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cgj13's reviews
588 reviews
The Illustrated Book of Sayings: Curious Expressions from Around the World by Ella Frances Sanders
4.0
Luck, Love & Lemon Pie by Amy E. Reichert
3.0
This was a bit more dull of a novel than I expected. I was completely captivated by the authors debut "The Coincidence of Coconut Cake" I expected more of that here, but found the spark and missing. But then again, this is a completely different story.
Here we follow MJ as she and her husband are distancing themselves from each other after 20 years of marriage. She blames him and then in her attempt to reconnect with him via poker, she dives into the world of poker playing. She herself ends up distancing herself from her entire family as she finds this as her escape.
The last third of the book is what I was looking for the entire time. Its here where we really get to see MJ really evaluating her life and marriage. We see her passion, not just her escape. Even though she comes close to having an affair, we see that she has been living a dormant life and really needed to reconnect that with her husband.
Here we follow MJ as she and her husband are distancing themselves from each other after 20 years of marriage. She blames him and then in her attempt to reconnect with him via poker, she dives into the world of poker playing. She herself ends up distancing herself from her entire family as she finds this as her escape.
The last third of the book is what I was looking for the entire time. Its here where we really get to see MJ really evaluating her life and marriage. We see her passion, not just her escape. Even though she comes close to having an affair, we see that she has been living a dormant life and really needed to reconnect that with her husband.
Better Than New: Lessons I've Learned from Saving Old Homes (and How They Saved Me) by Nicole Curtis
4.0
I loved watching the Minneapolis shows of Rehab Addict and loved Nicole Curtis, so when this came across my hands at work, I thought--Why Not?
And I'm glad I did. She writes just like she is in her show. In this book she gives a bit of background to her life prior to the show. Her midwestern values of working hard. Nicole is definitely a strong, determined, honest, independent woman. She knows what she wants, and works towards that goal. Always looking to the what is possible, not what is going wrong.
It was interesting to learn the events that lead to the Rehab Addict show. Balanced with stories of her real life along side.
If you are a fan of the show, you should read this.
If you are a fan of women who are strong, powerful, resilient then you should definitely read this.
And I'm glad I did. She writes just like she is in her show. In this book she gives a bit of background to her life prior to the show. Her midwestern values of working hard. Nicole is definitely a strong, determined, honest, independent woman. She knows what she wants, and works towards that goal. Always looking to the what is possible, not what is going wrong.
It was interesting to learn the events that lead to the Rehab Addict show. Balanced with stories of her real life along side.
If you are a fan of the show, you should read this.
If you are a fan of women who are strong, powerful, resilient then you should definitely read this.
The Simplicity of Cider by Amy E. Reichert
5.0
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Net Galley.
Love, love, love. Amy Reichert's third book is the best yet. She masterfully weaves the developing story with hints of the backstory for all of the characters.
The story is told through alternating view points of Sanna and Issac.
Sanna has grown up living on an apple orchard with her father. Her mother left when she was young and her brother moved away after college. She loves spending her day in the simplicity of the chores of the orchard and developing cider. She has chosen this path as a haven. Isolating and protecting herself from get hurt. Hardening her heart as a means. She lacklusterly "dates" the boy next door.
Issac is from California, and has run away with his son, Sebastian, for the summer. He is running away from the death of his ex-wife, who we find out was addicted to drugs. Issac has not yet told Sebastian and hopes to have one last summer of youth for him before his life is forever changed.
Issac finds himself in Door County and taking a job at the orchard. From there the attraction between him and Sanna grows, with both of them trying to deny it.
When an outside firm comes in and tries to purchase the orchard to build a waterpark/hotel (YUCK--seriously I would hate to see this in Door County). The layered storylines of Sanna and her family are slowly revealed to us. Sanna starts to open her eyes to the truth of life around her.
And we see a small cameo of Lou and Al from "The Coincidence of Coconut Cake" The book that started my love affair for Amy Reichert's writing.
I loved the way Amy Reichert slowly revealed the past, while creating the tension and suspense of the present day story. No too sugary sweet.
Love, love, love. Amy Reichert's third book is the best yet. She masterfully weaves the developing story with hints of the backstory for all of the characters.
The story is told through alternating view points of Sanna and Issac.
Sanna has grown up living on an apple orchard with her father. Her mother left when she was young and her brother moved away after college. She loves spending her day in the simplicity of the chores of the orchard and developing cider. She has chosen this path as a haven. Isolating and protecting herself from get hurt. Hardening her heart as a means. She lacklusterly "dates" the boy next door.
Issac is from California, and has run away with his son, Sebastian, for the summer. He is running away from the death of his ex-wife, who we find out was addicted to drugs. Issac has not yet told Sebastian and hopes to have one last summer of youth for him before his life is forever changed.
Issac finds himself in Door County and taking a job at the orchard. From there the attraction between him and Sanna grows, with both of them trying to deny it.
When an outside firm comes in and tries to purchase the orchard to build a waterpark/hotel (YUCK--seriously I would hate to see this in Door County). The layered storylines of Sanna and her family are slowly revealed to us. Sanna starts to open her eyes to the truth of life around her.
And we see a small cameo of Lou and Al from "The Coincidence of Coconut Cake" The book that started my love affair for Amy Reichert's writing.
I loved the way Amy Reichert slowly revealed the past, while creating the tension and suspense of the present day story. No too sugary sweet.
Dream Animals: A Bedtime Journey by Emily Winfield Martin
4.0
Beautiful dreamy illustrations for a bed time story.
Animals whisk you away to the jungle, the sea, or the stars.
Animals whisk you away to the jungle, the sea, or the stars.
No One Is Coming to Save Us by Stephanie Powell Watts
3.0
Meh.
Read more like a chronology of events and thoughts than a compelling novel. Not to say it wasn't interesting, but there wasn't a spark or a pull to make it feel like I was being drawn into the story.
Of course, it has been touted as an updated twist on The Great Gatsby, which I have never read (GASP!), so it might be just as it's supposed to be. And don't be fooled by the inside cover description. Well true, it isn't an accurate representation of the story within.
The story centers around Sylvia and Ava's lives, mother and daughter. Set in Pinewood, NC, where the furniture industry is quickly shuttering its doors and leaving all the shift workers in a poorer state than they were before. They live in the run down parts of town at the base of the hill where the rich white homeowners live, in sight of what they cannot have, and know they will never be able to even desire. Ava, being the next generation, has made her way into a pretty good career in banking, but is stuck in the traditions of marriage that were passed down to her from the generation before. Ava eventually breaks free from this way of living and "saves" herself. To move beyond history repeating itself, and writing her own story.
"But soon and in clearer moments she knew she had made her own choice not to lose him or at least not to lose all of her memories of him. She wanted the past where they lived and struggled and loved each other. A past couldn't and shouldn't be erased. The possibility of the past, if it is a good one, or even if it has good moments, is that it can be alive, if you let it. All of it alive, not just the terror, but the beauty too. And the young encompassing and smothering love she'd felt for her lovely man--all that alive too. Otherwise all those years, her years, her life had not meant a thing.
There is tons of truth in this story.
How you can love someone, even when they change and you change, even when they do things that hurt you.
How all the money in the world can not solve the loneliness in your soul.
How even though you have failed before, you get up and keep trying.
These three things are the biggest lessons I will take from this book.
Read more like a chronology of events and thoughts than a compelling novel. Not to say it wasn't interesting, but there wasn't a spark or a pull to make it feel like I was being drawn into the story.
Of course, it has been touted as an updated twist on The Great Gatsby, which I have never read (GASP!), so it might be just as it's supposed to be. And don't be fooled by the inside cover description. Well true, it isn't an accurate representation of the story within.
The story centers around Sylvia and Ava's lives, mother and daughter. Set in Pinewood, NC, where the furniture industry is quickly shuttering its doors and leaving all the shift workers in a poorer state than they were before. They live in the run down parts of town at the base of the hill where the rich white homeowners live, in sight of what they cannot have, and know they will never be able to even desire. Ava, being the next generation, has made her way into a pretty good career in banking, but is stuck in the traditions of marriage that were passed down to her from the generation before. Ava eventually breaks free from this way of living and "saves" herself. To move beyond history repeating itself, and writing her own story.
"But soon and in clearer moments she knew she had made her own choice not to lose him or at least not to lose all of her memories of him. She wanted the past where they lived and struggled and loved each other. A past couldn't and shouldn't be erased. The possibility of the past, if it is a good one, or even if it has good moments, is that it can be alive, if you let it. All of it alive, not just the terror, but the beauty too. And the young encompassing and smothering love she'd felt for her lovely man--all that alive too. Otherwise all those years, her years, her life had not meant a thing.
There is tons of truth in this story.
How you can love someone, even when they change and you change, even when they do things that hurt you.
How all the money in the world can not solve the loneliness in your soul.
How even though you have failed before, you get up and keep trying.
These three things are the biggest lessons I will take from this book.
Animal Ark: Celebrating Our Wild World in Poetry and Pictures by Deanna Nikaido, Kwame Alexander, Mary Rand Hess
5.0
Stunning, Stunning, Amazing, Stunning
Joel Sartore's photographs are absolutely breathtaking. They capture the beauty of each animal. Including snakes and insects. You can almost visualize each animal's persona.
Paired with Kwame Alexander's haikus, this book is sure to delight children, as well as their caregivers.
Joel goes on to explain the Photo Ark effort, emploring people to care for and help conserve and protect our vulnerable species.
Joel Sartore's photographs are absolutely breathtaking. They capture the beauty of each animal. Including snakes and insects. You can almost visualize each animal's persona.
Paired with Kwame Alexander's haikus, this book is sure to delight children, as well as their caregivers.
Joel goes on to explain the Photo Ark effort, emploring people to care for and help conserve and protect our vulnerable species.
Sweet, Savory, and Sometimes Boozy Cupcakes by Alison Riede
This was a library copy. I did a browse through. So many delicious recipies. I have not made any, but I want to purchase this book.
Written by a winner of Cupcake Wars
Written by a winner of Cupcake Wars
The Day I Died by Lori Rader-Day
4.0
On the run.
That is how Anna and Joshua have spent the last 13+ years. From an abusive relationship with Joshua's father. Most recently, she finds herself in Parks, Indiana. Along the way, she has gain the skill of handwriting analysis. This is how she got involved in the case of a kidnapped toddler. With mounting fear of being found, Anna attempts to distance herself from this case, and the local sheriff, who keeps pulling her in to police work. At the same time, tension is growing between her and Joshua. Is it just normal teen behavior, or is it something more.
That is how Anna and Joshua have spent the last 13+ years. From an abusive relationship with Joshua's father. Most recently, she finds herself in Parks, Indiana. Along the way, she has gain the skill of handwriting analysis. This is how she got involved in the case of a kidnapped toddler. With mounting fear of being found, Anna attempts to distance herself from this case, and the local sheriff, who keeps pulling her in to police work. At the same time, tension is growing between her and Joshua. Is it just normal teen behavior, or is it something more.