Only the Beautiful by Susan Meissner ~ Book Review

Sixteen year old Roseanne grew up living on a vineyard in California in the '30's.  Her father was the Calvert's vinedresser . When her parents die in an accident, Truman and Celine Calvert reluctantly take her in to be her guardians but Celine puts her to work as the house maid with the thought that it would train her to eventually be able to find work.  While Rosie is grateful to have a home, she finds herself very lonely, especially as she also has a secret she promised her mom she would never share.  Rosie has an ability to see colors when she hears sounds (synesthesia).  But in her grief and inexperience when the Calvert's son befriends her Rosie shares her secret with him.  As most secrets do, Rosie's secret eventually comes out and when she finds herself underage, unmarried and pregnant, Celine banishes her and turns her over the the state.  Leaving with only a small bag containing her clothes and an amaryllis plant that Truman Calvert's sister, Helen, once gave her to give her hope, Rose finds herself not at a home for unwed mothers but an institution for the mentally insane where her unique ability is not understood or known and she is forced to endure therapy to try and stop the colors.  Thinking once she has the baby she can leave and start a new life Rosie is devastated to learn that her baby will be taken from her and adopted out and she will have a procedure done that will prevent her from bringing anymore children into the world with her abnormality.  Meanwhile Helen Calvert is experiencing firsthand Hitler's own way of purifying his race as the family she nannies for in Vienna has their disabled daughter ripped away and taken to a special school.  After many efforts to try and get the child back, Helen returns to the U.S. heartbroken and guilt ridden.  When she discovers that Rosie was sent away under the circumstances she was, she determines that she will find her.  Much to her horror, she discovers similar circumstances happening right in America that she experienced while in Europe.  

First off the cover is absolutely gorgeous.  Second this story was so good.  It is told in two parts.  The first half of the book is Rosie's story and the second half is Helen's and then the author brings the threads together in the end.  The book is written in a unique way in each story where it goes back and forth between past and present.  The author does it well and I was never confused as to what was happening.  Prepare yourself to have your heart broken, I cried in several parts and felt all the emotions throughout.  The story is sad as it deals with some very difficult subjects and horrors that happened both in America and WWII and the author very adeptly links the two together drawing parallels to make the reader think.  Rosie and Helen's stories are one of loss and sorrow, grief and horror, but also deep love and courage in the midst of the unthinkable.  In dealing with some very hard subjects the author was able to get ideas across without going into graphic details which I very much appreciated.  She drew me into the lives, thoughts and emotions of her characters and it was hard to put the book down.

POSSIBLE SPOILER ALERT/TRIGGER WARNING AHEAD.  SKIP QUICKLY TO UNDERNEATH PICTURE TO AVOID IT IF YOU WANT

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trigger warning for the rape of a minor

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I gave this story a 10/10.

Reading Challenge Goal Met:  a book a month from my library holds

Spring Reading Thing 2011...Done

It is done.  Finished.  Ended.  Spring Reading Thing 2011 is over.  With the first day of summer upon us, it is time to wrap up and see how we did on our spring reading goals this year.

This was a great spring read for me this year.  Between some really great books and a wetter spring allowing lots of evening reading time, I actually accomplished my Spring Reading Thing List and even went beyond adding a couple of review books and a book on my library list.  The biggest surprise was that I finished a total of 5, count them, 5, non-fiction books on my list plus added 1 for review for a total of 6 non-fictions and they were all read cover to cover.  That is definitely one for the record books.  That is, if anyone is keeping track of such things.

 As a review, here is my Spring Reading Thing list.
 The extra's were "To Be Perfectly Honest" by Phil Callaway, "The Bride's House" by Sandra Dallas,  and "When Sparrows Fall" by Meg Moseley.  Your can go here for reviews on all the books from my Spring Reading.  Just scroll down to #6 - 19.  (If you choose to comment on that site please mention the name(s) of the book you are commenting on within your comment.)

Did I have a favorite from my reads this spring?   The one that stuck out the most to me was definitely "The Kitchen Boy - A Novel of the Last Tsar" by Robert Alexander.   It was interesting and gripped me from beginning to end, was well researched to historical facts, had a believable fiction storyline, and had the surprise twist at the end that I love.  It was the perfect historical fiction novel.

So did I learn anything new this time around from the Spring Reading Thing?  Well I learned that branching out of my usual authors was quite fun.  I found quite a few new ones this time around.  And I also learned I am quite capable of finishing non-fiction from cover to cover and of finishing more than one a year.  And as usual one of my favorite parts about this challenge was reading everyone else's lists and finding new titles to add to want to read list.  Thanks again Katrina for hosting.

How did you do on your spring reading goals if you made them?

Fall in Reading '10 Question #7

Katrina at Callapidder Days has a really fun question today on her Fall Into Reading '10 Questions Series. She asks us today:

"How did you get into reading? When and how/why did you really become a reader?"

It seems reading and libraries have always been a passion of mine. In fact, thinking on it, I can't believe I did not become a librarian or book store owner. My earliest remembrances of reading were the Little Golden Books. I remember having several of them and sitting looking at all their cute pictures before the letters made words for me. I still remember getting my very first library card and "signing" my name on that yellow card. I was so proud of that thing and used it as often as my mom would take me. If I had to pinpoint a time that I "became" a reader, I think it would have to be getting that card. It opened up a whole new world to me. I didn't just have to look at the few books we had at home, but now there was a seemingly limitless amount I had access to. I couldn't get enough.

In elementary school was when reading was really established as a lifelong love for me. I loved library time and my reading interests were varied with everything from picture books to comics. Around grade 5 I started to volunteer to help the librarian at school. I quickly learned how to shelve the books according to the Dewey Decimal numbers and I spent many a happy recess and lunch hour pouring over all the books as I shelved them. The problem was just choosing one or two when it came time to take them out. Little House on the Prairie was a favorite as was a story about a girl named Jessica that I just can't remember the title of now for the life of me.

I think about grade 6 was when the "series" bug bit me and I found the Donna Parker and Trixie Belden books. I spent every penny I had at the small department store in town on them and was so happy when I had the whole collections. I read them over and over again. I don't know whatever happened to those and was really sad when I didn't have them to give to my girls when they hit that age.

What spurred you guys on to become a reader?

Spring Reading Thing 2010 Wrap Up

Well this spring has just flown by and with it is the the wrap up for the Spring Reading Thing challenge. Thanks to Katrina for hosting this each year. It's nice to have a bit of a focus with my reading.

So how did I do? Did I finish all my books? If not, why? Did I stick to my original goals or change as I went along? Well my original list is here. I am very happy to report that I have finished my original list with the exception of one and a half. And of course, both of those being of the non-fiction variety. "Experiencing the Resurrection" is my half. I am well into it but just couldn't get it done on time. Hopefully, I'll finish it in the next couple of weeks. With my track record of not finishing non-fictions I'd say that a finish of 3 1/2 non-fictions off this list was pretty darn good. Included in that is a book I finished off leftover from the Fall Into Reading challenge: "Unexplainable - Pursuing a Life Only God Can Make Possible". Now that is a record for me in the non-fiction department! Yay me! The devotional book "Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock" I just could not get into so I set it aside for another time.

As far as fiction went I finished off my whole list of 7 novels plus added two more for a total of 9 fiction. I don't think I've ever done this well on a previous challenge. I don't know what was different this time. I think I just hit on some really great reads that kept my interest and kept me faithful to my original list and in the reading groove for the whole way. You can read any or all my thoughts on the books here. The Spring Reading Thing reviews start with #10 and go through to #22.

What was your favorite book you read this spring? Least favorite? Why? There was quite a few on my list that I really, really liked but I have to say my absolute favorite was "The Silent Gift" by Michael Landon Jr. It was just such a great read pulling every emotion out of me through the course of the book. It made me ask continuously throughout it "What would I do if in that postion?" and I had a hard time putting it down. All signs of a great read for me. My least favorite? A bit harder to pick as I didn't absolutely hate anything I read but a few were definitely not as enjoyable and gripping as some of the others. I think maybe "Here Burns My Candle", "The Wednesday Letters" and "Indivisible" were amongst my least favorites. Not that they were bad reads they just didn't hit me or engage me or weren't my style the same way some of the others were.

Did you discover a new author or genre this spring? Did you love them or not? My favorite read this spring was also a new author to me, Michael Landon, Jr. and I definitely loved it and it was in one of my favorite genres. I also discovered Sandra Dallas and she is definitely become one of my favorite authors. In all honesty I did come across her just before the reading challenge so therefore one of her books was on my original list and I quickly added her latest as soon as it came out.

Did you learn something new during the SRT? About reading? Yourself? A topic? I did learn I am capable of finishing a non-fiction. I guess it just has to be the right kind. As long as there is a progression of learning and not just the author saying the same thing twenty different ways it holds my interest a lot better I've discovered.

My favorite thing about the challenge? Just reading. And as usual, I loved reading everyone else's lists. I get alot of titles from going through other's lists.

I'd say it was a pretty successful challenge this spring. And the reading groove is still going! With the dog days of summer coming one of my favorite things is just sitting on a blanket, iced coffee or tea in hand and reading. Hopefully, the groove will continue!

Fall Into Reading 2009

Guess what time of year it is?! It's fall and that means Katrina's Fall Into Reading is kicking off into high gear. Love this each fall and spring. Puts a little focus into my reading, I get to find all sorts of great reads by reading other's lists and reviews, it gets me to reach my goal of getting through a non-fiction, and is just plain fun looking at everyone else's lists. Oh and did I mention there is giveaways and prizes? Oh yes, there is. If you'd like to join in, it's a no pressure kind of thing. Check it out here.

So here's my list for this fall. As always with me, it's not written in stone. Things could change especially if I don't get some library books done on time or book tour and review books come along. I've got my required non fiction in here, too. That is always a goal and a stretch for me, finishing a non-fiction.

I started this book in the Spring Into Reading challenge and didn't finish it. I put down over summer because it's just not my idea of a summer read but I'd like to try to finish it:

How the Scot's Invented the Modern World by Arthur Herman ~ A book that explores the thought that here is not a facet of our modern Western culture that the Scots didn't have a hand in. An account of the origins of the modern world from the contribution of the Scots.

Now my new ones:

Into the Arms of Immortals by Ginger Garrett (book tour book) ~ Book 2 of the Chronicles of the Scribes Series. Historical fiction thriller about the arrival of the "Black Death" in Europe. The story of the unseen battle, loving presence and eventual redemption as the church fights to stand between the plague and the people all while not allowing medicine to be studied outside of it's walls. A story of the conflict between science and faith, angels and demons, mortality and immortality.

John 3:16 by Nancy Moser ~ When fatal tragedy hits a college town, a string of events brings together a group of desperate people, each looking for a reason to keep living. A father, a dating ocuple, a professional, an estranged couple confronted with what they did years ago. As these lives intersect on a bright fall day, one of the will hold up a sign at a football game with a shor messae: John 3:16. This simple act of faith will have the power to change lives forever.

The Warrior by Francine Rivers ~ Joshua succeeded Moses as the nation's leader. But it was another man's zeal that pushed the people to put their faith into action. Caleb...one of five men who quietly changed eternity.

The Secret Diaries of Charlotte Bronte by Syrie James ~ An intensely researched book that blends historical fact and fiction to explore the passionate heart and unquiet soul of Charlotte Bronte, author of Jane Eyre.

Matters of Faith by Kristy Kiernan ~ On a search for faith by delving into one tradition after another, Marshall is coming home from college with a girlfriend who has certain beliefs about the evils of medical intervention. His parents have little time for spiritual contemplation as their whole focus is on Marshal's younger sister who has severe food allergies. What follows is a crisis that tests not only fiath, but the limits of family, forgiveness and our need to believe.

Wedding Belles by Haywood Smith ~ With hilarious Southern observations, this story takes on mothers and daughters, wedding madness, and midlife passion in this frank and funny novel.

God has Never Failed Me, But He's Sure Scared Me To Death a Few Times by Stan Toler ~ a light hearted look at the challenges that place us in faith's waiting room.

And not pictured but coming in the mail:

White Picket Fences by Susan Meissner (book tour book) ~ Readers of emotional dramas that are willing to explore the lies that families tell each other for protection and comfort will love White Picket Fences. The novel is ideal for those who appreciate exploring questions like: what type of honesty do children need from their parents, or how can one move beyond a past that isn’t acknowledged or understood? Is there hope and forgiveness for the tragedies of our past and a way to abundant grace?

Wisdom Hunter by Randall Arthur (book tour book) ~ A fast-paced suspense novel rich in spiritual depth, Wisdom Hunter explores what it means to break free of Christian legalism—and discover why grace can mean the difference between life and death.

Double Cross by James David Jordan(book tour book) ~ an action-packed story that provides thrilling twists and turns as well as a thought-provoking look at the personal and spiritual struggles of characters who are as complex as they are flawed. Ultimately, it’s a story of self-examination that describes Taylor’s journey toward the conclusion that some sacrifices can never be earned.

The Last Word by Kathy Herman(book tour book) ~ Heart-pounding suspense meets heart-challenging truth as best-selling author Kathy Herman returns to Sophie Trace in her new page-turner, The Last Word (David C Cook, October 2009). Based on Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the gentile,” Herman’s second installment in the Sophie Trace series triumphantly demonstrates God’s miraculous ability to heal the broken

Unexplainable by Don Cousins(book tour book) ~ In Unexplainable, Cousins shares with readers that God created us to find life in Him, and apart from His involvement, we will never find the life He intended. “As Jesus said, ‘I came that they might have life, and might have it abundantly (John 10:10)’.” Cousins explains, “God wants the only explanation for us to be Him. Most people don’t know it, but they too want God to be the only explanation for them as well. When we experience God’s influence in and through us, we enter the realm of the UNEXPLAINABLE.”

Oops and how could I forget the two I have on hold at the library. So if they come in then I'll be adding:

My Life in France by Julia Child

Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell

Well, this will definitely be a challenge!

For more fall reading lists and to add your own, please see Katrina here. If you need details and directions click on the button. Happy Reading!

Fall into Reading Finale

It's done. Fall is done and so is the Fall Into Reading Challenge. Katrina, our hostess, is asking us to do a Reading Challenge Summary and link it so we can all see what we felt about what we read.

Well, I loved this challenge. While I am a voracious fiction reader, usually, I struggle with reading non-fiction. Unless it's a biography. So I made sure I had one on my list. My list was pretty simple, only 5 books, because I knew once I started reading everyone's lists, I would be adding to my own. And I was right. My list is now about 30 long. Along the way, I also got some books in from the library that were on hold so I had to read those because they need returning. So all in all I think I did pretty well, although for the last 3 weeks I just have not felt like reading at all. Just too much going on, I guess, and I didn't want to get too behind on all your nice posts. :v)

Katrina asked us this about our challenge:

The Best Book I Read This Fall: That had to be "The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio - How my Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less" by Terry Ryan. You can read what I wrote here. Loved this book and loved the movie.

Book I could have lived without: I'd have to say it was "The True and Outstanding Adventures of the Hunt Sisters" by Elisabeth Robinson. By page 30 I just could not get into it. It was written in a letter type style and after the 3rd "f" word, I just didn't not feel like continueing. While that may not bother some, it does me, so that was like the thing that just convinced me to not push through with the book.

Did I read more than I would have without the challenge: I'd have to say not fiction, but the challenge helped me to finish a book that was on my "to read" list forever. And that was "TeenAge Boys, Shaping the Man Inside" by Bill Beausay. All though I'm not quite done, probably about 3/4 done, that is great for me. Teaching books are always hard for me, and while I could not tell you every concept he was teaching, I did come away with some golden nuggets to help me out.

Best thing about the challenge: Definitely finding all the cool books to add to my "to read" list from everybody else's lists. I read every list on the link. Every one.

Did I read more than I would have without the challenge: Not in the fiction department. But I'm glad it focused me a bit and helped me get through one non-fiction that I've been trying to do for awhile.

Did I discover and enjoy a new author after reading someone's list? I discovered some books I hadn't read from some of my favorite authors like Angela Hunt, Karen Kinsbury, etc. I have not got to the new ones yet as I mentioned before, I had some come in at the library that bumped some of the new ones. But I will get to them, and you'll probably see some on the Spring Challenge.

Other thoughts & impressions: I like how the challenge introduced me to new books and authors of which I'll get to. And I like how the challenged focused me in the non-fiction catagory.