July 3, 2015 by Stephanie

Book Review: Love Arrives in Pieces

“This book was great,” is a gross understatement.

While The Longest Ride sparked the fire for reading again, Love Arrives in Pieces really set that fire ablaze.

This book really got me back into my reading like crazy. It was the first book in a long time that I stayed up to read. Like I stayed up past 11pm reading for hours. It was fantastic.

There was just something about this story that had the perfect combination of the realness of human emotions and love, and all the emotions we may experience on that journey.

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Stella is an interior designer who is an old beauty pageant star. She has endured some heartache over the past couple years, and is now trying to figure out her true self since she has hidden behind a marriage or tiaras for so long.

Chase is a contractor who just recently lost his fiance in a car accident. Because of this loss, he lives life in the moment and realizes he needs to move back home to reconnect with his family.

Chase and Stella start working together to rebuild a theater in their hometown. During this project they must face their past and overcome some heartache.

The story is about the two of them finding their way and also finding love may not come automatically.

What I enjoyed about this book is the realness. Sometime in romance fiction things may be over dramatized and show the air of a fairy tale set in modern times. This book highlights struggles and insecurities both individuals may face on the way to love. There are obstacles for each person to overcome to be in a place to really put down walls and let someone in like that.

I also really appreciated that God was the center of this book, and not in a overly pushy way. I think sometimes when you read Christian novels they can get preachy and make you think you can never attain that. Again the author was real with how a person would talk to God and look for guidance. It was a reminder that you don’t have to have a perfect life to seek out God’s help and faith.

I really enjoyed how St. Amant chose her words and the flow of the story. She would give you little pieces at a time of why each character was struggling. It was like she was slowly peeling an onion for you to reveal more layers. She switched between Stella and Chase’s point of view, so you could see both perspectives. It’s an honest and raw view of how God can take the broken pieces of our past and use them to put us in the right place for something beautiful.

It’s been a long time since a book got me good in the gut like this, so I don’t know if my heart was just itching for it, but I loved it all the same. I really enjoyed the complexity of the book, one page was deep but yet the next would be light-hearted, which I think sometimes how we portray ourselves in life.

If you are looking for something new, I would definitely recommend this book. There is another book with some of the same characters that I am not sure if it is a prequel since All’s Fair in Love and Cupcakes details Stella’s sister’s love story. But from the excerpt it does look like the timeline of that plot-line proceeds this one. I will definitely be checking that one out.

I did receive this book complimentary from Litfuse Publicity Group for my review. These thoughts are my own.

Have you read any books that have kept you up late reading past your bedtime?

June 19, 2015 by Stephanie

Book Review-The Longest Ride

First of all, thank you for the sweet comments to my post yesterday. Sometimes it can be scary to be raw and open on the blog, but it is nice to know that it is well received. It meant a lot.

Secondly, I am here to announce that finally. FINALLY. my book rut is over. Bring all the books to me.

I just finished The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks last week, and I am already halfway through another book. Yes, yes, and yes.

I knew a book from good ol’ Nick would get me back.

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In true Sparks fashion, this is a book about love.

But what I love about this book in particular is that it is two different stories woven together. One follows a new young couple and their journey to love, but the other follows an elderly couple’s memories of love with flashbacks of sorts.

It was a brilliant way to show how love transcends many different situations and can surprise us in so many different ways but yet be so comforting in it’s normalcy.

You knew that in the end these two couples would be connected, but the plot kept you intrigued until the very end. It was like a carrot being dangled. I just wanted more and wanted to know the why and how.

I don’t want to share too much about the book because the secrets within are really meant to be read, and not summarized by me a little ol blogger. I would hate to ruin it for you.

Here is the synopsis from Goodreads:

Ira Levinson is in trouble. At ninety-one years old, in poor health and alone in the world, he finds himself stranded on an isolated embankment after a car crash. Suffering multiple injuries, he struggles to retain consciousness until a blurry image materializes and comes into focus beside him: his beloved wife Ruth, who passed away nine years ago. Urging him to hang on, she forces him to remain alert by recounting the stories of their lifetime together – how they met, the precious paintings they collected together, the dark days of WWII and its effect on them and their families. Ira knows that Ruth can’t possibly be in the car with him, but he clings to her words and his memories, reliving the sorrows and everyday joys that defined their marriage.

A few miles away, at a local rodeo, a Wake Forest College senior’s life is about to change. Recovering from a recent break-up, Sophia Danko meets a young cowboy named Luke, who bears little resemblance to the privileged frat boys she has encountered at school. Through Luke, Sophia is introduced to a world in which the stakes of survival and success, ruin and reward — even life and death – loom large in everyday life. As she and Luke fall in love, Sophia finds herself imagining a future far removed from her plans — a future that Luke has the power to rewrite . . . if the secret he’s keeping doesn’t destroy it first.

Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples who have little in common, and who are separated by years and experience. Yet their lives will converge with unexpected poignancy, reminding us all that even the most difficult decisions can yield extraordinary journeys: beyond despair, beyond death, to the farthest reaches of the human heart.

I love YA books, and Nicholas Sparks happens to be one of my favorite authors. I know he isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, and some people find that all of his books are the same. I think that he does have some underlying similarities in all of his books, but I think this one was pretty sharp with using two very different couples to show parallel love stories. But hey I am a sucker for a YA love story novel.

This review sums up my own opinions. I was not contacted by anyone associated with these works or compensated for my review. My review has not been influenced by anything other than my love for reading.

Are you a Nicholas Sparks fan? What is your favorite NS book?

May 29, 2015 by Stephanie

Book Review-Never Say No

When you become parents, you secretly (or openly) wish that there was some sort of operation manual on your child.

Unfortunately there is no such thing because children are people with needs and feelings that change. Every minute.

But if I were to recommend a parenting manual of sorts, this book would be it!

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Mark and Jan Foreman are parents to Jon and Tim of Switchfoot. This book documents their parenting journey and things they learned along the way.

One of the sentiments they learned is to “Never Say No.”

Now if you are like me, when you first read this title, you probably scoffed and thought, “There is no way you can parent without saying no.” If you didn’t take it literally, then you are a better/more evolved person than I am.

The phrase is meant to be a slogan for parenting instead of a hard fast rule. Obviously no will need to be said at some point, because you know safety is important. Otherwise, George would have eaten his poopy diaper this morning…

One thing I have definitely learned in my very short time being a parent, is that no two journeys of raising children are the same. There are different factors that influence decisions-mainly being that each child does their own thing. Even under the same roof, two parents in the same family may not make the same decisions.

It’s because we are human beings. We react to our surroundings and make decisions based on the information we have been provided at that time.

The idea of “never saying no” though encourages us to really embrace each moment for what it is. It pushes us to be present in each moment and help develop creativity in our kids. I think we can all agree in the fast paced world we live in, it is easy to say, “Hold on a sec.” or “We can play tomorrow.”

But you are not guaranteed that the moment will still be there later. You have a wonderful opportunity to be there for your kids and teach them how to be good people, but we often spend a lot of that time complaining or distracted because we are busy with other things.

I enjoyed this book for a few reasons:

1. I liked the focus on enjoying your kids. I think so often kids are seen as a burden, and I don’t want to ever feel that way or show that to my kids. It was a great reminder to do things that are fun and making the most of the time we have together. I want to make that time count as a parent.

2. It’s not judgmental or preachy. Jan and Mark are very open about their own struggles, and show you that you won’t always be the best. They explain over and over again about the importance of love and making the best decision you can. Their transparency and honesty throughout this book shows you a realness to parenting that makes you know that you aren’t alone. They also show that EVERYONE will parent differently, but that the bottom line their should be love. The do emphasize that their way isn’t necessarily the right way, but give you some foundational things to consider. They wouldn’t consider this a manual, but I like it as a guidebook!

3. I felt connected. There were parts that I felt that I could write. I like a book that I can relate to. They talked about triumphs and feelings of inadequacy, so it was just good as a parent to see someone else (who I would presumably see as a parent mentor) has the same feelings.

4. Define success for ourselves and not every other family. (I needed this reminder even this early on as I wonder if he is behind because he is not crawling just yet.)

5. It’s funny. I laughed out loud so much. Like when she explained leaving the hospital for the first time with the baby-“These were tears of joy mixed with holy fear.” Yes…and it made me remember my ridiculous meltdown from the hospital afraid we were going to kill our tiny baby in the carseat.

6. It gave me permission to have a messy house. Sometimes we need those permissions from others not to live a Pinterest worthy life.

7. Each chapter has a question page. I LOVED this piece because it helps you process what you read a little further. They can also be discussion questions to have with your partner. The reality is Tom and I came from two very different backgrounds and parenting styles. Somehow we have to meld our experiences into a family for George. And that can be tricky, especially when you are about as opposite as possible. These “study guides” of sorts really helped us have some conversations and move forward with our family. It’s all about creating a new “map” together.

Coming from a divorced family, I have grown up wondering how I would parent since I was able to witness several different styles. Sometimes it is hard to conceptualize how exactly I want to parent because of my past. I want to take pieces from all of them, but how do I make that work for me? This book talks about embracing your past and understanding that at the root is the relationship that is built. We have a gift to help guide who our children will become but also letting them choose their own paths along the way. We are instruments of God to help build up our kids, and Jan and Mark talk about it in a beautiful manner.

Just as God enjoys us, we should enjoy our children. I loved that this was a Christ centered book. I want George to grow up knowing and having a relationship with God, and I know that starts with us as his parents. We are the example, and we can encourage that fully through the relationship we build with our kids.

One of my favorite quotes from the book is “If you say no too often, they’ll stop asking.”

I think that sums up the book quite nicely.

I highly recommend this for any couple to read as they start deciding how they want to raise a family and creating their own map or even seasoned parents who need to refocus or just a reminder. It was really great timing for us since we are still really new and parenting really consists just of making sure he is clean and fed at this point. That’s how it is until they are 5 and have homework in Kindergarten right? (I am really in need of a kid manual…)

Most of the time, I feel like I am making this parenting thing up. It is nice to see what other parents are doing like in this book. It makes you stop and think of what things you want to emulate. You will probably still make a lot of things up as you go, but maybe you will be a little more fun with it!

You can purchase this book here! I really only have good things to say about it. It’s all about creating a meaningful relationship with your kid instead of just trying to manage them. Oddly enough the premise is that if you have that creative and meaningful relationship, their growth as good human beings will follow instead of demanding it through our society standards. That sounds more fun too doesn’t it?

I did receive this book complimentary from Litfuse Publicity Group for my review. These thoughts are my own.

February 5, 2015 by Stephanie

Reader’s Block

For the past year I have had a reading block. I just don’t feel the urge to dive into a book like I normally do.

I don’t know if it is laziness or just being pulled into the direction of different technologies (read I love my TV shows), but I just haven’t read anything for fun completely in the last year.

One reason for this is I started two books that I just couldn’t finish.

I have never been one to stop a book part-way through. I always try to push my way through a bad (to me) book.

But these two, I just couldn’t bring myself to do that. And I feel like that has really impacted my gusto towards reading. The fact that I picked these two right after each other and had two failures back to back just made me lose my reading mojo.

These two books were Monuments Men by Robert Edsel and The Missing by Tim Gautreaux.

I started Monuments Men last January and finally had to put it away in May. Then I started The Missing and put it away once we moved to our new place in December. Neither of them I finished.

Others may find these to be good books, but I just found them to be too heavy. I got lost in the words, and not in a good way. I read for fun and don’t want it to feel like work. (I mean seriously I have the reading tastes of a 16 year old girl.)

For Monuments Men, I felt like I was reading for a class with trying to remember all the details and how everything was connected. I did like the personal letters and maps which is honestly what kept me picking it back up each time. I was really disappointed that I didn’t like this more with my history background. I think that it reminded me too much of a textbook that I shied away from it eventually. I didn’t want to feel obligated to read it.

For The Missing, it was similar in how I got lost in the details. The way the author described things made me bored and thinking, “Just get on with it.” I also feel like the story was so drawn out that I just couldn’t deal with all the side stories that really had nothing to do with the missing girl at hand. The premise was good and it had its moments, but overall it was just too much. I realize that maybe if I read further things may have been connected at the end. But he lost me half way through, and I just couldn’t bring myself to continue.

So I have had a hard time feeling motivated to read again and feel the pressure for that next book to really draw me back in. I wanted to pick a book that is going to get me jazzed about reading and not be a chore to do. With that there was a lot of hesitation to read again because I didn’t want to be disappointed for the third time in the last year.

But alas, I did just start a new book, so we’ll see how it goes. My problem now is that I can barely get through a couple pages before I fall asleep since I read before bed mostly. So it may take awhile.

But seriously, I want to be like this again.

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Have you ever been in a reading rut? What is your go to book/author that gets you excited about reading?

January 30, 2015 by Stephanie

Book Review: Restless

I read this book recently as part of a bible study I participate in with two friends.

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We would read a couple chapters each week and then meet via Google chat to discuss.

I thought this was a good book to do in a group setting. It is broken up into three different parts. There are worksheets throughout the book that provide you with reflection questions in a journaling format. I liked this set up because it gave you room to write how the topic applied to you and gave you guidance on things you should be thinking about or discussing.

I enjoyed this book, and it came at a time that I was still unsure of what my future held. We started reading it well before I had a job, and there were a lot of things still up in the air.

This book focuses on how each of us have different threads of our life that are woven together for God’s plan. We may not always see how they fit together initially and may seem random, but God has intentionally made you a certain way for HIS glory.

You talk about your gifts and your times of suffering. Everything is deliberate, even if we may not see the reason right now. This book was a good reminder for me that I needed to trust and know that everything happens for a reason. (Cliche but true.) If you take the questions seriously, you take a look at your fears and insecurities, and see how they have a purpose in molding you into a specific person.

I also really love the story of Joseph, and it was used as an example throughout this book. He suffered a lot, but always remained faithful to God’s plan for him.

Jennie Allen is a great writer too. She wrote with conviction and a realness. You could relate to her stories and comments, which I always find helpful when discussing my faith. I think all too often we put faith in these perfect boxes of how it should look and sometimes it is great to talk about the hard sides of it all. We aren’t always perfect especially in those times of trial, but all we can do is push forward.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book are:

“…you exist for specific purposes and no one else can live them like you.”

“God is quiet and completely wise in his timing of revealing his will.”

“Fires are lit in our lives, and they can burn to shine light or cause destruction. We get to decide which purpose they will serve.”

“We can do one of two things with suffering: we can absorb it and let it change us, or we can let it crush us.”

“God is accomplishing a thousand tiny purposes at any given moment around us.”

“We are scared that God’s dreams may not be as cool as the ones we create in our minds for ourselves.”

And some bible verses:

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. (Col. 3:12-15) (This was part of our wedding service, so I hold this one dear.)

Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Heb. 11.1)

This was a humbling book. And as Jennie put it, “This is a book about discovering ourselves and getting over ourselves all at the same time.”

I think we often get in our own way when we are struggling or succeeding. This was a reminder to always have faith and trust in HIS plans. It was a reminder that we do have a purpose even if it may not seem glamorous or grandiose. I need to let go of my preconceived notions and my control (when I didn’t really have it in the first place).

I recommend this for any small groups or even if you want to do some self reflection on your own. I do think it is geared towards women, but I think males would enjoy the concepts too.

Have you read any good devotional books lately?