The Midwife's Dilemma (At Home in Trinity #3) by Delia Parr book review

The Midwife's Dilemma (At Home in Trinity #3)

by Delia Parr

 

Midwife Martha Cade has decided. When he returns in February, she is going to marry Mayor Thomas Dillon. That is the only decision in life in which she feels confident these days. Everything else around her feels like it's changing too fast, from her daughter's obvious affection for the town's young doctor to Martha realizing she's ready to pass on her role as midwife to someone younger. Even her beloved town of Trinity is changing.

The 1830s Pennsylvania town, having mushroomed in size and population, is becoming an important agricultural and economic center for the region, and soon a canal will connect it even more to the outside world.

It is a season that will set the course for the rest of her life. Martha will need every ounce of confidence, courage, and faith she possesses to overcome the obstacles that will make her life far more challenging and difficult than she can dare to imagine.



My Review: 6/10

I struggled with this book. The first aspect was the rewrite- taking this story from two books and changing it into a trilogy. Not much changed in the beginning. However, one key storyline was completely reworked. Initially it was bittersweet. I spent much of this story wondering if it was still going to play out the way it originally did. It did not and keeping these couple of characters around seemed to serve almost no purpose, other than to maybe accentuate the feel of community and close knit family Martha had built. Maybe it wouldn't have bothered me if I didn't know what I was missing.

The story itself felt like one being strung along. The things I had loved about the first two books ( the spiritual journey) and Martha's character (her strength and shortcomings, her ability to be wrong and change ) fell short for me. Martha (and Thomas) seemed to be overcomplicating things. Why exactly did she NEED to have a midwife replace her? There was a doctor there now and her daughter was publishing their specialty knowledge. She was complaining that she didn't want to be a midwife anymore and that she was losing more and more work to the doctor... so her need for a replacement just didn't make any sense to me.

Additionally, while I agreed with Martha that Thomas was pressuring her too much and damaged trust by changing his mind, I thought she was wrong to continue delaying and hiding their relationship. She set a pretty bad example for her daughter there and probably added to Thomas' doubt and insecurities. And I understand that she didn't want to start their relationship off with such a challenge, but that's life. And that's marriage. You weather the storms together. You compromise. You sacrifice. Your spouse should be second only to God, not fall somewhere behind your career, your kids, and your family legacy. She wasn't willing to commit unless everything else fell perfectly into place and she got everything she wanted. That's not commitment.

Jane's story was not a surprise. And felt way too easy. And I had no idea why Martha never shared the information with Thomas.

I did like the way Martha and Jane prayed together and leaned on God. But that was the only spiritual aspect that really touched me. For the most part, this book was all too realistic; an accurate portrayal of how misguided we can be keeping ourselves bone weary with busyness, accomplishing little of actual value and often missing the blessings that God has given us: relationships.

An Uncommon Courtship (Hawthorne House #3) by Kristi Ann Hunter book review

An Uncommon Courtship (Hawthorne House #3)

by Kristi Ann Hunter (Goodreads Author)

 

When her mother's ill-conceived marriage trap goes awry, Lady Adelaide Bell unwittingly finds herself bound to a stranger who ignores her. Lord Trent Hawthorne, who had grand plans to marry for love, is even less pleased with the match. Can they set aside their first impressions before any chance of love is lost?

 

My Review: 9 stars

Ms. Hunter has quickly become one of my favorite authors and I have been super excited and anxiously awaiting this book.

I hadn't reread the other books to set myself up for this newest one, so I can say that it stands alone well enough, but would probably feel more complete with having recently read the previous stories.

The pacing of the story fluctuates. It immediately pulled me in and there were times I could not put it down, but then there seemed to lengthy lulls, just chunks of the story where pretty much nothing happened.

I loved that the story didn't revolve around the "wedding night" but rather a quest to understand what love actually is (with a sound Biblical foundation) and a determination to live it out.

Though I related more naturally with the outspoken Hawthorne lades, I found Adelaide's disposition sweet and refreshing. I certainly felt for her over her past neglect, her craving to have proper relationships with her mother and sister, a desire for a close knit family, and ultimately feeling pulled in opposite directions. I understood why she felt confused about how God wanted her to handle her relationships. I found Adelaide's quirks charming and appreciated Trent's failings and honest feelings, even when they weren't fair.

There were a couple of minor things that bothered me- it seemed like some minor issues were resolved, and then resurfaced just to induce insecurity and keep the story suspenseful. like Adelaide worrying that Trent had a previous relationship after he explicitely told her that he had never had the slightest involvement with anyone. Thankfully, these  instances were few and they were forgotten quickly enough, but I felt the story would have been a lot stronger if there hadn't been needless worries heaped on top to try to make things worse.

On the whole, the characters are so warm and witty, and their dreams so genuine and relatable that you just want to be part of this (growing) tight knit family unit, where you're safe, protected, accepted, and loved. Thankfully, living vicariously through their stories allows you to be. I can't wait for the next one!

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill (Tales from Ivy Hill #1) by Julie Klassen book review

The Innkeeper of Ivy Hill (Tales from Ivy Hill #1)

by Julie Klassen (Goodreads Author)

 

First Series from Bestselling Author Julie Klassen!

On a rise overlooking the Wiltshire countryside stands the village of Ivy Hill. Its coaching inn, The Bell, is its lifeblood--along with the coach lines that stop there daily, bringing news, mail, travelers, and much-needed trade.

Jane Bell lives on the edge of the inn property. She had been a genteel lady until she married the charming innkeeper who promised she would never have to work in his family's inn. But when he dies under mysterious circumstances, Jane finds herself The Bell's owner, and worse, she has three months to pay a large loan or lose the place.

Feeling reluctant and ill-equipped, Jane is tempted to abandon her husband's legacy and return to her former life of ease. However, she soon realizes there is more at stake than her comfort. But who can she trust to help her? Her resentful mother-in-law? Her husband's brother, who wanted the inn for himself? Or the handsome newcomer with secret plans of his own . . . ?

With pressure mounting from the bank, Jane struggles to win over naysayers and turn the place around. Can Jane bring new life to the inn, and to her heart as well?



My Review: 8.5/10 

I thought this book was set up in a way to allow for sequels. And lo and behold, I look it up on Goodreads and it's right there in the title: #1.

I have mixed feelings about that. I found it refreshing that there were a lot of things left open ended. Now it just kind of feels like an exceptionally long story. Although I did really enjoy the story, so I guess I am happy over all.

I could not really relate to Jane. She is every bit the gently bred woman, and her mild temper and meek nature had me gritting my teeth for the first half of the book; I hate to see characters struggling privately. I always want to grab them by the shoulders, shake them, and shout, Speak up! Maybe then this can be solved and you won't be suffering! Or at the very least, you won't be suffering alone!

But despite that, I still liked her. And I liked that this story followed the lives of several women, intertwining in daily life or past remembrances.

This was one of those rare books (particularly for this genre) whose primary plotline was not a romance, but more of sisterhood. Despite that, several romantic interests were set up for multiple characters, and I really liked that there were no obvious choices- very unique men with different things to offer and a future that could take shape with any of them.

There were a number of times when connections or opportunities seemed too easy, just too lucky. I could have found it more believable if prayer had been the link, if God had been credited. The story and themes (forgiveness, healing, rising to your circumstances, a change of heart, courage, new beginnings, etc) could have resonated a lot deeper if God had been reflected in them.

But on the whole, I really enjoyed this book. If this review seems a bit scattered, it's because I've been sleep deprived all week thanks to not being able to put this book down.

Ender's Game (The Ender Quintet #1) by Orson Scott Card book review

Ender's Game (The Ender Quintet #1)

by Orson Scott Card

 

Andrew "Ender" Wiggin thinks he is playing computer simulated war games; he is, in fact, engaged in something far more desperate. The result of genetic experimentation, Ender may be the military genius Earth desperately needs in a war against an alien enemy seeking to destroy all human life. The only way to find out is to throw Ender into ever harsher training, to chip away and find the diamond inside, or destroy him utterly. Ender Wiggin is six years old when it begins. He will grow up fast.

But Ender is not the only result of the experiment. The war with the Buggers has been raging for a hundred years, and the quest for the perfect general has been underway almost as long. Ender's two older siblings, Peter and Valentine, are every bit as unusual as he is, but in very different ways. While Peter was too uncontrollably violent, Valentine very nearly lacks the capability for violence altogether. Neither was found suitable for the military's purpose. But they are driven by their jealousy of Ender, and by their inbred drive for power. Peter seeks to control the political process, to become a ruler. Valentine's abilities turn more toward the subtle control of the beliefs of commoner and elite alike, through powerfully convincing essays. Hiding their youth and identities behind the anonymity of the computer networks, these two begin working together to shape the destiny of Earth-an Earth that has no future at all if their brother Ender fails.

~from author's web site


My Review:10/10


Oh this book was so good. It hooked me right away and didn't let up, even after the last page. I'll be thinking about this one for a while.

I could have done without the crudeness/language, but when you're dealing with so many adolescent boys, what can you expect? And then throw in battle/competition... I guess it was accurate if nothing else.

Ender is human to the core and so relatable. I made his choices with him. I grieved his losses and loneliness and regrets. And I was put back together with redemption right along side him. His thought processes and strategies are intelligent and fascinating to live vicariously through. And the story itself in all its sci-fi glory is limitless. It's brilliance, yet easy to absorb.

i've heard that this is a story that only gets better with time and can be appreciated anew at any age, so I can't wait to experience this story all over again. The best of the best.



*SPOILER*


[ the only thing I didn't understand was Peter's character. I feel like I missed something there. He seemed so ruthless and twisted. He manipulated and played his sister, I'm sure of it. I was sure of it all along, that he was setting her up to take the fall for him as Demosthenes, then he would swoop in as Locke and take over. I thought for sure that his childhood threats made right before Ender left would come true (that Peter would convince Valentine that he had changed, she'd let her guard down and Peter would kill Ender, and only then would Valentine remember what he said and realize that she'd been fooled). And then Valentine threatens to expose Peter for the psycho that he is right before she leaves.... and then nothing happens. Apparently he lives another 60 some years, ruling in peace and prosperity on Earth? What? So... he really did change? Or he changed after they left? Was he really messing with them all along and never actually meant his threats as he always claimed? This didn't sit quite right with me. His character had me anxious the ENTIRE book and then didn't seem resolved.]

For the Record (Ozark Mountain) by Regina Jennings book review

For the Record (Ozark Mountain Romance #3)

by Regina Jennings (Goodreads Author)

 

Jennings Offers Another Delightful Blend of History and Romance
Betsy Huckabee might be a small-town girl, but she has big-city dreams. Writing for her uncle's newspaper will never lead to independence, and the bigger newspapers don't seem interested in the Hart County news. Trying a new approach, Betsy pens a romanticized serial for the ladies' pages, and the new deputy provides the perfect inspiration for her submissions. She'd be horrified if he read her breathless descriptions of him, but these articles are for a newspaper far away. No one in Pine Gap will ever know.
Deputy Joel Puckett didn't want to leave Texas, but this job in tiny Pine Gap is his only shot at keeping his badge. With masked marauders riding every night, his skills and patience are tested, but even more challenging is the sassy journalist lady chasing him.


My Review: 9.5/10


Fantastic as always! This book was such a page turner that I've already read it twice- once because I had to know what happened and couldn't put it down, and now a second time to really savor and appreciate the story.

It was a little odd for me for Betsy to be our heroine. She was a rascally child and I blinked and she's all grown up. Ah but such is life. And though I don't really remember him at all, I thought it was really cool that two worlds collided by bringing Joel Puckett into this story. Now I'll have to go back and reread those stories so I can appreciate the depth they add to this novel.

Betsy is such a unique character. She is clever and funny and brave and assertive. Definitely someone you want to be friends with. I loved her determination to make her own way. And the predicaments she gets herself into had me laughing out loud. This book is a perfect blend of sassiness and warmth. Highly recommended!

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey Into Christian Faith by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield book review

 

The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert: An English Professor's Journey Into Christian Faith

by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

 

Rosaria, by the standards of many, was living a very good life. She had a tenured position at a large university in a field for which she cared deeply. She owned two homes with her partner, in which they provided hospitality to students and activists that were looking to make a difference in the world. There, her partner rehabilitated abandoned and abused dogs. In the community, Rosaria was involved in volunteer work. At the university, she was a respected advisor of students and her department’s curriculum. And then, in her late 30s, Rosaria encountered something that turned her world upside down—the idea that Christianity, a religion that she had regarded as problematic and sometimes downright damaging, might be right about who God was, an idea that flew in the face of the people and causes that she most loved. What follows is a story of what she describes as a “train wreck” at the hand of the supernatural. These are her secret thoughts about those events, written as only a reflective English professor could.

"Conversion put me in a complicated and comprehensive chaos. I sometimes wonder, when I hear other Christians pray for the salvation of the “lost,” if they realize that this comprehensive chaos is the desired end of such prayers. Often, people asked me to describe the “lessons” that I learned from this experience. I can’t. It was too traumatic. Sometimes in crisis, we don’t really learn lessons. Sometimes the result is simpler and more profound: sometimes our character is simply transformed." —Rosaria Butterfield


My Review: 9/10

I've been wanting to read this book for a long time but it wasn't easy to track down through my library.

It was very insightful and I'm so grateful that Ms. Butterfield had the courage to share her testimony despite there being some painful backlash from people she cared about.

To be honest, her account as a former lesbian confirmed some opinions I had- namely that as group the LGBT community is no more accepting or tolerant than the religious community. They have a reputation for being inclusive, but what I read was prejudices against Christians, open mockery of Christian beliefs, disdain and feelings of superiority, and a hard heart against people of faith, being unwilling to listen and have an open mind. Accepting only those who believe as you do is not acceptance.

I know that there is a lot of hate out there. And some people try to do what is right in wrong ways. We all do from time to time. But "homophobe" has become a label (more like a slur) used to shut conversation down. This is a particular pet peeve of mine as it is inaccurate (the vast majority of people labeled this way do not have any fear at all of homosexual people) and hypocritically hateful.

The saying goes that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and so, the loudest, most obnoxious protestors get the most attention and unfortunately can end up representing a group of people that never asked for it. The trouble is, that as Christians we've been taxed with loving people and loving God. When you love someone, you don't help them hurt themselves. You don't enable them. God teaches us through the Bible that homosexuality is sexual sin, though perhaps no more weighty than any other form. As such, it drives a wedge between a person and their heavenly Father, and bleeds into other areas of life. As a Christian, trying to love people and our God, how can we encourage and support something that takes people away from Him and ultimately hurts them? That's a position that holds no single right answer. I think the right way to handle it varies from person to person. I felt that Ms. Butterfield's story gave me a new appreciation for unorthodox ways and for patience and gentleness.

However, her LGBT background does not dominate the book. This book ran the gamut, covering a lot of information and a lot of years. At times, it seemed to go off track into dissertations on religious beliefs or practices (possibly due to her background as a professor). But the majority of it was a personal history and I appreciated her transparency. Her struggles and pain were relatable and her triumphs inspiring. There was still a layer of pride to a lot of the things she relates, probably emphasized in audio book format (she reads VERY emphatically). But thinking our own way is the best way, if not the only way, is common among human beings and (hopefully) makes me more aware of this tendency in myself.

I highly recommend this book as it is thought provoking, challenging, and opens channels for communication.

Life Just Got Real by Sadie Robertson book review

Life Just Got Real

by Sadie Robertson

I usually post the book synopsis from goodreads, but for some reason, it is filled with more misinformation than accurate plot points, so I'm writing a brief summary myself.  

This book is written by Sadie Robertson (of Duck Dynasty and Dancing with the Stars fame) about a teen whose life is uprooted when her father passes away and her mother moves the family to Nashville, TN, from Lousiana. As if adjusting to city life and a new school wasn't enough, A.J. Smith is tossed into the life of Kate Kelly, a wealthy type-A personality who manages her life like it's a career. Kate has a reality show deal in the works and New Girl A.J. is not part of the plan. But God has plans of His own and before they know it, their very different lives are intertwined.




My Review: 7/10

Teens will probably enjoy this book even more. This was a cute read. Though I read a lot of YA, I tend to avoid ones that are centered primarily in the halls of high school. But I was intrigued by the author.

This book was a quick read but still had depth. I'm probably too removed from the target age to understand "frenemies" or why you'd deal with manipulative lying drama queens, because I'd have blown Lauren off from the first. I did like that AJ didn't waste time worrying or analyzing over rumors, but confronted people directly. And I loved the relationship building, particularly with God.






Things wrapped up a little too nicely at the end for me. I didn't find it realistic. And I was surprised that it was already over. I felt like a lot more should have/could have happened. It felt like there was still more to tell.



I would definitely recommend this to teens and young adults.There are not enough books for that age group that model healthy relationships and growing your faith in practical ways.

Harry Potter inspired wizard wands Giveaway!

I got started making these wands for my daughter's harry potter themed birthday party- they were part of the decorations/props, used in the kids' "charms" class and then eventually party favors as they went home in the goodie bags.

It was easily the most investment with all the materials to make a variety of wands and it was also easily the most fun DIY project that I did for her party. And I did a lot: floating candles, floating Hogwarts acceptance letters, house banners, potions bottles, an owlery, honeydukes, and platform 9 3/4, just to name a few. Thank you Pinterest!

Anyway, to recoup some of cost, and to save some other busy moms some time, I sold the leftover wands which were such a HUGE hit at her party. They went like gangbusters.

Fast forward a year later: I've sold over 1200 wands, introduced new themes like Hogwarts House colors, Elsa/Frozen inspired colors, and wedding inspired colors, and gone international. Shout out United Kingdom! <3 p="">
I've recently launched a Facebook page to share new styles, answer questions, receive feedback and really just share the journey.

To that end, I've set up a giveaway for a set of wizard wands so you can check them out yourselves, because no matter how hard I try, the pictures just never do them justice (as my reviews seem to agree)!






Enjoy! :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles, #3) book review

 

The Beauty of Darkness (The Remnant Chronicles #3)

by Mary E. Pearson (Goodreads Author)

  

Lia and Rafe have escaped Venda and the path before them is winding and dangerous - what will happen now? This third and final book in The Remnant Chronicles is not to be missed.



My review: 9.5/10

This book was amazing. Everything I hoped it would be and more. I highly recommend re-reading the first two books though. There were a lot of references to people and events that happened in the previous books (which I had not read since they came out- over a year and two years ago) that I was hazy on at best.

I also wish there had been a complete History of Gaudrel, Song of Venda, and Last Words of Morrighan (if I remember those titles correctly) as an appendix instead of just the pieces woven throughout the novel. Sometimes I needed the context, but more so, I found the world building fascinating and would have loved to read those histories in their entirety to get the full picture the way that Lia did.

Without giving away spoilers, I'll just say that the relationships were realistic and I appreciated the resolutions. Characters stay true to themselves and are perfectly flawed.

I loved the way that the plot was built. I loved the way that the final threat met his end. It was perfectly done.

*SPOILERS*

The only complaint I had is that Rafe cheated with Lia. I don't care what the circumstances are. If you are promised to another and haven't ended it yet, have the integrity and respect enough for everyone involved to WAIT. I didn't find it romantic. It was totally unncessary. And I worry about what YA readers will take away from it.

Because the world isn't split between Rafes and Mikaels. People change and grow. They allow their fleeting emotions to rule their decisions. They change their minds. And rarely is there a Kaden waiting in the wings to immediately mend your broken heart.

The Magnolia Duchess (Gulf Coast Chronicles, #3) book review

 

The Magnolia Duchess (Gulf Coast Chronicles #3)

by Beth White

  

Fiona Lanier is the only woman in the tiny Gulf Coast settlement of Navy Cove. While her shipbuilding family races to fill the demand for American ships brought by the War of 1812, Fiona tries to rescue her brother who was forced into service by the British Navy.

Lieutenant Charlie Kincaid has been undercover for six months, obtaining information vital to the planned British invasion of New Orleans. When a summer storm south of Mobile Bay wrecks his ship and scatters the crew, Charlie suffers a head injury, ultimately collapsing in the arms of a beautiful mermaid who seems eerily familiar. As Charlie's memory returns in agonizing jags and crashes, he and Fiona discover that falling in love may be as inevitable as the tide. But when political loyalties begin to collide, they'll each have to decide where their true heart lies.


My review: 10/10

Wow.

They say to never judge a book by its cover. And this is why. Though the cover is lovely, this book is so much more than lovely.

It was such a perfect blend of heaping doses of history, adventure, realistic, relatable characters, challenges and growth in faith, and love that I couldn't put it down. And felt the urge to read it all over again, immediately upon finishing it, savoring rather than devouring, this time.

The history was clearly painstakingly researched, and the effect was that you really felt like you were there. It was so fascinating. The changing view points, which typically annoys me, made total sense due to the war setting of the novel.

The adventure was larger than life, reminiscent of Bible stories. And there were several major characters' stories intertwined and woven together despite vastly different heritages. Their personalities and reactions to situations were very human, unapologetically so. I expected Fiona's character to fall apart several times and no matter what, no matter how things looked and, I believe, no matter how things could have gone, she always pushed on. She always endured. Definitely the kind of heroine I want to read about.

I appreciated that her fire, intelligence, skills, and penchant for men's pants didn't make her completely devoid of female sensibilities (particularly those of the time period) like crying, feeling frustrated and talked down to, worries that she wasn't taken seriously, and just naive judgment sometimes.

I only imagine what it was like to live through those times. But I believe the only way to emerge intact would be to place your hope firmly in the Lord, as atested to in this book. It was so well done. Really, all of this book was so well done. It was just so good. Seriously, stop reading this review and get your hands on a copy.