The Glory of Green

Lois and Chris are finally getting married!  It's a beautiful spring day in Green, Louisiana, and everyone is so excited to attend the wedding they've been waiting for.  Within minutes of Chris and Lois being pronounced man and wife, a tornado hits, and their world is turned upside down.  In The Glory of Green, Lois struggles with the joys of being a newlywed, the stress of rebuilding, and the sorrow of losing loved ones.

What I liked about this book:  It's short, sweet, to the point, and I couldn't put it down (which is why I like that it is less than 300 pages!).  It's a story about strength, hope, and faith, as are all the books in the Green series.

What I didn't like about this book:  It was too short, and it made me jealous of Lois' life!  Don't tell my husband, but I think I'm in love with a Coach Chris Craig!

This series deserves to be read, and you deserve to read it.

Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II

Yesterday, I reviewed Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq & Afghanistan. Today, I'm telling you about a similar book, Stories of Faith and Courage from World War II.

Each page will bring you a new story and corresponding scripture.  Along with the true stories told, the book is also filled with maps, summaries, and photos that brings a new and unique look at the history of WWII.

Truly an uplifting and inspirational book filled with first hand accounts from soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen hanging on and turning to their faith when facing and enduring the most horrific circumstances.

Copy provided by publisher for review.

Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq & Afghanistan

We've all seen and possibly read daily devotional books, calendars, etc.  Stories of Faith and Courage from the War in Iraq and Afghanistan is so much more than the average daily. 

Every day, there is a new story from those who personally witnessed the 9/11 attacks, deployed soldiers, chaplains, military wives and parents, organizers of humanitarian efforts, and veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.  With each story, you will also find a prayer and corresponding scripture.

This is a wonderfully inspirational book, and I truly appreciated being able to read the first hand accounts from so many remarkable men and women.

Copy provided by publisher for review.

Goodness Gracious Green

Journalist Lois Barker has decided to stay in Green, Louisiana to run the newspaper she has inherited.  In Goodness Gracious Green, she begins to question that decision when someone sets multiple fires at the newspaper office, and even burns down the garage at her house. 

Lois also gets served with a lawsuit, trying to take the newspaper away from her.  With the support of friends, the comfort of a budding relationship, and a tip from an unexpected source, Lois is ready to fight tooth and nail for the life she has grown to love.

I enjoyed the second book in the Green series just as much as the first.  Judy Christie is great at keeping the story going and keeping the reader interested.  If you're looking for a new series to read, this is a good one!

The Oriental Wife

The Oriental Wife begins in 1930's Nuremberg, and tells the story of two Jewish children, Louisa and Rolf, who flee Hilter's Germany.  They spend the next several years struggling to put down new roots and begin rebuilding their lives.

When Louisa travels to New York, she meets up again with Rolf.  They soon fall in love with each other, and begin planning the rest of their lives together in America.  Just as it looks as though they'll live out the rest of the their days living the American dream, a freak accident and a betrayal shatters the life that they hold so dear.

I honestly can't say that I loved this book, but I can say that I disliked it, either.  It took me a little while to get into it, but then I had a hard time putting it down...until I got to Part 3.  That's where the author started to lose me again.  While it was nice to know where Louisa and Rolf ended up, the whole Emma story line was a bit much.  I skipped large chunks of that story line because it felt as though the author was trying to add in a whole new story.

All in all, I'm glad I took the time to read The Oriental Wife.  However, I don't think this is one that I'll be reading again.

Copy provided by publisher for review.

Gone to Green

Lois Barker is a journalist working for a Dayton newspaper.  When she inherits a newspaper in a small north-Louisiana town, she puts her life on hold for a year till she can sell that newspaper and return to Dayton.

I knew nothing about this series when I started reading Gone to Green.  I read it because amazon.com had offered the second book in the series for free on the Kindle, so I figured I may as well start at the beginning.

I had no idea what to expect, but I am so glad I decided to read it.  When I started, I was worried this would be the typical big city girl moves to a small country town story.  While that is the basis of the story line, the story itself is great.

Sometimes it's nice to be able to pick up a good book and get through it in a day or two without my neglected laundry and dishes taking over the whole house.  At less than 300 pages each, the Green books are perfect for curling up in my chair for a couple of hours and enjoy a good book.

I look forward to continuing this series.

Smokin' Seventeen

Stephanie and Lula are back!  In Smokin' Seventeen, somebody is dumping bodies in the bail bonds office lot.  A couple of them even have a note for Stephanie.  Between trying to capture FTA's, deciding between Ranger and Morelli, avoiding at least 2 people who have threatened to kill her, and trying to get rid of the latest guy her mom set her up with, Stephanie is trying to keep her sanity.

I was quite entertained by this latest installment, although it could be a fairly predictable at times.  I also didn't really care for the Stephanie/Morelli/Ranger story line in this book.  I think it's time for Ms. Plum to make her choice and stick with it, instead of turning her into a floozy. Lula and Grandma Mazur are still the same wacky women that provide quite a bit of comic relief. 

Like the previous 16 books in the series, I found the book to be an easy, quick, and entertaining read.  If you're looking for a laugh, and have enjoyed the series so far, you'll enjoy this book, too.

 

The Last Letter From Your Lover

In the fall of 1960, Jennifer Stirling wakes up in the hospital with no memory of her past.  Until she regains her memory, Jennifer relies on what she is told by her friends and family, and her gut feelings.  More questions are raised when she finds a love letter that was obviously written to her, and was obviously not from her husband.

The Last Letter from your Lover is a love story than spans more than 40 years.  At times, I found the story predictable, and it wasn't till I was almost half-way through that I had a hard time putting the book down.  The author almost lost me when she skipped ahead 40 years, but quickly regained my interest.

All in all, I enjoyed the book.  It was a nice, easy read, but I'll warn you - if you don't pay attention to the dates at the beginning of the chapters, you could get a little confused!

Although it was released in the UK sometime last year, The Last Letter from your Lover releases in the US July 7th.  Perfect timing for a great summer read!

Copy provided by publisher for review.

Growing Up Amish

At 2:00 in the morning, 17-year-old Ira Wagler tucks a note under his pillow, and leaves home.  He spends the next decade struggling to find himself and his place in the world.

I really enjoyed Growing Up Amish.  I didn't know much about the Amish world, and found that at least some of my assumptions were wrong.  Author Ira Wagler gives us a peek into a lifestyle that most of us would otherwise know nothing about.

Mr. Wagler takes us along on his journey trying to figure out if he belongs in the Amish world or the English world.  He shows us the love, forgiveness, and strict structure of the Amish families and their church.

I found this book quite easy to read in that it flowed from chapter to chapter well.  I had to put it down for 5 days while I was away chaperoning a camp.  When I picked it back up, I was able to jump right back in without having to go back for reminders of what had happened.

Growing Up Amish is a great book for summer, and is on bookshelves today!

Advance copy provided by publisher for review.