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.