Little Rain Drop - Dr. Jeff Taylor

A friend gave me this book to read.  I was really interested in reading this because my sister was adopted from South Korea when she was 16 months old (I was 10).  I was pretty young when we adopted her and so I don't remember a lot of the process or really knew what all went into getting my sister from Korea to the United States.  My parents never visited South Korea as she was brought directly to the United States. 

I remember the first time we saw her, in the unclaimed baggage area at the airport (some paperwork was messed up and her dates were not given correctly).  She was typing away on a keyboard in a bright yellow jogging suit with only one shoe on.  She screamed the entire ride home.

What we didn't know is that in her 16 months in her foster home, she'd never encountered men (probably only doctors who hurt her) and so she was deathly afraid of my dad.  It took him several months to win her over (cookies and yogurt).

I also thought the author's insight into the birth mother and how hard a choice she had to make to give up a child and what a blessing and gift it was to his family.  He compared it to the love of God and how he gave up HIS son for us.  That we are all "adopted" to God when we make the choice to follow and serve him. 

Beautifully written and great for someone interested in adopting or someone wanting a first hand account of what it's like to adopt from a father's point of view.

Luckiest Girl Alive - Jessica Knoll

Ani is a narcissistic, controlling wench.  I didn't like her character for a long time.  It took until the middle of the book for pieces to start coming together to explain why she was the way she was.  My gosh!  I don't think I can blame her!  I still don't know that I ever "liked" her character (but I don't really think you were supposed to) and in the end she was still "out to get everyone".  I can't imagine living her life or her experiences but I also can't imagine living in fear and feeling as though I must control everything and everyone around me in order to create a sense of balance.

The Feathered Bone - Julie Cantrell

Wow!!  I wasn't prepared for this book.  It wasn't at all what I had expected.  It's real, heavy, gritty and deals with real world situations.  This book is incredibly emotional and at some points I was afraid to continue.  I was afraid because the situations were so real.  I can't even imagine putting myself in these situations, yet there I was, front and center.  It was raw and emotional.

Amanda chaperone's a field trip with her daughter and her best friend's class to Mardi Gras museum.  The unthinkable happens when Sarah disappears.  After Sarah disappears we live through Amanda, Ellie (her best friend) and Sarah's parents as they try to navigate life not knowing what's happened to Sarah.  Amanda's relationship with her husband, daughter and friends fall apart.  Amanda and Ellie both live with guilt (Amanda over the fact she lost her best friend's daughter and Ellie over survivors guilt).  Amanda tries so hard to put the pieces of their life back together, the way it was.  Her husband completely distances himself from the family and falls in love with a younger woman.

Ellie's life is never the same.  She's filled with survivors guilt and wondering where Sarah is.  After she two years she does the unthinkable.  She ends her suffering by blowing her brains out in her bedroom. 

This is the last straw for Amanda and Carl's marriage.  He's completely unemotional about the loss of his daughter and his marriage.  Amanda is left the pick up the pieces yet again and she turns numb and robot like.  She can barely navigate each day after loosing Ellie, Sarah and now her husband.
When Sarah is finally found and the realization of what she lived those years and her strength is amazing.  She kept going all because she believed that she was loved and was worthy.  My heart breaks for what she endured and in total owe by her faith, even in the darkest of situations.

This book has changed me.  I can't imagine living through ANY of these situations as a parent or a friend.  I strive to have the kind of Faith and complete trust in God that Sarah has.  I want to read it again and share it because I truly feel it is a powerful book that deals with real situations and real emotions.  You wont come out the same person after reading this..  You can't.

Wherever there is Light - Peter Golden

I really enjoyed this book and the characters.  I can't imagine what it would of been like as a black woman in the 1930's/40's and wanting to be more than just a "slave" or being owned by someone.  Kendell wanted to make a name for herself as a person.  Photography became her passion.  She was amazing at telling the story of a person or situation through her craft.  She falls in love with Julian, a white, Jewish man.  Sadly, she can't allow the love that she has for him to complicate or throw her life off track.  She fights his love for years.  She wont allow him to "control" her (though he never tries to). 
I felt so sad for them both.  All the years they spent "together" but never together.  Julian later marries, has a daughter and tragedy strikes.  In the back of his mind (and heart), Kendell still holds a place.  One can never turn back the hands of time and I loved the ending quote "Yet as she clung to him, Julian understood that Kendall wept for him and Bobby too - because there was no adequate payment for all that they had lost - and so Julian joined her, their sobs echoing in the garage, both of them weeping as if they wished that their tears could conquer time."  What an amazing summary for time and of life. 
Can't wait to discuss this with the rest of the Pulpwood Queen's at our monthly meeting!

Break My Fall (fall #2) - Jessica Scott

 

I loved this book!!! It feels different from past books. Josh is recently out of the Army but has no idea how to be a civilian. He is trying to go to college but feels out of place. He fights the demons from his time at war and some personal issues. He finds it hard to socialize and adjust to not being part of the army.

Abby is beautiful, amazing and also fights her own demons. She is in college and completely focused on her studies and future. She's been burned in the past by boyfriends and abusive men her mother dated after he father was killed.

I love the internal struggles they both have. Ironically they are similar in their struggles. I also love the fact we have a white man with an African American woman. This brings up issues with race and prejudices (ironically Abby's parents were the same way). Both characters experienced big growth within themselves and together as a couple. They both had to deal with their past to heal their future!

Never Never Part 3 - Colleen Hoover and Tarryn Fisher

I was so excited this morning when I get up and this was on my Kindle!  I devoured this 3rd part in just a few hours.  I loved that we picked up where we left off, but we figure out that Silas hasn't lost his memories this time.  He's realized Charlie still doesn't have her memories and the timer is on.  He has 48 hours to make her fall in love with him again.  He plays a game with her called "Silas Says".  These things make her do outrageous things, things she used to love about him.  Charlie realizes the truth about her father and how he isn't the man she thought he was.  They both realize they have been raised up "privileged" and neither one really respects each other.  We spend a furious 48 hours learning so much and allowing Charlie to fall back in love with Silas.  Does she find that love she needs to retain her memories? 

Only Forever (Book #4) - Cristin Harber

I loved the ending of this series.  Emma has hid her biggest secret from Grayson (and her family) and it might be a deal breaker.  She finds herself in series trouble and has to ask Grayson to save her, even if he is mad.  Together, they figure out the mess she is in and how to live as a family.  Grayson works through his past and realizes he isn't to blame for his childhood, the death of his mother or the death of his father (or the man he was).  He's not like his father in any way.  He's finally able to be the man he's wanted to be for Emma and Cally. 

Only For Us (Book #3) - Cristin Harber

Book 3 picks up where 2 left off.  Emma and Grayson have to deal with their past together as a couple and individually.  Emma's family (excluding her mother) takes a while to come around to the fact that Grayson is back and he means to stay.  They have a lot to work through, including trust issues.  In the end, they find a new found love and respect for each and Grayson falls in love again... twice.

Only For Her (Book #2) - Cristin Harber

The 2nd book continues where the first one left off.  Three years later after Grayson has left Emma.  She now has a daughter (HIS daughter) and she thinks he's died in the war.  She's working 3 jobs (one of which has her stripping and dancing) and going to school full time.  She's determined to make the best life for her daughter, the one thing she has of Grayson.  She's completely focused herself on her schooling and her daughter, which has left her no time for other romance.  Her heart still belongs to Grayson.
Grayson doesn't die!  He comes back and fights for her.  He's determined the right the wrongs of the past 3 years (and before).  He soon learns he has a daughter.  Her name is Cally (named after his mother, who he blames himself for her death).  Again, he's forced to relieve his past and deal with those things he's tried so hard to run from.  His abusive father, the death of his mother and the girl he loves.
Shit, shoot, shit!  Oh my!

Only For Him (Book #1) - Cristin Harber

I picked this book up on netgalley last year but for whatever reason I didn't get around to reading it until now.  I was hooked from the very beginning.  I didn't realize how much I enjoy the YA/ New Adult storylines.  I felt a connection with Emma and Grayson.  I was sucked into the storyline before I even realized it.  Their love for each other was instance, though either one was willing to admit or act on it.  I loved that Gray was damaged and came from a broken family.  Emma is perfect in so many ways and he needs that.. he needs her.  His ability to get through the "crap" in his day revolves around her and she doesn't even know it.  I was torn into pieces at the cliffhanger and couldn't believe he just left.  But, you can't blame him.  He felt he could never be what she wanted or what she deserved.

A Prince in Plain Sight (Happyily Ever After book #2) - LuAnn McLane

This book picks up where the first book leaves off.  Nick has left suddenly and Anna Lee is left to pick up the pieces of her broken heart.  Just when she thinks she might of mended her broken heart, Nick shows back up and reveals his big "secret".  Her hand is forced into helping Nick and hiding him "in plain sight".  She looses her heart to him again and just as quickly as he came, he leaves again.  This time she's been taken to him and finds out the best news of all.  I would say the cover to this book, should probably be the cover for the NEXT book. 

Donbridge: The Miracles of Midwife Sutton (Novella #3) - RD Vincent

This is my favorite of the 3 books so far.  Maybe because there was more "meat" to the story.  I love Sarah's story from when she was a little girl and "tinkering" with her father.  She grows up to be an amazing Midwife and helps to save her small town.  I also love the "lesson" that is taught to Michael by his grandmother about him being the miracle of his grandfather who was tragically killed. 

Donbridge: The Witch of Tamarack Hill (Novella #2) - RD Vincent

 

This book is almost a "prequel" to the first as we go back into time.  We learn more about Sarah and Lavinia.  I love RD Vincent's ability to tell a story.  He can create such a great picture in my mind I can imagine the folklore as if it's happening.  I love the magic and the mysteriousness about the stories.

Donbridge: The Ring of Lazarus by RD Vincent (Novella #1)

This was a short novella.  It reminded me of a "ghost" story we would sit around and tell each other as kiddos at a sleepover.  Lots of mystery, magic and folk lore. 

A Reason to Stay - Kellie Coates Gilbert (3 book in Texas Gold Series)

I really liked this book. It is very different from the first two in the series (please note that all the books are stand alone books and you don't need to read them in order). This book is told in two settings. One before the accident and one after the accident. I love that you bounce back and forth between the two time periods to fill in the gaps. You don't have all the information to start with and it allows you to gradually learn all the details while trying to understand the circumstances.   I really liked this book. It is very different from the first two in the series (please note that all the books are stand alone books and you don't need to read them in order). This book is told in two settings. One before the accident and one after the accident. I love that you bounce back and forth between the two time periods to fill in the gaps. You don't have all the information to start with and it allows you to gradually learn all the details while trying to understand the circumstances. Faith was an amazing woman, though it took her a while to figure it out. She is worthy of love and attention even though she didn't get that from her family when she was younger. She grows by leaps and bounds in her personal life, career, love life and her walk with God. She so desperately wanted to plan things (to a "T") and life doesn't work that way. I often find myself in the same boat when trying to do things "my" way. I also appreciated the author notes and understanding where the idea of the story came from. What an amazing testimony to life and being resilient. Life is hard work and so is love. You have to work at both. Some days you get it right and some days you don't. But you get up the next day and you try again. Through it all, God is always faithful even when it feels like your world is falling apart.

Molly Crabapple - Drawing Blood book review.

I didn't love this book but nor did I hate it. I liked being inside the world of an artist and "seeing" how she viewed the world. I sometimes felt manic in her writing. She had some really great highs and then some really low lows. I can't understand some of her life choices but I think that is what drew me to the book. I could live inside her world while being safe in mine. I can't imagine being all the places she has been and all the experiences! Her drawings are amazing and she is incredibly talented. Her drawings tell so much of her story and who she is as a person. It is a way for her to rationalize what isn't really rational.  Art was an outlet for her.  She didn't seem to have much guidance when she was young as her parents were rather free and "hippie" like.  Somewhere along the way she found herself and who she is as a person.  Her art speaks volumes about her and her life experiences.