Tag Archives: book review

Elly in Bloom

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Author: Colleen Oakes                                                                elly in bloom
Publisher:  CreateSpace Publishing Platform
Pages: 324
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Source:  BookSparks

 

 

Goodreads:  What would you do if you had to design your lover’s wedding?

Surrounded by lush flowers and neurotic brides, chubby 32-year old Elly Jordan has carved out a sweet little life for herself as the owner of Posies, a boutique wedding florist in St. Louis. It’s not bad for a woman who drove away from her entire life just two years ago when she found her husband entwined with a red-headed artist.

Sure, Elly has an embarrassingly beautiful best friend, a terribly behaved sheepdog and a sarcastic assistant who she simply calls “Snarky Teenager”, but overall her days are pleasantly uneventful. As a bonus, her new next door neighbor just happens to be an unnervingly handsome musician who has an eye for curvy Elly.

Just when she feels that she is finally moving on from her past, she discovers that an extravagant wedding contract, one that could change her financial future, is more than she bargained for.

With the help of her friends, staff and the occasional well-made sandwich, Elly bravely agrees to take on the event that threatens to merge her painful history with her bright new life, and finds herself blooming in a direction she never imagined.

Elly’s voice, both charming and hilarious, will appeal to those readers who have been looking for a new voice in chick-lit, and will give women of all sizes the realistic heroine they’ve been waiting for.

Ope’s Opinion: This was a very good read.  It had a lot of humor it.  The story kept a very good pace.  It was deep enough to become involved with the characters, but the story lines kept moving, so I did not get bored.

I realize this was about a florist, but at times the flower descriptions were a bit much for me.

I liked the characters – they were well developed, realistic and fun to watch change and grow.  Elly especially grew through facing her fears and standing up  for herself.  It was good to read about a woman who has struggles, then becomes strong.  It was also good to see her not repeat her mistakes.

I am looking forward to Elly in Love.

 

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

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Author:  Melody Carlson
Publisher: David C. Cook                      as young
Genre:  Christian Fiction
Pages:  352
Source: Purchased

Goodreads:  Once upon a time in the little town on the Oregon coast, there were four Lindas—all in the same first-grade classroom. So they decided to go by their middle names. And form a club. And be friends forever. But that was 47 years and four lives ago. Now a class reunion has brought them all—the New York lawyer, the empty nester, the frustrated artist, and the aging starlet—together again in their old hometown, at a crossroads in their lives. They’re about to explore the invigorating reality that even the most eventful life has second acts…and there’s no statute of limitations on friendship.

Ope’s Opinion:  There are so few books written about friendships between women in their fifties, so I am really enjoying this one.  It is great to see friendships that can survive so many changes in their lives.  Each one of these main characters is in a different place with marriage, work and children, but they can relate to and support each other.  

It is great to get invested in their lives, knowing this is the first of four books to read about them.  This is a Christian fiction, but is not at all preachy or pushy.

I am ready to read the second in the series.  I want to see what the  Linda’s do now and how they develop their friendships.

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

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Author:  Laurie Plissner
Publisher:  Merit Press
Genre: Contemporary Young Adult                      screwed
Pages: 304
Source: Merit Press

Goodreads:  Flattered by the attentions of Nick, the cutest guy in school, seventeen-year-old Grace Warren, captain of the math team, lets down her guard and gets pregnant the night she loses her virginity. Hopeful that Nick will drop to one knee and propose when she breaks the baby news to him, Grace is heartbroken – Nick wants nothing to do with her. Her best friend, Jennifer, thinks she should get an abortion, but Grace is certain that her morally upright parents will insist that she keep the baby. After she comes clean to her super-religious, strait-laced parents, they surprise her by insisting that she terminate the pregnancy to avoid humiliating the family. But when she sees the fetus on the ultrasound, she decides she can’t get rid of it. Deciding to save the tiny life growing inside of her, Grace must face the consequences of being that girl – the good girl who got knocked up.

Ope’s Opinion:  Maybe I am unusual, but I can not imagine any parents like Grace had.  That part of the book just did not seem realistic to me.  

I did like Grace, her neighbor ( who took her in ) and Charlie.   Jennifer was sarcastic, but a true friend to Grace.  It was good to see a different out come from an unexpected pregnancy.  I really liked the way Grace took responsibility for her own actions.

The “f” word was over used and ineffective.

I would like a sequel – I want to know where Grace and Charlie are now, how is the baby and what is Grace’s relationship to her parents.

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

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Author:  Angela Correll                          grounded
Publisher: Koehler Books
Pages:  274
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Source:  Angela Correll

Goodreads:  New York City flight attendant Annie Taylor is grounded, putting a halt to weekends in Rome and her jet-setting lifestyle. Soon her noncommittal boyfriend’s true nature is revealed, and to top it all off, she loses her apartment.
With nowhere else to go, Annie leaves the city for the family farm in Kentucky, a place she’s avoided for years. She finds a shotgun-wielding grandmother, a farm in disrepair, and a suspicious stranger renting the old stone house.
The country quiet haunts Annie with reminders of a past that can’t be changed. She tries persuading her grandmother to sell the farm, but is met with stubborn refusal? Yet in the midst of her crashing life, Annie sees a glimmer of hope for a second chance.
Jake Wilder is contemplating jumping off the corporate ladder to follow his passion for sustainable farming. He’s almost ready to propose to Camille, a girl who wants more, not less. Annie believes Jake is about to make a terrible mistake, but does she have the right to tell him?
As the summer heats up, so do Annie’s unexpected feelings for Jake and her interest in the land. When a sudden phone call comes from New York, Annie is forced to choose between coming to terms with her past or leaving it all behind.

Ope’s Opinion:  I really like the title of this book.  At first I thought Grounded referred to the fact that Annie was a flight attendant who was grounded – and that was part was true.  As you read on you see how she is brought down to earth ( grounded ) by her family.  Then you see her working in the garden with her grandmother and see how that brings her back to where she belongs ( grounded ).  The author did a wonderful job of making the point.

The pace of this book was slow and steady.  It was a very refreshing book to read.  It was all about relationships.  There was no foul language ( which I really appreciate ).  Overall, just a great enjoyable book.  I really hope there will be a sequel to this book.

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

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Author:  Marilyn Grey
Publisher:  Winslet Press
Pages: 182the life
Genre: Contemporary New Adult                                 Source:  Winslet Press

 

 

Goodreads:   Book 3 in the Unspoken Series

After her husbands death, Heidi Chase refuses to take off her rings and swears another man will never steal her heart. She is extremely faithful and while her friends think it’s virtue binding her to the past, it’s really fear.

Patrick Wheldon never intended to give his heart to Heidi. Not until her vows to her previous husband were no longer standing between them. But he did and the relationship between them quickly changes into a battle he’s not sure he has the strength to fight.

Follow Heidi and Patrick as they question the definition of soul-mates and discover the true meaning of love.

Ope’s Opinion: I thought this book was another amazing read by Marilyn Grey.  I am a slow reader and I read this in one day.  I did not want to put this book down.  A couple of times it took my breath away – can’t tell you why – would spoil the book.

Patrick and Heidi’s story is a different love story.  I love how Heidi showed how important it is to be faithful, even when those around you don’t understand why you would be.

I am really looking forward to Heart on a Shoestring.

 

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

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Author: Margaret Maron                       rituals
Publisher:  Mysterious Press
Pages: 320
Genre: Mystery
Source: Purchased

Goodreads:   “High Country Fall, Margaret Maron’s most recent installment in the Deborah Knott series, was published in Mysterious Press hardcover in 8/04, with a first printing of 40,000 copies.- Margaret Maron swept the top mystery awards with her first Deborah Knott hardcover, “Bootlegger’s Daughter (Mysterious Press, 1992), receiving the Edgar1 Award for Best Mystery Novel, the Agatha Award, the Macavity, and the Anthony. She also won a 1992 Agatha Award for the short story that introduced the character of Deborah Knott, and later, she received the Agatha Award for Best Novel for “Up Jumps the Devil (Mysterious Press, 1996). Maron was nominated for an Agatha Award for “Home Fires (Mysterious Press, 1998), and most recently, “Storm Track (Mysterious Press, 2000) won the Agatha Award for Best Novel. “Last Lessons of Summer (Mysterious Press, 2003), was also nominated for an Agatha Award.- “Last Lessons of Summer, Slow Dollar, and Uncommon Clay were all selected as Mystery Guild Main Selections.

Ope’s Opinion:  This book started out very slow.  I was half way through the book and did not have a clue as to how the victim died in the first chapter.  The second half of the book picked up the pace and gave you clues.

Along with the murder, a wedding is the main focus of the book.  It is a nice combination.  The writer, really brought the two events together.  She made the two story lines twist together.

I did not know this book was part of a series until after I was finished reading it.  I would read another by this author.

Rating:  Three Chairs – I like this book enough to suggest it to a friend or two.
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Shades of Blue

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Author: Karen Kingsbury          Shades of blue
Publisher:  Zondervan
Pages: 333
Genre:  Christian Fiction
Source:  Purchased

Goodreads:  Brad Cutler, twenty-eight, is a rising star at his New York ad agency, about to marry the girl of his dreams. Anyone would agree he has it all – a great career, a beautiful and loving fiance, and a fairy tale life ahead of him when memories of a high school girlfriend begin to torment him. Lost innocence and one very difficult choice flood his conscience, and he is no longer sure what the future will bring except for this: He must find his old love and make amends. Haunted by the past and confused about the future, he turns to God seeking forgiveness and redemption.

Ope’s Opinion:  This was an awesome story!  Take out all the preaching and the judgement that  I felt and I would have given this book five chairs.  If I knew someone who had an abortion and was looking for answers from God, I would tell them to read Francine Rivers book – An Atonement Child.  It was a much better book at letting you know how forgiving God is.

Emma seemed to be a real person with questions about God.  Brad was not perfect either. I liked that.  Laura on the other hand seemed like she was beautiful, perfect, and always forgiving.  Sorry that is just not very realistic.  If she got upset with Brad – it just didn’t come across very well in the book.

If you love Christian fiction and are looking for more great reads – go look and see what Francine Rivers is writing.

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

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Author:  Kristan Higgins
Publisher: Harlequin HQN                                perfect match
Pages: 448
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Source:  Little Bird Publicity

 

 

Goodreads:  What if the perfect match is a perfect surprise? Honor Holland has just been unceremoniously rejected by her lifelong crush. And now—a mere three weeks later—Mr. Perfect is engaged to her best friend. But resilient, reliable Honor is going to pick herself up, dust herself off and get back out there…or she would if dating in Manningsport, New York, population 715, wasn’t easier said than done.

Charming, handsome British professor Tom Barlow just wants to do right by his unofficial stepson, Charlie, but his visa is about to expire. Now Tom must either get a green card or leave the States—and leave Charlie behind.

In a moment of impulsiveness, Honor agrees to help Tom with a marriage of convenience—and make her ex jealous in the process. But juggling a fiancé, hiding out from her former best friend and managing her job at the family vineyard isn’t easy. And as sparks start to fly between Honor and Tom, they might discover that their pretend relationship is far too perfect to be anything but true love….

Ope’s Opinion:  I really do like Kristan Higgins’ writing.  The main character in this story just didn’t appeal to me as much as her characters in the past.  I found Tom unlikeable until the very end.  Then he seemed to take an abrupt turn.  It was a little hard to keep up with the change. Tom’s one redeeming trait is his love for Charlie.  It was nice to read about a man caring for a boy who was not his own.

I was really rooting for Honor.  I wanted her to be loved and I was very disappointed her friend Dana was not really her friend.  I find it hard when women do not respect other women.

I do love this family.  I like how they support each other no matter what is going on with the other one.

Although this is not my favorite Kristan Higgins book, I did enjoy it.  I am looking forward to the next one to see where all the family members are now.

 

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

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Author:  Kristan Higgins
Publisher: Harlequin HQN                                the best man
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.
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The Prayer Box

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Author: Lisa Widget                                         prayer box
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.
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