motivation | encouragement | support
Posts based on books, either featuring an author or offering a book review. I only review books I love.
My sister-in-law recommended The Secret Life of Sunflowers by Marta Molnar to me ages ago, and I finally picked it up. Wow, now I understand why she was so enthusiastic! The novel weaves together the lives of two young women living in very different eras but facing equally challenging circumstances. With chapters shifting between the … Read more
I’ve always been a Reese Witherspoon fan. When my sister-in-law introduced me to Reese’s book club, I knew I’d want to investigate. Reese selects a book each month, and it’s always something she has found to be meaningful. Part of what she wants to accomplish with the club is fostering connection. There’s something special about … Read more
Photo attribution (above): Unknown photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Caption: Tea at Chartwell in August 1927 (left to right): Thérèse Sickert, Diana Mitford (later Mosley), Eddie Marsh, Churchill, Professor Frederick Lindemann, Randolph Churchill, Diana Churchill, Clementine, and Walter Sickert. Lady Clementine by Marie Benedict is a fictionalized biography of Clementine Churchill. Clementine’s work behind … Read more
I just finished reading The Diamond Eye by Kate Quinn, and I was enthralled! Wow! A captivating and fascinating read. Recommended to me by my sister-in-law, who has never steered me wrong, Mila Pavlichenko’s story is mesmerizing. I have read few books from the Russian perspective, so perhaps that was part of what caught my … Read more
A very dear friend gifted me How to Know a Person by David Brooks for my birthday. It’s excellent! Full of insight and challenges on how to become a better person. A better communicator. A better listener and questioner. So much of what was discussed in the book deeply resonated with me, and I’m eager … Read more
I love the books by author Annah Conwell! She tells sweet, deeply emotional, and romantic stories with all the feels but no explicit content. If you’ve ever fallen in love with a story that made you laugh, swoon, and wish you could be best friends with the characters, chances are you’d feel right at home … Read more
I’m excited to feature author Christina Dudley, who writes both historical and contemporary romance. Since I’ve read her historical romances, that will be my focus. Her storytelling is filled with wit and humor, and her books are refreshingly clean and wholesome. General information about author Christina Dudley Author Christina Dudley’s novels have been praised as … Read more
I read The Gifts of Imperfection by Brené Brown with a group of dear friends, and we met weekly (usually) to discuss and share insights. What a rich, meaningful, fun, and heartwarming experience! The book is all about a journey toward wholehearted living. It’s filled with fun personal anecdotes, wisdom gleaned from careful research, humor, … Read more
An absolutely riveting read! Perhaps I was so caught up in it because I had never read anything about the Berlin Wall. Moreover, I remember when the wall came down in 1989. Getting a glimpse of how the wall impacted people and turned lives upside-down was thought-provoking and emotional for me. An enthusiastic five stars … Read more
Authors Jenny Proctor and Emma St. Clair are two of my absolute favorites. I turn to them when I want to read something that’s fun, lighthearted, heartfelt, sassy, and sweet. They never disappoint! They collaborate from time to time, so I thought it would be nice to feature them together. In a nutshell, they write … Read more