rich2023's reviews
192 reviews

Marrying Mandy by Melanie D. Snitker

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5.0

This was a delightful read! Throughout the story, you can see how God’s sovereignty was displayed. 

What I liked about this story: 
-Preston is a sweetheart. He was patient and a good friend to Mandy. 
-The letter Mandy’s grandmother wrote
-Preston’s kind and thoughtfulness towards Mandy

Favorite quote “Never doubt you are loved and cherished, my precious granddaughter”. 

This was just an overall sweet story. 
Beachside Kisses With My Bodyguard by Kristin Canary

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lighthearted

3.0

Cute book!
One thing I didn’t like is that the characters had to share one bed/hotel room.
Home Front by Kristin Hannah

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emotional reflective sad tense

4.0

-This is my first book by Kristin Hannah and I enjoyed this story. I did cry while reading this book. This book dealt with a lot of complex topics. This book dealt with war and the effects it has on people. It dealt with PTSD. 

-The friendship between Jolene and Tami was sweet. I liked how they had each others back. It was good to see Jolene grow in how she dealt with hurt and sadness. At first, she would choose happiness and avoid difficult conversations. She would move on when others hurt her. Jolene smiled even when she was hurting inside before being deployed.

-Michael was a piece of work! He was selfish and he let his grief overtake him. He was not kind to Jolene, even when she came home from the war, he wasn’t patient with her. I felt that he could have been more gracious to Jolene before and after her deployment. I wished that Michael would have stayed even though Jolene asked him to leave. He should have stayed. It was good to see the happy ending for the couple. The case he had really helped him to see his wife. The case helped him to get a glimpse of what war does to soldiers. 

I’m not a wife or mom yet but I felt that Jolene had more pressure on her than Michael did. The family wasn’t as compassionate towards Jolene. I feel that Michael would drink and work and not show up for his family because he was grieving. I guess what I am trying to say is that Jolene should have been giving more grace and space to really grief. I think there was a lot of expectation for her to just push through the pain. 

- One thing I didn’t understand is why wasn’t the alcohol taken out of the house. Stop buying wine and alcohol! 

-I really liked when Jolene visited Sarah in the hospital. She didn’t try out to give out shiny optimism. 
“She couldn’t tell this girl, this solider,how to handle her life or her injury or her marriage.All she could do was be here, standing as tall as she knew how and hope that down the road, this would be remembered, as she remembered the woman who had stood by her bedside in Germany, all those months ago.” 

- This book made think about how communication is key in a relationship, especially in marriage. 

Warnings: There is a lot of coarse language in the book. There is on sexual act between a husband and a wife. 

Concerns: Conny was the only black character in the story and the adjectives used to describe him made me feel weird. The word dark was to describe Conny.
Risking Love by Toni Shiloh

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emotional hopeful inspiring reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I was excited to read Shorty and Nikki’s love story.
What I loved About This Book:
1. How Shorty prayed before he made a decision.
2. Shorty is so sweet, kind and demonstrates Christ like patience in his relationship with Nikki.
3. There are more things I loved but I don’t want to spoil the book. 

Take a Chance on Me by Susan May Warren

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 78%.
The book was too wordy. I would have like for it to focus on one couple Ivy and Darek. The next book could have been about Jensen and Claire. I loved the letter that Darek mom wrote at the beginning of the story. I guess I just wasn’t invested in the story. There were parts that I enjoyed.
Three Keys by Kelly Yang

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Did not finish book. Stopped at 51%.
I couldn’t finish the book because there was a mention of Buddha posters, praying to laundry gods and school gods.  
Enduring Love by Toni Shiloh

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emotional hopeful reflective
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I enjoyed this story. God has gifted Toni Shiloh with the gift of writing beautiful relatable stories ! I like how her stories deal with real life issues and it points the reader  to God. As always, the characters grow in their walk with God. ❤️
The character Mrs. Williams cracks me up!
Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

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informative

3.0

As I was reading this book, I kept thinking about Psalm 139: 13-14. God created us with different temperates: introversion and extroversion. Both temperates have pros and cons. We need both introverts and extroverts to survive. (These are my personal thought and were not necessarily mentioned in the book.)
The Maid by Nita Prose

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3.0

I was not expecting that twist. Molly shocked me. I’m at a loss for words with that ending. 

This was an overall ok book but that ending! There are a few cuss words but they don’t take away from the story.

*I didn’t like how Molly was living with her boyfriend at the end of the book. *