~Book Reviews~

I just finished “Roses” by Leila Meacham.  It blew my mind.  Rich characters. Great Plot.  Good transitions between chapters and timelines.  It carries you through the spellbinding lives of the 3 reigning families, The Toliver’s, The DuMont’s and the Warwick’s in the Texas cotton growing community of Howbutker.  Through well written twists and turns it takes you through a almost century of their lives and all the drama, love and war that it was.  Rich descriptions, realistic situations and an attention getting storyline kept me hooked on this book for the week it took me to read it.  If you like a well written historical romance/family history style book this one is for you!  It was recommended to me by my friend Chantel and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

The Help by Kathryn Stockett was also very good.  I did a review on GoodReads on it that I think describes it…I would love to read more books by her…need to look into that!

Heaven is for Real – A Little Boy’s Astounding Story of his trip to heaven and back by:  Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent.  It was heart wrenching and carried a powerful message…one I’m still not ready to receive.  Heaven is real.  I did a lot of crying reading this book…what that family went through…wow.  This book is not for everyone that is for sure but it was a quick read and opens a conversation…

Right now I’m reading some non-fiction business books to help me work on some issues I’m facing at work…self-help kind of stuff…let’s see if I can learn anything from them, LOL!  After that I’m putting the brakes on reading for pleasure for awhile and getting into my textbook for school.  I’ve already read most of it but now I need to apply what I’ve read and complete the assignments.  My official start date was on Feb 1st so I’ve got 6 months to complete it.  I’m confident that if I get working on it I should be done within 3 months.  I’ve read ahead to the assignments and they are all things I’m dealing with everyday anyhow.  I’m looking forward to getting on with it…just need to nip the procrastination in the bud and get on with it!

So even though I’m taking a break I still LOVE book recommendations!  Send me what’s on your bookshelf, Kobo, Kindle, Ibooks….I’d love to hear about it!

~Books~

It seems like forever ago that I sat down and read a good book. This summer I’ve been making an effort to read more and get back to one of my passions when I was younger. So far this summer I’ve read:

The Secret Daughter by: shilpi somaya gowda

It was a book I couldn’t put down. Such descriptive writing and thought provoking storyline. It made me want to go to India and experience the things she described and made me sad that the slums she described exist in this modern day world. It was a realistic beautiful look into a society that I couldn’t imagine surviving in.

Good in Bed by: Jennifer Weiner

It was a quick read, amusing and airy storyline. I see myself in bits of this storyline but don’t really believe anyone could live this story.

Freedom by: James Patterson

I bought it on my Ipad and just haven’t gotten used to the idea of reading on it. It isn’t done yet so I can’t really say what I think about it but so far it is an interesting story.

I have several books I’ve picked up this summer that are on my to read list. You’ve got to love garage sales! That’s where they’ve all come from! I’ve got sitting beside me:

Love in the Time of Cholera by: Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Late Nights on Air by: Elizabeth Hay

Olive Kitteridge by: Elizabeth Strout

The Saffron Gate by: Linda Holeman

The Gatecrasher by: Madeleine Wickham (alias for Sophie Kinsella)

Twenties Girl by: Sophie Kinsella

The Life you Want by: Bob Greene

Quite a variety of books and genres but I love that, it keeps it interesting. I’ve got lots of reading planned for this winter, on my elliptical! I hope it has a book holder! Starting October 19th through January 27th, our family is joining a 100,000 nights of reading program through the school. Every night we read to Ethan for at least 15 minutes, more often like half an hour. This program through school is all about reading for 15 minutes a night for 100 Nights. Not a challenge for this family of bookworms!

Also in October I’m ordering my first class from Athabasca towards my degree. I’m scared but I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time! Since Home Depot will pay for half of it I’m going for it! It will take me a couple of years but in the end I will have a degree! Bachelor of Human Resources and Labour Relations. I’m looking forward to having that education to back up my experience I’m gaining in my job as an HR manager. I will also be going after my CHRP designation. With that and a degree I can get a job almost anywhere in HR. I’m so proud to be working towards a goal and glad that I can role model the importance of education to my kids!

I wish I had a book club like my friend Chantel does…there is one at the Library that I might join…mostly just chicken about it! I just need to do it once and see if there are people there that I gel with I guess and go from there. Who knows? Maybe I’ll even make a new friend! Edited to add: the day I posted this I got an email inviting me to a Grande Prairie Mommy Book Club. I'm biting the bullet and signing up! YAY!!!

So? What’s on your book list? I love recommendations! Chantel sent me home with a list the other day that I can’t wait to work through! Anyone else have any they love and want to share with me?

~I read a book from cover to cover in 1 DAY!!!~

 

The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards was a thought provoking look at a mans struggle to keep a dark secret from his wife.  It starts out with her giving birth to twins.  She is told that her daughter dies.  In truth, her husband; a doctor, realizes that she has Down Syndrome and sends her off to live in an institution.  Her life leads her down a different path and the book goes through how that single decision impacted the lives of countless people, and most of all himself. 

I confess to not being able to put it down.  The words flowed well and the story was so well written I felt like I was a part of it.  I will be looking in to more work by Kim Edwards since this one was such a page turner!

I’m so glad to have gotten in a book to read while at home on my last week of holidays!  I have 7 more sitting here from the library to read right now also!  Guess I have some more to do!