So the private-school junior keeps secrets from her wealthy parents and overbearing brothers…and she’s just added two more to the list. One involves racing strangers down dark country roads in her Mustang GT. The other? Seventeen-year-old Isaiah Walker-a guy she has no business even talking to. But when the foster kid with the tattoos and intense gray eyes comes to her rescue, she can’t get him out of her mind.

Isaiah has secrets, too. About where he lives, and how he really feels about Rachel. The last thing he needs is to get tangled up with a rich girl who wants to slum it on the south side for kicks-no matter how angelic she might look.

But when their shared love of street racing puts both their lives in jeopardy, they have six weeks to come up with a way out. Six weeks to discover just how far they’ll go to save each other.

Ope’s Opinion:   As always Katie McGarry knows how to write a book that captures you on page one and keeps your attention through to the end.  

The story made progress by seeing things from alternating point of view of Rachel and Isaiah.  Beth, Ryan, Logan and others make an appearance in this book.  It is good to see some of their relationships move along.

This book has similar angst as her other books.  There seems to be a common thread in her books of one person coming from a family of privilege and another from a difficult family.   They meet and fall in love.  The other common link in her books is the constant use of the “f” word.  I understand that it is part of the vocabulary for some people, but it is over used in her books.

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

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Four Friends

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Author:  Robyn Carr                        four
Publisher:  Mira Books
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Source:  Little Bird Publicity

 

 

 

 

 

Goodreads:   Gerri can’t decide what’s more devastating: learning her rock-solid marriage has big cracks, or the anger she feels as she tries to repair the damage. Always the anchor for friends and her three angst-ridden teenagers, it’s time to look carefully at herself. The journey for Gerri and her family is more than revealing—it’s transforming.

Andy doesn’t have a great track record with men, and she’s come to believe that for her a lasting love is out of reach. When she finds herself attracted to her down-to-earth, ordinary contractor—a man without any of the qualities that usually appeal to her—she questions everything she thought she wanted in life.

Sonja’s lifelong pursuit of balance is shattered when her husband declares he’s through with her New Age nonsense and walks out. There’s no herbal tonic or cleansing ritual that can restore her serenity—or her sanity.

Miraculously, it’s BJ, the reserved newcomer to Mill Valley, who steps into their circle and changes everything. The woman with dark secrets opens up to her neighbors, and together they get each other back on track, stronger as individuals and unfaltering as friends.

Ope’s Opinion:  I really enjoy reading books about female friendships.  I expect conflict and difficulties, but I think this was a bit over the top.  All the friends were having issues at the beginning.  It was a little overwhelming to keep it all straight.  

I do love the friendships that were built in this book.  It is great to see women who support each other – not talk behind each others back and tear each other apart.   These women encouraged each other to figure out what would be best for themselves.  They accepted each other with their differences.  I like strong women characters.

 Robyn Carr is one of my go-to authors.  When I read one of her books, I am usually in for a good read full of great characters.  This book just didn’t live up to her usual standards.  It was a little too sad for me.  After saying that, I will tell you, I will read her next book because she has many more hits then misses.

I will read Robyn Carr again and again.

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

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Author: Barbara Taylor Sissel                 safe keeping
Publisher:  Harlequin MIRA
Genre: Mystery
Source:  Harlequin

Side note:  This book is available
March 25, 2014

Goodreads:  At the heart of every crime, there’s a family.

My son is a murderer…. So begins this chilling and emotionally charged mystery from highly acclaimed author Barbara Taylor Sissel.

Emily Lebay had always thought of her family as ordinary. Sure, they’ve endured their share of problems, even a time of great trouble ;what family hasn’t? But when a woman’s body turns up in the dense woods near their home, and Emily’s grown son Tucker is accused of murder, Emily is forced to confront the unfathomable, and everything she believed about her life is called into question.

This isn’t the first time Tucker has been targeted by the police; a year ago he was a person of interest when another woman was found dead in the same stretch of woods. Still, neither Emily nor her daughter, Lissa, can reconcile their Tucker with these brutal crimes. Terrified, convinced there’s been a tragic mistake, Emily and Lissa set out to learn the truth about Tucker, once and for all. And while his life hangs in the balance, what they discover proves far more shocking than their darkest fears.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book is a really good read.  It kept me turning the pages.  I wanted to know who was the guilty person.  It is hard to write this review without talking about the ending – which was amazing and unexpected. 

This story is about more then who is guilty – it is about family and how each member views the others.  Could you believe someone in your family was guilty of hurting another person?  I think that would be a hard concept to accept. How hard would you fight to prove their innocents?  This book gives you a glimpse inside a family, their history and how they relate to and protect each other.

I would read another Barbara Taylor Sissel book.  She writes in such a fluid manner that I just flew through the pages.


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

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Author:  Rachel Hauck                                        march bride
Publisher: Zondervan
Genre: Contemporary Christian Fiction 
Source: Netgalley 

Goodreads:   Susanna has found her true prince, and their happily ever after is just around the corner. But when Nate asks her to give up something precious to her, Susanna can’t help but wonder if it’s a sign that their love is not meant to be.
Susanna Truitt (Once Upon A Prince) is three weeks from royalty. She’ll soon marry King Nathaniel II of Brighton Kingdom. But when the government insists she renounce her American citizenship before the wedding, coupled with the lack of involvement by family and friends, her heart begins to doubt whether this marriage is God’s plan for her.
Nathaniel would do anything for his bride-to-be. But he knows his position requires that she give up a lot to be with him. Her life will never be her own — right down to her very identity. When she travels home to St. Simon’s Island, Georgia, right before the wedding, Nathaniel fears she won’t return. Gathering his courage, he devises a plan to win his bride all over again, and together they seek out a kingdom to treasure above all.

Ope’s Opinion:  This is very much a cinderella, princess story.  It was a very fast, easy read. It was a sweet story.  There was a small twist before the expected ending.

This was a faith based book, which I enjoy.  At times, I did feel I was being lectured to about faith, instead of persuaded by their faith. 

I am looking forward to the rest of “A Year of Weddings”.

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

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memory child

Author:  Steena Holmes                       memory child
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Source: BookSparks

Goodreads:  When Brian finds out that his wife, Diane, is pregnant, he is elated. He’s been patiently waiting for twelve years to become a father. But Diane has always been nervous about having children because of her family’s dark past. The timing of the pregnancy also isn’t ideal ? Diane has just been promoted, and Brian is being called away to open a new London office for his company. Fast-forward one year: being a mother has brought Diane a sense of joy that she?d never imagined and she’s head over heels for her new baby, Grace. But things are far from perfect: Brian has still not returned from London, and Diane fears leaving the baby for even a moment. As unsettling changes in those around Diane began to emerge, it becomes clear that all is not as it seems. A woman’s dark past collides head-on with her mysterious present in this surreal and gripping family drama.

Ope’s Opinion:   This book should come with a warning:  Do Not Start Unless You Have Time To Finish It !!!!  The story itself is amazing and it is so well written, it just sweeps you away.  It is a page flipper. 

This story is told from Diane and Brian’s alternating points of view. The pieces of the story are slowly revealed from the past and present.  It was clear there was something wrong, but I kept changing my mind as to what I thought was really going on.  

I found myself actually holding my breath at times wondering what was going to happen next.  Steena Holmes can really kept me on the edge of my seat.

  Although you were given hints, it was not clear what happened until the very end.   


Rating:  Five Chairs – This book is so good it will be passed on and on and on….
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Turning the Paige

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Author:  Laura Jensen Walker           paige  
Publisher:  Zondervan
Genre:  Christian Fiction
Source:  Purchased

Goodreads:  Welcome to the in-between world of Paige Kelley. At thirty-five, she’s put her dreams on hold to care for her ailing, high-maintenance mother. Three years after her divorce she’s still not dating, still working at her temp job, and still longing for motherhood even though, as her own mother often points out, ‘You’re not getting any younger, you know!’ When her Getaway Girls book club friends urge Paige to break free and get on with her life, she desperately wants to try. But how? What about her mom? The unexpected answers come from a surprising source. A trip to Scotland and a potential new love interest help launch an exciting new chapter in her life, and lead Paige to discover that God’s plan for her life promises to be more than she ever imagined.This latest release in the Getaway Girls collection delivers a smart, funny, and warm account of one woman’s challenge to reconcile who she is—a dutiful Christian daughter—with the fulfilled woman she longs to be. It will appeal to any woman whose ever forgotten, even momentarily, that God’s timing is perfect.

Ope’s Opinion:  This is the second in the series of three books in the Getaway Girls.  Once again, Laura Jensen Walker brought these characters to life.  It was good to see all three of them together again.  It was obvious Paige had a lot of faith in God. It seemed real and natural.  

This was another quick, easy read.  I was surprised how fast I finished the second one.  I think knowing all the characters made it read faster.

Although I was ready to be done with Scotland before the book was, I enjoyed the book and I am looking forward to book three.

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

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Author: Laura Jensen Walker                                chloe
Publisher:  Zondervan
Genre:  Christian Fiction
Source:  Purchased

Goodreads:   When Chloe Adams’ fiance dumps her—the night before their wedding—two girlfriends from her book group decide a little adventure is in order for the three of them. After all, why let a perfectly good honeymoon cruise go to waste?Adventure? Chloe Adams? No way! Chloe’s lived in one town her whole life. The closest she’s ever gotten to actual adventures is reading about them. But her girlfriends won’t take no for an answer.One good adventure calls for another as Chloe’s friends try to coax her out of her post-dumping funk, and soon she finds herself living out the adventures in her book club’s latest selections. Hiking. Sailing. River rafting. Traveling to new places and eating exotic food. The play-it-safe Chloe begins to blossom into a new, daring Chloe. A Chloe who just might be ready to take on her biggest adventure of all …Laura Jensen Walker has a knack for quirky heroines and real-life humor. In Chloe, she’s created another memorable character who will live on in readers’ hearts.

Ope’s Opinion:  This is the first of three books in this series.  It is Christian fiction, but not over the top. Each characters faith was apart of the story, but not the center of the whole story.  I thought Laura Jensen Walker portrayed real characters.  I like that she introduced all three characters in the first book.  It gave you insights into each of  their personalities.

The Paris trip took a little longer then I would have liked.  For me a little description goes a long way in a museum.

It was nice that Chloe ( the focus of this book ) did not find a guy, but found out what she wanted in life.  It was nice to see a different ending to a book.

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

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