After reading the original 1955 version by Pearl S. Buck and illustrated by Mark Buehner, we decided to read this 2020 retelling by David Warner. On iAfter reading the original 1955 version by Pearl S. Buck and illustrated by Mark Buehner, we decided to read this 2020 retelling by David Warner. On its own it was a heartwarming story with gorgeous B&W photos to illustrate. There is a beautiful hymn (courtesy of The Tabernacle Choir) included throughout the story and ending with:
The Lamb loves you, and will bring you home above. O watch the stars. . . Go find the Child. . . Behold the Lamb, see how He loves!
A page is provided to write a letter of gratitude and love to someone as a Christmas gift. The end notes include Author info for Pearl S. Buck, Richard Thomas, and The Tabernacle Choir. The 2019 Christmas concert featured this story. You can watch it on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-jOnX...
The Terrific Tina and I both agreed that in comparison to the original, this comes up just a bit short. We felt the ending was a bit too open in the retelling....more
When a twenty-something girl named Rosie loses her Great Aunt Dotty, her life plans seem to nosedive. And without Dotty there to talk to, Rosie is at When a twenty-something girl named Rosie loses her Great Aunt Dotty, her life plans seem to nosedive. And without Dotty there to talk to, Rosie is at a loss. This was another buddy read with Tina. Be sure to check out her insightful take on this read.
This dark police procedural starts off with a graphic murder scene. Detective Lacey Flint finds a murder victim in the process of dying on the side ofThis dark police procedural starts off with a graphic murder scene. Detective Lacey Flint finds a murder victim in the process of dying on the side of her car -- while on duty. The location is the Victoria House and soon London is abuzz with rumors of a modern Jack the Ripper terrorizing the streets. Sharon J. Bolton structures the book with sections corresponding to each of the five canonical Ripper victims. Interludes which took place eleven, then ten years earlier are included and are very cryptic sparking me brain to try to connect them to the rest of the narrative. There was the question of 'is she, or isn't she' that kept those pages turning -- especially in the last half of the book. I was also quite intrigued by the Author's Note on Jack the Ripper theories.
I read this along with my Goodreads friend, the terrific Tina, and it was like having someone hold my hand while sitting in the dark. This is a complex and compelling read with brutal crimes against women, including gang rape. It is not for the faint of heart. Fans of Karin Slaughter, Robert Galbraith, and Patricia Cornwell might like to give this series a try. Be sure to check out Tina's review to see what she thought of this title. She should be posting soon....more
It's Christmas in July time! There is never enough time to fit in all the books I want to read at holiday time. Moving a few to July also helps me to It's Christmas in July time! There is never enough time to fit in all the books I want to read at holiday time. Moving a few to July also helps me to get some titles that might be on the everlasting hold list at my local library.
This book is one that a family can enjoy together year after year. I know this former farm girl will be rereading in future years. Pearl S. Buck has given us a classic tale about a young man and the special Christmas gift he gives his father. Love comes down at Christmas in a most practical way. Be warned that you just might need your tissues handy.
This was a buddy read with the Terrific Tina. You can read her review here: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show... We both loved this heartwarming read. Be sure to check out her review. It should be up later today. Now onto the 2020 reboot by David Warner. We will be discussing that one later today....more
Awkward! After using her draft folder as a personal diary of sorts, Millie Chandler comes to work and realizes all of the emails were sent. Every. SinAwkward! After using her draft folder as a personal diary of sorts, Millie Chandler comes to work and realizes all of the emails were sent. Every. Single. One. 107 of them. Colleagues, family members, and friends are privy to her thoughts. Does the truth really set you free? Sometimes. . .
Louis starts with texts from Millie's emails and we can see that facing her coworkers will be embarrassing. In some cases people owe her apologies for the way they have treated her. Millie is the receptionist and was sometimes taken for granted. And she doesn't have an office of her own to hide in. It requires wisdom to know when you should tell someone what you really think. Working through the relationship challenges caused by the email snafu is what the bulk of the book covers. I felt like Louis may have tried to cover too many different areas in this regard. Multiple story lines are created on all three fronts (work, family, and friends) and it takes some time to plow through all that. Possibly a cautionary tale on using your work email for personal use?
What I was more interested in was how it happened. Was it really just a server glitch? If so, why didn't any of her coworkers have the same issue? Fortunately there is a cute coworker named Jack Shurlock who is understanding and interested in helping Millie. I would have liked more Jack and Millie conversations in this one. They were so cute together!
Louis sprinkles some fun pop culture references in the book including a running Titanic theme, a hilarious Donny Osmond reference, and more. I learned about forced rhubarb and a place called BackDonald's sounded really fun. Unfortunately the text also contained way too many F-bombs for my tastes.
I read this as a buddy read with my dear Goodreads friend Tina. We compared notes along the way. Check her review out to see her thoughts. ...more
Can't believe it has taken me so many years after discovering TJR to read this noteworthy debut. For the record, my favorite from her is still Maybe iCan't believe it has taken me so many years after discovering TJR to read this noteworthy debut. For the record, my favorite from her is still Maybe in Another Life. That book has a special place on the shelves in my home library.
The Terrific Tina and I both listened to the excellent narration by Julia Whelan. (If you haven't already, be sure to check out Tina's brilliant review.) She includes a lovely quote from the book that I totally love. One of my favorites was this one: Drunk words are sober thoughts. (So true, is it not?) A bonus interview (more of a conversation) between the author and narrator was included in my copy. A really great addition and helped me to process better what this book was about.
So, the book itself is about a love story. Unfortunately that romance is interrupted early on. How does a wife process the grief after losing a husband after ten days? In Part One, her best friend Ana is there for her. She could write a manual on how to support your best friend in grief. TJR uses then and now timelines to give us glimpses of the Ben & Elsie romance while the Now timeline shows Elsie going through the classic stages of grief.
In Part Two, the support comes from Ben's mom Susan. (I do wish she and/or Elsie would have had a faith component in their character makeup.) As a mother of boys myself, I cannot imagine being in Susan's position. In the first part, I was not a fan. She totally redeems herself in the second. Too bad I can't say the same about Elsie's parents. What is up with them?! In the bonus content, TJR and Whelan discuss the fact that this is a story of two women connecting -- a woman who has lost her child finds a child who is without a mother. A moving and heartwarming description of this book.
There are also some men in this book that I would love to meet in real life. Ben is such a sweetheart. He wholeheartedly loves Elsie and she knows it. His hang up about telling his mom about her was a little weird for me. Then there was Mr. Callahan. He is the 90-something man who is a regular patron at Elsie's library branch. Love his connection to Elsie!
Speaking of libraries -- this is my third book this month with a librarian as a MC. First there was Funny Story by Emily Henry, second was A Talent for Murder by Henry Swanson, and third is this book.
That reminds me of one last thing: do any other library workers think that whole donation thing was unrealistic? From my experience, it would not happen in such a large library system. It was a nice touch. ...more
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