Per usual, Ann Voskamp writes with a beauty that cannot be

compared. I had never thought of Advent as something important to be studied at Christmas time. We simply never "celebrated" it. But reading and studying about THE GREATEST GIFT: UNWRAPPING THE FULL LOVE STORY OF CHRISTMAS, helped bring the true reason for Christmas to the forefront of my holiday. This book truly is a treasure and I hope to be able to read it every year for Advent.

May we all, as Warriors, Carry On

Read. This. Book. Now. Thank you, Glennon. Thank you. xoxoxo

All for Tori

It's been a long time since I stayed up into the middle of the night

on a school night to finish reading a book! And I don't regret one moment of my late night reading! Nicole Deese is a fantastic storyteller. She tells a story in a way that draws the reader in but doesn't make me feel as if I'm being slapped in the face with it. A part of me wants to call ALL FOR ANNA "simple," but this is not, by any means, a simple story. As I read Tori's story, I felt so connected to her personally. During the last sixteen years, especially the last ten, I have withdrawn into my own world of depression, guilt, and rage. I have avoided family and friends to the degree of missing holidays and family gatherings. Like Tori, I went to counseling and have clawed my way back to a place of joy and peace in God. I honestly cannot wait for Thanksgiving (and Christmas) this year even though the house is going to be packed full to overflowing with family and extended family. For the first time in years, the thought excites me rather than makes me want to run as far away in the opposite direction as possible. I love a story that "simply" states the realities of LIFE without making it overly sappy or sentimental. I felt Tori's pain, her guilt; I also felt her joy in coming back to her faith in the one true Lord and Savior. As a writer-wanna-be myself, I can only hope and pray that my stories are even half as wonderful as Nicole's.

All I want is more.....

I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed ALL SHE WANTED by Nicole Deese! Just because I am only giving it 3 stars, don't let that keep you from reading this awesome book. I like this story so very much! It is a sweet love story that simply could not put down. It was only after I had purchased the book that I realized it is actually the second in a series of at least three books. I thought about getting and reading the first book in the series prior to reading ALL SHE WANTED, but I finally decided to go ahead and begin it and see if it made any different whether or not I had read the book that comes before. If it does make a difference reading the first book, I could not tell while reading this one. The neat part is that reading ALL SHE WANTED has ensured my reading the rest of the books in the series and quite possibly everything Nicole Deese has written.

I was fully invested in Briggs' and Charlie's story. I read almost the whole book in one sitting. I would have finished it if I hadn't had to go to a Thanksgiving Dinner this afternoon! But as soon as I got home, I sat down and finished it! Such a sweet story....

There are no real surprises in ALL SHE WANTED. It is a basic love story, but not in the "Harlequin Romance" kind of way. This story is one with characters who are real with real life issues, baggage, hurt, and love. I honestly hope that one of the books Deese has written is about Charlie's parents. They are relatively minor, yet important, characters in Charlie's story; I absolutely adored them!

I'm going to stop writing now so I can go read the first book in this series! Happy Reading!

My Soul Longs....

John Ortberg's book SOUL KEEPING is a must-read. It is so important for us to care for our souls. We always hear about the soul, but as Ortberg discusses very early in the book, very few of us are actually able to define "soul." I'm not sure that I can now even after reading the book and going through the Bible Study, but I am certainly more aware of the impact of the world around me on my very innermost being. The best part is my new awareness of the fact that my soul longs for the Lord. When I am restless and wondering what is missing from my life, I am learning that the "hole" can only be filled by my Lord and Savior. And the best part is that all I have to do is draw close to Him and He will draw near to me--and fill the "hole"--that part of my soul that longs desperately for Him. Thank You, Lord!

I can't believe this is a book by Roald Dahl

Even though I am a big fan of Roald Dahl's, I have to say, DO NOT READ My Uncle Oswald. Just don't. Seriously. The ONLY redeeming quality of this book is this quote: “I began to realize how important it was to be an enthusiast in life. He taught me that if you are interested in something, no matter what it is, go at it at full speed ahead. Embrace it with both arms, hug it, love it and above all become passionate about it. Lukewarm is no good. Hot is no good either. White hot and passionate is the only thing to be.”  ― Roald Dahl, My Uncle Oswald

That's what drew me to the story in the first place. But other than this one quote in the whole book, it is complete and utter trash. All the other reviewers who said don't read it are dead on.

Sorry, Dahl. It's just too risque.

Beautiful, Beautiful

Beautiful, beautiful. Read. This. Book.

I'm not sure exactly how I came across this book. I don't know why I don't remember that; I usually

do. I do know that within minutes of reading what EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING is about, I ordered it. I had to wait a little bit to read it because I was reading something else at the time. That was difficult to do because I was anxious to read Nicola Yoon's first book. I really sounded GOOD.

The book lived up to the hype I'd put on it. In all serious, you NEED to read EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING. For a first book, Nicola Yoon has knocked it out of the ballpark. I started the book around 8:00-ish and finished it right at midnight--of the same day. I could NOT put the book down. 

As I was reading Maddy's story, I was struck by how much we neglect to appreciate LIFE--being able to live relatively "normal" lives out in the world--seeing the beauty of God's creation on a daily basis--breathing fresh air--going where we want to go when we want to go (for the most part)--being able to touch, hug, hold, or kiss our loved ones--and so on and so on. Maddy is stuck inside her super-clean home every single day and risks certain death if she so much as steps outside or if someone enters her home without being decontaminated.

Wow. What a horrible way to live, but Maddy takes it all in stride--mostly...until the day her new neighbors move in next door and she is irresistibly drawn to the boy dressed all in black who climbs like a monkey. Now Maddy wants a life beyond her pristine white, CLEAN home and all hell breaks loose as a result....

I was so not prepared for the twist of this story. I pride myself on being able to figure out stories and not being surprised by twists. When I am unable to figure it out, that story/book automatically (typically) becomes one of my new favorite books! And EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING is now at the top of my list of all-time favorite books.

I hope I don't ruin it by saying that it's IF I STAY meets FINDING NEMO.....

Seriously. Read EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING.....