May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
As we wade the waters of uncertainty and change, keep your eyes on the one who offers hope. No matter what's going on each day, God remains the same, a light in darkness, joy in distress, peace in turmoil. Take heart and trust the Creator of life.
For
Madison Grayson, life is good. Newly licensed as a marriage and family
therapist, she can't wait to start her practice. Despite the unfortunate
shortage of eligible bachelors on the island--they're all too young, too old,
or too weird--Maddie feels like she's finally found her sweet spot. Not even
one panic attack in the last year. Not one.
And then Ricky O'Shea drops in. Literally. Floating down from the pure blue
sky, the one man in the world she hoped never to see again--the one who'd been
her archnemesis from kindergarten through her senior dance--parachutes into
town, landing on Boon Dock, canopy draping behind him like a superhero. Ricky
O'Shea. Now Pastor Rick, the new minister on Three Sisters Island.
Time to panic.
My Review:
The Three Sisters Island series continues. In book two, Maddie is finding her
footing and setting up her counseling practice. She loves God and her family
and wants balance to her days. But, Ricky O'Shea, a boy she had a love/hate
relationship with, for years, drops back into her life. Maddie's not perfect,
she's made mistakes and those memories, just might take her over the edge. But has
Ricky changed? I enjoyed visiting Three Sisters Island again, Suzanne Woods
Fisher catches us up on what's going on with the rest of the family and how Camp
Kicking Moose has improved. This is a great series, set on an island off the
coast of Maine. Maddie's story is one of doubts and pain, forgiveness and fresh
starts. Kick your feet up and visit the island for a few days of relaxation. I
received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review
are completely my own.
Book
Description: It's 1885, and all Nora Shipley wants, now that she's graduating
from Cornell University as valedictorian of the entomology program, is to
follow in her late father's footsteps by getting her master's degree and taking
over the scientific journal he started. The only way to uphold her father's
legacy is to win a scholarship, so she joins a research expedition in
Kodaikanal, India, to prove herself in the field.
India isn't what she expects, though, and neither is the rival classmate who
accompanies her, Owen Epps. As her preconceptions of India--and of Owen--fall
away, she finds both far more captivating than she expected. Forced by the
expedition leader to stay at camp and illustrate exotic butterflies the men of
the team find without her, Nora befriends Sita, a young Indian girl who has
been dedicated to a goddess against her will.
In this spellbinding new land, Nora is soon faced with impossible
choices--between saving Sita and saving her career, and between what she's
always thought she wanted and the man she's come to love.
My
Review:
This intriguing story unfolds like butterfly wings. As Nora fights to make a
name for herself in the scientific community and struggles to find her footing
in the male dominated world of entomology, she discovers what it means to make
difficult choices. Duffy's mastery of words and in-depth research weaves the beautiful
and the arduous together like a stunning tapestry, as Nora finds her way. The
author uses technical names for the creatures Nora encounters, which adds to
the picture of Nora's beautiful, intelligent character. I enjoyed the push and
pull between Nora and Owen and the gorgeous settings of both Ithaca, NY and
India. If you love adventure, romance, and women's fiction, you'll want to read
A Mosaic of Wings. I received a
complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are
completely my own.
Sometimes it takes losing everything to find yourself again.
Lily Bishop wakes one morning to find a good-bye
note and divorce papers from her husband on the kitchen counter. Having moved
to Alabama for his job only weeks before, Lily is devastated but forced to
contemplate her next steps when she sees a flier at the grocery store for a
hair stylist position in a local retirement community.
Rose Carrigan built the small retirement village
of Safe Harbor years ago—just before her husband ran off with his assistant.
Now she runs a tight ship, making sure the residents follow her strict rules.
Rose keeps everyone at arm’s length, including her own family. But when Lily
shows up asking for a job and a place to live, Rose’s cold exterior begins to
thaw. Lily and Rose form an unlikely friendship, and Lily’s salon soon becomes
the place where residents share town gossip, as well as a few secrets of their
own. Lily even finds herself drawn to Rose’s nephew, Rawlins—a single dad and
shrimper who’s had some practice at starting over, and one of the residents may
be carrying a torch for Rose as well.
Neither Lily nor Rose is where they expected to
be, but the summer makes them both wonder if there’s more to life and love than
what they’ve lived so far. The Summer House weaves Lauren Denton’s
inviting Southern charm around a woman’s journey to find herself.
My Review:
In this story of change and growth, I appreciated that Lily ended up in a
village filled with retirees. I found the setting refreshing. So often people
forget that folks over fifty-five live interesting lives. Lauren K. Denton
explores not only rising up after losing everything, as Lily does, but also
letting go and enjoying life as we watch Rose bloom (pun intended.) I love how the
author captures the endearing personalities of the folks in Safe Harbor. I
can't forget to mention Rawlins. He's a single dad and a sweetheart with a
touching story. I didn't care for the consumption of
alcohol by the characters, although it had a connection to the story. Otherwise, The Summer House is a charming story. I received a
complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are
completely my own.
You care for the land and water it;
you enrich it abundantly.
The streams of God are filled with water
to provide the people with grain,
for so you have ordained it.
You drench its furrows and level its ridges;
you soften it with showers and bless its crops.
You crown the year with your bounty,
and your carts overflow with abundance.
The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;
the hills are clothed with gladness.
The meadows are covered with flocks
and the valleys are mantled with grain;
they shout for joy and sing.
The
gold finches sing outside my window.
Springtime—I walk outside and study my
tiny flower garden. Which beauties will bloom soon? What leaves need to be tied
down to allow others to sprout? What annuals do I want to add this year?
No matter what goes on around the world, my flower
bed continues to grow. The rain showers fall and the sun shines. Soil enriches the plants,
and the blooms burst with beauty.
A few weeks ago, I hung a finch feeder outside the living room
window. From my chair, I watch, with delight, as the little gold and brown and red
house finches stop by for breakfast and dinner. They flit and flutter, sometimes knocking each
other off the bag, as they vie for the thistle seed. Those sweet birds add joy
to my day.
In Psalm 65, David writes about God's constant
presence. He's always with us. I witness Him in my natural surroundings. Go
outside and look up. The clouds appear in the sky as does the sun. Look around. The grass,
meadows, wheat, oats, corn all continue to grow. And if you live in the
Midwest, you know the rain tumbles down on any given day.
No matter what we endure, God remains the same. He
offers hope and joy for this weary world. Find a tree and thank God for the
shade. Listen to the call of a bird or watch it take off in flight and witness
the wonder of creation. Smell a bloom in the garden and thank God for the
beauty. Take a bite of salad and remember who provided the nutrients for growth.
Seeking joy? Look to God's creation. The birds rejoice with singing.
It’s time to go to bed and Fiona can’t fall asleep until she’s said
“GOODNIGHT” to all her animal friends at the zoo.
Fiona,
It’s Bedtime, a follow-up to the New York
Times bestseller Fiona the
Hippo and A Very Fiona
Christmas, is the latest book to showcase the adorable internet
sensation from the Cincinnati Zoo. Fiona is beloved by fans all over the world,
and her newest book is the perfect bedtime read-aloud for cuddling with your
little one. Fiona, It’s Bedtime,
illustrated by New York Times bestselling artist Richard Cowdrey,
features everyone’s favorite hippo who wanders through the zoo saying “GOOD NIGHT”
to all her animals friend before she heads to bed and settles into slumber.
My
Review:
Richard Cowdrey's charming and colorful illustrations will delight little ones
as they're encouraged to go to sleep. The rhyming text of Fiona, It's Bedtime is fun to read aloud, as Fiona visits all
her friends at the zoo. The text also captures the sleeping habits of the various animals. Living near Cincinnati, I have a soft spot for this lovable hippo.
Cowdrey has captured her sweet persona on each page. This is perfect for
children ages 2 to 8. Or an adult like me who loves children's books. Fiona, It's Bedtime will become a good-night favorite. I received a complimentary copy of this book.
Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.