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Books read in January 2019 (Part 2)

2/14/2019

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This is Part II of my review of the eight books I read in January 2019. You can read Part I and find the link to the prices and reviews of other readers here: books-read-in-january-2019-part-1.html

Book #5: 4 out of 5 stars

"The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah

Product details:
  • Hardcover: 440 pages
  • Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1st edition (February 3, 2015)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0312577222
  • ISBN-13: 978-0312577223
  • Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.4 x 9.4 inches​
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A #1 New York Times bestseller, Wall Street Journal Best Book of the Year, and soon to be a major motion picture, this unforgettable novel of love and strength in the face of war has enthralled a generation.
​
With courage, grace, and powerful insight, bestselling author Kristin Hannah captures the epic panorama of World War II and illuminates an intimate part of history seldom seen: the women's war. The Nightingale tells the stories of two sisters, separated by years and experience, by ideals, passion and circumstance, each embarking on her own dangerous path toward survival, love, and freedom in German-occupied, war-torn France―a heartbreakingly beautiful novel that celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the durability of women. It is a novel for everyone, a novel for a lifetime. (description from Amazon.com)

I didn't expect to finish this one so fast (within 2 days). It took me a while to really get into it because of her detailed description of all the characters and the locations. I was also glad that I speak French. The author uses a lot of French words and expressions that someone who doesn't speak French wouldn't understand without a dictionary, for example: Hôtel de Ville doesn't have anything to do with a hotel. It's the French word for townhall. But I can say that this is the first book that made me cry my way through the last 10 or so chapters. I stayed up that second night just to finish it. I'm excited to find out how they will transform this book into a movie. It was scheduled to premiere on January 25, but I haven't found any trailers or even a list of actors. I could see Hayley Atwell play one of the main characters (one of the sisters named Isabelle). Hayley Atwell played Agent Peggy Carter in Captain America. 

This novel shows two of the roles people played in WW2: Isabelle, the 'underground girl,' who fights as a member of the Resistance and represents those in France who refused to surrender to the Germans and her sister Vianne, the quite homemaker, who is more or less a bystander in the war and basically in denial of the injustice and suffering the French experienced during the German occupation and represents those in France who were too afraid to act until they were personally extremely affected by the occupation and injustice. The entire time I was wondering if I would be more like Isabelle or more like her sister. 

In the Popsugar Reading Challenge, this book was my choice for the "A book becoming a movie in 2019" prompt. This book also fits a prompt in the Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge: "A book with a dual timeline" (this book goes back and forth between the time of the German occupation of France and the present time).
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Book #6: 5 out of 5 stars

"The Man from St. Petersburg" by Ken Follett

Product details:
  • Hardcover: 323 pages
  • Publisher: William Morrow & Company; 1st edition (April 1, 1982)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0688011500
  • ISBN-13: 978-0688011505
  • Package Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
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His name was Feliks. He came to London to commit a murder that would change history. A master manipulator, he had many weapons at his command, but against him were ranged the whole of the English police, a brilliant and powerful lord, and the young Winston Churchill himself. These odds would have stopped any man in the world—except the man from St. Petersburg.
​(description from Amazon.com)

This is one of my all-time favorite books. I read it many years ago and fell in love with it. As part of the Popsugar Challenge I had to reread a favorite book. This was a book that immediately came to mind. It’s fiction, but enough real-life characters (e.g., Churchill, Czar Nicolas) and events (e.g., the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo that started WWI) are involved that it has an aura of a historical novel. I love how the story unfolds and the action sequences are fantastic! I'm usually not a fan of historical novels, but this one is a great book!

The novel beautifully describes historical events: from the women in England fighting for the right to vote, the unrealistic view the aristocrats in England had of the life of and the impact of their actions on the working class in their country to the British and Russians trying to come to an agreement just in case England is dragged into a war with Germany. The book also contains two beautiful love stories: the love between a young upper class girl and a working class man that was doomed from the very beginning because of their status in society and the love between parent and a child. Follett's book also includes family secrets and we experience the coming of age of a young upper class girl who is looking for her place in life and purpose.

This book fits the "A reread of a favorite book" prompt in the Popsugar Reading Challenge. In the Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge, I assigned this one to the "A book featuring a historical figure" (Winston Churchill).
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Book #7: 5 out of 5 stars

"The Wicked Will Rise" by Danielle Paige

Product details:
  • Series: Dorothy Must Die (Book 2)
  • Hardcover: 304 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins;
    ​1st Printing edition (March 31, 2015)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0062280708
  • ISBN-13: 978-0062280701
  • Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 1 x 8.2 inches
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In this New York Times bestselling sequel to Dorothy Must Die, who is good—and who is actually Wicked? The Wicked Will Rise is perfect for fans of richly reimagined fairy tales and classic tales like Marissa Meyer’s Lunar Chronicles and Gregory Maguire’s Wicked.
My name is Amy Gumm—and I’m the other girl from Kansas. After a tornado swept through my trailer park, I ended up in Oz. But it wasn’t like the Oz I knew from books and movies. Dorothy had returned, but she was now a ruthless dictator. Glinda could no longer be called the Good Witch. And the Wicked Witches who were left? They’d joined forces as the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked, and they wanted to recruit me. My mission? Kill Dorothy. Except my job as assassin didn’t work out as planned. Dorothy is still alive. The Order has vanished. And the home I couldn’t wait to leave behind might be in danger. Somehow, across a twisted and divided land, I have to find the Order, protect the true ruler of Oz, take Dorothy and her henchmen down—and try to figure out what I’m really doing here.

A great sequel to the book "Dorothy Must Die." This is a great read for someone who loves reimagined fairy tales with magic, mystical creatures, and action. It also includes love, kindness, friendship, and loyalty. The sequel takes off right where the previous book ends.That means these books definitely have to be read in order. It took me only two days to read this one (293 pages) and I can't wait to read book 3. Just as I said about "Dorothy Must Die," I believe that you have to read this 4-book series first before you read the prequel series to this series. It's kind of like "Star Wars" where it is more fun and exciting to watch the old 80s movies first before watching the first three movies recorded about 20 years after movies 3-6. Fantastic read with less action than the previous book, but captivating nonetheless! 

​Also, Amy's love story continues in this sequel. There are a few surprises and twists just as in the first book. The book is classified as a YA book, but it is a fantastic read for adults of all ages.

Danielle Paige has a great way of ending her books with a cliffhanger that makes you want to pick up the next book in the series right away. I had the third book put on hold at my local library right away and it is one of the books I will read in February.

As for the Popsugar Reading Challenge, this book would fit the "retelling of a classic" prompt, but since I want to try to read a different book for each prompt, I decided to add this to the "A book with an item of clothing or accessory on the cover" prompt.
In the Around the Year in 52 Books challenge, I used the prompt "
Two books related to the same topic, genre, or theme" prompt (with this one being book 2 and "Dorothy Must Die" being book 1).
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Book #8: 5 out of 5 stars

"Where the Crawdads Sing" by Delia Owens

Product details:
  • Hardcover: 384 pages
  • Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons; First Edition, First Printing edition (August 14, 2018)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0735219095
  • ISBN-13: 978-0735219090
  • Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 1.2 x 9.3 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
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For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark, the so-called Marsh Girl. But Kya is not what they say. Sensitive and intelligent, she has survived for years alone in the marsh that she calls home, finding friends in the gulls and lessons in the sand. Then the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. When two young men from town become intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new life--until the unthinkable happens. (description from Amazon.com)

What a painfully beautiful heart-warming book!!!! And OMG, Kya, the Marsh Girl, is such an amazing and strong girl/young woman!!! This book is beautifully written. I love how the author switches from the past to the present. It is very insightful and makes this book a very compelling story. With each chapter, you dig deeper into the world of the Marsh Girl. This novel gives you a totally new appreciation for nature. Owens' description of animals, plants, the scenery, what Kya sees, feels, and smells brings the location to life. You feel like you are emerged in the region. 

For the Popsugar Reading Challenge, I chose the prompt "A book recommended by a celebrity you admire" (Reese Witherspoon chose this one for her Hello Sunshine Book Club). This book also fits a prompt in the Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge: "A book with a strong sense of place or where the author brings the location/setting to life."
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Books read in January 2019 (Part 1)

2/13/2019

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Here is an overview of the eight books with links to Amazon for price info and more reviews (a separate window will open when you click the images):

Now let's talk about the first four books in detail (see Part 2 of this post for the other four):

Book #1: 4 out of 5 stars

"The Hospital: The First Mountain Man Story" by Keith C. Blackmore

Product details:
  • Audible Audiobook
  • Listening Length: 1 hour and 37 minutes
  • Program Type: Audiobook
  • Version: Unabridged
  • Publisher: Podium Publishing
  • Audible.com Release Date: March 28, 2014
  • Language: English, English
  • ASIN: B00IRI1SNU
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"Mountain Man" Augustus Berry is a survivor in undead suburbia. He scavenges what he can from what's left over. He is very careful in what he does and where he goes, taking no chances, no unnecessary risks, and weighing every choice...until he decides to visit the hospital at the edge of town, and experiences terror the likes he's never encountered before. A short story of approximately 9,500 words. The first story of the "Mountain Man" series. Contains language and graphic violence. (description from Amazon.com)

Usually, post-apocalyptic novels are not my cup of tea, but this one happened to be free on Audible and quite short. I had no idea what to expect when I started listening to this book during my walk to the library - which is a 4-mile roundtrip walk. In fact, I didn't even read the description before clicking the 'Buy' button. While I enjoy watching TV shows such as "The Walking Dead" or "Z Nation," I don't care much for novels like this. Surprisingly enough, I actually enjoyed this book, not least due to the author's writing. Blackmore was able to perfectly and vividly describe not only the scenery, but also the emotions and even what Gus, the main character, smelled and heard.

The book had a lot of foul language in it, but that was to be expected since this is a zombie story. Even as a Christian, I could see myself cursing like Gus when faced with the same circumstances in a post-apocalyptic world. Other than that, this book also contains pretty graphic violence. Blackmore is great with words and therefore able to paint some gruesome images in your head in this story that are not for the faint of heart.

"The Hospital" is the prequel to the Mountain Man series. As I mentioned, I'm not into zombie novels. But if this was a genre I enjoyed, I would absolutely read more of Blackmore's books.

In my Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge 2019, this book fits the prompt "books that play in one day" since this prequel covers only a few hours of one day in Gus' life. This book also fits a prompt in the Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge: "A book from one of the top 5 money making genres (romance/erotica, crime/mystery, religious/inspirational, science fiction/fantasy or horror)." This one fits the horror genre.
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Book #2: 5 out of 5 stars

"Braving the Wilderness" by Bréne Brown

Product details:
  • Publisher: Random House Uk (January 1, 2017)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 9781785041754
  • ISBN-13: 978-1785041754
  • ASIN: 1785041754
  • Product Dimensions: 
    ​5.3 x 0.6 x 8.5 inches (Paperback)
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“True belonging doesn’t require us to change who we are. It requires us to be who we are.” Social scientist Brené Brown, PhD, LMSW, has sparked a global conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives—experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. In Braving the Wilderness, Brown redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization. With her trademark mix of research, storytelling, and honesty, Brown will again change the cultural conversation while mapping a clear path to true belonging [...] Brown offers us the clarity and courage we need to find our way back to ourselves and to each other. And that path cuts right through the wilderness. Brown writes, “The wilderness is an untamed, unpredictable place of solitude and searching. It is a place as dangerous as it is breathtaking, a place as sought after as it is feared. But it turns out to be the place of true belonging, and it’s the bravest and most sacred place you will ever stand.” (description from Amazon.com)

About two years ago, I read her book 'The Power of Vulnerability', well, actually I listened to it on Audible and I loved it. So I had high expectations before picking up this one. My local book club had picked this one as the Book of the Month in January.

First, I read the reviews and they were all over the place from basically calling her a white middle-class privileged girl with First World problems to downright genius. I almost agreed with the negative reviews after reading the first few pages. She did indeed sound like a privileged girl who didn't know what REAL problems are. However, a few more chapters into the book, I realized what she had done...she simply used stories from her own past to explain the concepts she was describing. I have to say that this is what helped me a lot because she uses some 'heavy' words and expressions that made me scratch my head, but the stories gave me this 'Aaaah Moment.'

This is one of the paragraphs that really spoke to me: 
“True belonging requires us to believe in and belong to ourselves so fully that we can find sacredness both in being a part of something and in standing alone when necessary. But in a culture that’s rife with perfectionism and pleasing, and with the erosion of civility, it’s easy to stay quiet, hide in our ideological bunkers, or fit in rather than show up as our true selves and brave the wilderness of uncertainty and criticism. But true belonging is not something we negotiate or accomplish with others; it’s a daily practice that demands integrity and authenticity. It’s a personal commitment that we carry in our hearts.”

Good book to add to a personal development book list! I highlighted a lot of paragraphs in my Kindle edition, for example a quote by Joseph Campbell: "If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you know it’s not your path. Your own path you make with every step you take. That’s why it’s your path." Honestly, I didn't quote grasp the significance of this statement until recently after 'breaking some spiritual chains' in a "Freedom" class and the "Freedom" conference at my church. This quote sums Christianity up for me as a new Christian...God knows my path. I don't have to see every step of it, I don't even have to understand it, but what I need to do is step out of my comfort zone, 'brave the wilderness' and trust that God has my back.

This book also fits a prompt in my Popsugar Reading Challenge 2019: A book by an author whose first and last name start with the same letter.
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Book #3: 5 out of 5 stars

"Dorothy Must Die" by Danielle Page

Product details:
  • File Size: 2736 KB (Kindle Edition)
  • Print Length: 469 pages
  • Publisher: HarperCollins; Reprint edition
    ​(April 1, 2014)
  • Publication Date: April 1, 2014
  • Sold by: HarperCollins Publishers
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B00DB3D302
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I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be some kind of hero. But when your whole life gets swept up by a tornado—taking you with it—you have no choice but to go along, you know?
Sure, I've read the books. I've seen the movies. I know the song about the rainbow and the happy little blue birds. But I never expected Oz to look like this. To be a place where Good Witches can't be trusted, Wicked Witches may just be the good guys, and winged monkeys can be executed for acts of rebellion. There's still a road of yellow brick—but even that's crumbling.
What happened? Dorothy. They say she found a way to come back to Oz. They say she seized power and the power went to her head. And now no one is safe.
My name is Amy Gumm—and I'm the other girl from Kansas. I've been recruited by the Revolutionary Order of the Wicked. I've been trained to fight. And I have a mission: Remove the Tin Woodman's heart. Steal the Scarecrow's brain. Take the Lion's courage. And—Dorothy must die.
(description from Amazon.com)

Wow, just wow!!! I loved every page of this book!!! Now I'm hooked!!! This book is part of a series and I feel that you have to read these four books first before reading the prequel series...kind of like Star Wars. This book combines a classic fairytale, love, magic, and modern-day struggles, action thriller, mystery, and nail-biting moments!!! I didn't want to put it down! Fantastic book right down my alley!!

Amy is a loner, nerd, and considered as weird by many of her peers. She struggles with bullying and belonging. Just as in the classic "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz," she is taken to Oz by a tornado, but this Oz is not at all like the Oz we know from the Judy Garland movie or the classic children's book. This Oz has lost or is losing its magic. Amy doesn't know who to trust because none of the characters she knows from the book are what they are like in the book: Glinda and Dorothy are like an evil version of the Kardashians, the Lion seems to feed off the fear of his victims, the Scarecrow, oh my, the Scarecrow acts like a mad scientist, and the Tin Woodman, he has a heart but it is only full of love for Dorothy and otherwise stone cold. It felt like an upside-down world to me. In the midst of all this, Amy falls in love, but will he love her back? This book is definitely what Stephen King would call 'unputdownable.'

While this book is classified as a YA book, I believe that adults will enjoy this book/series just as much!

In the Popsugar Reading Challenge, this book fits the prompt "Retelling of a classic." 
In the Around the Year in 52 Books Challenge, I used the prompt "Two books related to the same topic, genre, or theme" prompt (with this one being book 1 and "The Wicked Will Rise" being book 2).
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Book #4: 5 out of 5 stars

"The Potato Chip Puzzle" by Eric Berlin

Product details:
  • File Size: 3058 KB (Kindle Edition)
  • Print Length: 268 pages
  • Publisher: Puffin Books (February 21, 2009)
  • Publication Date: April 16, 2009
  • Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC
  • Language: English
  • ASIN: B001TMCEOI
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When puzzle addict Winston Breen and his best friends head to an all-day puzzle hunt with a $50,000 grand prize, they’re pumped. But the day is not all fun and games: not only do they have a highstrung and highly competitive teacher along for the ride, but the puzzles are hard even for Winston, the other schools’ teams are no joke, and someone in the contest is playing dirty in order to win. Trying to stop this mystery cheater before it’s too late takes an already tough challenge to a whole other level. (description from Amazon.com)

I give this one 5 stars out of 5 because the author added a nice little extra challenge to the book by including the puzzles the characters have to solve (with the answer keys in the back). I loved it! I put the other books on my to-read list. This one was actually No. 2 of 3, but you don't have to read the books in order. This book is great for younger independent readers, but also a fun and easy read for YA and adults.

The storyline is easy to follow and the writing is easy to understand for kids as young as middle school students. While this book is short and sweet, it might take the reader a little longer to read if said reader loves puzzles. Letting the reader solve the puzzles the characters have to solve in the story first before revealing the answer the Winston and his friends came up with is ingenious. The puzzles include number, word, and scavenger hunt-type puzzles. Very interesting take on a book. The puzzles don't interrupt the flow of the book in any way. The reader can jump right back into the story. 

This book fits the Popsugar Reading Challenge prompt "A book revolving around a puzzle or a game."

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Around the Year in 52 Books

2/1/2019

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Since I love a good challenge to keep me motivated and accountable, I did not only join the Ultimate Popsugar Reading Challenge 2019 (see here: ultimate-popsugar-reading-challenge-2019.html), but added another challenge hosted on Goodreads. This one is called "Around the Year in 52 Books." ​
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The goal of this challenge is to read one book each week in 2019. Just like the Popsugar Challenge, this challenge provides prompts...one for each week of the year. You can either read them in order or in the order you like. 

The list with all prompts is listed. That way you can choose a book you like to read in any of the weeks this year and then add it to one of the prompts. Or you go in order and read a book related to the book prompt suggested for each particular week. You can find the full list of prompts here:
www.goodreads.com/topic/show/19645196-the-52-topics-for-the-2019-reading-challenge


If you prefer a printable list that you can put in a spot in your home and check off the books, you can find one here: 
imgur.com/JQ7885t
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In the Popsugar Reading Challenge I'm going to read 50 books. To keep me from getting too discouraged and check off some of the prompts in the Around the Year in 52 Books (ATY) a little faster, I added some of the books I'm reading in the Popsugar Reading Challenge to the ATY Challenge. After completing both challenges, I will have read a total of 79 books this year (50 books in Popsugar and 23 (Popsugar) + 29 (new) books in ATY). My overall goal for this year is to read 100 books! These 79 books will keep me on the right track :-)
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    Author

    This part of my blog is all about books and reading! I believe in reading aloud to my kids and being creative with books (e.g., in the form of Bible journaling). 
    My goal for 2021 is --just as in 2020-- to continue to minimize my electronics time (mindless TV watching, binge-watching shows on Netflix, game apps, social media scrolling). Instead, I will continue to replace those hours with reading challenges, audiobooks, and reading time with my kids. 

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