Book Review: River Oaks Plantation

River Oaks Plantation
BJ Robinson
Copyright Dec.2013

Once again BJ Robinson weaves an amazing tell, with characters so real you feel like you can sit down and have dinner with them.

I love the way BJ Robinson weaves a story that spans several generations and fits together so perfectly. 

The story opens up in the 1850's and then shifts to 2005, during and following the days of Hurricane Katrina, and the way this story is weaves together it fits perfectly, the way River Oaks Plantations fits perfectly in all the generations this story covers.

River Oaks Plantation is a work of Historical Romance by genre, but it is also a novel full of hope and love, and changes too.  It starts out in the days before the Civil War, and shifts to 2005, as well as going back to the days during and after the Civil War as well, it is a book that shows that sometimes changes can be a good thing...

Once again a great novel by BJ Robinson...Enjoy

Book Review: Reading A Different Story

Reading A Different Story
Susan Vanzanten
Copyright 2014

Reading A Different Story starts out with the authors growing up years, and the steps of faith she took, it talks about memories of when JFK was shot when she was in First grade and about when Neal Armstrong walked on the moon a few years later.  Susan talks about her growth in faith, how she learns that her intellectual search does not mean she can not have faith in Christ.  

Susan Vanzanten goes into detail on her studies in litterature in graduate school and how that influneced her life.  She also goes on to tell how the study of litterature itself helped shape her face in a way.  As well as her work at different Christian Colleges, not only in the U.S, but in Africa as well.  

Although the authors idea of Christian Theology is a bit different from mine and that is okay, because all Christians are not going to think the same, I give this book five stars, for the well thought out, well researched book...

Book review: Love Me

Love Me
Rachel Shukert
Copyright 2014

Gabby is a sixteen year old Hollywood actress in the 1930's or is she?  She is not really sure her age, her Mom hid her original birth certificate a few years ago.  

Gabby like many other former stars is discovering who she is, and what it is to be loved for who she really is.  She wants people to love her for her, and not because she is a star.  The way she feels her Mother does.

Her Friend Margo is soon to be married, and Gabby is falling in love with herself, with a young man who introduces her to a scene that she really should not be inolved in,a scene that includes drugs, but she is sure that she is in Love and sure that she is the next to be married.  Gabby is already hooked on pills and even alchol, but her new friend Eddie introduces her to Marijuana, and the truth is she likes how it makes her feel,  She does not yet realize the path she is going down though.

Love Me Shows that growing up in front of the Camera's in 1930's Hollywood could be hard like it is today, and that some Child Stars then have the same problems as some of the child stars of the day, it also shows that the fall from Stardom could be far and hard like it is today...

Book Review: Tales From My Closest

Tales From My Closet
Jenifer Anne Moses
Copyright 2014

Justine starts her Sophomore year at another new school.  She moves around a lot it seems to her like she is moving every year.  It is not quite as bad as that but it feels that way. The first day of her Sophmore year starts out horribly, she is the new girl and the other students are making fun of her, she hates New Jersey...

Justine's first day she decides to wear a paper dress which turns into a disaster when the dress gets stained and classmates make fun of the dress.  

Finally Justine starts to see the light at the end of the tunnel when her Aunt invites her to Paris for winter vacation.  She has lived in Paris twice with her family, and thinks she is falling in love with a twenty year old College Student, of course her parents don't know that when they agree she can go.  They just want her to get over her teenage angst, but she is looking forward to meeting up with the young man she thinks she loves.

Justine's parents want her to befriend a girl in her class name Becka, a friend of her friend, and the truth is Becka kind of does admire her fashion sense, though she does not really say so.

It does not take Justine long to realize she is not the only one her age with problems, with issues, some have problems far more serious than hers.  When her new friend Becka attmpts suicide the reality that she is not the only one trying to make her place in this world hits home, she thinks its over the blog they write, but Becka assures her it is not...

Tales From My Closet is a great book for highschool aged girls to read, one many can relate to.

The Vine dressers Notebook

The Vine dresser's Notebook
Judith Sytera
Copyright 2014

A little book full of good thoughts, and insights on the importance of keeping our Vineyards safe and well.  Like they prune the bad vines we need the prune the negative things out of our lives in order to make room for the positive, and we need to allow ourselves to be a positive influence to others.

In the Vinedresser's Notebook we are reminded that good growth, takes a lot of time and attention, and we must nurture ourselves spirtiually the way a winemaker nurtures their grape vineyards...

The Vinedresser's notebook is a book I would definitely end for those looking for a short inspirational read...

Book Review: Dust of Eden

Dust of Eden
Mariko Nagai
Copyright 2014

During World War 2 Japanese American families were sent to Intern camps, many who were born here, and served the counntry during the first World War, they were forced to live in substandard conditions, while sons and Fathers were sent to fight in war.  It was not an easy life by any means, many Japanese Americans were stigmatized and called horrible names, treated in horrible ways because of Peartl Harbor.  Dust of Eden is the story of one family in one camp during the war, and the sacrifices they were forced to make.

Mina is trying to make sense of all that is happening to her, why she has to attend Junior Highschool in a room that is susbstandard, where they do not have enough books, or enough heat, just like their homes.  She struggles to make sense what her family, what she did to deserve any of this.  Many of these families were families were faced with loss, and pain unimaginable, many dying to to substandard care.

Dust of Eden is a short but powerful book on what it was like for those in Interment Camps.  A book I would recomend for middle grade readers...

o

Book Review; Before My Eyes

Before My Eyes
Caroline Bock
Feb.11.2014

This book is about a young woman trying to come to terms with her Mother's life changing stroke.  She can not help but feel the guilt of wondering what would have happened if she had to her Mother when she had first heard the crash upstairs.

Soon though Claire finds herself using pills to escape the reality of all that is happening and one day while under the influence of the pills on the Beach she nearly drowns and looses her younger Sister Izzy.  Her idea of escape is turning into a nightmare, not the escape from reality she had wanted.

Claire finds herself in the midst of more tragedy before long, loosing someone else she cares about, her little sister when Barkley a Paranoid Schizophrenic turns violent, and shoots up a tent full of people.  Her little sister Izzy and she struggles to make sense of what happens.

Before My Eyes is a powerful and dramatic book, one I would recomend for older teens, due to the subject matter, definitely a good read.