Thursday, December 31, 2015

Whatever is Lovely

Whatever Is Lovely: A Coloring Book for Reflection and WorshipWhatever Is Lovely: A Coloring Book for Reflection and Worship by Waterbrook Press
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I am such a fan of the Adult Coloring books & love they are coming out with these ones that have such special meaning with motivational & spirtual pages to color.
Being a Bible Journal fan, this just feeds into that love I have for this sort of art.
Cant say enough about these books.
Note: I use Crayola markers & they dont bleed through - great quality paper.

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Promise Me

Promise MePromise Me by Richard Paul Evans
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I always like to read a Richard Paul Evans book during the holidays...

they are easy to read, fast to digest & just lovely little stories.

This is the one about a woman who finds out her life isn't what it seems when her husband reveals some truths before he passes away, leaving her guarded & afraid to trust anyone.

& then enters Matthew. A man who knows things that he shouldn't & a man who helps her trust again. But where is he from & how does he know these things?

I thought the story was going to go one direction & it went another.
I don't want to give any spoilers, but it was a little hard for take in the direction it did go.... while it has a sweet story to it, it just rubbed me as a little strange. Even if you suspend belief to follow the story, its still just "odd"...

Saying that, I did still enjoy reading it during the holidays just because it was a quick, easy, laid back kinda read during a busy time.

I dont think I could ever NOT like a Richard Paul Evans book...

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Friday, December 18, 2015

Library of Souls

Library of Souls (Miss Peregrine's Peculiar Children, #3)Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The final book of the series.

I was so excited about it especially after loving book #2 so much.

... & in usual fashion, I like book #1, LOVE book #2... & book #3? ... meh...

This closed up the series on the Peculiar Children, who at the end of the book #2 were kidnapped, as well as Miss Peregrine herself & the other ymbrynes (I know - talk you wont get unless you read the book) ... & so Jacob & Emma are pretty much on their own, as well as a talking dog, Addison, & who they meet along the way, to get their friends back, rescue all the ymbrynes & get to a loop where everyone will be safe.

It was definitely action packed - a LOT happening.. & that may have been what didn't strike me so much. It just seemed like a lot of action was happening for things that didn't really need to happen. Felt like a lot of space filler. I also didn't like we didn't have the whole gang for more then half of the book. I like them working together, using all of their Peculiar powers together...

I think I may have even skipped a chapter or two to hurry it up - BUTTTTTT - towards the end, I did really enjoy the way they wrapped it up - even though it did feel a little rushed after 300 pages of leading up to it (again, filler?) ...

& really, I liked the way the book came to conclusion, so thats why I ended up giving it 3 stars... & in all honestly, I can see another book or series coming from this later or maybe even Jacob's children? grandchildren? ... that'd be fun to pick it up again in another story line.

Until then... it was nice to meet all the Peculiar children & Miss Peregrine.

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The Time Garden



When I saw this coloring book was up for review, I had to jump on it.

If you know me, I am a coloring addict - & am loving all of these adult coloring books.

& this is a beautiful coloring book to add to the collection - a REAL book.

Beautiful pages - so many different designs - I love it.

I use markers & none of my pages bled through & held the color so well.  I really am impressed with this book & now I want to check out the others in this series.

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Before I Fall

Before I FallBefore I Fall by Lauren Oliver
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I really liked it, but I didn't want to like it...

I mean the story is about a girl who dies but she relives a day over & over again - almost like a Groundhog Day for a teenage girl & all the drama that carries with it... but I was just hoping the ending would be different.

& I actually wasn't sure what the ending was going to be. I couldn't wait to see what happened every time Sam woke up to start the day all over again. Spending it with her friends, Lindsay, Elody & Ally. & her boyfriend Rob... & Kent, the boy she's known since childhood who always is kind to her even when she shoves him off. & Juliet - the girl her & her friends would pick on & call names & send a rose to every Cupid's Day to humiliate her. How Sam handled every day differently every time - going through all the motions of anger, not carrying, living it up, to finally learning how to get things right, how to find peace in her world. But every time a chapter would end, I would hold my breath at what would happen next.

Yep - didn't like the end ... at first... but I guess it makes sense. I had to sit in it for awhile. & I found I really did like the book.

Its kind of deep if you think about it all.

& I just found out that its actually going to be a movie in 2016 so I'm glad I read this before I saw the movie trailer which would make me want to read it even more.

I definitely will have this book stuck with me for awhile...

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