Mother~Daughter Book Challenge

My daughter Britni extended a book reading challenge for 2015 and I accept!  Each year I attempt to do the "Read 52 books in 52 Weeks" challenge but with working and going back to school I need a more reachable challenge this year. Britni and I have agreed to stick to the following list to make our book selections this year. I am going to post a book review after each book I read. Any other mother/daughters that want to join us- feel free. Here's the list.

2015 Mother~Daughter Book Challenge

A book you've been meaning to read

A book published this year

A book in a genre you don't typically read

A book from your childhood

A book your mom loves

A book that was originally written in a different language

A book "everyone" has read but you

A book you chose because of the cover

A book by a favorite author

A book recommended by someone with great taste

A book you should have read in high school

A book that's currently on the best seller list

To follow Britni's challenge click on her picture in the side bar.  

52 Weeks Book Challenge

For several months, I have been slowly savoring the pages of a book after my quiet time. That book is....

One Thousand Gifts: A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are

by Ann Voskamp

Between the pages of this book, Ann shares the struggles and hard places of her life that brought her to ask and answer these questions:

 Where is joy in the midst of cruelty and chaos, duties and despair?

How does one slow down enough for the soul and God to live in sync?

How in the world do we learn to find God and live fully?

Through piles of laundry, homeschooling kids, and everyday routine, Ann finds the one motivating key that will answer all of those questions. I really enjoyed this book. I am beginning to practice Ann's ideas in my own life, taking one small step at a time, trying to discover for myself, how to live fully right where the Lord has me.  

52 Weeks Book Challenge

Well, it has been a while since I have posted a book review for my 52 Weeks Book Challenge. You are probably wondering at this rate will she even make her goal to read more books this year than last? The jury is still out on that one. ( I am reading the second book in the Song of Ice and Fire series- they are over 900 pages each! Does that count as two books?) Anyway, I have also been reading some other books as well. I am the kind of reader that can have more than one book going at a time.

 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, Unabridged.

 I have enjoyed the movie versions of this book for years so I thought that it would be a great thing to read it aloud to Abi. While some of the events of the book are found in various films, there is are many differences. The book follows the journey of Dorothy and her three companions, Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, and Lion as they make their way to see the Wizard of Oz to see if he would grant them the things they wanted most. After following the yellow brick road to the Emerald city, each of the sojourners met with Oz, who appeared in a different form to each. Oz says he will grant their wishes if they will kill the wicked witch of the west who rules over the western Winkie Country. Once the Witch realizes what is going on, she tries many different ways of disposing with the travelers in hopes of obtaining the magical silver shoes that Dorothy was given by Glinda, the good witch of the North. When all efforts fail, the witch resorts to using a golden cup to summon the winged monkeys to capture the four friends. The witch forces Dorothy to do house work around her castle, all the while scheming for a way to get the slippers. When she tricks her into giving her one slipper, Dorothy grabs a bucket full of water and the witch melts. The winged monkeys fly the friends back to the emerald city but their journey does not end there. The three face many more obstacles before Dorothy ends up in the land of Glinda, who tells her she has had the power in the silver shoes to go home to Kansas all along. Abi and I both enjoyed reading the original and comparing it to not only several movies but also the stage version, which she had the opportunity to be a part of last spring, that our community theater group performed.  

52 Week Book Challenge

Well I haven't posted about a book I have finished in a while because the book I was reading was 807 pages long so it took me few weeks to get through it. For this years challenge, one thing I wanted to do was to broaden the genres that I typically read.  So I turned to two friends who enjoy fantasy and gave them some basic perimeters of what I thought I could handle and they suggested the series A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. Book 1 is called A Game of Thrones. To make a long story short, King Robert Baratheon has come north to his best friend, Lord Ned Stark's keep, Winterfell, to ask him to become the "Hand of the Kings Guard" because the previously "hand" has died. Lady Stark receives a note from her sister, who was married to Jon Arryn,

the previous hand, that she believes her husband was murdered. Ned agrees to take the position and while there decides to find if there is truth to Lady Arryn's claim of murder. There are many more characters, plots and plot twists to even go into detail in one post, without giving too much of the story line away. Martin has a very enjoyable writing style and the themes remind me very much of the medieval times. I would caution the reader that there are several intimately mature themed parts that are not recommend for younger readers.There is also the element of false gods, dragons, etc.  Surprisingly, I enjoyed this book and have started reading book 2.

52 Weeks Book Challenge

This week, as I was putting Christmas things away, I spied a Debbie Macomber book in my stack of Christmas books called There's Something About Christmas. It looked like a quick read so I decided to try it. I was quickly caught up in the story of Emma Collins, a journalist, stuck writing obituaries for the Examiner, a Washington State small town newspaper. She is finally giving the opportunity to interview three women who have been chosen as finalists in a country-wide fruitcake contest. The only problem is that these women live in remote towns and the mode of transportation is by plane. Emma hates small planes with a capital "H". Enter local pilot Oliver Hamilton. Oliver, upon first meeting Emma, is sure she's going to fall for him, which irritates Emma to no end. Over the several weeks leading up to Christmas, a holiday Emma doesn't "do" any longer, she not only learns "Lessons From Fruitcakes" but she learns who she really is and what it is that she wants from life. This was a sweet story with a touching ending. Perfect for a Christmas break read.

52 Weeks Book Challenge

  This week I decided to read a book that was a free download on my tablet called Hide in Plain Sight by Marta Perry. The story opens with Andrea Hampton learning that her sister, Rachael, was being hospitalized due to a car accident. Reluctantly, she leaves her job to go and help her grandmother care for her sister. While she is visiting her childhood home, she learns that "Grams" and Rachael are planning to turn the home into a B & B. If that isn't enough, Grams has rented out the barn to a mysterious carpenter. When the family becomes the victim of several pranks and attacks, Andrea wonders if they are more than rebellious teens playing tricks. I did find this book enjoyable but then again, I love almost anything that takes place in Lancaster County.  This is the first book in a series by this author.                                                          

52 Weeks Book Challenge

Once again I will be participating in the 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge that is hosted by Robin of My Two Blessings. You can find info on the challenge here. I have been participating in this reading challenge since January of 2010. I have yet to read 52 books in 52 weeks but you never know! My goal this year is to read 35 books. Last year my goal was to read 30 and I exceeded that by 3 so we shall see what happens this year. As always, I will post my review of each book I read on my blog. Please feel free to leave me comments as we go along. Are you participating in any reading challenges this year?

52 Weeks Book Review Wrap Up

Well~ it has been an interesting reading year. To sum up my book reading list I am going use the 52 Book Challenge questionnaire to give you a my year in review. 


1. How many books did you read and did you meet or exceed your own personal goal? I read 33 books this year. My goal was to read 30 books. 

2. What are your Top 5 (or more) stories? Top 5 least favorite?

Top 5

Without a Trace by Colleen Cobel

Beyond a Doubt by Colleen Cobel

Into the Deep by Colleen Cobel

Secrets by Kristen Heitzmann

Unforgotten by Kristen Heitzmann

Echos by Kristen Heitzmann

I didn't have least favorite books. I enjoyed them all.

3. One book you thought you'd never read and were pleasantly surprised you like. Holes by Louis Sachar

4. Most thrilling un-put-downable book.
The Colleen Cobel book series.

5. Did you come across a story you that you enjoyed so much you turned around an read it again or are planning on reading it again in 2014? I didn't re-read anything and probably won't re-read any of these in 2014.

6. One book you thought you would love but didn't.
The Camel Club by David Baldacci. I didn't dislike it but I thought it would grab me from the start but it took a long time to get into it.

7. Which book or books had the greatest impact on you this year? The Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer and The Stress Answer by Frank Lawlis

8. Do you have a favorite cover or quote from a story you'd like to share? 

9. What book would you recommend everyone read? The Debt by Angela Hunt. 

10. What was your favorite part of the challenge? Did you do any mini-challenges? I didn't realize until halfway through the year that most of the books I read were new to me authors. I didn't do any mini-challenges this year. Maybe next year. I enjoyed exceeding my personal goal for this year. 

Here is an index link to each book review from 2013.

1. Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes
2. Holes by Louis Sachar
3. Heart's Safe Passage by Laurie Alice Eakes
4. Private Justice by Terri Blackstock
5. Shadow of Doubt by Terri Blackstock
6. Word of Honor by Terri Blackstock
7. Trial by Fire by Teri Blackstock
8. Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyers
9. Line of Duty by Teri Blackstock
10. The Stress Answer by Frank Lawlis
11. Without a Trace by Colleen Cobel
12. Beyond a Doubt by Colleen Cobel
13. Into the Deep by Colleen Cobel
14. A Gift of Grace by Amy Clipston
15. A promise of Hope by Amy Clipston
16.A Place of Peace by Amy Clipston
17 The Debt by Angela Hunt
18. A Life of Joy by Amy Clipston
19. A Season of Love by Amy Clipston
20. Abomination by Colleen Coble
21. A Cry in the Night by Colleen Coble
22. Peter Pan by J. M. Barre
23. Secrets by Kristen Heitzmann
24. Unforgotten by Kristen Heitzmann
25. Echoes by Kristen Heitzmann
26. A Sister's Secret by Wanda E. Brunstetter
27. Search and Rescue by Colleen Coble
28. A Sister's Test by Wanda E. Brunstetter
29. King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry
30. A Sister's Hope by Wanda E. Brunstetter
31. Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin
32. The Camel Club by David Baldacci
33. The Book Thief by Markus Zukas

52 Books in 52 Weeks

 The last book of the year. Wow. I set a goal to read 30 books this year and I exceeded that goal by 3! The last book for 2013 was a last minute choice spurred on by the release of the movie The Book Thief. The Book Thief takes place during WWII in  Nazi Germany and is narrated by the character "Death". I wasn't sure at first if I was too keen on the idea of reading something narrated by "Death" but it was not creepy at all, in fact, I quickly forgot that was the narrators character and given the books theme it was very appropriate. The book centers on the life of a young German girl, Liesel, who is brought to the home of Hans and Rosa Huberman in the small town of Molching, after her mother becomes sick. On the way there, her brother dies on the train and is buried in a town along the way. That is where Liesel steals her first book, even though she cannot read. She is taught to read by her foster father and the book describes the events of the small town and how a young Jewish man comes to be hidden in the Huberman's home. The Huberman's obviously do not hold the same view as Nazi party and only time will tell if they will pay for their unpopular beliefs. There are parts of the book that are very touching, as we see the relationships form between neighbors during the time of war but there are also parts of the book that describe events not suitable for young impressionable youth. Overall, I did enjoy the book. It was written from an interesting perspective and brought out the point that, at first, Hitler didn't start his campaign to conquer the world with the force of weapons but through the use of words in a book. The power of the written word, a very interesting thought to ponder.  

52 Weeks Book Challenge

 It has been several weeks since I have updated my book reading on my blog. I have been reading just too busy to write about it! I decided to read a book by David Baldacci, an author I had never read before. We picked up several of his books at a library sale a while back so I chose book 1 in The Camel Club series. 

The book introduces four men who are basically conspiracy theorists living in Washington D.C. who meet regularly to discuss their theories about government corruption. During a secret meeting on Roosevelt Island, they witness a body being dropped off. They do a bit of checking and find that the dead man holds a high position in one of the country's security agencies. Unfortunately the murderers track them down and the fun begins. What the Camel Club thinks is a simple murder turns into a mega-plot to assassinate  the president of the United States. This book took me until chapter 27 to really "get into" the story lines. There are many more characters and plot lines than I can even begin to go into. I think I was expecting Baldacci to be Grisham and grab me from chapter one. When that didn't happen, I wanted to give up but I stuck with the book and did get to a place where I couldn't put it down. All in all, it was a good book. 

52 Weeks Book Challenge

 This week I picked a book from my book shelves that has been there for a while. Lynn Austin's Until We Reach Home. The Carlson sisters, Elin, Kirsten, and Sophia, have had many struggles in their home country of Sweden. After both parents die and their older brother running away, Elin decides that she and her sisters should begin a new life in America, so she contacts her mother's favorite brother who sends her tickets for their trip to a new land. Each sister has a secret that she is keeping from the others. Will they truly be able to start over in America or will their secrets destroy all their hopes and dreams?

I must say, I loved this book. Lynn Austin is one of my favorite authors. This book is available on Amazon in book form or on Kindle.

52 Weeks Book Challenge

 This week I finished the final book in the Sisters of Holmes County series, A Sister's Hope by Wanda E. Brunstetter. This book focuses on the youngest of the Hostettler sisters, Martha. Martha has fallen in love with an young Amish man, Luke Friesen, but her father thinks that Luke is behind all the attacks that have been happening on the family's farm. Luke also has feelings for Martha, however, unless he can prove his innocence to her father, he knows a courtship will never happen. 

Luke and Martha decide to team up together to investigate the attacks and clear Luke's name. You will have to read the book to find out if they are successful in finding the culprit or if Luke is just covering up his crimes. 

52 Weeks Book Challenge

This week I finished A Sister's Test (Sister's of Holmes County) by Wanda E Brunstetter. This is the second book in this series. This book centers around the second eldest sister, Ruth. Ruth's desire is to marry and have a family of her own. As her dreams start to unfold in one direction they are suddenly changed, leaving Ruth to question why. These events, plus the mysterious attacks that are still happening to her families farm, leave her wondering if she will ever find peace and true happiness. I did enjoy this book and am now off to read book number three.

52 Weeks Book Challenge

This week I decided to review a new book series for teens by Colleen Coble. You may recognize her name because I read her Rock Harbor Series earlier in the year. This teen series is called Rock Harbor Search and Rescue. It's heroine is eighth-grader Emily O'Reilly. She was a child in the original Rock Harbor series. Her step-mom is part of a search and rescue dog team which Emily has always longed to join. Emily started a jewelry making business to save up money to buy a puppy to start training. She decides to get a booth to sell her jewelry at a local fall festival. A renowned jewelry artist, who Emily admires greatly, asks her to watch her booth for her while she goes to the ladies room. When she returns she noticed her most expensive piece of jewelry missing and the blame falls on Emily. Emily is determined to prove her innocence but she isn't prepared for all the surprises she will find along the way. I would recommend this book for teens with a small caution to parent that it does involve a story line about a local Indian folk-lore belief. I was impressed how the author had the Christian teen stand up for her beliefs and also witness the truth in love to another young person from the Indian tribe that held on to the false belief system. I saw that the next book in the series is due out October 8th of this year!

52 Weeks Book Challenge

The second book I read this week was A sister's Secret by Wanda E. Brunstetter. Grace Hostettler returns to Holmes County, Ohio and her family after her 'rumschpringe'. She joins the Amish church and life is beginning to look "normal" once again. Grace is engaged to an upstanding Amishman, Cleon Schrock but will the new life she has planned be put in jeopardy when reporter Gary Walker shows up in town? Will he reveal Grace's secret? And just about the same time that Gary shows up in town, acts of vandalism on Grace's family home start. Do they point to Gary as the culprit? This book is the first in the Sister's of Holmes County series. I did enjoy this book but it leave you at a cliffhanger so now to begin the second book!

52 Weeks Book Challenge

 I finished the Kristen Heitzmann series this week with book 3 "Echoes". This book brings us back to the Sonoma Valley to the villa Rese has restored. Soon to follow, Luke's sister Sofie, finds the beginnings of a new life for her there. The villa, once restored as an inn, is now housing a rag-tag teem of misfits, all being cared for and becoming a family. One day, a young Mexican teen, pregnant and homeless, is brought to the villa. Once the baby arrives, social services is brought into the picture. Case worker Matt Hammond is taken in with the love that is part of this "family". He is also intrigued by the beautiful Sofie with the poise of a dancer and scars on each wrist. What is her story? I was sad to see this trilogy end. 

52 Books in 52 Weeks

Well I have been busy reading but too busy to post more book reviews. In the past few weeks I have read three more books. First was Peter Pan by J.M. Barre. I have always wanted to read the original unabridged book so I took the oppurtunity to also read it out loud to Abi. We have both enjoyed this classic tale of the little boy who never grew up. 

For  my own reading, I found the book Secrets by Kristen Heitzmann. This book opens in a hospital room in Brooklyn N.Y. Lance Machelli's Nonna (Grandmother in Italian) has had a stroke and the family is keeping a "vigil" for her at the hospital. In a moment alone, with great effort, she communicates to Lance that he needs to find "something" or "someone" and make things right. She sends him on a trip to Liguaria Italy to visit a cousin who can communicate some of Nonna's wishes. From there, Lance follows a trail of "secrets" that leads him to a villa in Sonoma California. But he still doesn't have the whole picture of what it is he is looking for. The owner of the villa, Rese Bennet, hires him as a cook and maid for her new Bed & Breakfast she is opening at the villa. One thing leads to another and Lance finds himself seeking more at the villa than the secrets he has come to expose. 

Unforgotten is book two in this series by Kristen Heitzmann. After the secrets are revealed in book 1, Lance returns to Brooklyn to bring his findings to Nonna. Being around the old neighborhood brings back memories, some good-some not so good. In the end it leads to more discoveries about the life that Nonna led before she married Lance's Nonno. Another mystery is revealed which begins to put a strain on the budding relationship between Lance and Rese. When will all the secrets end? Not with this book- it's number 2 in series. 

52 Weeks Book Challenge

This week I finished book number five in the "Rock Harbor" series. Bree Nichols and her search dog Samson discover a crying infant in the woods outside of Rock Harbor. Bree takes the baby in and begins to search for the baby's mother. While teams scour the forests, Bree finds clues about the missing woman. But she soon discovers something more shocking. Colleen Coble throws the ultimate twist to the entire series in this book. You will just have to pick up this book to find out the shocking secrete yourself.

52 Weeks Book Challenge

This week it was back to Rock Harbor with Colleen Coble's book Abomination. This book opens with a car racing down a back road. The driver is a woman who is bleeding and scared but doesn't know why. In the back seat sleeps a toddler that she doesn't know, in fact, she doesn't even know who she is herself. She desperately doesn't want whoever is after her to find her, whoever that may be, she takes the toddler out of the car and pushes the car over a cliff into Lake Superior. As she is walking in the dark carrying the toddler, Bree Mathews rides up with her son and search and rescue dog in tow. Bree picks up the woman and takes her home. The search begins to find out who this mystery woman is. Meanwhile, a killer named Gideon begins to leave where he is burying  his victims at a Geocaching website for people to find. But one of his "victims" escaped could the mysterious woman be her? Will he find her? This book is very well written. Even this mystery buff was thrown off by the twists and turns in this book. For those of you who like Colleen Coble's work look her up on Facebook. I sent her a message wondering if this book was definitely in the Rock Harbor series because it wasn't listed on the book itself and she answered me back. 

52 Week Book Challenge

Well if you haven't figured out by now that I am a fan of anything Amish or Lancaster let me put it plainly....I love anything Amish or Lancaster. Knowing that, it shouldn't be a great surprise to you that when I found out that Amy Clipston wrote books four and five in the Kauffman Amish Bakery Series, I had to head out the my local library to see if they had them. Sure enough I returned with both books. The first, A Life of Joy, brings us back to Lindsay Bedford from book one. Lindsay is still living with her Aunt Rebecca and Uncle Daniel, were she and her older sister came to live after their parents were killed in a car accident. Lindsay is now 18 and is working at the family bakery. She loves the community and her life but is unsure about joining the Amish church. Her older sister, Jessica, returned to her English life shortly after arriving in Lancaster and is pressuring Lindsay to get her GED and go to college. When Jessica calls her to tell her that a close family friend from Virginia has had an accident, Lindsay decides to go to Virginia Beach to help "Aunt Trisha" while she is recovering. The question is, will the return to the English world draw her back or will she return to Lancaster and take up her place in the Amish community she has grown to love?  

In A Season of Love, Amy Clipston takes us into the Amish world of of three young women that are be baptized into the Amish faith. Now they can start courting and begin the steps towards marriage and a family of their own. While Katie's friends find love among the community, Katie isn't interested in any of the young men she has grown up with. Then one day, while working in the family bakery, she begins a conversation with Jake Yoder. Jake and Katie begin a close friendship that quickly turns into something more. The only complication is that Jake is Mennonite and Katie's father forbids her to see him. This is the final book in the series and you just have to pick it up to see what becomes of this beautifully woven love story.