Departures

This is a review for "Departures" Two Rediscovered Stories by Robin Jones Gunn.


I have to start off by saying that I am a huge fan of Ms. Gunn's! I read all of her Christy Miller and Sierra Jensen's books multiple times the past couple of years and currently have several of the collections residing on my bookcase just waiting for me to pick them up again. It is one collection I look forward to finishing rounding out. I, however, did not realize that I had never read Departures until I had the pleasure of requesting the book and sitting down and reading it on this beautiful Saturday!


It is a no less than I have come to expect from Robin. She pulls you into her stories and makes you care about what happens to the characters. It was a great treasure to discover these two novellas, packed into one book, about some of my favorite characters that she writes about.

I would highly recommend it for any reader whether you have read any of her previous books or not!


In Christy Millers adventure "Now Boarding At Gate 10" we get to go along with the Miller family as they venture back to Wisconsin for the grandparents 50th wedding anniversary. It appears to be the first time they have been back to their home town since moving to California and Christy gets to see her old grade school crush Matthew Kingsley. Christy, however, is not in grade school any longer. She is freshly graduated from high school and this trip comes on the heels of her break-up with Todd Spencer. Somewhere along the way both Matthew and Christy have to decide what to do about long buried feelings and just how to deal with life as you are growing up and become an adult responsible for your own decisions.



In Sierra Jensen's novella " In The Event Of A Water Landing" you go along with Sierra as she accompanies her friend Jana, Jana's older brother, Gregg and his friend Tim as they all head for the families cabin in Montana for the 4th of July.
After witnessing how uptight Jana gets when out of her homey comfort zone Sierra has her doubts about this trip, but is already committed to it and is determined to make the most of her trip no matter what problems arise.

Sierra and Jana are both somewhat late bloomers and have never expressed interest in boys until this fateful trip. What happens when you pair two late bloomers and three good looking boys...not to mention accident prone Sierra? A charming story about two girls coming into their own on the brink of womanhood. One ready to be more outgoing and maybe like a boy for the first time and Sierra watching her friend leave her behind with her own confusing feelings to work through. Strap in for "In The Event Of A Water Landing!" It's sure to be an exciting adventure! ;)



Loved both novellas and glad I get to add this awesome book to my collection!



Happy Saturday!
Jenny





*Note* I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for posting a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

No other words but WOW!

This review is for the book "Mine Is the Night' by Liz Curtis Higgs.

This book is the sequel to the book I previously reviewed, 'Here Burns My Candle'.
I finished reading this book today and will be honest in saying if you could devour a book, I did just that with this one. It is 442 pages of story and I almost could not put it down. I only hope someday to write a story as rich, lovely, and hard for someone to put down once they pick it up, as Ms. Higgs did with this one.

I am very picky about what I read and even more so about what I will keep in my bookshelf for re-reading in the future. I will assuredly be adding this to my every expanding book shelves and will dive into them again at some point. My only regret with these books is that this seems to be the last one that we will be able to enjoy the company of Elizabeth and her mother-in-law.

This story is based off of the story of Ruth and Naomi from the Bible. Not sure if I mentioned that in my first review of this series. I normally do not read things like that as I prefer the biblical account but I am ever so glad that I read this one!

Ms. Higgs has certainly been gifted with the art of storytelling and once again wraps you up in her words just as if you were wrapped in a plaid of your own and wandering the lowlands of Selkirk yourself. I can almost hear the birds and feel the mist as it rises off of rolling green hills. I already had a yearning to see Scotland but I confess I have an even greater one after reading this lovely series of books.

In this sequel, Elisabeth and her mother-in-law Marjory arrive in Selkirk to seek shelter with their distant cousin Anne Kerr. What they find when they reach her is far beyond what they ever could have expected. But the Lords hand is on them and have guided them in the right direction. Annie has grievances again Marjory and her late husband but takes them into her small abode as she knows she must. I admired her for doing the right thing even when the right thing had not been done by her. She shared what little she had and was blessed much in return. Just as we should do when we are able.

Elisabeth once again plies her needle as a trade, just as she once did before marrying Donald and becoming a Lady.

Both women have been stripped of their titles and thoroughly humbled by orders of the king, most especially Marjory Kerr.

Cousin Anne teaches lace making to two young well-to-do ladies and Elisabeth sews garments at home for a tailor. Marjory realizes she has nothing else to offer the household so she puts aside her former superiority and becomes the cook for the three women.

It was quite nice to see Marjory soften and go along her journey with God's will for her at the forefront of her mind. She is richly blessed for her obedience. As everyone who is obedient to Him is sure to be.

A dashing Admiral of around forty years old is introduced into the book as the new Master of Bell Hill manse and Elizabeth ends up having to seek employment there as the seamstress for his new, quite large, staff of servants. I will let you read for yourself and see what happens.

These women are known in the kingdom as traitors to the king and Admiral Jack served in his majesty's navy. How might a previous traitor fare in the employment of a loyal high-ranking subject?

Once again faith, hope, obedience and blessings are woven delicately throughout this lovely sequel. I admit to almost being reduced to tears by the end of the book and dearly wish that there were at least one more that Ms. Higgs might write using these wonderful characters.

Hope you all enjoy these books just as much as I have and am sure to again!

Happy Easter to all!
Jenny




*Note* I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group in exchange for posting a review about it. I am not required to post a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.

Another Book Read :o)

This review is for the book entitled 'in front of God and everyboy: Confessions of April Grace' by K.D. McCrite

The book is Juvenile Fiction but I read it anyway :)

It is about an 11 year old April Grace Reilly and her family, which includes an older teenage sister, who April Grace thinks, is just plumb ridiculous. The character of her sister is pretty absurd in my opinion, but that makes for an interesting character.

One of the main themes woven throughout this book is treating people as Christ would have us treat them. The girl's parents ensure that they follow this principle and try to make sure the girls do to. Whether it is apologizing for wrong doing or taking a stranger in need into their home, the parents exemplify what it means to love ones neighbor as thyself.

I, however, did not think that the author should have included them letting their 14 year old daughter watch Soap Operas. I feel that is hardly appropriate, especially for what the book is trying to convey. April Grace also tells a lie at one point in the book about their dog being tied up when it is not.

I did enjoy reading the book and will most likely read the next one in this series but I think the message would have come across better if the two above mentioned things had been omitted from the final cut of this book.


Hope you are enjoying a great book on this beautiful day!

Jenny


*Note* I received this book for free through the Booksneeze book review bloggers program in exchange for writing a review about it. I am not required to write a positive review. Any opinions expressed are my own and they are sincere.