Confessions of an Organized Homemaker (Deniece Schofield)
Why I have this book: I think my mother-in-law had a copy in her house, and after looking through it, I ended up buying myself a copy. Then I loaned my copy to someone else and never got it back or something... because I bought another copy.
Incidently, it used to be called Confessions of an Organized Housewife. But I guess "homemaker" is more politically or socially correct these days.
Anyway, it was a great book to help me get started on being organized back in the day, but Flylady's book Sink Reflections is a better fit for me. I'll pass this one on so someone else can get organized the Deniece Schofield way.
Another clean cleaning book. :)
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Rebecca (Daphne du Maurier)
Why I have this book: It was the first book in our newly resurrected book club.
Oh... how wonderful to read something that required some brain power!!!
Okay, this book had the feel of Jane Eyre, with a touch of Wuthering Heights. (Not a fan of Wuthering Heights... but loved Jane Eyre!) I really liked it a lot. The first few chapters require a bit of "stick-to-it-ness", but once you're hooked, you're hooked.
The end just... ends. I thought at first maybe I was missing the last chapter. (It was a "bargain book", so it was possible.) But, nope... that really was the ending. It left a few too many questions for me, but I still loved it.
I will be finding the movie version(s) and watching them.
Keeper.
This book had some swear words.
Oh... and the author also wrote The Birds, which Alfred Hitchcock made into that creepy movie.
Oh... how wonderful to read something that required some brain power!!!
Okay, this book had the feel of Jane Eyre, with a touch of Wuthering Heights. (Not a fan of Wuthering Heights... but loved Jane Eyre!) I really liked it a lot. The first few chapters require a bit of "stick-to-it-ness", but once you're hooked, you're hooked.
The end just... ends. I thought at first maybe I was missing the last chapter. (It was a "bargain book", so it was possible.) But, nope... that really was the ending. It left a few too many questions for me, but I still loved it.
I will be finding the movie version(s) and watching them.
Keeper.
This book had some swear words.
Oh... and the author also wrote The Birds, which Alfred Hitchcock made into that creepy movie.
Fools Rush In (Janice Thompson)
Why I have this book: It was on the account Kindle account I share with my mom. I'm guessing it was a free download.
So this is the first book in a series called Weddings by Bella. The genre would be "Christian Romance".
Um... okay. It was fine. Very light read... almost too light. It was sometimes painful to read, because things that were meant to be humorous or... whatever... just weren't so much. It was like the author was trying to hard. I don't know. I can't even write a review on it, because it just defies description.
Anyway... it was okay. Totally brainless, no emotional connection whatsoever to the storyline or any of the characters.
I would have no problem passing this book along to the library or someone else. I wouldn't keep it and I have no desire to read the rest of the series. If they were free and I was really desperate, I might. I mean, it didn't offend me in any way... it just didn't mean anything to me, either.
Clean.
Wow... this sounds so harsh! It wasn't THAT horrible... just not wonderful.
So this is the first book in a series called Weddings by Bella. The genre would be "Christian Romance".
Um... okay. It was fine. Very light read... almost too light. It was sometimes painful to read, because things that were meant to be humorous or... whatever... just weren't so much. It was like the author was trying to hard. I don't know. I can't even write a review on it, because it just defies description.
Anyway... it was okay. Totally brainless, no emotional connection whatsoever to the storyline or any of the characters.
I would have no problem passing this book along to the library or someone else. I wouldn't keep it and I have no desire to read the rest of the series. If they were free and I was really desperate, I might. I mean, it didn't offend me in any way... it just didn't mean anything to me, either.
Clean.
Wow... this sounds so harsh! It wasn't THAT horrible... just not wonderful.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Four books that are going bye-bye
I was straightening my bookshelves downstairs, and found four books that are headed out the door...
2x4 Furniture; Simple, Inexpensive and Great-Looking Projects You Can Make
Reader's Digest Home Improvements Manual
Time Life Books - The BIG Book of Flower Gardening
Time Life Books - Pick the Right Plant
In this day of internet information, none of these books is crucial to our family. I'll donate them to the library... and free up a little space for some of those piles of books that haven't quite found room on the bookshelf yet.
2x4 Furniture; Simple, Inexpensive and Great-Looking Projects You Can Make
Reader's Digest Home Improvements Manual
Time Life Books - The BIG Book of Flower Gardening
Time Life Books - Pick the Right Plant
In this day of internet information, none of these books is crucial to our family. I'll donate them to the library... and free up a little space for some of those piles of books that haven't quite found room on the bookshelf yet.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Whiter Than Snow (Sandra Dallas)
Why I have this book: Being a Sandra Dallas fan, I bought it when I saw it at Costco one day.
Okay... so... I don't know. Maybe my Sandra Dallas fanhood is starting to fade. I liked this book... I like how she wrote it, I liked the point she was making. I liked learning about all the different characters and thought she did a great job developing the story.
It's just that... why does it seem like a recurring theme (this book and the SD book I reviewed just previously) that these young women sleep with a guy who makes them think they love them and then they don't and the gal has to figure out how to marry someone else so she won't be labeled or something?
It just seemed too familiar to the book I just read.
And one storyline in here was really bothersome to me.
Sooooo, I don't know. It wasn't an uplifting story, although there it was definitely a story of redemption. (I stole that description from the back of the book... but it fits.)
I will probably donate it to the library.
Some swearing, one character is a prostitute, there are some disturbing elements here and there. Again, premarital sex (not really descriptive).
Okay... so... I don't know. Maybe my Sandra Dallas fanhood is starting to fade. I liked this book... I like how she wrote it, I liked the point she was making. I liked learning about all the different characters and thought she did a great job developing the story.
It's just that... why does it seem like a recurring theme (this book and the SD book I reviewed just previously) that these young women sleep with a guy who makes them think they love them and then they don't and the gal has to figure out how to marry someone else so she won't be labeled or something?
It just seemed too familiar to the book I just read.
And one storyline in here was really bothersome to me.
Sooooo, I don't know. It wasn't an uplifting story, although there it was definitely a story of redemption. (I stole that description from the back of the book... but it fits.)
I will probably donate it to the library.
Some swearing, one character is a prostitute, there are some disturbing elements here and there. Again, premarital sex (not really descriptive).
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The Bride's House (Sandra Dallas)
Why I have this book: Because I'm a Sandra Dallas fan and Amazon recommended it to me. :)
I liked this book enough to have to make myself put it down every chapter to do some housework, so that has to mean something, right? Actually, when I finished it, I wasn't as in love with it as I could have been. It was good, but it just lacked... something... for me. I think I was bothered by some of the storyline... maybe I just never could connect to the characters with much depth. Actually, the character I got the most connected to died so quickly that maybe I didn't invest much more as the book went on. Ha.
Anyway, not my favorite Sandra Dallas book, but I wouldn't discourage anyone from checking it out of the library. My copy will be going to my grandma or the library.
This book had a few swear words, and several characters engaged in non-married sex... it was mostly implied, but there was a little bit of "roaming hands" type stuff. Also, some attempted incestuous sexual assault.
I liked this book enough to have to make myself put it down every chapter to do some housework, so that has to mean something, right? Actually, when I finished it, I wasn't as in love with it as I could have been. It was good, but it just lacked... something... for me. I think I was bothered by some of the storyline... maybe I just never could connect to the characters with much depth. Actually, the character I got the most connected to died so quickly that maybe I didn't invest much more as the book went on. Ha.
Anyway, not my favorite Sandra Dallas book, but I wouldn't discourage anyone from checking it out of the library. My copy will be going to my grandma or the library.
This book had a few swear words, and several characters engaged in non-married sex... it was mostly implied, but there was a little bit of "roaming hands" type stuff. Also, some attempted incestuous sexual assault.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
The Gift of Angels (Rachel Ann Nunes)
Why I have this book: The LDS fiction selection on Amazon/Kindle is getting bigger and bigger! I saw this book, had enjoyed a couple of other books by the author... and I thought it sounded like something I needed right now.
I admit... this book was kind of hard for me to read. The protagonist is a middle aged mom who is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is struggling with her spirituality in the wake of her uncertain future. She is doubting her faith in prayer and miracles, and is frustrated by the stories others tell or that she reads about of angels and miraculous healings. The book is about how she is able to turn back to God and use His strength and the strength of the angels around her to endure the trial she is facing.
I could relate to her feelings, and reading it was comforting in some ways and hard in others. I agree completely with the message of the book, so there is no conflict there. Life can just be hard and painful at times, and I'm more the "denial" kind of person. :) I generally choose not to read sad books... and this book wasn't sad, per se... but it described a very difficult situation.
All in all, I think it is an important message.
Clean.
I admit... this book was kind of hard for me to read. The protagonist is a middle aged mom who is diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and is struggling with her spirituality in the wake of her uncertain future. She is doubting her faith in prayer and miracles, and is frustrated by the stories others tell or that she reads about of angels and miraculous healings. The book is about how she is able to turn back to God and use His strength and the strength of the angels around her to endure the trial she is facing.
I could relate to her feelings, and reading it was comforting in some ways and hard in others. I agree completely with the message of the book, so there is no conflict there. Life can just be hard and painful at times, and I'm more the "denial" kind of person. :) I generally choose not to read sad books... and this book wasn't sad, per se... but it described a very difficult situation.
All in all, I think it is an important message.
Clean.
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