Lynn

Latest Book Reviews

June 30, 2020 by Lynn Leave a Comment

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I can’t believe that it has been two months since we shared our latest books reviews. The last few months have been so crazy and we are trying to get back to normal. Whatever normal is right now.

We have shared a wide range of books over the last two months. Some of them we loved and some of them were not for us.

Over the last few weeks we have reviewed some nonfiction, some lighter fiction reads, a couple of Christian books, and at least one book that will make my top books for the year. If you have read any of them we would love to hear your thoughts!

I Capture the Castle

I have seen I Capture the Castle on so many reading lists that I knew I had to give it a try. This book is considered a modern classic by many. Some consider it the first real young adult novel. Click here for my full review of I Capture the Castle.

The Prayer Box

The story is set in a beach town. It deals with messy pasts, friendship, dysfunctional families, and of course a little romance. Click here to read my full review of The Prayer Box.

Spain in Our Hearts

I knew some about the Spanish Revolution in Europe because it ties in with World War II history. I also learned about it in world history, but this was the first stand alone book I had read. If you have not read anything about the Spanish Revolution from the 1930’s, you should read Spain In Our Hearts. Click here to read Grace’s full review of Spain in Our Hearts.

The Fountains of Silence

This book shares a part of history that I didn’t know anything about. I am pretty sure I am not alone on that. I don’t think a lot of people know about this time period in Spain. I loved how the author wove the characters lives together. She took characters from totally different background and classes and made it work in a believable way. This would make a great book pairing with Spain in Our Hearts. Click here to read my full review of The Fountains of Silence.

The Splendid and The Vile

The Splendid and The Vile by Erik Larson was an example of the right book at the right time. I am sure I would have enjoyed this book no matter when I read it, but reading it, in the spring of 2020 with all the crazy stuff going on, made me appreciate this book even more. After I read this my husband listened to the audio book and loved it. We gave it to my father in-law for a gift and he loved it as well. You can read my full review of The Splendid and the Vile here.

The Tattooist of Auschwitz

This is one of those books that I feel like I shouldn’t say too much about. Anything I say might take away from the story. So I will just say that if you love WWII books, The Tattooist Of Auschwitz is a book that you need to add to your TBR list. You can read my full review of it here.

Indianapolis

Indianapolisis such a heartbreaking story. It is about a military tragedy. War taking lives. The corruption, blame game of the government. At the same time, it shows hope and determination of the survivors. You can read Grace’s full review of Indianapolis here.

Duel with the Devil

I knew some about this trial case that Alexander Hamilton and Arron Burr participated in, but I had not read it in the amount of detail Duel with the Devil covers. It was a crime story that I enjoyed. There were a lot of details, the what ifs that are great and what the world knows happened for sure. Click here to read Grace’s full review.

84, Charing Cross Road

I have heard 84, Charing Cross Road described as a love story and in a way it is, but it isn’t so much a love story between people. This book is more of a love story and friendship of people who love books. And not just any books. This is a love story of people who cherish old quality rare books. Click here to read my full review of 84, Charing Cross Road.

Before We Were Yours

I almost didn’t read this because it got so much attention. But earlier this year I read Tender Roses by the same author, and I loved it. I knew that I wanted to read more books by Lisa Wingate and decided to try it. I now understand why this book as so many four and five star reviews. Click here for my full review of Before We Were Yours.

Before and After

If you read and loved Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate, Before and After is a must read! Maybe saying it is a must read is a bit strong, but if you love knowing the facts behind the fiction, I think you will love Before and After by Lisa Wingate. It contains the real life stories behind the kids who survived the Tennessee Children’s Home. Click here to see my full review of Before and After.

The Unknowns

The Unknowns is a fascinating story about the Unknown Soldier. I have been to the Tomb of the Unknown soldier, but I knew none of the history behind the tomb or what went into it. You can read Grace’s full review here.

A Grief Observed

A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis is probably the most thought provoking book of his that I have read. You can read Grace’s full review of A Grief Observed here.

Her Royal Spyness

I bought the ebook, Her Royal Spyness, when it was on sale. I finally read it when we took a weekend trip earlier this year to Dallas, TX. It made a great read for the car trip. I enjoy cozy mysteries and had heard great things about this series. You can read my full review of Her Royal Spyness here.

The Gown

If you enjoy shows like the Crown or Downton Abbey, The Gown by Jennifer Robson is a book you will probably love. After having surgery last fall, I read quite a few fiction books. The Gown was one of them. It was a great book to read while I recovered. You can read my full review of The Gown here.

The Glory of Christ

I read John Owens The Glory of Christ because I have seen many things about John Owen and have heard a lot of people talk about his writings. I didn’t know where to start when it came to his books, so I started with The Glory of Christ. You can read Grace’s full review here.

The Confessions of St. Augustine

I read The Confessions of St. Augustine because I keep reading books that quote St. Augustine. You can read Grace’s full review of The Confessions of St. Augustine.

The Real Story Behind the Book Before We Were Yours

June 24, 2020 by Lynn Leave a Comment

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

The Real Story Behind the Book Before We Were Yours

It is no secret that I love nonfiction. I find the real story fascinating. But that doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy a good fiction read as well.

A good historical fiction book leaves you wanting to know more. It gives you a longing to know the whole story or the real version.

Over the last few months I have read a couple of fiction books that have left me wanting for more, so I researched the nonfiction version of the same story.

Reading the nonfiction version gave me a better insight to the whole story. Instead of learning about fictitious people, I got to learn about the real people behind the story.

I now have a goal of reading and sharing more fiction and nonfiction book pairings. I want to learn the facts and read the fiction.

A few months ago we talked about the real story behind The Spymistress. Today I have another book pairing for you. This book pairing is the real story behind the novel Before We Were Yours.

Before and After and Before We Were Yours both cover the story of the Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage. And both books are by one of my favorite authors, Lisa Wingate.

Before We Were Yours is a book that I almost didn’t read because it got so much attention. But after reading another book by Lisa Wingate, I knew that I wanted to read more books by her. I decided to give Before We Were Yours a try.

I now understand why this book has so many four and five star reviews. This book is one that I can’t stop thinking about.

I kept telling my daughter that it was so good that I didn’t want to put it down, but at the same time it was so sad that I wasn’t sure I could keep reading it.

And after you read Before We Were Yours, the book Before and After is a must read!

Maybe saying it is a must read is a bit strong, but if you love knowing the facts behind the fiction, I think you will love Before and After by Lisa Wingate. It contains the real life stories behind the kids who survived the Tennessee Children’s Home.

I recently read a review from a blogger recently that loved Before We Were Yours, but didn’t like Before and After.

Not all books are for all people, I get that, but this reviewer wanted Before and After to be more of a narrative nonfiction. They were looking for a you can’t put it down type of book.

Before and After is not that kind of book. But that doesn’t mean it isn’t a great book.

Before and After contains some of the stories from the real victims of the Tennessee Children’s Home. It shares their story of adoption. It shares the good and the bad. It shares how many of them found out their were adopted and how that impacted their lives.

It also shares some of the reunions with their siblings, years after they were at the Tennessee Children’s Home.

Before and After is not an easy book to read. It is full of shocking and sad stories of what children went through, but they are important stories.

If you read and loved Before We Were Yours, give Before and After a try.

If you have not read either book I encourage you to read them. Read the fiction version, Before We Were Yours first. Then pick up the nonfiction version and read the real story behind the book Before We Were Yours.

Have you read either of these books? I would love to hear your thoughts!

May Reading ( Lynn )

June 10, 2020 by Lynn 4 Comments

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

After a great reading month in April, May ended up being an odd reading month for me. I think that mostly has to do with current events.

I read eight books in May, which is a decent number of books for me, but six of the books were fiction books. I usually read about more nonfiction than fiction. In May, I think I just needed some easier fiction reads.

I loved several of the books that I read in May. A few of the books though were proof that I often go against the crowd when it comes to books. Two of the books on my list this month are books that most people seem to love. I didn’t.

The Prayer Box by Lisa Wingate

Lisa Wingate is quickly becoming one of my favorite fiction writers and The Prayer Box is now one of my favorite books of hers.

I read mainly nonfiction, but occasionally I need an easy fun fiction read. Not all Lisa Wingate books are easy or fun, many deal with tough topics, but The Prayer Box for me was a fun lighter read. I loved this book so much that I bought the next two books in the series.

84, Charing Cross Road by Helen Hanff

I have heard 84, Charing Cross Road described as a love story and in a way it is, but it isn’t so much a love story between people. This book is more of a love story and friendship of people who love books.

And not just any books. This is a love story of people who cherish old quality rare books.

When I first heard about this book I thought that is was fiction, but it isn’t. 84, Charing Cross Road is the true story of Helen Hanff, New York writer and a London used book dealer, who corresponded for twenty years during the years following WWII. If you love books about books or books about friendship, this is a great read!

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith

I have seen I Capture the Castle on so many reading lists that I knew I had to give it a try. This book is considered a modern classic by many. Some consider it the first real young adult novel.

It is on must read lists for those that love Jane Austen or love books set in England. I love both those things, so I was sure I would enjoy this book. I didn’t… I am going against popular opinion on this one. It just wasn’t the book for me. If you have read it, I would love to hear your thoughts.

Cilka’s Journey by Heather Morris

Cilka’s Journey is the second book in the The Tattooist Auschwitz series. I loved The Tattoosist of Auschwitz and Cilka’s Journey was a great follow up book. I liked the first book a little better, but Cilka’s Journey was a good way to continue the story of one of the characters in The Tattooist of Auschwitz. Cilka’s Journey did contain more graphic details than The Tattooist of Auschwitz, so keep that in mind if you read it.

Don’t Overthink It by Anne Bogel

My husband bought me Don’t Overthink it after he heard me talking about it. He also bought me a don’t overthink it t-shirt. It was kind of a half serious half joking gift. I am an over thinker. My family tells me all the time to stop overthinking things. I over think conversations and situations all that time. Anne does a good job of reminding us not to overthink things.

The ideas in the book aren’t super original, but Anne states them in a relatable and applicable way. I know I am an over thinker and this book was a good reminder that I need to work better at not overthinking things. And that I can start doing that in even small everyday ways that I hadn’t thought about. If you tend to overthink things this is a good read!

The Giver of the Stars by JoJo Moyes

I have so many mixed thoughts on The Giver of the Stars by Jojo Moyes. I have heard so many good things about this book. I don’t think I have ever read anything by Jojo Moyes before. I thought this would be a good book of hers to try. It wasn’t a good one for me.

I am definitely in the minority on this book. It has four and half stars and over 4,000 reviews on Amazon. I can see why so many people enjoyed this book, but it was another popular book that just wasn’t for me.

The House On Cannon Beach by RaeAnne Thayne

I picked The House On Cannon Beach because I needed a light easy read. This book was just that. It was an easy fun read. One of the reasons that I choose this book was that it is set in Cannon Beach, Oregon. I grew up about an hour from Cannon Beach and have been there many times. We still go there every year when I visit my family.

When I read this book I felt like I was back home. I recognized the places she talked about. It was a fun read that had me feeling like I was back home on the Oregon Coast. It was a bit more of a romance book than I normally read, but I enjoyed it.

Reunion On Rocky Shores by RaeAnne Thayne

After enjoying The House On Cannon Beach, I knew that I wanted to read the second book in the series, which was Reunion On Rocky Shores. I enjoyed Reunion on Rocky Shore, but not as much as The House on Cannon Beach.

It was set in Cannon Beach, just like the first book, but I didn’t like the characters quite as much. It also had quite a bit more romance, especially near the end of the book. There was one scene that I totally skimmed over, it was way to graphic for me. There is a third book in this series, but I think I will skip it.

All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung

I enjoyed All You Can Ever Know. I read this one is just a couple of days, because I was trying to get it read so that I could add another nonfiction book to my May books read list. It is a memoir about adoption.

I am not sure where I heard about this book, but I enjoy memoirs and thought this was one that I would enjoy. It was an interesting and honest look into one persons journey of finding her biological family.

Susie by Ray Rhodes Jr.

May 31, 2020 by Lynn Leave a Comment

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

This week for Sunday Reading, I choose the book Susie by Ray Rhodes Jr. I shared a short review back in 2018 on Susie, but because of current events, I thought it was time for a more in depth review.

Susannah Spurgeon was a great example of living for Christ in the midst of trials.

Many Christians know the name of Charles H. Spurgeon, the preacher and writer, who lived in England during the 1800’s.

There have been a lot of books written on the life and works of C.H. Spurgeon, but very little has been written about Susannah Spurgeon, his wife. Few people are familiar with her besides what is written in books about her famous husband.

Susannah Spurgeon was a woman of God who not only supported her husband, but she had a tremendous ministry of her own.

Even though she deal with serious health issues, she ran a book fund for poor pastors. Susannah Spurgeon’s book fund provided many pastors access to books that they would never have had if it were not for her.

On top of her book ministry, she also helped support her husband in many ways including editing his sermons and other writings.

She authored books, opened her to home to others, helped plant a church, and did so many things to support the work of Christ.

But Susannah Spurgeon did not live in easy life. Her life was filled with difficulties and health issues. She struggled with the realities of the world we live. She had her issues and problems just like everyone else.

Years ago I read the book Mrs. C. H. Spurgeon by Charles Ray. It was a good book that I enjoyed, but it was short and didn’t have a lot of detail. For years though, it was one of the few books that covered the life of Susannah Spurgeon.

When I first heard about the book Susie, I knew that I wanted to read it. I love biographies, especially Christian biographies, and I wanted to know more about Susannah Spurgeon.

Susie by Ray Rhodes Jr. does a great job of covering the life of Susanah Spurgeon not just as the wife of someone famous but as an individual herself.

There is so much to learn from the life of Susannah Spurgeon, including how to serve Christ by serving others even in the midst of pain and suffering

Susie is now on my list of favorite Christian biographies. I have recommended this book so many times.

Have you read it?

A Grief Observed ( Sunday Reading )

May 24, 2020 by Lynn 2 Comments

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

I, Grace, recently read A Grief Observed by C.S. Lewis and I found it be a fascinating read. Probably C.S. Lewis’s most thought provoking book that I have read.

Since we are living through some tough current events that have changed how we live our lives, we thought it would be a great book to feature for this week’s Sunday Reading.

C.S. Lewis wrote A Grief Observed after his wife’s death. This book came about because of what he lived and experienced. He wrote it through pain and suffering.

If you have gone through a tough time or are currently going through a difficult time, then you will understand some of C.S. Lewis’s thoughts.

It helped me see that others have dealt with some of the similar thoughts and made it through it.

He works through the different stages that we cope with during out time of pain and struggles. It also allows for us to see that we all deal with similar issues.

Often we see our own pain and way of going through it as unique and only felt by us, this is not true. Sure everyone is slightly different, different circumstances, different problems, different thoughts, ways to go through it. It is still similar though.

Reading about someone dealing with loss is helpful. Especially if your the midst of it or have just come out of it.

Pick it up. It will help you even if it is you just slowly reading through the chapters. A Grief Observed, might not be your normal read, but I think that you will profit from it.

Let Us Help You Find Great Books!

Lynn

The Real Story Behind the Book Before We Were Yours