"Thin Rich Pretty" by Beth Harbison

Thin rich Pretty by Beth Harbison is a book I read to participate in Katherines Corner Book Club this month. I thought it was a fun read, humorous, entertaining, with believable characters. The message is to be yourself. It's about how three girls met at a camp when they were 13 and how the problems they struggled with such as Holly being too fat, Nicola thinking she was ugly and Lexi, the lonely rich girl carried with them into adulthood. It deals with bullying, friendship, and restitution. I thought it was a cute story and finished it in two days. I recommend it to women, don't think men would care for it.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?  

Check out our audio book giveaway for IRON HOUSE by John Hart!

You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"The Midwife's Confession" by Diane Chamberlain

The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain is full of surprises and mother-daughter moments.  When Emerson and Tara start searching for answers to why their best friend, Noelle the midwife, committed suicide, they are shocked to find out things they never knew about her.  Noelle had many secrets that were kept for many years but eventually came out after she died.

I liked this book but it does have quite a few characters to keep straight and jumps from the present to the past all through it which sometimes was hard to follow.  I think women would enjoy this book much more than men, just because it focuses on relationships rather than action.  It's a great read about friendship, betrayal and mothers and daughters.  It has discussion questions in the back which makes it very conducive to a book club selection.

I also liked another book by this author:  The Secret Life Of Cee Cee Wilkes which has more action in it.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Night Road" by Kristin Hannah (UPDATED)

This book would make an excellent Hallmark or Lifetime movie! Night Road by Kristin Hannah is the story of three teens, two girls who become friends and the twin brother of one of the girls who falls in love with her friend. One night they drink and drive and the outcome of that mistake tells the story of this book. What made this book so good to me is that you care about each and every one of the characters. The writing is that good and also I liked the beautiful ending! Well worth your time to read this—it's a winner!
(Gerard's Review)

I loved Night Road by Kristin Hannah! This is such a heartbreaking story that delves into friendship, teenage drinking, family relationships, dealing with grief, love and forgiveness. Lexi is a very lonely but nice girl who grew up in foster care for most of her life. She becomes best friends with another lonely girl, Mia, who comes from a very good family. Lexi falls in love with Mia’s twin brother, Zach, the homecoming king. Mia’s parents, especially her mother, Jude, are thrilled Mia has a friend and treat Lexi as a member of the family. In one night, everything changes, just two weeks before graduation when the three good friends drink, drive and get in a car accident that leaves Mia dead.

This is just an amazing read. I could feel the emotions the different characters went through and couldn’t help but feel sorry for Lexi, the driver of the car. Zach, Lexi and Jude all played the blame game, mostly blaming themselves. I can’t say enough good things about this book! The characters were likeable and realistic, the plot is well done and certainly sends a strong message not to drive drunk. I have to read more books by Kristin Hannah—this one was so good! I highly recommend it to parents and teens or anyone who likes a good love story. This is definitely one of the best books I've read so far this year!
(Karen's review)

Other Reviews of this book:  Sheery's Place loved it!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

Easter Book Giveaway For Moms: "I'm Outnumbered!" by Laura Lee Groves

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE!  We will giveaway this book to a commenter who makes the best case as to why they should get it.  Also, please include your email so we can contact you for your address if you are the winner. 

 

We will announce the winner on Sunday, May 1 so they can get it in time for Mother’s Day.  Maybe you do not need it but know a mother who might appreciate it.  Feel free to share why you would like to give it to them in your comment.

I’m Out numbered!:  One Mom’s Lessons in the Lively Art of Raising Boys by Laura Lee Groves is a good little handbook for moms (and dads) of boys.  I got this because I teach 5^th grade boys in Sunday School and thought it may be helpful.  She kept the chapters short because she knows moms are very busy so it is a quick read.  She addresses many issues including expectations, laying a foundation for reading, sibling rivalry, teaching respect, organizing, media, teaching responsibility, and communication.  Also included is a special chapter for dads, for single moms, and one from the boys themselves!  Laura Groves also includes an extensive list of recommended books that deal with related topics that she wrote about in this book.

I think this book would be helpful to any parent of boys especially. It is sprinkled with some humor and scripture which makes it a very enjoyable and interesting read. I liked it and am not even a parent but this book makes parenting sound like lots of fun! As I was reading, I kept thinking of different mothers I know who may benefit from reading this. Some general advice from I’m outnumbered! is to let boys be creative, don’t let them hurt each other, don’t play favorites, give them all a chance to be leaders and promote teamwork, treat them as individuals, love them no matter what they do or don’t do, teach them manners by challenging them to be honorable like knights.

 

I am not a mother but still enjoyed reading this humorous but practical book.  I think it contains some good advice and great ideas for raising boys (and girls too).   It would make a nice gift!

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help our charity of the month just by leaving a comment on any of our blogs! We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month. The charity for this month is at the top of our blog.

"Wanted" by Shelley Shephard Gray

Wanted by Shelley Shephard Gray is a happy little story of Jonathan, a brokenhearted widower with two little girls and an Amish woman, Katie, who faces her past in order to move on with her life and make her dream a reality.  When Jonathan asks Katie to help him live at his home and help him care for his girls, she sets out to show him what a good wife she would be.  I found it interesting to see how Katie struggled to connect with the girls and also gradually got Jonathan’s attention.  It focused on inner struggles and faith in God to work things out. 

Shelly Shephard Gray’s books have clean language and no sex scenes—a rare find in the romance genre.  This is a light, quick read that I finished in one day.   If you like Christian romance or stories about the Amish, I recommend this one.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Midwives" by Chris Bohjalian is a good read

What a good read Midwives by Chris Bohjalian is!  It tells the story of a midwife helping with a birth.  The baby is saved, but the mother is dead.  The question is did the mother die of natural causes or did the midwife cause her death.  The story is told by the midwife and her young daughter.  The trial was my favorite part of the book.  That’s when it was almost impossible to put down!  I’m glad I read it!  Give it a chance and I think you will be glad you did. 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Heartwood" by Belva Plain

Heartwood is Belva Plain’s last novel, a sequel to Harvest actually.  Belva Plain is one of my favorite authors and did not disappoint me with this contemporary fiction novel about love, marriage, life’s challenges, family relationships, forgiveness, infidelity and secrets.  I enjoyed reading this book very much because it delves into the inner workings of marriage and family.  It continues the saga of a Jewish family that Belva Plain first writes about in Evergreen.  This is about Laura, who tries to be a good wife out of duty but becomes more interested in her catering business than her husband who feels like a failure for being unable to achieve his dream.  I highly recommend Heartwood to women.  (I'm taking a teaser from it tomorrow.)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it? You can help Canine Lifeline (a dog rescue organization that saved our dog, Abby) by leaving a comment on any of our blogs in March. We will donate 50 cents per comment at the end of the month.

"Breaking Night--From Homeless to Harvard" by Liz Murray

Loved the movie, loved the book! This story was a lifetime movie that we both liked very much.  Breaking Night by Liz Murray is just as good, if not better.  It is the true story of Liz Murray who was homeless and wound up at Harvard!  It's a remarkable and inspirational story!  The writing is very good and really captures her struggles.  Thanks for the book, Ms. Murray, and may God bless you always!  I give this 10 stars! 
(Gerard's review)

Karen read this too and liked it:

WOW!  What an interesting book filled with insight into poverty, homelessness and drug addiction!  Breaking Night is the memoir of Liz Murray who shares about her life of living with her drug addicted parents, her effort to protect her parents who both contracted AIDS, living at a group home, her dependence on friends while homeless, her determination to go back to school and change her life.  This is a very good book!  It is so hard for me to fathom people actually living like she did.

Breaking Night shows that a person can change in spite of one’s circumstances if they make good choices and work hard.  It is about family relationships, forgiveness, friendship, judging by appearances, survival, overcoming obstacles and being responsible.  Liz overcame many obstacles and found herself with a scholarship from The New York Times and was accepted at Harvard!  She is now a motivational speaker helping others get their life on track and is now working with a small team of people to open Broome Street Academy, a high schools for homeless teens in September of 2011.  Liz is a remarkable person!

This is an inspirational book that I highly recommend!  Her website is Manifest Living.  I also enjoyed the movie on Lifetime that was based on this book.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Visit Saturday Sampling for more great posts of the week or link one of yours!

"The Four Stages Of Cruelty" by Keith Holliman

The Four Stages Of Cruelty by Keith Holliman gives a realistic view of a prison through the eyes of a female prison guard.  She was my favorite character.  This is a good story with a surprising twist at the end.   (5 stars)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Sabrina" by Lori Wick

Prostitute to Preacher's Wife, a story of Deliverance and Transformation

Sabrina by Lori Wick is a Christian historical romance book that is fairly predictable and contains a lot of scripture, including the plan of salvation. Sabrina, the main character, was a prostitute who is befriended by the sheriff and his wife who share God's plan of salvation with her and help her get out of prostitution. She leaves town and starts a new life, supporting herself by being a seamstress and working in a mercantile. She tries to help other prostitutes and finds love in her new town.

Sabrina promotes compassion and forgiveness, but pretty predictable although it leaves some loose ends. The author did not go into a lot of detail when handling the prostitution aspect of this story. I enjoyed reading it.
(Karen's review 4/7/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"I'm Outnumbered! One Mom’s Lessons in the Lively Art of Raising Boys by Laura Lee Groves

I’m Out numbered!:  One Mom’s Lessons in the Lively Art of Raising Boys by Laura Lee Groves is a good little handbook for moms (and dads) of boys.  I got this because I teach 5^th grade boys in Sunday School and thought it may be helpful.  She kept the chapters short because she knows moms are very busy so it is a quick read.  She addresses many issues including expectations, laying a foundation for reading, sibling rivalry, teaching respect, organizing, media, teaching responsibility, and communication.  Also included is a special chapter for dads, for single moms, and one from the boys themselves!  Laura Groves also includes an extensive list of recommended books that deal with related topics that she wrote about in this book. 

I think this book would be helpful to any parent of boys especially.  It is sprinkled with some humor and scripture which makes it a very enjoyable and interesting read.  I liked it and am not even a parent but this book makes parenting sound like lots of fun!  As I was reading, I kept thinking of different mothers I know who may benefit from reading this.  Some general advice from I’m outnumbered! is to let boys be creative, don’t let them hurt each other, don’t play favorites, give them all a chance to be leaders and promote teamwork, treat them as individuals, love them no matter what they do or don’t do, teach them manners by challenging them to be honorable like knights. 

I’m Outnumbered! would make a great gift for parents of boys.   I highly recommend this book and can’t say enough good about it.  Thanks to The 160 Acre Woods:  A Mom's Manual For Boys for posting about it.  If this book appeals to you, please check out these great blog posts that give advice on raising boys by Italian Mama Gone Crazy:  What Would Mama Do? (Part Uno) and What Would Mama Do? (Part Due for mothers of little boys).  Many of the things Laura Groves wrote about in this book reminded me of the advice I read in these blog posts. 

Check out my teaser.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Kasey To the Rescue" by Ellen Rogers--An Enjoyable Read!

This video shows some of the things monkeys are trained to do for handicapped people.  Kasey To The Rescue is about a family who got one of these monkeys to help them.





Kasey To The Rescue by Ellen Rogers is a true story of an amazing son, Ned, and his mom, the author of this book.  Ned gets in a horrific car accident but miraculously survived.  The mother brought Ned home to take care of him along with her other children and two dogs.  Taking care of Ned was a major task!  To help with his care, they went to Helping Hands and got Kasey, a monkey.

To me, the mother is amazing and the main story of this book about how she takes care of Ned, runs her family, and tries to keep up everyone's spirits including her own.  Ned too shows remarkable courage.  The monkey, Kasey, is also pretty remarkable in the way he helps.  This is a very enjoyable and encouraging read about a family who did not fall apart when faced with tragedy.
(Gerard's review) Read the teaser.

UPDATED 12/18/10:
This book is really about a super mom (Ellen) persevering in raising her family and taking care of her son Ned, who was in a car accident while away at college and suffered a spinal chord injury which rendered him a quadriplegic. The story is basically all about Ned and how his mother made him her top priority, even going so far as to bring in a monkey (Kasey) from the Helping Hands organization. In actuality, it seemed to me Kasey was more work for her than help; however, it did help Ned stay positive and gave him a constant companion. Ned gained more dexterity in his fingers and arms because the monkey provided motivation for Ned to interact with Kasey. Kasey was entertaining and although it took three months for Kasey to really trust and feel a close relationship to Ned, it was worth it.

I enjoyed reading this book but was anxious to get to the part when the monkey came which is about halfway through. This is the story of a loving family and although the beginning was sort of depressing, the second half of the book is very entertaining and inspirational. I really liked learning more about the Helping Hands organization and how the monkeys are trained to be service animals. 
(Karen's review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?


Find best posts of the week at Saturday Sampling at Half Past Kissin' Time and submit the one you wish more people would see that you wrote this week!

"Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult Is Fascinating

Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult is about an Amish teen girl who is charged with murdering her illegitimate baby.  At first Katie denied even having a baby and consistently denied killing it.  Ellie reluctantly volunteered to be her defense attorney who becomes her friend while staying on the farm with Katie to comply with the court order as a condition while awaiting her trial.  Jodi Picoult shows the contrasts of the Amish and the English cultures in this intriguing novel of ethics, psychology, mystery, romance and judgment. 

I was drawn into this story immediately and had a hard time putting it down.  The story is told from Ellie’s perspective, and I couldn’t help feeling sorry for her when she was trying to get the truth from Katie as to what really happened. The trial was interesting and I definitely came away with a better understanding of the Amish community after reading Plain Truth.  I highly recommend this book, especially to women.
(Karen's review)

Other related reviews:  Debra's Book Cafe
Here is our teaser for this book
Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Beautiful Lies" by Lisa Unger

What a remarkable and gripping story Lisa Unger presents in Beautiful Lies.  She spins a tale that is both heartbreaking and fascinating as she wrote in such a way that made me feel as though Ridley, the main character, was speaking right to me, explaining what she was feeling and thinking during her incredible experience of sorting through the family secrets.  Ridley is a free lance writer who had a happy childhood and grew up in a nice home.  One day she gets a photo which turns her whole life upside down and takes her on a dangerous journey to find the truth.  She gets to the point of not knowing who she can trust but makes some good decisions that help her discover truth and happiness. 

One example of an insight Lisa Unger shares through a section where Ridley is speaking directly to the reader that really stood out to me is this from p. 98-99:

And we stood like that.  The joining of hands is highly underrated in the acts of intimacy.  You kiss acquaintances or colleagues, casually to say hello or good-bye.  You might even kiss a close friend chastely on the lips.  You might quickly hug anyone you knew.  You might even meet someone at a party, take him home and sleep with him, never to see him or hear from him again.  But to join hands and stand holding each other that way, with the electricity of possibilities flowing between you?  The tenderness of it, the promise of it, is only something you share with a few people in your life.  

This is real thriller filled with lots of insights into how people arrive at the choices they make and is definitely a page-turner.  It takes a close look at how we develop and evaluate relationships with others.  Beautiful Lies deals with identity issues, mob activity, abduction in the name of protection, selling babies, judging others, family dynamics, romance and betrayal.  I highly recommend you read this book--it’s fantastic!  Well written and packed with suspense and mystery right from the start. 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?  Related posts:  Tea Time with Marce Review

Check out our book giveaways:  Hard Cache by Charles B. Neff
You Know How To Be Great by Alan Fine

"Room" by Emma Donoghue--A Must Read For Moms

Imagine being five years old and knowing only one room your whole life with just your mom, a TV and books.  That’s the situation Jack is in in Room by Emma Donoghue.  I loved Jack!  This book is very interesting and very funny too.  Ma is really good also, but Jack steals the show.  I liked the ending too!  Enjoy!.
(Gerard's review)

Room by Emma Donoghue is an unusual story about the love between a mother and child. It is told Jack when he is five. His mother was abducted at 19 and has been kept locked up in a one-room shed for seven years. She was raped by her kidnapper, Old Nick, and had Jack. The only world Jack knew was the one room for the first five years of his life until one day, Ma felt he was old enough to help them escape. The mother's main focus was to keep Jack safe from Old Nick.

I enjoyed all the things the mother did with Jack every day. They had a TV and a few books for entertainment. They never got outside until they tricked Old Nick. Jack was a hero and the rest of the book was about Jack learning about real life outside of the room and his mother readjusting to living again. I think the mother did an amazing job with Jack under the circumstances. I liked that it has a happy ending and think any mother would enjoy this book.
(Karen's Review)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

Related Posts:  Life With Books reviewed ROOM too and thought it was great.
For a different view, see Parchment Girl's review--she did not like Ma or Jack!

"Armed With God's Power--Changing Brokeness To Victory Through God's Love" by Nora White

Armed With God's Power--Changing Brokenness to Victory Through God's Love by Nora White is about how God helped Nora through very difficult situations in her life including, depression, divorce, domestic violence, and losing a husband to cancer. She tells an amazing story of how God spoke to her and brought her through some terrible times.

I couldn't put this one down because I was anxious to see what happened next.  It certainly gives hope to anyone in similar situations. She is an example of a woman with great faith. I would recommend this book to any woman.


Nora White attends our church and is actively involved in leading women's Bible studies, does counseling and is founder of Healing Hearts Ministries.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Let's Take The Long Way Home" by Gail Caldwell

Let's Take The Long Way Home is a wonderful true story of friendship.  One of the best books I ever read was Pack of Two by Caroline Knapp.  Let's Take The Long Way Home by Gail Caldwell tells of her friendship with Caroline and their dogs.  The friendship these two women had was truly special.  We should all be so blessed to have these kinds of friends.  I really enjoyed this book very much!!  It is like a love story--call it "Pack of Four."  This is a powerful and emotional read.  I am glad I read it.  Thanks for telling the story, Ms. Caldwell and rest in peace, Carolyn.

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Secret Life Of CeeCee Wilkes" by Diane Chamberlain

The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes is a very good interesting book about mother/daughter relationships and which shows how people change over the years.  A gullible, love starved 16-yr.-old girl, CeeCee, gets involved over her head assisting with a kidnapping that turns out badly.  She makes some very poor choices and gets a new identity and a baby to raise that is not hers.  So many people’s lives are affected by the decisions she makes and I found myself pulling for CeeCee to make the right decisions along the way but time and again, she doesn’t.  It is a book about living with consequences of our actions and morality.

It’s a great story and I liked how it shows the feelings of both mothers and daughters.  I also liked the idea of the mother dying of Cancer writing letters to her daughter to be opened in the future as she got older, even though the daughter opened them all at once.  

I highly recommend this and would suggest it for a book club. This is a must read!

 Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace

"The Excellent Wife" by Martha Peace has a wealth of scriptural advice for wives concerning their call to be a wife.  I never thought of it this way before.  The most foundational tip was to respect and be submissive to your own husband, seeking to be a "helper suitable" to him and to practice "mutual sanctification."  Any woman who wants to be a better wife should read this book and start practicing the principles discussed.   It also has encouragement and advice for Christian women who are married to unbelievers.  It makes for a good women's Bible study.

(Karen's review 1/09)

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?

"Having A MARY Heart in a MARTHA World" by Joanna Weaver

When I saw this title, it peeked my curiosity because I have been making more of an effort to be more like Mary than a Martha.  It is a reference to a short story about two sisters in the Bible.  Martha is the busy frazzled one preparing the meal for the company and Mary is the one who visits with Jesus instead of helping Martha.  Jesus said Mary chose the better part.  I think Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World Joanna Weaver would make an excellent Bible study.  It is loaded with scripture and practical suggestions on how to have peace in the midst of our busy lives.  I loved the hula hoop and teetertotter analogies she included.  Peace is the result of spending quiet time with God each day in prayer and reading His Word, being teachable and obedient by abiding in Christ. 

Throughout Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World, Joanna draws from resources that she has found helpful, including Navigators 2:7 material.  I thought it was interesting that both the author and I were impacted by the same quote from the Navigators 2:7 material which was that “Christ is waiting for me to come spend time with Him.” 

The main point of Having a Mary Heart in  Martha World is to have a balance between our worship and service.  We should be a combination of both Mary and Martha!  Much of this book was already familiar to me but served as a good reminder to keep abiding in Christ and guarding my quiet time with Him.   Something that jumped out at me was about hospitality and being willing to help the less fortunate because I pass by beggars all the time going to or from work.  Joanna said, "As Christians, as a church, we are called to be hospitable, the very root of hospitality.  Our lives should be a refuge for the hurting, not a country club for the comfortable."  That really spoke to my heart.

This is not a book that goes fast.  There is a lot of “meat” in it and things to think through and apply to your life.  It gives you a lot to “chew” on.  In the back of Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World were discussion questions for each chapter with more scripture, a list of suggested devotional books, recommended books related to ministry, sample forms for journaling and more.  I highly recommend Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World to anyone who is feeling overwhelmed with all they have to do or who is looking for a Bible Study that is practical and will make a difference in your life.   

NOTE:  I got this in paperback from the library.  I noticed on Amazon that apparently (according to one of the customer reviews) the hardback copy they sell does not include the discussion questions in the back.  Just a warning to be careful if you order this for a Bible Study. 

Have you read this one? What did you think of it?