Wonder (R.J. Palacio) Book Review

2018 Reading Challenge

11. Wonder by R.J. Palacio

Synopsis:

August Pullman was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. 

Wonder begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.

My Review:

There are several changes coming into Auggie's life, the main one being in going back to school after being homeschooled all his life. School can be a challenge for anyone - not just the schoolwork, but being accepted and when you're different from everybody else, bullying. And as Auggie expected, it gets off to a rough start as his classmates aren't used to seeing someone like him and give him a hard time. Throughout this story, August challenges his classmates to look beyond his differences and see that underneath it all, he's just like everybody else. I did appreciate the added change of views from other characters, so you could see their perspective at different points of knowing Auggie. You can understand their views before getting to know him, as well as how they came to accept him as a friend, as normal. The transformations of not only Auggie, but his classmates and family members alike, are awe-inspiring.

Change can be hard, but it can also be good. Before going back to real school, Auggie hid his face with an astronaut helmet. Whether or not he believed it at first, going to school and taking off his protection from the outside world was courageous and brave. He became vulnerable, but with that vulnerability came acceptance at the end. He became a one-of-a-kind character.

Everyone knows the old adage to not judge a book by its cover. Wonder spread the same adage except with a person. So just like books shouldn't be judged by its cover, people should not be judged by what they seem on the outside. It matters who they/we are on the inside.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Sadie (Courtney Summers) Book Review

2018 Reading Challenge

10. Sadie by Courtney Summers

Synopsis:
A missing girl on a journey of revenge. A Serial―like podcast following the clues she's left behind. And an ending you won't be able to stop talking about.
Sadie hasn't had an easy life. Growing up on her own, she's been raising her sister Mattie in an isolated small town, trying her best to provide a normal life and keep their heads above water.
But when Mattie is found dead, Sadie's entire world crumbles. After a somewhat botched police investigation, Sadie is determined to bring her sister's killer to justice and hits the road following a few meager clues to find him.
When West McCray―a radio personality working on a segment about small, forgotten towns in America―overhears Sadie's story at a local gas station, he becomes obsessed with finding the missing girl. He starts his own podcast as he tracks Sadie's journey, trying to figure out what happened, hoping to find her before it's too late.

My Review:
I received an advanced reader's edition of Sadie before it got published last year and wrote a quick review about over on Goodreads, since I have an account there and those were the instructions. The following is what I wrote:

Compelling and suspenseful until the very end. I fell in love with the style of writing, as it was written in podcast form - a unique idea. I hope there's a sequel because I need to know what happened to Sadie!

I would like to thank Macmillan Publishing, St. Martin's Press, and Wednesday Books for sending me the advanced copy of the book, as well as what I was sent in the pictures.

Please feel free to check out my Goodreads page as well.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

A Bridge Through Time (Jennae Vale) Book Review

2018 Reading Challenge

9. A Bridge Through Time by Jennae Vale

Synopsis:
Ashley Moore's life in San Francisco has hit a few snags, not the least of which involves sightings of a mystery man around every corner. Is she losing her mind or does he really exist? Her search for this grey-eyed stranger leads her to Scotland. There she meets a witch with a secret, a vindictive English knight who is bent on revenge, and she crosses a fog shrouded bridge into the arms of a 16th century Highlander.
Cailin MacBayne is no stranger to beautiful women, but has always managed to stay one step ahead of commitment. That all comes to an end when he meets Ashley. He doesn't care where this beautiful, yet unusual lass came from, he's just happy to have found her. Ashley cannot resist the handsome Scot and finds herself falling hopelessly in love. In the process, a secret is revealed, a battle is waged and Ashley must ultimately decide whether to return to her own time or give up her 21st century life to stay with the love she has found in the past.

My Review:
This was something I wouldn't normally read so I did struggle a bit to get through the book. The time travel part was confusing at first. I don't think it was portrayed as well as it could have been, at least when it happened, when Ashley crossed into 16th century Scotland. It was hard to get into the time period the book was set in, although I believe the author did a good job with the language of the 1500's. I couldn't really get into the story until closer to the end and I was left underwhelmed.

Do you like to read time travel books?

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

I Am Malala Book Reviews

2018 Reading Challenge

7. I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb

8. I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World (Young Readers Edition) by Malala Yousafzai with Patricia McCormick

Prompt: book about feminism

Synopses:
When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.
On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.
Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate.

I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.

My Review:
I'm doing this a little different. Both of these books are about the same true story, except for the way it was told for their intended audiences. I have been awed by Malala's story from the beginning and have wanted to read these books for awhile. When I went to pick up I Am Malala for this particular prompt, I wasn't aware that there had been two versions, one for adults and one for young adults. Even though there's a young reader's edition, it would be remiss of me to mention that it's not suitable for young children, as well as it depends on the maturity of the child. I recommend this book to anyone 12/13 (middle school grades) and older.

I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
This is the regular version of Malala's story. If you're into the history about Pakistan and the way it's been run as a country, you'll want to read this. It goes in depth of just that, of how Pakistan was before, as well as after, Malala was born. It is important to know the background to understand her story and why she fought for what she did.

I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World
This is the younger reader's version. It lacks the rich history that the regular version provides. It gets to the essence of Malala's story earlier, while skipping out on some of the mundane parts or parts that gets in the way of relating to her story. This book was more understandable and easier to relate to than the regular version, which is why I preferred this over the other one.

I challenged myself to read both versions of I Am Malala to see what made them different. The only things really different was one delved more into the history and the other one didn't. While I mentioned above that I preferred the young reader's version, I feel that it's important to read both of them as a way of comparing and seeing what you like and don't like.

Malala was (and still is) a girl (adult now) who wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in, specifically for the right for girls to be educated in her country. And unfortunately, she almost lost her life for doing just that. Her survival and bravery are awe-inspiring - that it takes only one to make a difference and get their voice heard. It doesn't always mean that things will change immediately, if at all, but it can help. Malala's story shows that any one, no matter what age, can make a difference. 

Let me know if you read one or both of these and what you thought. Did you prefer one over the other if you read both? 

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Coming Back Soon and 2019 Reading Challenge

I'm going to be posting more regularly soon and catching up on book reviews from the rest of what I read in 2018, as well as what I've read so far in 2019.

This year, once again, I'm following (or trying to follow) the Popsugar Reading Challenge for 2019. I have already read a few books from the list of topics.

Keeping this short and simple. I'm getting ready for a comeback.

~Meg~

My Blog's Name in Books

I was just looking for something fun to do since I haven't done a post in awhile. Saw this from The Bibliophile Girl blog.

My Blog's Name in Books Tag

Rules:
1. Spell out your blog's name,
2. Find a book from your TBR that begins with each letter.

Note: You cannot add to your TBR to complete this challenge - the books must already be on your Goodreads TBR.

Note: I'm also changing this up a little bit and will be doing books from my TBR on my Kindle app, as well as from Goodreads.

W - Wicked by Gregory Maguire
      Write Me Home by Crystal Walton

R - Rabbit, Run by John Updike
      Reservations for Two by Anne Patrick

I - The Iliad by Homer
     If the Shoes Fit by Pauline Lawless

T - The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom
      The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas

E - Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell
      Escape for the Summer by Ruth Saberton

R - Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
      Ready to Fall by Daisy Prescott

S - Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson
      Straight by Seth King


C - A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
      Calming the Storm by Melanie D. Snitker

R - A Room With a View by E. M, Forster
      Rip Tides by Toby Neal

O - Out of Sync by Lance Bass
      Once Upon a Summer by Janette Oke

S - Summer of Dragonfly Changes by Joan Gable
      Sugar and Ice by Aven Ellis

S - Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks
     Searching for Faith by Kristen Middleton

I - In the Woods by Tana French
     In Too Deep by Tracey Alvarez

N - Nights in Rodanthe by Nicholas Sparks
      Nine Line by Zachary J Kitchen

G - Gone by Michael Grant
      Given to Fly by K. L. Montgomery

S - Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
      Saving Gracie by Talesha Mitchell

There you have it.

~Meg~
      

Happy 2019!

First, I wanted to start by saying Happy New Year! Hope that everyone has a happy and healthy 2019.

I do want to apologize for being missing in action on this blog. My life has been a whirlwind for the past couple of months as I started a new job in November as a police dispatcher trainee. This involved several steps before actually getting hired. I've been classroom training for nine weeks. It's been challenging, but overall I've been enjoying it and discovering a passion for dispatching. I am hopeful that this is the start of a new career path for me, but anything can happen in the training period. We're graduating from the classroom training Friday and getting ready to start live training for a few months. I don't know where this will lead me, but I remain optimistic that it will take me far.

What this all means for this blog? Well, I'll be posting my plans for a blogging schedule for 2019 in a few days, as well as a 2018 review.

~Meg~

When God Calls a Writer (Deanne Welsh) Book Review

2018 Reading Challenge

6. When God Calls a Writer by Deanne Welsh

Synopsis:
Is God calling you to write? Do you have a burning desire to write books and use words to inspire people and change the world?
When God Calls A Writer is a book about knowing that your desire to write is both a gift and a calling from God.
In When God Calls A Writer Deanne Welsh weaves the story of Moses with the story of a writer. Do you wonder if God is calling you to write, but you feel unqualified? What are the signs that God is calling you? Do you struggle to hear God's voice and guidance about your writing career? Are you eager for a powerful transformation in your faith and your writing?
Learn simple and strategic ways to allow God to connect with God, hear Him and allow Him to direct your writing journey.
Author Deanne Welsh shares her own story of insecurity and self-doubt and what it took for her to walk, first with doubt and then with confidence, into God's call for her to write. She gives you practical steps for listening to God and hearing His guidance, as well as the most important questions to ask as you begin your ministry-career of ideas, words, and stories.
By the end of this book you will have practical strategies to keep you focused, the specific questions to catapult your writing career forward, and the traits to develop and pay attention to for unstoppable writing success.
Your "yes" changes everything.

My Review:
I was interested in this book because I believe writing is one of my God-given talents.

This is a book aimed at Christian writers who believe that they are called to write. It gives encouragement if you don't believe you're suited for the job. The whole idea is to look to God to get through insecurities and any obstacles that stand in the way. With belief and faith in God, anything is possible. The book offers advice, tips, and exercises to find that faith in God and writing with Him will enable you to accomplish your call to write. It is short, but can be invaluable by writing with God, instead of without Him.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Photo Credit:
https://medium.com/@deannewelsh/free-book-when-god-calls-a-writer-446fb8a9b589

Roll with the Punches (Amy Gettinger) Book Review

2018 Reading Challenge

5. Roll With the Punches by Amy Gettinger

Synopsis:
A rollicking, funny chick lit mystery/adventure, full of fun and light romance.
Falling is extra hard on tall people, like Rhonda Hamilton: the bone breakage, the bruises, the ignominy of it all. And Rhonda’s falling, hard. First, how in the heck can the latest novel published by a nationally bestselling author be a close twin to the manuscript Rhonda has just finished writing and has barely started marketing to agents? Plus, why is Dad suddenly acting so odd: storing milk in the garage and throwing away Rhonda’s clothes?
Some goofy roller derby girls add a bludgeon of crazy to Rhonda’s hunt for the book thief, and two drool-worthy guys offer to help with Dad—guys Rhonda would gladly fall for, if her life weren’t careening madly between Dad’s bizarre antics, some treacherous derby bouts, a wild burlesque fundraiser, and the odd mudslide and house demolition. Only one thing is sure: if she wants to nail the wily plagiarist and keep Dad safe, Rhonda had better stay up on her skates to avoid a very big fall.

My Review:
Roll With the Punches is the first book I read this year that I just didn't care for. What drawn me to this book was that Rhonda belonged to a writing critique group. She also gets involved with a roller derby league after she gets noticed roller skating around town. I thought that was different because there's not a lot of books or media out there about the roller derby sport. While I am not a fan of it, I do have a cousin who was on a roller derby league for a couple of years.

The majority of this book revolves around Rhonda trying to figure out who stole her manuscript and made a bestseller out of it. The only people she knows that could have done it was a member of her writing group and she goes on a mission to narrow it down one by one. In the midst of solving that mystery, Rhonda goes through some crazy adventures in not only the search for the person responsible, but also dealing with the antics of roller derby and her dad's odd behaviors. The story is filled with an eclectic bunch of characters, some good, some not so quite.

Roll With the Punches is based heavily on comedy, but it fell short in the overall department. One of the big things that bothered me is the way that Rhonda and her family dealt with her dad's obvious Alzheimer's disease. They acted oblivious and in denial even though it was laid out crystal clear several times, especially when it came to Rhonda. When everything in her life was not going well, Rhonda coped with it the way she normally would any hard situation - with laughter and satire - but it went over the top. There were some good moments, but the concept and plot just didn't work for me.

I'm ending this review with a quote from one of the characters. It's actually said by the doctor who diagnoses the Alzheimer's.

"If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and walks like a duck, we roast it with orange sauce."

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

A Dog's Journey (W. Bruce Cameron) Book Review

2018 Reading Challenge

4. A Dog's Journey by W. Bruce Cameron

Synopsis:
Buddy is a good dog.
After searching for his purpose through several eventful lives, Buddy is sure that he has found and fulfilled it. Yet as he watches curious baby Clarity get into dangerous mischief, he is certain that this little girl is very much in need of a dog of her own.
When Buddy is reborn, he realizes that he has a new destiny. He's overjoyed when he is adopted by Clarity, now a vibrant but troubled teenager. When they are suddenly separated, Buddy despairs―who will take care of his girl?
A charming and heartwarming story of hope, love, and unending devotion, A Dog's Journey asks the question: Do we really take care of our pets, or do they take care of us? More than just another endearing dog tale, A Dog's Journey is the moving story of unwavering loyalty and a love that crosses all barriers.

My Review:
A Dog's Journey is the sequel to A Dog's Purpose. You can read my review of A Dog's Purpose here. Both books are considered to be stand alone novels, but my advice is to read them in order. You'll be able to understand the characters better and how most of them are related.

In A Dog's Purpose, the dog portrayed was known most as Bailey, even though the dog goes through name changes throughout both books. With this review, it's so hard to write without referring to the dog as Bailey. As Bailey and the dog's lives continue, so does the lives of the characters. Some of them featured in here are older versions of themselves.

The rest of the dog's lives are lived out in A Dog's Journey. It's surreal on how much the dog can remember from all his previous lives, from times when he was trained to detect cancer, where he lived, and his owners/families he lived with, especially Ethan and Clarity. He's not always treated with proper care and survives through some hard and tragic circumstances, all the while helping and protecting those who have loved him. He has a heart of gold and will always put them before himself.

This might be an unpopular opinion, but I enjoyed A Dog's Journey better than A Dog's Purpose. I felt like all the hype and build up of A Dog's Purpose made it less underwhelming. In A Dog's Journey, the stories were more heart-wrenching, heart-breaking, and emotional in the way that it was delivered. Tears were shed more than once (especially at the ending) and I guarantee that anyone who reads this book will shed tears as well.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

A Dog's Purpose (W. Bruce Cameron) Book Review

2018 Reading Challenge

3. A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron
   Prompt: book you meant to read in 2017

Synopsis:
This is the remarkable story of one endearing dog's search for his purpose over the course of several lives. More than just another charming dog story, this touches on the universal quest for an answer to life's most basic question: Why are we here?
Surprised to find himself reborn as a rambunctious golden haired puppy after a tragically short life as a stray mutt, Bailey's search for his new life's meaning leads him into the loving arms of 8 year old Ethan. During their countless adventures Bailey joyously discovers how to be a good dog. But this life as a beloved family pet is not the end of Bailey's journey. Reborn as a puppy yet again, Bailey wonders, will he ever find his purpose?
Heartwarming, insightful, and often laugh out loud funny, this book is not only the emotional and hilarious story of a dog's many lives, but also a dog's eye commentary on human relationships and the unbreakable bonds between man and man's best friend. This story teaches us that love never dies, that our true friends are always with us, and that every creature on earth is born with a purpose.

My Review:
Almost everyone is familiar with the saying that a cat has nine lives. The same sort of thing goes on in this story and its sequel. The story is told from the perspective of a dog living out its lives (different dog, but same soul each time it is reborn). Some of his lives are shorter than others, as well as some owners are better than others. In this story, he portrays four lives, but the majority of the time, he's known as Bailey.

A Dog's Purpose is a heart-felt tale about man's best friend. It dwells on the love, loyalty, and affection a dog has for his owner(s). He searches for his purpose in life, as humans do, and discovers that  I really do believe that people are put in our lives for a reason and maybe dogs are too. I loved how the author really dug into the mind of a dog to somewhat discover what dogs feel and how they respond to the world around them.

This book is perfect for anybody, young or old, whether you have a dog or not. It goes through the ups and downs of life, for people and dogs alike. It can be emotional at times, but shows how love persists through anything. I like how the author intertwined the owner's lives, as they age, etc. This is more evident in the sequel, A Dog's Journey, which just happens to be the next book review I'm doing.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Writing Update

Writing Plans for July: Camp NaNoWriMo

I recently signed up for Camp NaNoWriMo for July. If anyone is unfamiliar, it is a mini version of NaNoWriMo, held in November.

With NaNoWriMo, you are required to write 50,000 words. It doesn't mean that you'll necessarily reach that, like when I failed short to do so this past November.

In Camp NaNoWriMo, you can set your own writing goal, whether that be reaching a certain number of words or writing for a certain amount of time every day in July. I believe the Camp version is done a couple of times throughout the year in preparation for NaNoWriMo in November.

As of right now, my goal is to reach 25,000 words during the month of July. I am planning on working on a fiction novel, loosely titled The Widow in the Bookstore. I usually don't like to name something I write until I'm done. You know, I have never finished writing an actual novel before. I'm my worst critic and I usually scrap them because I never think it's good enough. I plan on changing that in July as that is my other goal: to finish writing a novel without stopping to edit it before it's done being written.

I will give daily updates here so you can follow along.

~Meg~

The Tempting Taste of Danger (CeeCee James) Book Review

2018 Reading Challenge

2. The Tempting Taste of Danger by CeeCee James
    Prompt: book that takes place in a bookstore or library

Synopsis:
The only thing worse than a noisy bookstore is patrons literally dying to get out.
Elise Pepper has landed her dream job at the Capture The Magic book store. Peace and quiet and thousands of books to herself – including a $2m first edition of Alice in Wonderland. What more could she ask for?
It can’t last of course. Her blissful solitude is rudely interrupted when someone turns the second floor of the building into a Down the Rabbit Hole-themed escape room.
But the noise is the least of her worries – what’s worse is the dead bank executive upstairs and the missing first edition. Now Elise is suspected of both theft and murder, even as the killer taunts her with Alice in Wonderland clues. Can she find out who did it before she takes the fall for the crime?

My Review:
A bookstore and an escape room. It sounds like the perfect place for a murder, right? Haha. I love to read, so naturally I fell in in love with a book that takes place somewhat in a book store. And while I have never been to an escape room, I've always liked the idea of them and really want to experience it. I like to solve mysteries and figure out puzzles, so it was another reason I was interested in this book.

Elise gets a job at a bookstore. It's the perfect job for her. Well, at least it is until an escape room is built on the floor upstairs. She isn't a fan of the whole idea. When someone winds up dead in the escape room on the first day it opens and a first edition book goes missing from the book store, Elise knows there's more to the story. It's up to her to prove her innocence as she's the only person who's at the store the most.  This part reminds me of the murder mystery movie series, Murder, She Baked, on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel starring Alison Sweeney and Cameron Mathison. Alison's character works at a cookie shop and is the one who becomes the murder suspect, as she finds the murder victims. The Tempting Taste of Danger will leave you guessing until the end. Some of the supporting characters were just okay, but there were also some good ones. Overall, I was impressed with how the story turned out.

The theme of The Tempting Taste of Danger is Alice in Wonderland. The book store possesses a first edition copy of Alice in Wonderland, the escape room is based on the book, and the murderer leaves clues with references to the book as well. It was a good concept and it was nice to relive the children's classic with some twists and turns along the way. Even if you aren't a huge fan of Alice in Wonderland, you will still enjoy reading this.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

The Warrior (Joyce Swann) Book Review

2018 Reading Challenge

1. The Warrior by Joyce Swann

Synopsis:
James is sitting at a Ft. Worth intersection waiting for the light to change when he hears the roar of a truck engine speeding toward him. Before he can react, his motorcycle is crushed, and he is thrown fifty feet onto the median.
At that precise moment in Dallas, Elizabeth’s sleep is interrupted by a vivid dream in which she witnesses James' accident. As she watches him begin to pass from life to death, she extends her hand and cries, “Don’t die if you don’t know Jesus!”
Although neither James nor Elizabeth is aware of the existence of the other, they begin a ten-year odyssey in which their lives are inexorably intertwined, changing their futures and the futures of those they love most.
The Warrior is a moving testimony to the power of prayer and God’s desire to redeem every life.

My Review:
This story is about Elizabeth, a prayer warrior, with a family of her own. One night, she has a dream about a man who got in a terrible motorcycle accident. Not knowing if it's real, Elizabeth feels compelled to pray for him the next morning and that's what she does.

Over the next ten years, both James' and Elizabeth's lives are intertwined, with neither of them knowing that the other exists. During that time, Elizabeth's daughter Molly rebels from her Christian upbringing and moves to California. She gets involved with the wrong crowd, which leads to her life in the balance. James, on the other hand, gets disheartened and depressed after his accident and he starts down the road of drugs and alcohol. Throughout everything, Elizabeth prayed daily for both of them and even keeps a journal of when she feels an inkling to pray for James, during which everyone else around her thinks she's crazy.

It's often said that you need to hit rock bottom to come out on top. Everyone has their breaking point, the moment when they realize that they need to turn things around, or more importantly, to turn their life around. After ten years, circumstances lead James and Elizabeth to meet. Although they see each other more than once, the first encounter proves to Elizabeth that prayer really does work and that God asked her to pray for James for a reason. James and Molly get a second chance at life and come to the realization in the end that God was there for them when they didn't think it was possible. God works in mysterious ways to reclaim every life back when we stray away from our faith.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

2018 Reading Challenge and Goals

I know this is pretty late this year, but here's my challenge and goals for 2018.

Once again, I am doing the PopSugar Reading Challenge for 2018. I'm not posting the entire list of prompts, but you can find the list here.

There are 40 prompts with an additional 10 prompts on an advanced list.

In 2017, my goal was to read 60 books. That didn't happen as I only read 31, but I had a challenging year. For 2018, my goal is once again set at 60 books and hopefully I will accomplish it this year. As of this writing, I have only read three and am in the process of reading books four and five. The first three book reviews will be posted next week, or rather, this coming week.

For writing, I just completed a 31 Day Ninja Writer Challenge. I wish I could link to this, but the daily challenges were sent by e-mail. It was in May with the intent was to write at least 10 minutes a day and read at least 10 minutes each day. And each day also came with a daily challenge. While I didn't accomplish everything I wanted out of it, I have been writing more and am currently bringing my series, Meg's Long QT Journey, back on my other blog at Writing With Meg. Please check it out.

And you can follow me on twitter here.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Meg's 2017-2018 Book Awards

Meg's 2017-2018 Book Awards

Disclaimer: I base the awards on the books that I read in 2017. And it's only my opinion on how I rate them.

Each book will be linked to my book review if you would like to read it.

Best Book Overall:
1. Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel
2. Thursdays at Coconuts by Beth Carter
3. Talking As Fast As I Can by Lauren Graham
4. Summer at the Lake by Linda Barrett

Honorable Mentions:
1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
2. The Shack by William Paul Young
3. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
4. Finding Peace by Melanie D. Snitker
5. The Inn at Eagle Point by Sherryl Woods
6. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne

Worst Book Overall:
1. A Cat To Die For by Maria Grazia Swan
2. The Not So Secret E-mails of Coco Pinchard by Robert Bryndza
3. Set Change by T'Gracie and Joe Reese
4. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Best of Classics:
1. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
2. Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
3. White Fang by Jack London

Best of Christian Fiction:
1. The Shack by William Paul Young
2. Daniel by Robin Merrill
3. Come To Me Alive by Leah Atwood

Best Book by an Author I've Read Before:
1. Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel
2. Finding Peace by Melanie D. Snitker
3. Love Comes Softly by Janette Oke

Best Book by a New Author I Read:
1. Thursdays at Coconuts by Beth Carter
2. Summer at the Lake by Linda Barrett
3. The Inn at Eagle Point by Sherryl Woods
4. Pause To Rewind by Aimee Alexander
5. Come To Me Alive by Leah Atwood
6. Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer

Book That Surprised Me (either better or worse than what I thought):
1. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by Jack Thorne
2. Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
3. Reinventing Mona by Jennifer Coburn

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

Memorial Day 2018

Remembering all those who sacrificed their lives for the US on this Memorial Day. It's also a time to thank the veterans and those who are currently serving our country as well.

The US has lost more than 1.4 million soldiers throughout our history. Here's only a small sampling of that:

World War 1 - 116,516
World War 2 - 405,399
Korean War - 54,246
Vietnam War - 58,209
War in Afghanistan - 2,216
Iraq War - 4,497

Happy Memorial Day!

~Meg~

Pause to Rewind (Aimee Alexander) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

31. Pause to Rewind by Aimee Alexander
      Prompt: book by an author who uses a pen name

Synopsis:
Jenny Dempsey has exchanged life in the fast lane for freelance journalism and being a mum. She doesn't look back. Why would she? A broken engagement to her fiancé, Dave. A falling-out with her parents. And a night in a hotel room best forgotten. Life is simple now. Jenny's little boy, Charlie, is starting school, beginning to build a life independent from her. She needs to get her own back.
Life, though, has other plans. When Charlie's diagnosed with leukemia, Jenny is forced to confront her past and all that she has turned from. But she will do anything for Charlie.

My Review:

This is the story of a little boy's journey with cancer. It is told well in first person from the perspective of his mother. No one wants their child to have cancer and Jenny is no different. Through Charlie's journey, Jenny has no choice but to ask for help from people from her past that she cut off in her life as she comes to terms with his diagnosis. She comes to realize just how strong she is, the importance of family, and who her friends are.

The thing that I appreciated was that Aimee didn't shy away from the dreaded word of cancer. She provided just enough medical information about Charlie's leukemia that gave some insight to what he was going through, but didn't slow the book down. That's something you really don't see in a lot books. Some authors won't really get into the information part of cancer treatment and how it effects people, both the patient and family. Aimee did a great job at that, especially the process and way that Jenny came to terms with the cancer.

Happy Reading and Keep on Writing!

~Meg~

The Inn at Eagle Point (Sherryl Woods) Book Review

2017 Reading Challenge

30. The Inn at Eagle Point by Sheryl Woods
      Prompt: first book in a series you haven't read before

Synopsis:
It's been years since Abby O'Brien Winters set foot in Chesapeake Shores. The Maryland town her father built has too many sad memories and Abby too few spare moments, thanks to her demanding Wall Street career, the crumbling of her marriage and energetic twin daughters. Then one panicked phone call from her youngest sister brings her racing back home to protect Jess's dream of renovating the charming Inn at Eagle Point.
But saving the inn from foreclosure means dealing not only with her own fractured family, but also with Trace Riley, the man Abby left ten years ago. Trace can be a roadblock to her plans...or proof that second chances happen in the most unexpected ways.

My Review:

I decided to start reading this series because of the TV show, Chesapeake Shores, on the Hallmark Channel. The show is based on this book series by Sherryl Woods.

When Jess O'Brien runs into trouble trying to renovate the Inn at Eagle Point, her sister Abby comes to the rescue by returning back home. Abby is in for more than she realizes as she not only has to deal with problems at the inn and her dysfunctional family, but an old flame as well. When Abby left or essentially walked out on Trace years before, she never expected that he would be the one who can destroy Jess's plans (and Abby's measures to rescue the inn) to revitalize the inn. Will the inn be saved? Will Jess mess up yet again? Will Trace and Abby get back together? 

All these questions will be answered. I appreciated the backstory as it helped to explain why the O'Brien family was the way it was: dysfunctional and kind of broken. While I did say that, I want to take the time to point out that no family is perfect. Every family has its secrets or things that you necessarily don't want everyone to know about. Abby's mom left the family when Abby was around 11 if I remember correctly. As the oldest of five, Abby took on the role of mother and nurturer to her younger siblings. This is especially true as their father travelled for work a lot and they were left in the hands of their grandmother. Jess, as the youngest, was and has been known as the wild child who doesn't seem to take things seriously and has made lots of mistakes. In the midst of it all, Jess only wanted love, respect, and acceptance of her father. Her father had a tendency to only look at her faults and mistakes and not pay attention to her good qualities; she did/does have a good heart, but just struggled with the family's situation.

While the story was good in itself, I liked the supporting characters better than the three main characters of Abby, Jess, and Trace. All three managed to annoy me at times. I really enjoyed Trace's interactions with Abby's twins. My favorite person throughout the entire book was Nell, Abby's grandmother. Nell was the one who everyone could talk to and she would hold no judgment. She offered her advice, explained things in a calming and different way, but wasn't afraid to give some tough love at times either. Nell is a role model type of character and held the family together, even if members didn't speak to each other or whatever type of situation was going on.

I found myself comparing this to Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove series, which also became a TV series for three seasons on Hallmark. Both of these series' are about similar things, but they do differ a bit. And when it comes down to it, I enjoyed Cedar Cove better. There was a better connection to the characters and the story just flowed better. With the first book of the Chesapeake Shores series, I couldn't get through it as easily, as it did drag a little. It was harder to pay attention to the characters, as some weren't as fully developed as I would have liked. I do plan to continuing the Chesapeake Shores series, though, as this book was still good; it was just a little underwhelming compared to Cedar Cove.

~Meg~