Monday Memes

 Monday is the day for sharing our book hauls and reviews with other book bloggers.  This post is linked to Mailbox Monday which is about books that are new to us this week. It's Monday, What Are You Reading talks about what we are reading and reviewing.  

I grabbed two books with my Kindle Unlimited subscription.  Have you read either one?

The Sometimes Sisters

Those Who Save Us

I took off between Christmas and New Year so I had a lot of time to read and write.  I published several reviews:

My Review

My Review 

My Review

My Review

I also read/reviewed some books for which the reviews will be published later. 

A Song for the Road is Kathleen Basi's debut novel.  Available now on NetGalley, it is the story of a woman taking a cross country trip to come to grips with the loss of her family.  I recommend it.  Review to be published in May. 

Before I Saw You is the story of two accident victims whose hospital beds are next to each other, but who can't see each other.  I enjoyed it. Currently on NetGalley.  Review to be published in March.

I always enjoy Thayne's books and The Path to Sunshine Cove is no different. Review in February.

In this cold weather, a trip to Hawaii with Moments Like This was fun. 

Later this month, I publish a review of The Vineyard at Painted Moon about a woman who has to start over in life. 

One of my New Year's resolutions is to get back into participating in these weekly link-ups.  I'll be around to see what everyone else is reading.  

The Woman I Was Before: My Review

 

The Woman I Was Before

About the Book

Of all the emotions single mother Kate Jones expects to feel as she walks into her brand-new house on Parkview Road, hope is the most surprising. She has changed her and her daughter's names and moved across the country to escape the single mistake that destroyed their lives.

But Kate isn't the only woman on the street starting afresh. Warm, whirlwind Gisela, with her busy life and confident children, and sharp, composed Sally, with her spontaneous marriage and high-flying career, are the first new friends Kate has allowed herself in years. While part of her envies their seemingly perfect lives, their friendship helps Kate to leave her guilt behind.

Until one day, everything changes. Kate is called to the scene of a devastating car accident, the consequences of which will test everything the women thought they knew about each other and themselves.

My Comments

Who are you?  If I checked your social media feeds, how accurate (or perhaps it would be better to say how complete) is the picture they paint?  Putting your best self forward is nothing new--its why we dress one way to go to a ball, another way to go to the office and yet another to clean house.  This is the story of three women who learn who the others are, even though each tries to portray an image that isn't quite true.

Kate and her neighbors have just moved into a new subdivision.  We quickly learn that Kate has a secret, a secret that has caused her to move, to change her name, and to forbid her daughter to use social media.  Kate has no friends and resists the overtures of her new neighbors but finally lets them in a little at her daughter's demand.  By the end of the book we learn her secret and to me, that whole part of the story fell flat.  

Gisela is very active on social media showing off her perfect life, but then it all comes crashing down.  Even she didn't realize what an illusion it all was.  

Sally also has a social media perfect life, sort of, but then she too finds that things aren't what they seem to be.  

By the end of the book all three women have started new chapters in their lives and while they may not be #perfect, they have #growth.  

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  Grade B. 

On the Horizon by Lois Lowry: My Review

 

On the Horizon

About the Book:

Lois Lowry looks back at history through a personal lens as she draws from her own memories as a child in Hawaii and Japan, as well as from historical research, in this stunning work in verse for young readers.

On the Horizon tells the story of people whose lives were lost or forever altered by the twin tragedies of Pearl Harbor and Hiroshima.  Based on the lives of soldiers at Pearl Harbor and civilians in Hiroshima, On the Horizon contemplates humanity and war through verse that sings with pain, truth, and the importance of bridging cultural divides. This masterful work emphasizes empathy and understanding in search of commonality and friendship, vital lessons for students as well as citizens of today’s world. Kenard Pak’s stunning illustrations depict real-life people, places, and events, making for an incredibly vivid return to our collective past.

 

In turns haunting, heartbreaking, and uplifting, On the Horizon will remind readers of the horrors and heroism in our past, as well as offer hope for our future.

My Comments:

Maybe I don't give fifth through seventh graders enough credit but I can't see most of them liking this book, and they are the age it is aimed at, according to Amazon.  The reading level is right, for the most part, but I don't see the interest being there.  

The book starts in Hawaii with a young Lois Lowry at the beach with her nanny, and seeing the Arizona in the distance.  It then gives some  personal details about the men who lost their lives that day, and some who survived.  It has photos of some artifacts like a survivor's watch.  

It then moves to Japan, to Hiroshima as the bomb was dropped.  Again, it profiles the ordinary people like a four year old boy who died on his red tricycle.  

The prose in haunting, almost poetic at times, but I personally don't see it holding kids' interest.  

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available.  Grade B. 

The Sunday Gospels for Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter: My Review

 

The Sunday Gospels for Advent, Christmas

Lent and Easter

About the Book

This book presents the complete texts of the gospel readings for every Sunday throughout the three-year cycle of the Sunday lectionary in the Catholic Church during the seasons of Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. It may be used for personal study to enhance understanding and appreciation of the Sunday gospel.

Each reading is accompanied by a short commentary, two questions for personal reflection and two prayers, to enable the gospels to be read in the contemplative tradition of Lectio Divina. These reflections have been written by the Revd Dr Adrian Graffy, a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission.

The gospels are from the Revised New Jerusalem Bible, a bold new rendition of the scriptures designed for study and proclamation, and acclaimed for the richness, accuracy and inclusivity of its language.

A companion to this volume, The Sunday Gospels for Ordinary Time, will be released in January 2021.

Revd Dr Adrian Graffy was awarded a doctorate at the Pontifical Biblical Institute and taught Scripture for many years. He is now a parish priest in the Diocese of Brentwood and director of the What Good News website (www.whatgoodnews.org). He was appointed in 2014 to be a member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, which takes a lead in Bible scholarship, interpretation and promotion for the Catholic Church.

My Comments

Yes, reflections on the Gospels of the day are a dime a dozen, can be emailed to you by any number of organizations/people and cover the entire spectrum of Catholic belief/practice from the Latin Mass aficionados to the Praise and Worship music fans to prolife leaders to social justice warriors.  This one is pretty middle of the pack ideologically.

It covers all all three Lectionary cycles but none of the "green" Sundays.  

To give you a taste of the style/content, I'm going to talk about the readings for today, the feast of Mary, the Mother of God.  Dr. Graffy points out that the Gospel is similar to one read on Christmas, the only difference is the addition of the last verse. He points out that the focus today is on Mary, without whom none of this could have  happened.  He ties in the second reading (which isn't printed in the book) which says that God sent his Son, born of a woman and that the first reading from Numbers invokes God's blessing on God's people as the new year begins.  He then asks the following reflection questions:

• Do I appreciate the courage and love of Mary and see her as an example?
• Do I imitate Mary's silence and her pondering of God's goodness in her heart?

Graffy then leads us in prayer

• We pray that we may follow the example of Mary, the first servant of Jesus Christ, who listened to God's word and responded with generosity. 
• We open our hearts to God at the beginning of a new year, that God may bless us day by day.

The author is English, the spelling is English but I looked him up and he is Catholic, not Anglican.  

If you are looking for something to lead you into prayer on the Sunday Gospels during these sacred seasons, this is a good option.  

I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley.  Grade:  B+