Review: Leaving Egypt

Leaving Egypt: Finding God in the Wilderness Places by Chuck DeGroat
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Grab your Bible, grab this book and prepare to dig in. Chuck DeGroat goes in depth with you, figuring out what your Egypt is, and although painful sometimes to really think of those things, remember one word. GRACE.

I enjoyed the quotes, I enjoyed the Discussion Questions. Talk about looking and examing everything, trying to figure out if you are holding yourself prisoner.

However, my complaints would be, at times I felt as if it was jumping all over the place thoughtwise, and I was reading a lot of repeated quotes etc.

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Review: The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns

The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns by Margaret Dilloway
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Dilloway really moved into my target zone with How to Be an American Housewife, so I sat and patiently waited when I heard The Care and Handling of Roses with Thorns was due to release soon. Getting an early copy was a bonus. Dilloway did it again, and even surpassed my expectations. Gal is a character like none other, like me! Unique, with a dry sense of humor and very candid, you will fall in love INSTANTLY.

Gal is a single woman, who works as a teacher and all of her other time spent pretty much is working with or thinking about her roses. Her kidney failures come into play a bit, but her love of roses comes out instantly. She made me want to run out and work with mine, and find out more.

Gal has an irresponsible sister, who sends her daughter Riley to live with Gal, even though Gal had no heads up. How can Gal take care of a teenager, when she never had any children and with her doing dialysis?

Read this extraordinary book, released just in time for a bit of autumn reading -- Dilloway makes a new bench mark for all authors to reach.

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Review: The Unseen

The Unseen by Katherine Webb
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

As always, you have to delve deeper into the book, and once you do that, you get bits and pieces to put a whole puzzle together that Ms Webb has made for us. This time we have the past, 1911 and the present 2011. I sure did LOVE the past! Hester was so intriguing. If I was her I would really have a complex. Why wouldn't Bertie sleep with her? What in the hay!

The present wasn't as interesting but I sure did love the way this bit of mystery, thriller and romance came along. At first I really didn't care for Cat, I was thinking yes, something bad has come into your house but the further I got into the story, the more my dislike passed onto Robin Currant. He is a real toad.

Webb draws you into a story, doesn't give everything up front. You have to work for it, each page getting closer and closer to solving the puzzle. I am forever a fan, she hasn't strayed me wrong yet. Looking forward to her new one coming Nov 22, 2012, A Half Forgotten Song. So if you love her books as much as myself, PREORDER it!!!

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Review: The Sandcastle Girls

The Sandcastle Girls: A Novel by Chris Bohjalian
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Bohjalian is back and present for 2012. Written about what he knows best, he has a hit for 2012. How can you not want to cheer Elizabeth and Armen's romance on? We go back and forth from present to past, a sad war story of how their family came to be. Masterfully written, you instantly become mesmorized with each character, and each heartbreaking story.

A lot of the war details go above my head but I still gulped this story in, every word savored like a delicious silky pie. Rich with tons of details that only Bohjalian can accomplish, you will be sad when you read the last word, Hatoun.

Hatoun was a curious girl, who had heard her mother and sisters brutally murdered and taken in by another widow who never had children. Hatoun doesn't talk, but she says it is only because she would be afraid she couldn't stop the sobbing that would come. Each one of these people you come to meet, you will think about for months after you have put it down. Recommend this book to everyone, it is a gem for 2012.

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Review: A Familiar Shore

A Familiar Shore by Jennifer Fromke
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Surprise! This book was a huge hit for me. I wasn't too sure at first, a LOT of names, titles and family tree stuff going on in the beginning. But stick with it, I promise it is will be so worth it.

Meg's Popsie asks her to do a favor for her, go meet a friend's family and determine who gets what for his will. At the same time, she finds out Popsie is dying of cancer. So her and her finance, Cody, change the date of their wedding so Popsie can be there. Then she agrees to go to Michigan and help the friend.

Meg is not prepared for what she finds out when she arrives. You be either, and you will love it. From beginning to end, Jennifer Fromke knows what readers love to read.

You will fall in love with Meg and after awhile you know who everyone is and the day will be gone, and you won't even care! Enjoy!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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Review: I Couldn't Love You More

I Couldn't Love You More by Jillian Medoff
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is my first novel by Medoff and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Strong women start it out and finish it. I loved each woman, especially Maggie. Sylvia drove me crazy but she is a crucial part of this book. Although this is a longer book, it goes so extremely fast that you won't even notice. It will keep you up all night, especially when the book takes a turn you don't expect.

What EVERY reader loves I tell you! This reader anyway. Eliot is a woman after my own heart. I love everything about her, from beginning to end. Stepchildren are a hard lot and when you add one children together what a creation. I have a good picture of Grant in my mind though.

This will be a good book to read at the beach. Especially with the cover it really screams READ ME AT THE BEACH.

I really didn't want to write a review that says everything that happens in the book, I despise spoilers. So I will just leave you with my generic thoughts and ramblings, but pick it up. Put it in your bag and read it. It is one of those books where after you read it, you look at the world and wonder why it hasn't stopped with what you just read. Is that clear as mud? ;)

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Review: Wife 22

Wife 22 by Melanie Gideon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Alice Buckle from the very beginning is a spunky, enjoyable main character. She teaches theater at a local elementary school, part time. William and Alice have 2 children, one boy and one girl. William and Alice have been together forever. So maybe the newness has worn off. Alice received an email asking if she would participate in a marriage survey. For $1000, why not!

However, Alice thinks she is falling for Researcher 101 --- Wife 22 to be exact as she is known. In cute little conversations and snippets they converse back and forth through emails and eventually start talking on facebook as well.

Lots will be revealed when you read it, as Alice and William as well search themselves and what they are really looking for. It might just be right in front of them!

Good writing, loved the modern day email and facebook talk! Perfect for these days. Alice was such an endearing character to me, I fell in love instantly.

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review

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