The Blue Bistro

Title: The Blue Bistro
Author: Elin Hilderbrand
Labels: Fiction | Contemporary
Publisher: St. Martins Griffin
Publication Date: June 3, 2014
Recommended To: Not Recommended
Contains: Profanity

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Blurb From Goodreads: Adrienne Dealey has spent the past six years working for hotels in exotic resort towns. This summer she has decided to make Nantucket home. Left flat broke by her ex-boyfriend, she’s desperate to earn some fast money. When the desirable Thatcher Smith, owner of Nantucket's hottest restaurant, is the only one to offer her a job, she wonders if she can get by with no restaurant experience. Thatcher gives Adrienne a crash course in the business...and they share an instant attraction.
          But there’s a mystery about their situation: what is it about Fiona, the Blue Bistro's chef, that captures Thatcher's attention again and again? And why does such a successful restaurant seem to be in its final season before closing its doors for good? Despite her uncertainty, Adrienne must decide whether to open her heart for the first time, or move on, as she always does.
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This isn't going to be a very long review, because I only read the first 100 pages (give or take) before deciding I didn't want to finished it. Hold on, lemme rephrase that: I wanted to finish it, but I decided I shouldn't finish it. I wanted to finish it because the plot itself was interesting. Adrienne is a woman who, after a disastrous event, heads to Nantucket with a plan to start fresh. Part of this fresh start includes finding a job and paying back a loan from her father and she finds this job at a restaurant--an occupation far from her expertise. The characters were fleshed out and well rounded--the whole story (at least the part I read) was very well written.

However, I decided I couldn't finish it because of the profanity used. It wasn't so frequent as to be on every page--they were actually dispersed, and often several clean pages would go by before another profanity was mentioned. However, I personally would prefer not to read--not even quickly skim over or have to skip over--f-bombs and b-bombs and other bombs of the sort. I realize not everyone will agree with my view on profanity, but I personally would rather not read materiel that puts it into my head.

Because I believe profanity is wrong and should not be read, said, or dwelt upon, I cannot recommend The Blue Bistro. I bought this book, and therefore was not asked nor required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Married

Title: Things I Wish I'd Known Before We Married
Author: Gary Chapman
Labels: Relationships | Marriage
Publisher: Northfield Publishing
Publication Date: September 1, 2010
Recommended To: Singles, couples, men, women
Contains: Adult subjects

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Blurb From Goodreads: Gary Chapman writes, "Most people spend far more time in preparation for their vocation than they do in preparation for marriage." No wonder the divorce rate hovers around fifty percent. Bestselling author and marriage counselor Gary Chapman hopes to change that with his newest book. Gary, with more than 35 years of experience counseling couples, believes that divorce is the lack of preparation for marriage and the failure to learn the skills of working together as intimate teammates.
          So he put together this practical little book, packed with wisdom and tips that will help many develop the loving, supportive and mutually beneficial marriage men and women long for. It's the type of information Gary himself wished he had before he got married. The material lends itself to heart-felt discussions by dating or engaged couples. To jump-start the exchanges, each short chapter includes insightful "Talking it Over" questions and suggestions. And, the book includes information on interactive websites as well as books that will enhance the couples experience.
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This is a book that was assigned to a college class that I wanted to take, but unfortunately was not able to due to conflicting schedules. The class was about marriage and family matters, and I had a lot of friends who were able to take the class. They all agreed that it was the best book assigned to the class, and recommended it. I bought it, but only got the chance to read it now.

Chapman pointed out twelve different areas that most couples don't take the time to discuss prior to marriage, and as a result, they end up in arguments over these areas. His premise is for couples to think and talk through these areas prior to their wedding, or if they are already married, to work through these areas together sooner rather than later. Each point had examples and was well explained. The chapters ended with discussion questions that could be answered alone or with the other person in a relationship.

I would definitely recommend this book to singles, for things to keep in mind for the future; for dating couples, to talk over and discuss before making the decision to marry; for engaged couples, to prepare for their impending marriage; and for married couples, to help eliminate stress and problem points in their marriage. I bought this book, and therefore was not asked nor required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

The Hunger Games (Hunger Games, #1)

Title: The Hunger Games
Author: Suzanne Collins
Labels: Fiction | Fantasy
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Publication Date: July 3, 2010
Recommended To: Adult
Contains: Minor references and a good bit of violence

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Blurb From Goodreads: In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, the shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
          Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before--and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
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I was very curious to read this book, since I finally watched the entirety of the movie. I'm well aware that when book are turned into movies, the movie always loses something in the transaction. While the movie wasn't a huge deal for me, I was interested to see how far the movie strayed from the book and what the book had to offer that the movie lacked. As it turns out, I think the book is better than the movie, although the movie does do a pretty good job of portraying the main story.

Probably what I loved most about the book was Katniss' point of view and thinking process. Since it was exclusively from her point, the reader could only know facts which Katniss herself knew. While it at times it was possible to understand other characters' ulterior motives and plans, it was interesting to see how Katniss put the pieces together herself. I liked the reality that while the "romance" between her and Peeta is what ultimately saves both of them, she had a hard time separating what was her own true feelings and setting them aside from the act. Her confusion over her own thoughts and feelings were easy to relate to and made her a stronger character in the long run.

I know there are some pretty strong viewpoints on this book--some people things its over the top great, while others are crazy against it due to the violence. I think Collins did a good job of using the scenario in order to portray her real point--we, as humans, are quickly becoming desensitized the the violence in the world, and to some degree and turning to a point where it's used for enjoyment (ex., violence based movies). The point of the book was to bring awareness to this fact through an extremely exaggerated scenario--and I think it worked. I would recommend this book to an audience who will understand the agenda of the book and keep it in mind. I bought this book, and therefore was not asked nor required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

Eragon (Inheritance Cycle, #1)

Title: Eragon
Author: Christopher Paolini
Labels: Fiction | Fantasy
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: April 26, 2005
Recommended To: Ages 12--Adult
Contains: N/A

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Blurb From Goodreads: One boy . . .One dragon . . .A world of adventure. When Eragon finds a polished blue stone in the forest, he thinks it is the lucky discovery of a poor farm boy; perhaps it will buy his family meat for the winter. But when the stone brings a dragon hatchling, Eragon soon realizes he has stumbled upon a legacy nearly as old as the Empire itself.
          Overnight his simple life is shattered, and he is thrust into a perilous new world of destiny, magic, and power. With only an ancient sword and the advice of an old storyteller for guidance, Eragon and the fledgling dragon must navigate the dangerous terrain and dark enemies of an Empire ruled by a king whose evil knows no bounds. Can Eragon take up the mantle of the legendary Dragon Riders? The fate of the Empire may rest in his hands.
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This is one of my close friend's favorite book, which is why I decided to pick it up when I saw it on the shelf at a consignment shop. I had heard of it previously because of an article written about the author by HSLDA, and therefore was aware of the story of its writing and publication--both were good reasons for me to give it a try. At first I wasn't thrilled over it; the start was a little slow for my liking, and not a whole lot of action was going on. However, my opinion of it quickly changed to a more favorable one as the story quickly picked up pace.

I ended up really enjoying this book, to the point that I started hurrying to be ready for work early so that I would have a few extra minutes to read before I left for the day. The plot line was very unique, especially for a fantasy. Paolini seemed to know just where to go outside the lines but not so far that the reader could get lost. I liked Eragon and enjoyed watching the connection he had with his dragon, Saphira. I thought it was cool that both of them grew and learned together, although Saphira clearly had a leg up on the wisdom end of things. The humor traded between the two was amusing and kept me waiting for more.

Overall I really enjoyed reading Eragon, and definitely would recommend it. I bought this book, and therefore was not asked nor required to write a review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

Meant to be Mine

Title: Meant to be Mine
Author: Becky Wade
Labels: Fiction | Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: May 6, 2014
Recommended To: Women, Adult
Contains: Mild references and adult situations

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Blurb From Goodreads: Ty Porter has always been irresistible to Celia Park. All through high school--irresistible. When their paths cross again after college--still irresistible. This time, though, Ty feels exactly the same way about Celia. Their whirlwind romance deposits them at a street-corner Las Vegas wedding chapel. The next morning they wake to a marriage certificate and a dose of cold reality. Celia's ready to be Ty's wife, but Ty's not ready to be anybody's husband. As a professional bull rider, he lives on the road and can't bring himself to settle down.
Five and a half years pass. Celia's buried her dreams so that she can afford to raise her daughter. Ty's achieved all of his goals. Or thought he had, until he looks again into the face of the one woman he couldn't forget and into the face of the child he never knew he had. How much will Ty sacrifice to make Celia's dreams come true, to win her trust, and to prove to her that their spontaneous marriage can still become the love of a lifetime?
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Meant to be Mine is a book which follows the reconnected relationship of bull-riding Ty Porter and baker Celia Park Porter, and their daughter, Addie. After the two spontaneously married in a whirlwind romance, the unthinkable is revealed on the morning after their wedding. The two part ways, expecting to never see each other again. Five and a half years pass before the two cross paths again, only for Ty to discover he has a child and for Celia to discover that her unforgiving, distrusting, and angry feelings toward Ty have not changed.

I can honestly say I have never read a book that had anywhere near the same plot line of this book. This is the absolute most unique romance I have ever read to date. Each of the characters were extremely well developed and had interesting and developing stories and personalities. I loved watching Ty and Celia's budding romance unfold, all the way to the last page.

This is an incredible story of regaining love, trust, and extending forgiveness, as well as second chances. I would recommend it in a heartbeat! I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

A Broken Kind of Beautiful Review

Title: A Broken Kind of Beautiful
Author: Katie Ganshert
Labels: Fiction | Christian | Romance
Publisher: Waterbrook Multnomah
Publication Date: April 15, 2014
Recommended To: YA, Women, Adult
Contains: Mild mature topics/references

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Blurb From Goodreads: Fashion is a fickle industry, a frightening fact for twenty-four-year-old model Ivy Clark. Ten years in and she's learned a sacred truth -- appearance is everything. Nobody cares about her broken past as long as she looks beautiful for the camera. This is the only life Ivy knows -- so when it starts to unravel, she'll do anything to hold on. Even if that means moving to the quaint island town of Greenbrier, South Carolina, to be the new face of her stepmother's bridal wear line -- an irony too rich for words, since Ivy is far from the pure bride in white.
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This is quite possibly my new favorite book. Ganshert's latest book reminds me very much of her first book, Wildflowers from Winter, in that the emotion was very raw--which I liked. The entire plot had me engaged and hooked from the beginning, and kept me flipping pages far later in the night than I should have been reading, and hurrying through homework just so that I could read more.

I stinking loved the story line. I thought it was very original, and although it was a romance, it had more to it than just the romance plot line. The characters--all of them--each had their unique struggles and reasons for why they did the things they did. I was especially interested in Davis' background. Early on in the story I had a rough guess as to what was his "demon of the past," but I never could really figure it out completely, therefore drawing me in further to unravel it--and it surprised me, it wasn't quite what I had expected it to be. The main character, Ivy, I loved--she had such a real and emotional background, and I loved reading more about her.

Overall, this is now one of my favorite books by a long shot. I would recommend it in a heartbeat! Katie Ganshert has proven herself to be an awesome writer, and is definitely one of my favorites.  I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.

The Power of A Half Hour

Title: The Power of A Half Hour
Author: Tommy Barnett
Labels: Inspirational
Publisher: Waterbrook Press
Publication Date: 2013
Recommended To: YA, Adult
Contains: N/A

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Blurb From Goodreads: What can you do in 30 minutes? Have lunch? Watch television? Check Facebook? How about change your life? Why do some people achieve far more than others? We all get the same 24 hours in a day, yet a special few seem to have superhuman abilities when it comes to accomplishing great things in life.
Tommy Barnett, a proven master at “getting things done,” says the key to maximizing your productivity is to make use of small, manageable moments in your day—just 30 minutes at a time.  In this remarkably practical book, Tommy shows how to begin a whole new life of fruitfulness. You’ll see immediate results in all areas of your life, including your—Purpose and values, Personal goals, Faith, Character and attitude, Dreams, Career, Relationships, Marriage and family, Church involvement and ministry
Why not change time from being your worst enemy to your everlasting friend? It all starts with the amazing things you can do in only a half hour.  Through inspiring stories and biblical principles, discover how your downtime can have a major upside. Get going—you don’t have a minute to lose!
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Although, I'm currently very disciplined in my time management, I haven't always been this way. And due to my busy schedule, I'm always on the lookout for ways to increase my time management and get the most out of my time. Hence, when I was given the opportunity to read and review The Power of a Half Hour, I jumped right on it. I don't regret it for one minute.

In this book, Barnett talks about ways and reasons to use half hour segments to the best of your ability and for the greatest purposes and outcomes. One of the things I really liked about the format of the book was that each chapter was short enough that even a slow reader could easily read at least one chapter within a half hour (I found myself making it through 1-3 per half hour). This format allowed me to immediately put into practice Barnett's concept of using half hour segments to accomplish goals.

Despite my extensive research on the subject, I still learned a great deal from this book and I definitely believe I gained from it. I definitely would recommend it to anyone who is looking to increase their time management and gain a better understanding of just how valuable half hours really are. I received a free copy of this book from the publisher for this review. These opinions are my own; I was not required to write a positive review, nor was I compensated for this review.