book reviews

What Are You…Wednesday

January 4, 2017 By kelly 4 Comments

Welcome to my first “What are you…?” Wednesday. I plan on making this a regular theme for Wednesdays. Posts will be anything from what are you wearing, to what are you cooking/eating, to what are you reading, listening to, thinking about, etc. I think this is a fun way to engage in conversation, share ideas and thoughts, etc. I hope you’ll join me in this.

My first “What are you…?” of 2017 is — What are you reading?

Here’s where I confess that I am in a reading slump. I absolutely LOVE to read, but I’ve been in a real slump lately, so I’m hoping y’all will post with some suggestions to get my nose in a book again. My favorite genre is southern fiction and I also tend to lean toward Christian fiction. Full disclosure, I don’t tend to like books with excessive foul language, “adult” situations, violence, etc. Moderation is okay, but I just tend to lean toward books with less of those elements. You know, personal preference and all. (wink)

Since I’m not currently reading anything, so I’ll share three of my favorite reads from last year. I am sharing links from Amazon because that’s easy. I don’t receive any affiliation funds from any book seller at this time.

The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines

I just adore Chip and Joanna! Fixer Upper is so much fun to watch not only because they are incredibly talented at renovating homes (and I wish they’d come do mine), but also because they are just so genuine. I also admire the way they live out their faith and encourage people. (Side note, take a few minutes to read Chip’s New Year’s Revelation blog post. It’s awesome!) This book was a fun, easy read. My sweet Gran also read it and loved it! If you like the show and admire these two as much as I did, read this book. You’ll be glad you did!

Long Way Gone by Charles Martin

Charles Martin is definitely my favorite author. I’ve read all of his books, several more than twice, and you can bet that when he has a new one coming out, I’ve got it on pre-order. In fact, I probably have a pre-order of the Kindle version so I get it quicker and the hard copy so I have it in my collection. I just love his writing and always look forward to a new Charles Martin novel. This book is, in essence, a modern day telling of the prodigal son and Charles does a beautiful job with a story that doesn’t sugar coat reality, but also reveals the beauty of grace. As always, highly recommended!

Time is a River by Mary Alice Monroe

I randomly found this book at Goodwill and I’m so glad I did. I read it during our beach trip in September and really enjoyed it. Like I said above, I enjoy good southern fiction and this book fit the bill well. I really liked her strong character development in the female characters.

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So, what are y’all reading these days? Please post comments and give me some book recommendations. I am really yearning to get lost in a great read! Help me out with suggestions?

Best,
Kel

Book Review: A Life Intercepted by Charles Martin

September 8, 2014 By kelly Leave a Comment

I am writing this review fresh on the heels of attending a book signing event at which I finally got to meet one of my favorite authors, Charles Martin. I just finished his latest novel, A Life Intercepted, last night, so the book signing was well timed for me. It was my very first book signing and I enjoyed it tremendously. It reminded me of just how much I adore small bookstores and how much I enjoy having an actual book in my hands. I love reading and always have, but I have been addicted to e-reading on my Kindle the last few years. It’s fast, it’s less expensive…what’s not to love? BUT, then there are bookstores. Maybe they are a bit old fashioned, but that’s okay with me. I rediscovered a love tonight for locally owned book stores and I will surely be back there. It was wonderful! The two authors present were Lisa Patton and, of course, Charles Martin. I had never read any of Ms. Patton’s books previously, but I left with a signed copy of her first novel, Whistlin’ Dixie in a Nor’Easter, and I can hardly wait to get started on it. I have read all of Charles Martin’s books already, some more than once, and I also left with a signed copy of A Life Intercepted. Both authors were just wonderful to hear and meet in person and I’m thankful I had the opportunity to be there this evening.

So, back to the book review…

A Life Intercepted is Charles Martin’s tenth novel and it does not disappoint. It was one of those books that I wanted to pace myself to read through slowly, but, at the same time, I didn’t want to put it down. It was such a powerful and amazing read all the way through. I was engaged from start to finish. There were moments when I had tears, there were moments when I had smiles and there were moments when I just felt my heart being pulled all over the place, but in the best of ways. Once again, Charles Martin’s writing style drew me into his characters and their situations. I was invested all the way through the book. And, it didn’t let me down for a single second. Every page, every chapter was just as riveting as the one before and after it.

I hesitate to talk too much about the story lines because, well, I just don’t want to give anything away. I can tell you that there are elements that deal with football, with personal identity, with loss, with redemption and, of course, with love. And, as with every Charles Martin book there is an element of faith intricately woven into the stories. He doesn’t preach and he never gets cheesy, he’s just real and you feel the depth of his own personal faith in his writing and in the fiber of his characters. As my friend Debbie and I agreed in talking about his books, you come away from reading one of his books wanting to be a better person. That says a lot. Books that captivate your attention, get you emotionally invested AND leave you with lessons to apply to your own life? Those are excellent books. And, those are the essence of Charles Martin’s writing.

I absolutely recommend this novel to anyone. It’s a truly wonderful read. If you’ve never read Charles Martin before, start with this one. Work your way through the other nine novels. Then, do me a favor, won’t you? Come back and tell me how much you enjoy them. Because I can guarantee that you will. The way he writes relates to everyone. If I were forced to choose a genre for Charles Martin’s writing, I would say “southern fiction”, but, even at that, his writing has something, I believe, for everyone.

I’m going to close with a photo collage from tonight. On the left is me with Charles and on the right is his inscription in my copy of A Life Intercepted. He wrote: Kelly – Blessings! “Love does what hatred cannot.” Charles. And that, I believe, sums up a lot. That is what you will find in this novel and that’s what you’ll find in this lifetime. Read this novel, and his others, and you’ll be as blessed by them as I am.

Blessings,

Kelly

Book Recommendation: Don’t Make Me Come Up There

January 26, 2012 By kelly 2 Comments

I haven’t posted in a week. Oops. I’m really trying to do better about keeping the blog updated, but the last week has been pretty busy. Hopefully, I can keep this blog rejuvenated because I really do enjoy posting here.

Today, I’m sharing a book recommendation with y’all. Don’t Make Me Come Up There by Kristen Welch is a great devotion book for moms. This is a collection of stories and reflections that SO many of us can relate to in our daily lives and in our faith walks too. I haven’t read it all yet, but every time I read a new chapter, I find myself nodding along. I recommend picking up a copy of this book or download it onto your e-reader. You’ll be blessed!

Book Review – Faking Grace by Tamara Leigh

April 17, 2009 By kelly 3 Comments

Faking Grace

By Tamara Leigh / Multnomah

Struggling journalist Maizy Grace Stewart isn’t really a believer, but she manages to “fake it” in order to land a part-time job at a Christian publishing house. When the newspaper editor commissions her to write an undercover expose of her new employer, will her conversations with churchgoing colleagues lead to success—or second thoughts? 400 pages, softcover from Multnomah.

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I have decided to read through the books that are finalists for the 2009 Rita Award for “inspirational romance.” I have already read Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren and Love Stars with Elle by Rachel Hauck and The Perfect Life by Robin Lee Hatcher. I decided that Faking Grace by Tamara Leigh would be my next read for the RITA finalist list.

I enjoyed this book and thought it was a nice read. I found it a touch melodramatic in parts (the lead character reads The Dumb Blonde’s Guide to Christianity being one example), but I actually felt that gave more charm to the novel overall. Through this novel, Maizey Grace Stewart comes to find out what it is to seek a real relationship with God and what is is to be on the receiving end of true grace. Initially she believes that she can fake her faith with “Jesus junk” such as bumper stickers, a crown of thorns air freshner in her car, etc. This book reveals Maizey’s journey through faking and into realization that there is more to Christianity than cultural items.

A nice read with a great message. Recommended reading.

Book Review – When Crickets Cry by Charles Martin

April 14, 2009 By kelly Leave a Comment

When Crickets Cry

By Charles Martin / Thomas Nelson

From Christy Award finalist Martin comes a work of “God-haunted” southern fiction sure to tug at your heartstrings! Travel to a sleepy town square in Georgia, where a 7-year-old child sells lemonade to raise funds for a heart transplant, an onlooker watches, and a speeding truck comes around the bend, changing bothe lives forever.

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The more I read by Charles Martin, the more of a fan of his work I become. This is the third novel I have read by him and, so far, it is my favorite. The whole time I was reading this book I was in a real Catch-22 situation. I wanted to keep reading to see what happened next, but yet I didn’t want to rush through the book as I wasn’t ever ready for it to end. This novel took me in from the first page and never let me go through its entirety.

This novel is beautifully and skillfully written. Charles Martin has a gift of writing and he uses his God-given talents to engage readers and create memorable and realistic characters. The way Martin writes, I always feel a familiarity with the surroundings and characters. As if I am reading about my own hometown and people I have met and care about already. I felt instantly drawn into this novel and its storylines and back-stories. As I said above, I didn’t want to put it down, but certainly didn’t want it to end.

I really don’t want to give away anything about any plot lines in this novel. Martin’s storytelling and detail weaving are remarkable. Anything I could say here might detract from that and I would rather leave it all intact for you all to read, savor and enjoy.

I whole heartedly recommend this novel. It’s one that shows depth of love, perseverance of faith and importance of character. Beautiful through and through!