Inspire, The Bible for Creative Journaling

Last year a friend gave me a gift card to our local Bible book store. I had been wanting a Bible to color in. Each year I read through the Bible and I try to read a different translation each year. This Bible is the New Living Translation. Which is a paraphrase of the Bible. I wouldn't recommend studying God's Word with this translation, but for daily reading it is perfect. I loved all of the opportunities to color a page that helped me reflect on what a passage was saying. I plan on keeping this by my chair so that I can pick it up and color more pages. There were many illustrations that I chose to color and then there were many that I skipped over so I think it will be fun to go back through this next year and color some that I missed.

For 2018 I have chosen to read The Daily Bible in the NIV translation. It is a devotional Bible and is in chronological order. I'm usually not a fan of the chronological order because I like to start in Genesis and read through to Revelation, but like I said, I like to choose a different translation or format each year. One of the women I go to Bible study with gave us these Bible's for Christmas last year, but I had already chosen the Inspire Bible to read so now I will read the Daily Bible.

How about you? Do you read the Bible daily? Do you read through cover to cover? Do you like different translations? Do you like to read a "real" Bible or do you go for the electronic Bible's? Any thoughts on paraphrases such as this one or ones like The Message? Have you ever thought about creative journaling?

This will be my last post for 2017. May God richly bless you all in 2018 and may you grow closer to Him. If you have never read through His Word then I would encourage you to give it a try. His Word never gets old!

Top 10 Books of 2017

Usually I do a Top Whatever Year it is. But this year I haven't read much so I am going to stick with the Top 10 and call it good. I actually loved all of the books I read this year. Since I have cut way back on my reading I have found I am much more prone to read books that I will enjoy rather than reading those that I know are not going to be a favorite. I read 62 books, so once again failed to reach my Goodreads reading goal of 75 books. I'm hoping to add a few more books to this year's total, but as busy as we have been I don't know if I will.  So here it is, my Top 10 picks for 2017:

10.

I have actually enjoyed all of the books in the Chesapeake Valor series and read 2 in 2017. Love Dani Pettrey's books and am looking forward to reading more from her and more in this series!

9.

Such a good book! So many twists and turns! I loved it and can't wait for the next book in this series. Irene Hannon definitely knows how to keep a reader enthralled with the story.

8.

Karen Witemeyer writes such lovely historical romances and then she adds a bit of excitement/suspense that gets the heart going pitter pat! Love her books!

7.

I read a couple of books by Keli Gwyn this year. This one was my favorite. Keli has retired from writing this year. I have loved every one of her books!

6. 

I actually gorged on the whole series this year and loved all of them, but this was my favorite! Lynette Eason is another favorite that I will always snag her books when they become available. In fact the first one in her new series is on Netgalley and currently waiting for me on my Kindle! 

5. 

I can count on Susan Sleeman to keep me awake at night reading her books! They are wonderful suspense-filled reads!

4. 

This is a prequel novella in a new series by Julie Lessman and I loved it! The dialogue had me snort-laughing throughout and the kisses of course can curl your toes Julie Lessman style! 

3. 

This was a compilation from many different authors and followed the lives of 7 brothers. I loved all of the stories and the unique way each author portrayed their brother. I had my favorites, but I truly enjoyed each one.

2. 

There is something about Ginny Yttrup's writing that always manages to touch my heart. I absolutely LOVED Home because it did just that, touched my heart. 

1. 

Once again a Julie Lessman book has made my number one spot! I loved this Isle of Hope series, but especially this one. Julie Lessman knows how to write the perfect Prodigal story! I love how she shows that God continues to call us back to Him even when we think we are unlovable or unredeemable. She had me crying and laughing in this one!

So there you have them! Once again, I loved all of the books I read this year and still have a few more that I hope to squeeze in before the year ends, but these were the stand-outs. I hope that you too had a wonderful year of reading and that 2018 will bring you many more wondrous reads and favorite authors! 

As Tiny Tim says, "God Bless us, every one!"

Killman Creek by Rachel Caine

Gwen and her two children are once again on the run. This time not only are they hiding from the crazy people that are seeking revenge for Gwen and her children's relationship to serial killer Melvin Royal, but they are also running from newly escaped Mel. Gwen knows that his contacts reach far and wide. Leaving the children with someone she can trust to protect them Sam and Gwen go hunting for Melvin. What they find is a network of evil that becomes their worst nightmare. Knowing that Melvin will stop at nothing to get to Gwen and his children, Gwen becomes bait to lure Melvin out of hiding.

Killman Creek is the sequel to Stillhouse Lake and is just as scary and creepy as the first book! I tried not to read too much of it at night before bed because it was that scary! The writing was gritty, gory and definitely made for nightmares! I love that even though Gwen's character was a victim she didn't have the characteristics of a victim. She became stronger the more she was pressed and the more people that were against her. Her goal was to protect her children and she would do that at all costs to herself. The shaky alliance between her and Sam was frustrating but yet understandable, they both had one end in mind, to kill Melvin Royal. The sense throughout the book of the evil that human beings are capable of was perfectly portrayed in Melvin's character. The ending was just as exciting and heart-pounding as watching an action thriller movie. If you love the scary, or serial killer-type stories then this is definitely one you should pick up.

Note to my readers: This is definitely not a Christian book and not what I normally review on my blog. While I enjoyed it, there were definite elements that would not be acceptable or appropriate for most audiences. The language was pretty harsh and offensive and some of the scenes were pretty gory and graphic. I would say if you are not used to reading secular books, then this definitely would be one that you would want to stay away from.

**I received an advanced copy through Netgalley. All opinions are my own**

Cold Truth by Susan Sleeman

When Kiera gets a phone call from a person with a disguised voice claiming to have her twin brother Kevin held hostage she rushes to Kevin's house to find him. It turns out Kevin has disappeared and his work is claiming that he has stolen a biotoxin that he was working on. Blackwell Tactical has been hired to find Kevin. Cooper Ashcroft is on the job when Kiera is almost run over by an ATV. Rescuing her and taking her to their training compound does not mean that they trust Kiera to not be involved in the theft of the biotoxin. Determined to prove both she and her brother's innocence Kiera insists on helping the team play the kidnappers game to free her brother. What neither Coop or Kiera count on is their attraction to each other. But neither one of them have a relationship written in their life-plans, especially with someone they cannot believe or trust.

I'm definitely a fan of the Cold Harbor series. The suspense of Cold Truth is what I expect from Susan Sleeman's books. It keeps the reader on the edge of their seat and keeps them turning the pages late into the night. Kiera was a strong female character, at times bordering on hysterical. I can't imagine having your twin in such danger so would assume that a person would fall apart at times. She pulled herself together with the help of Coop and continued head on into danger. Both Coop and Kiera struggled with their faith in God. I always like the spiritual aspects of Susan Sleeman's books because they show everyday people struggling with honest feelings about God's role in their lives. The Cold Harbor series is definitely one that I recommend if you enjoy suspense and a bit of romance.

Check out the first book in the series that can be purchased individually or as part of the Targeted for Danger compilation of various authors:

Targeted For Danger

Checkmate by Steven James

Wow! Talk about edge-of-your-seat suspense! This one kept me totally engaged and totally freaked out! Patrick has two serial killers on the loose that he is trying to track down. Not sure that Basque survived his dunk in the river at the end of the last book, Patrick has his eyes open for more attacks against his family. Then another killer that Basque helped escape from prison makes an appearance. Which one is behind the attack on the FBI? Once again Tessa has agents keeping an eye on her, which doesn't thrill her until she meets one of them. Beck is all business, but there is something that clicks between them. With threats against Pat's co-workers, and friends Checkmate moves along at a fast and exciting clip. If you are into thriller-type stories then Steven James doesn't disappoint. I happen to love these types of stories so I highly recommend them!

For Love Of Liberty by Julie Lessman

Liberty O’Shea and Griffin McShane have been rivals from grade school. Griffin has teased and tormented Liberty unrelentingly and Liberty’s temper has blasted Griffin more times than he or she can count. Now they are all grown up and Liberty and Griffin are once again butting heads. As co-chairs for the upcoming fourth of July celebration in town they are required to be in close proximity to each other. More than fireworks flare when these two butt heads!

Oh my goodness! Julie Lessman knows how to make her characters feisty and funny! Liberty’s salty tongue had me rolling on the floor laughing! And just in case that last line gives you pause, an example of Liberty’s tongue is her use of “horse apples!” as one of her expressions of exasperation. Liberty is definitely head-strong. She is for the downtrodden and women’s rights, and she is definitely against “Finn McShane” her old nemesis.

Underlying all of their sparring is a deep attraction that neither Liberty nor Finn acknowledged before, but now that they are adults that attraction is quickly turning into something deeper.

In true Julie Lessman style the passionate kisses the two share will curl your toes, and the sparring will have you laughing out loud. Along with the passion and humor there is also the characters desire to please their Creator. I always love the aspects of faith in this authors books, and love to see how the Lord touches the hearts of broken people and brings peace and balance to their lives.

For Love Of Liberty is the prequel to a new series and I am definitely looking forward to more!

High Treason by DiAnn Mills

Monica is a CIA agent and Kord is an FBI agent. They are thrown into a protection detail when an assassination attempt on a visiting Saudi prince occurs. Relations are strained between the US and Saudi's and the Prince has a twofold purpose for his visit. His mother has been diagnosed with cancer and is visiting MD Anderson and the Prince is looking into leasing some oil fields to the US. If the Prince was killed on US soil the tenuous relationship would be severed. Monica has experience in the protocol of behavior for women with Saudi men. And Kord is a friend to the Prince and insists on being part of the detail to protect him. Neither Kord nor Monica are happy with the situation at first, but as time goes on they manage to forge a shared respect for each others abilities.

High Treason was filled with excitement as well as quite interesting relationships between the characters. I love that Monica didn't try to change years of tradition by being an overbearing female. She gained respect from the Prince and his entourage through her behavior and ability. I also loved the peek into the life of a Saudi leader. It was interesting to the story as well as an interesting look into that culture. Monica had trust issues and through the story had to work through those. This led to a couple of good spiritual discussions between Kord and Monica as well as Monica and the Prince. I liked that the characters were able to have healthy dialogue without spewing hate. Monica was a very strong female lead and I really enjoyed that. She was strong and determined and ready to run into danger to protect. I liked how Monica and Kord's relationship grew and how they were able to establish a mutual respect for each other. The suspense was timely placed and kept the story moving along at a fast clip. If you are a fan of romantic suspense then I highly recommend this FBI Task Force series, you won't be disappointed!

The King by Steven James

Lien Hua is abducted by serial killer Basque. Can Patrick find her in time to save her? Patrick is asked to investigate His boss's brother's death. And Tessa has been asked to make a speech at her high school graduation. On top of all of that Pat and Lien Hua are getting ready to get married.

Whew, a lot goes on in this book! Basque is obviously back and going after Pat and his loved ones. He is evil for sure! There are a lot of suspenseful encounters with him and a lot of gross-out scenes. Another evil person is lurking in the wings, just in case Basque isn't enough evil! There's a lot of self-evaluation in the characters and maybe I'm forgetting the other books(because it has been awhile since I read The Queen), but there was more of a spiritual questioning going on in this one than I remember. I liked it! When death knocks at the door it should cause people to contemplate God's existence. I see some maturing in Tessa, but she still is a bit too impulsive and impetuous which ends up getting her into trouble. I do like that she is resourceful and stands apart from the crowd, and she's smarter than the average bear! Lien Hua is quite capable of handling herself, and serves as a perfect balance between Tessa and Pat. I took my time reading most of the book, but found myself gorging at the end because I couldn't put it down! I highly recommend the whole series, but don't read it at night unless you plan to keep the light on!

The Austen Escape by Katherine Reay

Mary is having issues at work. Her creativity is being stifled and things are not going well with a new gadget she has created. Isabel has been her best friend for years but their relationship has been filled with strain. When Isabel asks Mary to go on a vacation to Bath and dress in period clothing to help Isabel nail down her thesis Mary is tempted to say no. But with things going downhill at work Mary decides to take Isabel up on her offer. When Mary and Isabel arrive in Bath they embark on a voyage of self-discovery. Both women work through their own hurts and disappointments as well as misconceived ideas about situations and relationships.

Just when I would think, "okay things are going to get better, Mary's figured it out" things would go downhill again. It kind of annoyed me! I did like the romance between Nathan and Mary, but I also got frustrated with that. Isabel was a wounded soul, her father had pretty much ignored and rejected her all of her life. Her behavior made her a rather unlikable character for a while. I enjoyed the setting and the fun of reading about the characters dressing up in their favorite characters from Austen's novels. Even though I did get frustrated with Mary and Isabel's issues I enjoyed the book and was happy when everything turned out in the end.

Pride and Prejudice Read-Along: Conclusion

We have come to the end of the Read-Along and the end of the story. And yes, P&P remains my most favorite Austen read of all! Every time I read it I just smile with satisfaction and all the good feels that it brings! Thanks so much to Amber at Seasons of Humility for hosting the Read-Along and I hope that we will have another one soon! Hint Hint Amber!

So many good things in the last chapters that we read!

Again with the letters! Oh for some ability to communicate quicker, but it does seem that the mail system was much quicker than it is today! So Mr. Gardiner has found Lydia and it is as the family has feared, she is living with Wickham without getting married to him! Oh the scandal! Oh the embarrassment to Lizzy and her sisters! It appears that Mr. Gardiner has fixed everything so that Lydia and Wickham will be married. I love this quote from Lizzy,

"And they are really to be married!" cried Elizabeth, as soon as they were by themselves, "How strange this is! And for THIS we are to be thankful. That they should marry, small as is their chance of happiness, and wretched as is his character, we are forced to rejoice, Oh, Lydia!"

I imagine that "Oh, Lydia" spoken in such a voice of despair! "Oh Lydia" indeed! That girl is trouble!

And poor Jane, still trying to make everyone out to have some good in them,

"His consenting to marry her is a proof, I will believe, that he is coe to a right way of thinking. Teir mutual affection will steady them; and I flatter myself they will settle so quietly, and live in so rational a manner, as may in time make their past imprudence forgotten."

Dream on Jane!!!

I found this a bit interesting considering that I always thought of Mr. Bennet as a jovial and loving kind of guy, this is the first time I have seen him impatient,

"He(Mr. Bennet) was writing and, without raising his head, coolly replied: "Just as you please." "May we(Lizzy and Jane) take my uncle's letter to read to her?" "Take whatever you like, and get away."

I understand he was trying to respond to the letter from Mr. Gardiner and it required much haste, but this is the first time we see him more than just exasperated with the whole group...especially Lizzy.

Isn't it a miracle how quickly Mrs. Bennet bounces back from her vapors over Lydia's disappearing with Wickham once she hears that she is married?

"To know that her daughter would be married was enough. She was disturbed by no fear for her felicity, nor humbled by any remembrance of her misconduct."

Any wonder where Lydia gets her behavior? Ack!

Wickham is just abhorrent! The man has no scruples and totally makes me mad! I was in agreement with Mr. Bennet in saying that Wickham and Lydia shouldn't be welcome at Longbourn but one cannot cut off ones own flesh and blood no matter how stupid they are.The two have no shame for their behavior and what they put Lydia's family through. Two selfish individuals that take take take throughout life.

"She blushed, and Jane blushed; but the cheeks of the two who caused their confusion suffered no variation of colour."

Don't you just love when Lydia is going on and on about being a married woman and how she will get all of her sisters husbands, how Lizzy responds?

"I thank you for my share of the favour," said Elizabeth; "but I do not particularly like your way of getting husbands."

And then through another letter and Lydia's slip of tongue we find that Mr. Darcy is actually the one who orchestrated the marriage of Wickham and Lydia to save the Bennet family from ruin. Wow! What a change in this man! I love how Lizzy's whole opinion of him changed when she found out what he truly did for her family.

"Oh! how heartily did she grieve over every ungracious sensation she had ever encouraged, every saucy speech she had ever directed towards him. For herself she was humbled; but she was proud of him. Proud that in a cause of compassion and honour, he had been able to get the better of himself."

I love how even in politeness someone can pointedly make known how they feel about someone. When Wickham tries to bring up to Lizzy how horribly he was treated by Darcy I love her response,

"I DID hear, too, that there was a time, when sermon-making was not so palatable to you as it seems to be at present; that you actually declared your resolution of never taking orders, and that the business had been compromised accordingly."

She let him know that she was onto him and he no longer fooled her! Love it!

Mr. Bennet quite nicely reverted back to his old self in being sarcastic and humorous to his family members. I love what he said when Bingley moved back to Netherfield and Mrs. Bennet wanted him to go call on Bingley.

"No, no. You force me into visiting him last year, and promised, if I went to see him, he should marry one of my daughters. But it ended in nothing, and I will not be sent on a fool's errand again."

hahahaha! Poor Mr. Bennet, so abused by his wife AND his daughters!

And once Jane and Bingley agree to marry Mr. Bennet's response cracks me up:

"You are a good girl; "he replied, "and I have great pleasure in thinking you will be so happily settled. I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income."

I always have to snicker when Jane being so happy tells Lizzy that she wishes she could be just as happy. This shows that Lizzy and her father have the same sense of humor:

"If you were to give me forty such men, I never could be so happy as you. Till I have your disposition, your goodness, I never can have your happiness. No, no, let me shift for myself; and, perhaps, if I have very good luck, I may meet with another Mr. Collins in time."

OH MY! That always has me snort-laughing!

What do you think of Lady Catherine's visit to Elizabeth? That woman is something else! I love how even though Lizzy feels like her chances with Darcy have been totally ruined she still will not back down to Lady Catherine and promise not to enter into a marriage with him. That lady had me ready to go through the book at her! I might not have been as nice as Lizzy was and there is another instance of putting someone in their place but yet being so polite while doing it!

"I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with your ladyship. You may ask questions which I shall not choose to answer."

GO LIZZY!

Of course Mr. Collins has to rear his ugly head once more before the book ends in yet another infamous letter! Again, he is such an odious man! And a rector! Gah! He exasperates me just as much as Lady Catherine does!

I love love love when Darcy and Lizzy start talking about their love for each other and when they first realized they may have hope for a future.

"It taught me to hope," said he, "as I had scarcely ever allowed myself to hope before. I knew enough of your disposition to be certain that, had you been absolutely, irrevocably decided against me, you would have acknowledged it to Lady Catherine, frankly and openly."

He definitely knew that Lizzy wouldn't be afraid to speak her mind to Lady Catherine if she still hated him. Can you imagine how light his spirit would have been when he heard? Just the opposite of what Lady Catherine would expect! ha!

When Lizzy and Jane are talking and Jane can't believe that Lizzy is engaged to Darcy, Lizzy's whole outlook is so light and happy. I love this between them:

"Why, I must confess that I love him better than I do Bingley, I am afraid you will be angry."
"My dearest sister, now BE serious. I want to talk very seriously. Let me know every thing that I am to know, without delay. Will you tell me how long you have love him?"

"It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley."

Snort-laugh once more!!!

Once again we get whiplash from Mrs. Bennet's behavior! She goes from hating the sight of Darcy but putting up with it for the sake of Bingley, to being over-the-moon thrilled when she finds out that Lizzy is going to marry him.

"God gracious! Lord bless me! only think! dear me! Mr. Darcy! Who would have thought it! And is it really true? Oh! my sweetest Lizzy! how rich and how great you will be! What pin-money, what jewels, what carriages you will have! Jane's is nothing to it--nothing at all. I am so pleased--so happy. Such a charming man!--so handsome! so tall!--Oh, my dear Lizzy! pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before. I hope he will overlook it. Dear, dear Lizzy. A house in town! Every thing that is charming! Three daughters married! Ten thousand a year! Oh, Lord! What will become of me. I shall go distracted."

Ack! She drives me crazy!

To show how content and happy Lizzy is:

"I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh."

I love that line!

One final word from Mr. Bennet to show his humor...in another letter to Mr. Collins:

"I must trouble you once more for congratulations. Elizabeth will soon be the wife of Mr. Darcy. Console Lady Catherine as well as you can. But, if I were you, I would stand by the nephew. He has more to give."

LOVE IT!!

I loved all the summing up at the end of how everyone was getting on. Georgiana has her eyes opened by Lizzy taking liberties in teasing Mr. Darcy! I'm sure she has never seen anyone treat him with anything less than dignity and respect so I'm sure she was shocked. I love this:

"By Elizabeth's instructions, she began to comprehend that a woman may take liberties with her husband which a brother will not always allow in a sister more than ten years younger than himself."

I know that's a lot of quotes, but there is so much in these chapters to love! I love that both Darcy and Elizabeth were humbled and found a rich love for each other.

On Amber's blog she has some questions to discuss. I will leave my answers in the comments on her blog.

If you have read along with us feel free to comment your thoughts on the ending. If you have read P&P before feel free to comment your thoughts. If you haven't read it before, please do so! It is soooo good!

I've loved the read-along and look forward to the next one!

Holiday Secrets by Susan Sleeman

This is the first of the McKade Law books and I have to say that I believe I am a fan! Gavin McKade left his hometown to become an FBI agent. His whole family is in law enforcement but he and his father have never seen eye to eye and after Gavin accidentally shot someone he knew he could no longer work under his father. But now Gavin's first lead case has led him back home to the doorstep of the woman he left and will always love!

Lexie is not happy about Gavin's return. It was hard enough to have her father abandon she and her brother, but when Gavin left it tore her heart out and damaged her faith. Unfortunately seeing her father killed in front of her has put Lexie in danger and Gavin feels he is the only one that can protect her.

I have to admit that the dedication page touched me the most. It said,

"For all the families waiting for their prodigal son or daughter to return home."

As one of those parents who has watched their daughter walk away from her faith it always helps to read stories, real or fictionalized, that speak of God's returning one of those prodigal's.

I always love the element of faith that this author puts into her books. It is not preachy, yet it shows that our Father does not abandon His own and will return them with a much stronger faith than they had before.

Gavin and Lexie's relationship is pretty rocky and they both build walls to protect their hearts, but those walls slowly crumble as they both learn to forgive those that have hurt them.

The suspense was great in this book as has come to be expected from this author. I like all of the McKade's and look forward to reading their stories!

Christmas At Ruby's by Holly Schindler

Angela has fond memories of Ruby's Place. Going with her Aunt Elizabeth every year for Christmas all dressed up in new clothes and singing around the piano. It was a happy time, one full of dreams and hope for a bright future. But it has been many years, and Ruby's Place has been closed and has started to decay along with many of the other businesses in the area. It seems that once the light went out at Ruby's Place it took away the closeness that Ruby's brought to families all around.There was something magical about Ruby's Place and when Angela accidentally ends up inside Ruby's Place the magic comes alive once more.

I truly enjoyed this short story! Christmas is all about hope, renewal, memories, family, and love. All of the things that Ruby's Place embodied for Angela. Reading Christmas At Ruby's reminded me of watching an old black and white movie intermingled with the bright colors of the present. The past and future colliding to create one very special and magical story that will send the reader down memory lane to their own special memories of the season.

Pride and Prejudice Read-Along: Discussion Week 4

So much has happened in this weeks reading of P&P! Head over to our host Amber's blog Seasons of Humility to read her summary of the characters so far.

I'm a little lost in the e-book that I am reading as it isn't broken into volumes like the other versions seem to be. I am going by chapters so hopefully I am caught up.

I can't remember if Mr. Darcy's letter to Elizabeth was in last week's reading or in this week's, but I find it interesting that in several of the Jane Austen books that I have read that a letter is written to explain a characters behavior or such. I love it! My husband and I wrote letters back and forth before we were married, even though we saw each other almost every day! But this is not a love letter that Mr. Darcy writes. It is a response to all that Elizabeth accused him of when he proposed to her. I loved his letter so much! It was written with dignity and class. Maybe a bit of pride too, but he is setting the record straight for her and I like it! I liked it so much that I highlighted the whole thing! Even though Lizzie doesn't want to she soon sees her folly in believing in everything that Wickham claimed about Darcy.

"She was NOW struck with the impropriety of such communications to a stranger, and wondered it had escaped her before. She saw the indelicacy of putting himself forward as he had done, and the inconsistency of his professions with his conduct."

"She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think without feeling she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd."

"I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment I never knew myself."

I love that last quote. Such an awakening for her!

Mary and her speeches kill me! Oh my goodness she is so boring! Poor girl! Boring and homely, wonder if she will ever find a match? But I can relate with her on this quote:

"To this Mary very gravely replied, Far be it from me, my dear sister, to depreciate such pleasures! They would doubtless be congenial with the generality of female minds. But I confess they would have no charms for ME--I should infinitely prefer a book." AMEN SISTER!

Oh Mrs. Bennet! That poor clueless woman. She makes me so exasperated and disgusted and yet she also makes me laugh as with this quote,

"Thought I shall always say he used my daughter extremely ill; and if I was her, I would not have put up with it. Well, my comfort is, I am sure Jane will die of a broken heart; and then he will be sorry for what he has done."

I love the Gardners and how they take Jane and Lizzie away from all of the foolishness at home whenever possible. First taking Jane to London with them and then taking Lizzie on a tour of the countryside with the infamous trip to Pemberley. I love how astonished Lizzie is to hear how well Darcy is thought of by his servants and the people of his hometown. So different than what he appears outside of his hometown. He is obviously a good and generous employer and this baffles Lizzie extremely. And on an aside...how funny to be traveling around and knocking on private homes doors and requesting a tour! ha! I absolutely love this quote from Darcy's housekeeper,

"He is the best landlord, and the best master," said she, "that ever lived; not like the wild young men nowadays, who think of nothing but themselves. There is not one of his tenants or servants but will give him a good name. Some people call him proud; but I am sure I never saw anything of it. To my fancy, it is only because he does not rattle away like other young men."

I also loved how it didn't take Lizzie long to realize that Miss Darcy wasn't proud, but she was shy! And she therefore treated her kindly. Oh Bingley's sisters are just rude! To even come close to mentioning Wickham's name in front of Miss Darcy was pushing the bounds of propriety. They think themselves above everyone, but yet the stoop lower than anyone!

Oh the poor Bennet family and Lydia's indiscretion! That girl was trouble from the get-go!The result of a mother that is too foolish and indulgent and a father who is absent and who subjects his family to mockery. They were asking for trouble with Lydia.

And then that letter from Mr. Collins! Oh my goodness! If I didn't like that man before, I certainly can't stand him now! What do you think about this quote in his letter?

"The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this."

HOW HORRIBLE to say something like that to grieving parents! And he's a minister!!!! Awful awful man!

Even though I think Mr. Bennet is lacking in his fatherly skills he still makes me laugh!

"This is a parade," he cried, "which does one good; it gives such an elegance to misfortune! Another day I will do the same; I will sit in my library, in my nightcap and powdering gown, and give as much trouble as I can; or, perhaps, I may defer it till Kitty runs away."

Then his whole speech about Kitty not being able to do anything or go to dances etc. cracked me up. He's really all bluff, but maybe he learned his lesson?

This last quote had me laughing:

"Well, well, said he, "do not make yourself unhappy. If you are a good girl for the next ten years, I will take you to a review at the end of them."

Poor Kitty is now going to suffer the consequences of Lydia's poor behavior!

That closes out this week's reading. We will be discussing the end of the book next week. Lots of good stuff still to come!!!

One question Amber asked in her post is:

"Who do you think has changed the most since the beginning of the story? What are some examples of how he or she has changed for the better or for the worse."

I'd say both Lizzie and Darcy have changed. Mainly in each others eyes. They have both discovered more about themselves and more about each other. Both have had their pride pricked and their prejudices challenged and changed.

See you next week!

Of Things To Come by Miranda Atchley-BLOG TOUR

Hello, and welcome to the Of Things To Come blog tour! We’re celebrating the release of the third book in The Abi Hensley Series, which releases on October 27, 2017. Read further to find out more about the book and the giveaway.

About The Book

After enduring the First World War, most of the world is hoping to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives and move forward in the year 1919. Yet for Abi Hensley the happiness she felt upon the end of the war has been short lived. Grief stricken from the passing of a dear friend, she cannot seem to overcome the loss. Amidst her grief, she is also struggling with her writing, something that has always been a comfort to her. In light of these circumstances, she finds herself questioning many things in her life for the first time.

Can Abi get back to all that she loves and look forward to things to come?

About The Author

Miranda Atchley loves books of all sorts, but has always had a special place in her heart for historical A Castle in the Sky was a finalist for Read Free.ly’s The 50 Best Indie Books of 2016. She also writes the blog A Real Writer’s Life. When she isn’t writing, you can usually find Miranda with her head in a book, taking a walk, or watching Downton Abbey at her home in Arkansas.

fiction. Writing is her favorite thing to do and she has published three historical novels and three contemporary young adult novels.

Find Miranda at:

arealwriterslife.blogspot.com

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The Abi Hensley Series

           

Want to read the first two books in The Abi Hensley Series? Just click here!

Blog Tour Dates

10/20 Amber at Seasons of Humility

10/21 Julie at My Favorite Pastime

10/22 Grace at She Hearts Fiction

10/23 Amada at ASC Book Reviews

GIVEAWAY

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Thank you for stopping by and showing your support for Of Things To Come!

My Little Cities books by Jennifer Adams Illustrated by Greg Pizzoli

I absolutely loved these little books! Each one has different buildings and sites from the city that you are visiting. What I especially liked about each book was at the end it tells what each site was and a bit of history and how it is important to the city. Each book is perfect to introduce your toddler to the different cities around the world!

Sites include The Empire State Building, Broadway, The Statue of Liberty and several more

Sites include The Tower of London, Buckingham Palace, The London Eye and several more

Each book is printed on what feels like hard cardboard so they will be durable for those little ones to handle.

Sites include The Louvre, The Eiffel Tower, Notre-Dame and several more

Sites include The Golden Gate Bridge, Pier 39, Alcatraz Island and several more

Pride and Prejudice Read-Along Week 3

This is the 3rd discussion of our read-along. I'm loving this re-read! And I love discussing it with other readers! Go to Amber's blog at Seasons of Humility and check out her thoughts on P&P this week!

Thoughts for this week's reading:

Mr. Collins sure got over Lizzie's rejection of his proposal rather rapidly! And Charlotte was right there to swoop in for the win(cough cough!). Love this quote from Charlotte when Lizzie expresses her surprise at her for accepting Mr. Collins:

"I am not a romantic, you know; I never was. I ask only a comfortable home; and considering Mr. Collin's character, connection, and situation in life, I am convinced that my chance of happiness with him is as fair as most people can boast on entering the marriage state."

Once again we see Mr. Bennet's sense of humor come to the fore with this observation:

"Mr. Bennet's emotions were much more tranquil on the occasion, and such as he did experience he pronounced to be of a most agreeable sort; for it gratified him, he said, to discover that Charlotte Lucas, whom he had been used to think tolerably sensible, was as foolish as his wife, and more foolish than his daughter!"

Okay, and this last one always makes me snort-laugh when Mrs. Bennet is moaning that Mr. Collins and Charlotte will throw them all out upon Mr. Bennet's death:

"My dear, do not give way to such gloomy thoughts. Let us hope for better things. Let us flatter ourselves that I may be the survivor."


Bingley and company leaving Netherfield rather quickly was so sad for Jane. I do have to admire her for trying to be positive about people and give them an excuse for their behavior, but I think she carries it a bit too far in her persistence in believing that the sisters are such dear friends of hers. Especially when Lizzie sees right through them!

Once again we see Mr. Bennet's dry whit in these quotes:

"So, Lizzy, said he one day, your sister is crossed in love, I find. I congratulate her. Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed a little in love now and then."

"True, said Mr. Bennet, but it is a comfort to think that whatever of that kind may befall you, you have an affectionate mother who will make the most of it."

Lizzy does seem to give Mr. Wickham a bit more slack than she does Charlotte or Mr. Darcy and it kind of frustrates me that she has such a double standard. It makes me believe Mr. Bennet in his thinking that all of his daughter's are foolish.

"They are young in the ways of the world(speaking of Kitty and Lydia being despondent of Mr. Wickham turning his affection to someone else), and not yet open to the mortifying conviction that handsome young men must have something to live on as well as the plain."

Lizzy's visit to Charlotte after her marriage is pretty entertaining. Especially her visits to Rosings Park. It becomes even more interesting once Colonel Fitzwilliam and Mr. Darcy arrive. Lady Catherine is a royal pain in the backside and really and truly thinks she is something else! Exasperating woman! This pompous speech was just one such instance where I rolled my eyes:

"Of music! Then pray speak aloud. It is of all subjects my delight. I must have my share in the conversation if you are speaking of music. There are few people in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had ever learnt,I should have been a great proficient. And so would Anne, if her health had allowed her to apply. I am confident that she would have performed delightfully."

Oh brother! See why the eye roll?

And poor Mr. Darcy! So in love with Lizzy, yet so proud and so awkward in his asking for her hand in marriage. He really does think himself superior, but I also think he is awkward in social settings or even one on one. Plus I think that he doesn't know how to handle his emotions for Lizzy and even though he admires Lizzy's boldness in speech he doesn't quite know what to do with it! ha! Poor man has been thrown for a loop and gets the surprise of his life when she refuses him so vehemently.

"In vain I have struggle. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."

Oh man, he really stepped into it with this one!!! And after much back and forth etc. Lizzy spouts off with this:

"You are mistaken, Mr. Darcy, if you supposed that the mode of your declaration affected me in any other way, than as it spared the concern which I might have felt in refusing you, had you behaved in a more gentlemanlike manner."

That one haunts him for a long time!!!

One of the questions Amber asked on her post was, "How would you respond to Mr. Darcy's proposal in this section?"

I probably would have snorted at him and laughed! ha! Oh to possess Elizabeth's ability to take a person down a peg or two with such dignity! Go Lizzy!!!

There are my thoughts for this week. Hope you enjoy and I hope you are enjoying the read-along. Since I am re-reading this for the umpteenth time I can safely say that it is STILL my favorite Austen read! Happy week y'all and feel free to leave your comments and links to your posts if you are reading along or if you have read P&P before. 

Dangerous Illusions by Irene Hannon

Trish is under a lot of stress and attributes some of her recent absentmindedness to that stress. But when her mother suddenly passes away it appears that Trish may have mixed up her medication by mistake. Detective Colin Flynn is handling the case and at first it appears that Trish's mother's death is just a terrible accident. Trish is still having memory lapses and is thankful for her mother's accountant Matt who manages her mother's charity. Trish's mother would have liked nothing better than for Trish and Matt to get together. But there is no chemistry between the two of them and when Matt's behavior changes after her mother's passing, Trish becomes suspicious and enlists Colin to look into Matt's background. What at first appears to be a squeaky clean background soon turns up some pretty shady dealings that could put Trish at risk. Will Colin be able to find out all he needs to know before Matt's past catches up with him?

Wow! Dangerous Illusions had some amazing twists and turns and kept me turning the pages until the end! It was filled with suspense and deception and a bit of romance, the perfect trio of things I love in a story. Just when I thought I had everything figured out I'd turn the page and another twist would present itself! Dangerous Illusions will keep you awake into the early hours even when you tell yourself, "Just one more chapter." But you still have to continue on to find out what happens next.  I can't wait for the next books in the series because I really enjoyed Colin's friends and look forward to reading their stories.

Their Mistletoe Matchmakers by Keli Gwyn

Lavinia and Henry arrive to take care of their nieces and nephew after their parents die. Henry has been given guardianship of the children. Lavinia has been brought up in privilege and believes that her father can give the children a better life. Even though her father has never acknowledged the children before, he is now interested in them. Lavinia sets out to win her case to take the children away from Henry. But the children are only interested in making a match between Lavinia and Henry! And even though Lavinia believes with all of her heart that she would be the better guardian, she cannot help but admire Henry and the way he is with the children.

Oh Lavinia, Lavinia! I say that while shaking my head! At one point I had to message the author and tell her that Lavinia needed a "Come to Jesus" talk! My goodness that girl made me want to reach through the pages and shake her til her teeth rattled! Henry was much more understanding than I ever would be. He admired Lavinia for her stubbornness because he knew that she didn't have a leg to stand on to get the children. He was so patient in helping Lavinia understand that her grand schemes were just what her sister had escaped from and that the children would appreciate a more simpler way of life. I love when a book gets you so involved in the characters that you feel as if you are a part of the family. When I finished reading I truly missed Henry and Lavinia. Being thrown together to care for the children and with the help of the scheming trio, Henry and Lavinia's romance developed slowly and naturally. Their Mistletoe Matchmakers was a sweet Christmas read that will definitely help get you into the holiday spirit!

Pride and Prejudice Read-Along: Week 2

This is the second week of our discussion of my favorite Austen book. Check out Amber's blog at Seasons of Humility for all of the details.

Favorite Quotes:

"I admire the activity of your benevolence, observed Mary, but every impulse of feeling should be guided by reason; and, in my opinion, exertion should always be in proportion to what is required."-Mary Bennet

"He must be an oddity, I think, said she. I cannot make him out.--There is something very pompous in his style.--And what can he mean by apologising for being next in the entail?--We cannot suppose he would help it if he could.--Could he be a sensible man, sir?" -Elizabeth Bennet

"You judge very properly, said Mr. Bennet, and it is happy for you that you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy. May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment, or are the result of previous study?"-Mr. Bennet

"His guilt and his descent appear by your account to be the same, said Elizabeth angrily; for I have heard you accuse him of nothing worse than of being the son of Mr. Darcy's steward, and of THAT, I can assure you, he informed me himself."-Elizabeth Bennet

"You could not make ME happy, and I am convince that I am the last woman in the world who could make you so."-Elizabeth Bennet

"An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do NOT marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you DO."-Mr. Bennet

Words that I had to look up:

Panegyric: public speech or published text in praise of someone or something.
Celerity: swiftness of movement.
Appertain: relate to; concern.

Thoughts:

Mary totally cracks me up! Hence the reason I picked that quote above! I agree with her! Why exert yourself unless it is necessary?

Mr. Collins is just gross! I mean, I cannot stand his arrogance and his pompous attitude. He really is clueless!

Oh Mr. Bennet! He and I would get along real well! I totally get his subtle sarcasm and totally love it! He makes me laugh!

Mr. Wickham is the fly in the ointment. He is charming yet I find him too flattering and since I know what his character is already I think he is a scammer and can see right through his ploy. As smart as Lizzie is I am totally surprised she doesn't see it.

Mr. Darcy, I still love him. Even though he is standoffish I just love him!

Bingley's sisters are brats and remind me of what mean girls are like in high school.

Discussion Questions:

Which quote or scene made you laugh/smile the most?

"You judge very properly, said Mr. Bennet, and it is happy for you that you possess the talent of flattering with delicacy. May I ask whether these pleasing attentions proceed from the impulse of the moment, or are the result of previous study?"-Mr. Bennet

This quote always causes me to snort-laugh!

 Mr. Darcy is often silent: in social settings, in his feelings toward Elizabeth, and in defense of his side of Wickham's story. Do you think his silence is "golden" (a wise choice), or do you think he should have been more vocal in these chapters?

I think that his demeanor would have offended no matter what he did. Should he have spoken out against Wickham? I don't think so. I think if he did he would have been stooping to Wickham's level. It is so hard to know when to call out a person in public and when to stay silent. We all know what Darcy keeping silent does to the Bennet's. 


How would you respond to Mr. Collins if he proposed to you?

Oh ewww! The answer would be a definite NO! I picture him as a booger-eating kid running around with drool on his shirt. Just bleck! And to have to listen to his speeches for the rest of my life? Oh spare me! ha

So there you go! This week's discussion. If you are reading along with us leave a link to your post or feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments. Have a great week!

A Zen For Murder by Leighann Dobbs

A murder on Mooseamuck Island has Dom and Claire dusting off their investigator caps and helping the local police solve the crime. Both Dom and Claire are retired, but when one of their friends is murdered neither one can stand by and let someone else investigate the crime.

If you like cozy mysteries this will be right up your alley. I enjoyed it and am looking forward to reading others in the series. I am excited to see what Dom and Claire will be up to next and if anymore murders will happen on their quiet little island now that they seem to be back in business.