Tag Archives: general fiction

November Book Club Pick — The Divine Proverb of Streusel

1 Nov

Is it really November already?! Time to plan for Thanksgiving, shop for Christmas presents, and decorate the house with holiday cheer. I am exhausted just thinking about it. LOL! What to do to escape all the doings of the holidays? Read a good book. This month it looks like my book club picked the perfect one. Take a look at The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold. Let me if you’ve read it and what you thought.

Shaken by her parents’ divorce and discouraged by the growing chasm between herself and her serious boyfriend, Nikki Werner seeks solace at her uncle’s farm in a small Missouri hamlet. She’ll spend the summer there, picking up the pieces of her shattered present so she can plan a better future. But what awaits her at the ancestral farm is a past she barely knows.

Among her late grandmother’s belongings, Nikki finds an old notebook filled with handwritten German recipes and wise sayings pulled from the book of Proverbs. With each recipe she makes, she invites locals to the family table to hear their stories about the town’s history, her ancestors–and her estranged father. 

What started as a cathartic way to connect to her heritage soon becomes the means through which she learns how the women before her endured–with the help of their cooking prowess. Nikki realizes how delicious streusel with a healthy dollop of faith can serve as a guide to heal wounds of the past.

Sara Brunsvold creates stories that speak hope, truth, and life. Influenced by humble women of God who find his fingerprints in the everyday, she does the same in her life and her storytelling. Sara’s recognitions include the 2020 ACFW Genesis Award for Contemporary Fiction. She lives with her family near Kansas City, Missouri, where she can often be spotted writing at a park or library. Learn more at http://www.sarabrunsvold.com.

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Top 10 Tuesday — Changing Habits

22 Oct

Happy Tuesday! I considered not participating in today’s TTT — too much thinking required 😉 and I wasn’t sure I had much change in my reading habits over the past years. However, I did think about it and discovered that along with changes in my real life, my reading life followed suit. It’s been 5 years since my husband sold his business to a corporate buyer and he started working for the man. 😉 I was suddenly and gleefully out of a job (change #1). Then two of my children married (change #2) and two grandchildren were born (change #3). My husband went from working 5 days a week to 4 days a week to 3 days a week (big change #4). So here I am with seemingly endless time on my hands, but it has been filled with more travel, more husband together time, and with seeing family a little more often. That means reading slowly shifted in priority. I used to read well over 100 books a year. I am currently 7 books behind in a 75-book Goodreads Challenge. I know, 50 plus books already read this year is way over the national average, but it is certainly a change for me.

All that being said, I really have changed my reading habits. My list details some of those changes and the books that fit them.

For more bloggers’ lists, visit That Artsy Reader Girl.

5 Top Reading Habit Changes in The Last 5 Years

I used to read everywhere and have 3 books going at the same time — one audiobook, one ebook, and one physical book. Now I occasionally read more than one book at a time, but for the most part I read just one.

Current read: A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton

I used to go on solo road trips to see my daughter play college soccer while her dad stayed home and worked. A lot of my time spent in the car included an audiobook. I also found myself doing chores in longer blocks of time that I passed with an audiobook — not so much any more. I haven’t listened to an audiobook in forever. I have one started that I need to finish.

Audiobook to finish: The Gardins of Eden by Rosey Lee

My choice of books has changed a bit too. My go-to will always remain mystery/suspense, but I find I gravitate to historical fiction more often now.

The last historical fiction book I read: The American Queen by Vanessa Miller

Years ago I chose to read more for pleasure, than have-to (review books).

The last book I read because I wanted to: Something Borrowed by Rachel Scott McDaniel, Allison K. Pittman, and Susie Finkbeiner

I joined another book club in order to read outside my box. This has been so much fun. My small group chooses historical fiction featuring strong (and real) female characters.

The last book we read: Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

What has changed in your reading life?

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Top 10 Tuesday — Supplemental Reading

15 Oct

Happy Tuesday! As you can expect from me, I changed up this week’s TTT topic. I just wasn’t feeling a rehash of books I read in my long ago classes, so I’ve created a list of books I would include as supplemental reading for dusty college classes 😉 . At least that’s how I view them now from a lens that is *ahem* 40+ years old. Please note that I am all for reading the facts, but a little entertainment is always a good addition. I hope you find a book that sparks your imagination.

For more on topic bloggers, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Supplemental Reading

Computer Technology 301: Topics in Cyber Security

Alaskan Cyber Hunters Series by Kimberly Woodhouse

Ecology 101: Conservation

Where Trees Touch The Sky by Karen Barnett

World History 201: Wartime in The Far East

Darkness Calls The Tiger by Janyre Tromp

The Women by Kristin Hannah

Political Science 201: The McCarthy Era

The All American by Susie Finkbeiner

American History 301: Forgotten Events in The Civl War and Reconstruction

The American Queen by Vanessa Miller

Library Information Sciences 101: Building A Library

Miss Morgan’s Book Brigade by Janet Skeslien Charles

Criminal Justice 301: Hostage Negotiation

Lethal Standoff by DiAnn Mills

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Top 10 Tuesday — Bookish Brags and Confessions!

8 Oct

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT is all about brags and confessions. When thinking about this topic I have to admit I felt a little bit ashamed about all the books I haven’t read yet. But I have had some accomplishments in my reading life too. So this list will be a balance of things I need to work on and some wins that I can feel good about. And let’s be honest — reading should bring joy not guilt! My list highlights some great books too — hope one sparks your interest.

Top Bookish Brags And Confessions

First The Brags

I am fairly well-read and count many classics as my favorite books. I have read both The Count of Monte Cristo and Moby Dick and loved both!

I almost always find the book better than the movie. While the movie version of The Count of Monte Cristo was horrible, Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers was very well-done. You also need to read The Mountain Between Us by Charles Martin before seeing the movie. And if all you know is the movie, read the book now!

Through my book club I have discovered very good books that I would not have normally picked up for a variety of reasons. Two of those are The Women by Kristin Hannah and The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon.

Now for The Confession 😉

I have a lot of books. I mean a lot. More than I want to count. Physical books, ebooks, audiobooks — you name it! It’s only an out of control problem if I don’t live another 573 years LOL! I am really trying to whittle them down, but since I quit working 5 years ago I seem to have less time to read. Ask your old friends, it really is a thing. 😉

Here are some of the books that have recently entered my house that I need to read! They are for book club and review, so I’m pretty confident they will be read in a few weeks.

I was going to add another confession, but really this encompasses all of my book issues — can’t resist a pretty cover, have to acquire a favorite author’s latest book, have to support indie bookstores, etc.

Sorry, not sorry!

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Top 10 Tuesday — Fall TBR

24 Sep

Is it really Fall already? Unfortunately, it is still hot, hot, hot where I live. I hear cooler temperatures are coming, along with a developing hurricane! That I can do without. We will hope for a needed rain event and the ushering in of Fall weather. As to my Fall TBR List, well, as always, it is excessive. It includes books I had high hopes of reading in the summer, review books, and book club books. I need to knuckle down and get some reading done! Let me know what you think of my list.

For more TBR lists to inspire you, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Books on My Fall TBR List

70 North by Kimberly Woodhouse

Between The Sound And Sea by Amanda Cox

The Divine Proverb of Streusel by Sara Brunsvold

Hope Like Wildflowers by Pepper Basham

Maria: A Novel of Maria Von Trapp by Michelle Moran

Of Gold And Shadows by Michelle Griep

Over The Edge by Irene Hannon

A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton

Something Borrowed by Rachel Scott McDaniel, Allison Pittman, and Susie Finkbeiner

Water’s Break by Sophia Hansen

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Top 10 Tuesday — Redeemed!

17 Sep

Happy Tuesday! Nothing says Christian fiction like a redemption story. That is certainly what God’s business looks like, and CF authors work hard to make that plain. While the message may be overt or subtle, redemption — freedom that is found through Christ — is powerful. I’ve included Biblical fiction and general fiction in my list, proving that redemption has been offered by God throughout time. I hope you find a story to love.

For more redemptive stories, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top Redemption Stories

The Edge of Belonging by Amanda Cox

Flame of Resistance by Tracy Groot

Like Water from My Heart by Charles Martin

Love Amid The Ashes by Mesu Andrews

Love in A Broken Vessel by Mesu Andrews

The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers (no list of redemptive stories is complete without this book)

Redeeming Grace by Jill Eileen Smith

The Rhythm of Fractured Grace by Amanda Wen

The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner

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Top 10 Tuesday — Cool Rides!

13 Aug

Happy Tuesday! Today’s TTT topic is — Planes, Trains & Automobiles/Books Featuring Travel (books whose plots involve travel or feature modes of transportation on the cover/title). My list consists of books with Cool Rides. The mode of transportation that the MCs choose advances the plot and helps define the character. Not all are really cool (one character takes the bus), but I promise that all the books are fun reads.

F0r more transportation lists, check out That Artsy Reader Girl.

Top 10 Cool Rides!

Catching Christmas by Terri Blackstock (taxi)

Dearest Dorothy, Are We There Yet by Charlene Baumbich (1976 Lincoln Continental)

Elvis Takes A Back Seat by Leanna Ellis (vintage Cadillac)

Harriet Beamer Takes The Bus by Joyce Magnin (bus)

Version 1.0.0

A Lady’s Guide to Marvels and Misadventure by Angela Bell (flying machine)

Miles from Where We Started by Cynthia Ruchti (travel trailer)

The Mother Road by Jennifer AlLee (convertible)

The Preacher Wore Black Leather by Loree Lough (motorcycle)

Romance Rustlers and Thunderbird Thieves by Sharon Dunn (T-Bird)

Your Chariot Awaits by Lorena McCourtney (limousine)

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Book Review — On Moonberry Lake

7 Aug

My book club read On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni in July, and we all loved it! Set in a small town where everyone knows your business and is not afraid to comment on it 😉 , the novel is full of heart and wisdom and some seriously quirky characters and LOL scenes. You are going to love it too!

Cora Matthews’s life is a mess. A broken engagement and the unexpected death of her mother have left her wondering if things will ever return to normal. Whatever “normal” is. 

It certainly isn’t what she finds at Moonberry Lake. After she receives her family’s dilapidated lakefront lodge as an inheritance–with a surprising condition attached–Cora finds her life overrun by a parade of eccentric neighbors who all have something to say and something to teach her. 

As Cora works to put her life back together, she must decide if she is willing to let go of the past, open her heart to love, and embrace the craziest version of family and home she could ever have imagined.

Holly Varni is a native Minnesotan of strong Norwegian descent, who was raised in the Lutheran Church that Garrison Keillor made a career depicting. Between the lutefisk, grumpy grandparents, and the crazy neighbor who mowed his lawn wearing pajamas, the seed to becoming a storyteller was planted. She wants to give readers characters they can connect with, admire, laugh at, and most of all love.

She is podcast host of “Moments from Moonberry Lake,” and author of the “Moonberry Lake” series.

In her personal life, she married a University Professor with the same chocolate eyes as her romantic lead. They live on the Central Coast of California with their three sons. The characters of Moonberry Lake and their unique stories came about as she was trying to survive being a boy mom. When not doing laundry or writing, she has the privilege of being a Hospice volunteer, where she sits with the dying and listens to their stories.

My Impressions:

Have you ever wondered if a book that everyone is raving about can live up to the hype? On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni is that book! My book club read it and absolutely loved it! It has so much to recommend it. The setting is small town, busy-body central — both annoying and charming and completely fun. The characters run the gamut of wise and wonderful to slightly quirky to all-out ridiculous (check out the cashier at the local grocery 😉 ). The writing is excellent, and the themes of home and belonging resonated with all the members of my group. Main character Cora is untethered and has spent her life since childhood searching for belonging. The death of her mother allows her to return to the last place she truly felt at home, yet there are so many questions that she doesn’t know where to begin to find healing. Fortunately, she is embraced by a community that offers love and acceptance — a family she has always wanted. On Moonberry Lake is never predictable in its plot, but it does offer a very satisfying conclusion. There is a second novel due out this fall, and we are all impatiently waiting to return to Moonberry Lake.

Highly Recommended.

Great for Book Clubs.

Audience: Adults.

(I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)

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Happy Release Day — Between The Sound And Sea

6 Aug

Happy release day to Amanda Cox! Her latest dual timeline novel, Between The Sound And Sea, is now available! And what’s not to love from this must-read author? History, mystery, and a North Carolina lighthouse! I can’t wait to read it. Check out all the details below.

Every family has its secrets. Josephina Harris wouldn’t mind if her family still had a few of their own after a lawsuit tarnishes their name. When an opportunity opens to become a temporary keeper of a decommissioned lighthouse on a North Carolina island, she jumps at the chance to escape her small town to oversee its restoration.  
 
As the work begins, “Joey” discovers strange notes tucked deep in the crevices of the old stone walls–pages torn from a lighthouse keeper’s log signed by someone named Mae who recounts harrowing rescues at sea. Fascinated by a woman lighthouse keeper, Joey digs into the past only to discover there’s never been a record of a lighthouse keeper by that name.
 
When things start to go amiss on the island, locals are convinced that it is the ghost of the lighthouse keeper and his daughter who were lost at sea during World War II. As Joey sifts through decades of rumors and legends and puts together the pieces of the past, what emerges is a love story–one that’s not over yet.
 
Multiple Christy Award winner Amanda Cox is your guide upon the raging seas of young love, heartbreaking loss, and learning to risk it all for a chance at happiness in this timeless novel.

Before becoming a stay-at-home parent, Amanda Cox spent her time counseling children, families, and individuals through life’s challenging moments. Now she uses those same skills to develop layered characters and stories, bringing them on a journey of hope and healing. A journey she hopes her readers experience in their own lives as they read.

A few of her favorite things are the sanctuary of the great outdoors, the feeling of pen on paper, the sound of her children’s laughter, and exploring new places with her husband of 18 years. (Oh, let’s not forget good fiction and good coffee. She’s addicted to both.) You can stay connected with her latest writing updates at http://www.amandacoxwrites.com. You can find her on social media by searching Amanda Cox Writes.

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If You Liked . . . On Moonberry Lake

31 Jul

My book club really liked On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni. One of the themes of the book is discovering family in a community. Main character, Cora, longed for the connection and closeness of family all her life. In the midst of grief and lostness, she finds it. The fun and funny characters are also a big treat! If you liked this book or are looking for books like it, then here are a few reading recommendations.

The Cedar Key by Stephenia McGee

Could the key to Casey’s future be hidden in someone else’s past?

Casey Adams unexpectedly inherits an old Victorian house full of other people’s memories. Stuck in a quirky little Mississippi town, Casey’s hope for a fresh start died as soon she had to lay the grandmother she’d just met to rest.

But Grandma Ida carried secrets beyond the grave.

Before her death Ida carefully planned a trail of clues to help Casey unlock the Macintyre family secrets and finally explain why they abandoned her. But each of Ida’s letters will only come from Casey’s handsome—and often frustrating—new neighbor. As Casey pieces together the stories behind the objects filling her grandmother’s house, she embarks on a heart-stirring journey that rattles her foundations, ignites her faith, and leads her to a startling discovery that will reshape her future. But only if she can face the lies that have been slowly tearing her apart.

Dearest Dorothy, Are We There Yet? by Charlene Ann Baumbich

On the outskirts of the pastoral Illinois town of Partonville, Illinois, eighty-seven-year-old Dorothy Wetstra lives on her farm, venturing out to drive around in her 1976 Lincoln Continental—affectionately dubbed “The Tank”—play bunco with her pals, or grab a stool at Harry’s counter, where she can stay on top of the town’s latest shenanigans (most of which she is responsible for).
 
But when a visitor comes to town with a proposition, Dorothy finds herself faced with a decision that could change her beloved town, and her life. Before long, her gift for shaking things up may come in handy . . .
 
This is the first in the delightful small-town series starring “the plucky 80-something grandma who’s a demon at the wheel” (Publishers Weekly).

The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner

For the first time in his life, Pete has everything to lose.

After years of drifting, fifty-year-old Pete Ryman has settled down with his potbellied pig, Pearl, in the small Montana town of Sleeping Grass–a place he never expected to see again. It’s not the life he dreamed of, but there aren’t many prospects for a high-school dropout like him.

Elderly widow Wilma Jacobsen carries a burden of guilt over her part in events that led to Pete leaving Sleeping Grass decades ago. Now that he’s back, she’s been praying for the chance to make things right, but she never expected God’s answer to leave her flat on her face–literally–and up to her ears in meddling.

When the younger sister Pete was separated from as a child shows up in Sleeping Grass with her eleven-year-old son, Pete is forced to face a past he buried long ago, and Wilma discovers her long-awaited chance at redemption may come at a higher cost than she’s willing to pay.

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