Search This Blog








2023 Literary Escapes Challenge





2023 Build Your Library Reading Challenge







Fiddler on the Roof "Sequel" Lacks Warmth and Charm of Original
Classic Or Not, I'd Give This Gothic Novel a Pass
Chernobyl Middle-Grade Novel Engrossing and Enlightening
Cozy Series Opener Too Far-Fetched and Silly
Gut-Wrenching Murder Mystery a Hard But Heartfelt Read
Top Ten Tuesday: There Is Always, Always Something to be Grateful For
- My family. I'm grateful to have grown up in a loving household with two kind, supportive parents and five siblings, all of whom have taught me valuable lessons. I'm also thankful for a husband who is loving, devoted, hardworking, and kind. Although they have given me lots of gray hairs, I'm also grateful for my four children.
- My faith. I have a firm testimony of God and my Savior, Jesus Christ. This sustains me through good times and bad.
- My country. It's far from perfect, but I'm proud to be an American and am grateful for all the freedoms I'm afforded here.
- My roots. I love researching my family history and am grateful for the lives and many sacrifices of those who came before me.
- My health. Although I'm not going to lie and say I'm grateful for Type 1 Diabetes, I am thankful for the science and technology that allows me to take medicine and use devices to make my disease easier to manage.
- My friends. I'm not a super social person, but I do have some good friends who have brought joy, laughter, and needed support into my life.
- Books. Reading has been something I've enjoyed throughout my life. I'm grateful for the abundance of books that are available and the ease of acquiring them!
- Simple conveniences. Seriously. What would I do without air conditioning, microwaves, indoor plumbing, computers, etc.?
- Nature. I'm an indoorsy kind of girl, but I can still appreciate the beauty of an Arizona sunset, a sky full of stars, a majestic waterfall, autumn leaves, and more.
- YOU. I'm grateful for all of you who take the time to read my blog, make comments, recommend books, and share a little piece of yourself and your world with me. I appreciate it more than you know.
Historical Family Drama Another Heartfelt Story from Chamberlain
Forthcoming Psychological Thriller Riveting From First Page to Last
Goldin's Newest Another Ho-Hum Psychological "Thriller"
Third Victorian Mystery Another Entertaining Installment In An Always Enjoyable Series
The Children's Blizzard Devastating, Deeply Impactful
Hannah Backlist Book Not My Favorite, But Compelling Nonetheless
Meredith Cooper and Nina Whitson have never understood their cold, emotionless mother. They know little about her, always having preferred the company of their warm, loving father. On his deathbed, he pleads with his grown daughters to make a last effort to break through their mother's defenses and really get to know her. Mired in grief, Anya Whitson is as impenetrable as ever. Instead of reaching out to her children for comfort, she spins them a familiar Russian fairy tale that has nothing at all to do with Anya's past ... or does it? As her story sweeps from grim, war-torn Leningrad to modern-day Alaska, unfolding shocking secrets, Meredith and Nina finally get a glimpse of what their mother has suffered and what it has meant for all of their lives. Will that understanding finally enable them to forge some kind of a relationship with one another? Or has too much damage been done to ever find reconciliation?
Because of rich, epic novels like The Nightingale and The Great Alone, Kristin Hannah has become an author I watch closely. Her backlist books haven't impressed me as much as her newer offerings, but I've still enjoyed several of them. Published a decade ago, Winter Garden offers the kind of intriguing, family-secrets premise that always grabs my attention. Its execution is a little rough, though. The characters are difficult to like, especially Anya, whose aloofness toward her children seems extreme even in light of the tragedy she experienced prior to their births. Her daughters are both self-centered people, although they do experience clarity and growth throughout the story. In addition, the novel moves at a glacial pace, without the suspense I expected to be woven through the narrative. The pacing picks up toward the end as Anya's secrets are revealed, but it does become a bit of a slog before that. I'm not much for fairy tales, so that element of the novel really didn't work for me. Still and all, I found Winter Garden compelling. It's devastating, heartbreaking, and touching. While it's far from my favorite Hannah novel, I did enjoy it for the most part.
(Readalikes: Hm, I can't really think of anything. You?)
Grade:
Debut Psychological Thriller Lacks That Special "Something"
With Or Without You? I'll Take Without.
Christmas Cozy Mystery Another Fun Romp in Amish Country
New YA Virus Novel Original and Enjoyable
Wise, Heartfelt Family Drama a Rare Gem




Reading
Zero Days by Ruth Ware

Listening
Counterfeit by Kirstin Chen



Followin' with Bloglovin'



-
-
-
Happy June!5 hours ago
-
Randomness...6 hours ago
-
-
-
-
-
State Of The ARC #2710 hours ago
-
-
-
The Wind of Gath18 hours ago
-
-
Not That I Could Tell by Jessica Strawser23 hours ago
-
Monthly Round-Up: May 20231 day ago
-
Wyrd & Wonder 2023 Wrap Up1 day ago
-
Crook O Lune by E C R Lorac1 day ago
-
May Reflections1 day ago
-
-
-
-
The Ferryman by Justin Cronin1 day ago
-
-
How I Select Books to Read2 days ago
-
cleaning wins!2 days ago
-
-
-
Review: Family Baggage by Ilsa Evans6 days ago
-
-
I have been reading...1 week ago
-
-
5/20/20231 week ago
-
A Couple of Recipes!1 week ago
-
-
This feed has moved and will be deleted soon. Please update your subscription now.2 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
-
Dotty Beanie with Ears4 weeks ago
-
-
-
-
16-Year-Old Blog Post Deemed to Be Offensive3 months ago
-
-
Are you looking for Pretty Books?7 months ago
-
-
HEARTS OF BRIARWALL by Krista Jensen9 months ago
-
-
-
-

Grab my Button!



Blog Archive
- ► 2021 (159)
- ▼ 2020 (205)
- ► 2019 (197)
- ► 2018 (223)