Room

Room by Emma Donoghue

What a book! The story of Jack and his Ma are told in this book through Jack's eyes. I have to admit that in the beginning Jack's narration was a bit hard to follow but once I got used to Jack's language and world, the book flowed smoothly for me. Jack is a smart five year old but he and his Ma are held prisoner in a room, a very small room. Jack was born in the room and knows nothing else outside of the four walls of Room. Jack's Ma was kidnapped by Old Nick and has been held prisoner for 7 years. I was worried the subject matter of Room would be a bit too much for me but I found myself very interested in Jack and Ma's survival. It's amazing to me what they did to keep as sane as one can be, being held in a 11 x 11 shed. I don't want to give any more of the story away because this a book you need to experience as it happens. If I had known what was going to happen, I am afraid the book would not have had the same effect on me. This is a book best read in one sitting. Once I got into the story there was no putting it down. One thing that bugged me about the book was never knowing what Ma's name was. Most five year olds know what their mother's names are. It just struck me as odd that her name was never mentioned. This is one of those stories that will keep you thinking about it long after you finish the last page. I highly recommend this book! Emma Donoghue has taken a horrifying subject and turned it into something beautiful. It's both heartbreaking and heartwarming. I know that sounds crazy but read it and see what you think.

This is a link to a website about Room. There is a diagram of Room where you can learn about each item in the room and see just how small Room was. It's really incredible!

I received this book from Little Brown and Company for my honest opinion.

Saturday Morning

Saturday Morning by Lauraine Snelling

From the Back of the Book

Broken by life’s disappointments, four women forge a friendship that leads in unexpected directions.

Hope Benson is determined to do all she can for the broken souls who come to Casa de Jesus, a women’s shelter in the heart of San Francisco. When a difficult pregnancy forces her to relinquish control, she draws support and strength from an unlikely group of women, each struggling with her own heartbreak.

Andy Taylor, a reluctant transplant to California, was compelled to leave behind her lavender-growing business and her home of twenty-some years to support her workaholic husband’s pursuit of career success. Attorney Julia Collins is searching for her teenage granddaughter, believed to be living on the streets. And Clarice Van Dam’s life has been shattered by the disappearance of her husband, who appears to have relieved her of all earthly possessions except a fur coat and her overnight bag.

Drawn together at the weekend market held in the shelter’s parking lot, the women pool their resources to fend off an unscrupulous conglomerate that threatens to replace the facility with a commercial development. As they fight to retain this haven for women in need, they find their own longings for home answered by the solace of faith and friendship.

My Thoughts

I read Lauraine Snelling's Red River of the North series many years ago. Those books were a historical christian fiction series where this book is set in more recent times. This book did not disappoint. All four women in the book are all very different from one another. They are thrown together and then find that with God they can overcome anything by working together. I love the fact that all the women were so different but still managed to become good, close friends. The story kept my attention. The story moves along at a nice pace and kept my attention. If you are a fan of light, contemporary christian fiction you will probably enjoy this book.

I received this book from the publisher through Librarything Early Reviewers for my honest opinion.

Winter's Respite Read-a-thon Wrapup

I am a bit late wrapping this up but life kind of got in the way. I wasn't as successful as I hoped to be but I did get two books read and one started. Not bad seeing our house was completely insane this past week. Our oldest dog has seizures and this past week has been having them about every other day. It has made it hard to concentrate on anything. I found myself rereading pages over and over again. The vet has upped the dogs medicine and we are hoping things will quiet down. Hopefully it will be easier to read this week. Thank you to Michelle at The True Book Addict for hosting the read-a-thon. Michelle will be doing another one this spring as well so keep your eyes opened for her Spring's Serenity Read-a-thon.


Books Finished

The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin

Saturday Morning by Lauraine Snelling (review yet to come)

Book Started

Room by Emma Donoghue

Mailbox Monday January 24

Mailbox Monday is the gathering place for readers to share the books that came into their house last week. Warning: Mailbox Monday can lead to envy, toppling TBR piles and humongous wish lists! Mailbox Monday was started by Marcia at the Printed Page. Mailbox Monday is now on tour and this month's host is Rose City Reader. Thank you for hosting this month!

This past week I received two books in the mail and one Netgalley book, all from the publishers for review. It took me a whole afternoon to get the Netgalley book on my Nook but now that I think I know what I am doing it shouldn't take so long. Hopefully...I am very technically challenged. The titles are linked back to Goodreads if you want to learn more about them.



Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult (I am so excited to get my hands on this! I am pretty sure I squealed when I opened it!)



Kat, Incorrigible by Stephanie Burgis (This looks like it will be very cute)



Sweet Jiminy by Kristin Gore (I love a good Southern story)

So what wonderful books made their way into your home?

The Queen of Palmyra

The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin

From the Back of the Book

"I need you to understand how ordinary it all was. . . ."

In the turbulent southern summer of 1963, Millwood's white population steers clear of "Shake Rag," the black section of town. Young Florence Forrest is one of the few who crosses the line. The daughter of a burial insurance salesman with dark secrets and the town's "cake lady," whose backcountry bootleg runs lead further and further away from a brutal marriage, Florence attaches herself to her grandparents' longtime maid, Zenie Johnson. Named for Zenobia, Queen of Palmyra, Zenie treats the unwanted girl as just another chore, while telling her stories of the legendary queen's courage and cunning.

The more time Florence spends in Shake Rag, the more she recognizes how completely race divides her town, and her story, far from ordinary, bears witness to the truth and brutality of her times—a truth brought to a shattering conclusion when Zenie's vibrant college-student niece, Eva Greene, arrives that fateful Mississippi summer.

Minrose Gwin's The Queen of Palmyra is an unforgettable evocation of a time and a place in America—a nuanced, gripping story of race and identity.

My Thoughts

This book was very well written. It is not a light Southern story by any means. It is a story that will put you in a place and time in our countries Civil Rights Movement. While reading this book I truly felt what it must have been like during that time period. I felt compassion for Florence as she narrates her story. She is stuck with a father who is abusive and a racist and a mother who bakes cakes and is an unstable alcoholic. I felt no one really had her best interests at heart until she became attached to Zenie, her grandparents' maid. Knowing the book was set in Mississippi in 1963, I knew the relationship between the two might cause conflict. The town of Millwood is segregated and when Zenie's niece, Eva comes to town, things are shaken up a bit. The story does move a little slow at times but I think it reflects the time and place of where the story takes place. Times were slower then, people weren't in such a hurry. I found the ending a bit rushed but satisfying. I think this book is great for book groups as there is much to discuss.

I received this book from the publisher through Goodreads First Reads for my honest opinion.

Winter's Respite Read-a-thon

The weather here is going to be very cold this week so this week will be a great week for reading. On that note I have decided to go ahead and join in on The Winter's Respite Read-a-thon hosted by Michelle at The True Book Addict. The event is very flexible and you can still join up. I plan on reading when I can, curled up with a cozy blanket and a cup of hot tea. I am not setting any goals, just going where the gusty, cold wind takes me. Go on over to Michelle's blog and check it out and join in on the fun!

I am halfway through The Queen of Palmyra by Minrose Gwin. I will hopefully be finishing that today after I shovel some very heavy, wet snow.

The Heroine's Bookshelf

The Heroine's Bookshelf by Erin Blakemore

Summary from Goodreads

Jo March, Scarlett O'Hara, Scout Finch—the literary canon is brimming with intelligent, feisty, never-say-die heroines and celebrated female authors. Like today's women, they placed a premium on personality, spirituality, career, sisterhood, and family. When they were up against the wall, authors like Jane Austen and Louisa May Alcott fought back—sometimes with words, sometimes with gritty actions. In this witty, informative, and inspiring read, their stories offer much-needed literary intervention to modern women.

Full of beloved heroines and the remarkable writers who created them, The Heroine's Bookshelf explores how the pluck and dignity of literary characters such as Jane Eyre and Lizzy Bennet can encourage women today.

Each legendary character is paired with her central quality—Anne Shirley is associated with irrepressible "Happiness," while Scarlett O'Hara personifies "Fight"—along with insights into her author's extraordinary life. From Zora Neale Hurston to Colette, Laura Ingalls Wilder to Charlotte BrontË, Harper Lee to Alice Walker, here are authors and characters whose spirited stories are more inspiring today than ever.

My Thoughts

This book is a delight! Erin Blakemore has done a fabulous job gathering some of the most beloved women characters and their authors to point out their strengths and how they relate to us today. I especially loved the chapters on Laura Ingalls Wilder and Jo of Little Women. I found each chapter full of insights that I had never thought of previously. The chapters are broken down as follows:

1. Self- Lizzy Bennet in Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austin
2. Faith-Janie Crawford in Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston
3. Happiness- Anne Shirley in Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery
4. Dignity- Celie in The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
5. Family Ties- Francie Nolan in A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith
6. Indulgence- Claudine in Colette's Claudine novels
7. Fight- Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind, by Margaret Mitchell
8. Compassion- Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
9. Simplicity- Laura Ingalls Wilder in The Long Winter, by Laura Ingalls Wilder
10. Steadfastness- Jane Eyre in Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte
11. Ambition- Jo March in Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott
12. Magic- Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

At the end of each chapter are suggestions as to when to read the book, some of which I found most hilarious. I love a good sense of humor and Erin Blakemore seems to have one. Also are other book suggestions at the end of each chapter. I found this delightful little book full of encouragement, inspiration and a few laughs too. I highly recommend this book! It would make a fabulous gift for fellow readers! This book has found a permanent home on my bookshelf. It's a keeper!

There is also a challenge being hosted by Janel at Bibliophibian - encouraging the love of books. I have not joined the challenge as of yet. I am trying not to join to many challenges this year but I sure am tempted to join up.