Boston Marathon: A Day of Remembrance

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A year ago today was the bombing at the Boston Marathon. 

This unexpected and tragic event took several lives and injured hundreds, forever altering their lives as they knew them.

A year ago today I was in Boston, on the campus of the private college I attend.

I honestly couldn't tell you what I had been doing prior to discovering the news--homework probably.

I honestly don't even remember the exact moment I found out.

What I can tell you, is what happened after I found out.

I remember standing in the doorway of the lounge in my dorm, staring at the floor while listening to the frantic reporters on the news.

I didn't look at the screen, because at that point the bombs had gone off only moments before, and the news stations were putting on whatever footage they had. 

I remember avoiding looking at the pictures as I listened, because the reporter was saying that already the injured were being accounted for, some of which included lost limbs.

I remember thinking that if I looked at those pictures and, by some awful chance, caught a glimpse of injuries that severe, my already sensitive constitution wouldn't hold out.

After a few minutes I wandered back to my dorm room, only to leave a few minutes later and make my way to the main building and common lounge.

There, on the big TV screen on the wall, the news was also playing.

I remember sitting on top of the ping pong table as students gathered to watch the news together.

At that point the news stations were beginning to restrict which images they showed, and so I watched along with everyone else.

Only a small handful of images played on the screen, alternating back to a live reporter periodically.

I remember wondering what was going to happen--was this all there was to the bombing, or would more occur?

Was this just the start?

Thankfully it wasn't the start of something bigger--bigger than its already huge impact.

The Deans and Resident Assistants called and texted everyone to make sure everyone was accounted for--some of our students had been out and about that day, though thankfully none were in proximity of the bombing.

The campus went on lock down and we all waited tensely as Boston turned into a ghost town and grounds for a manhunt.

I remember calling my mom and telling her to be ready to change our plans for the weekend, because if they hadn't caught the guy by the time she was supposed to visit me, there was no way in heck I was going to let her come into the city.

I'm rather proud of Boston.

Technically, I'm not a legal resident of Mass. -- I'm just a student who spends most of her year in Boston.

I really haven't even lived in Boston for that long.

But Boston is my home.

Rather than falling apart at the seams, the people of Boston banded and grew together.

Boston has become much stronger through the endurance of this tragic event.

Even today, no matter where in Boston you go, you hear and see Boston Strong.

Today is a day to remember.

Remember those killed; remember those injured.

Remember the lives changed.

Remember to pray for the families left behind.

I wouldn't wish this event on anyone.

But it has made Boston stronger.

A Sensible Arrangement (Lone Star Brides, #1)

Title: A Sensible Arrangement
Author: Tracie Peterson
Labels: Fiction | Historical Fiction
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Recommended To: YA, Adult, Women
Contains: Age appropriate innuendos

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Blurb From Goodreads: Marty Dandridge Olson is a widow looking for a way out of Texas. Widower Jake Wythe has secured a job as a bank manager in Denver, only to discover that the bank board wants him to be a married man. With Texas in his roots, he advertises for a Lone Star bride, and Marty answers the call. They both agree they are done with romance and love and will make this nothing more than a marriage of convenience.
Marty works to carve out a new life in high-society Denver as Jake works to guide the bank through a collapsing economy. But when money goes missing at the bank and accounting discrepancies point to Jake, he must find a way to prove his innocence. Yet all he wants to do is go back to Texas and own his own ranch. Marty, on the other hand, owns a ranch–one she’s never told her husband about. She hates Texas because it represents the losses in her life. But as the couple grows closer and love begins to bloom, Marty realizes she needs to tell Jake the truth. Can she come to terms with the past and her anger toward God in order to make room for love?
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Due to college, this is the first pleasure book I've read in a long time--and it came as a welcome relief! I've been dying for some fiction for so long, and this definitely helped my fiction addiction. Marty and Jake both quickly grew on me and their story interested me and, despite the lack of time, I managed to finish the book in a relatively short period of time.

For the better part of the book I was dying for Jake and Marty to legitimately get together (hopeless romantic kicking in...). The suspense got to be a bit much for me by the end--apparently I need to learn some more patience while reading. Haha! The plot was definitely unique, and one which I'd never seen done before, nor in the way Peterson chose to do it.

Overall I thought this was a great book. I found it easy to get lost in and involved in the characters and plot. I was happy with the ending, although I'll admit I wish there had been a little more detail or a little longer ending. Definitely recommended! 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.

Emma of Aurora (The Change & Cherish Trilogy)

Title: Emma of Aurora
Author: Jane Kirkpatrick
Labels: Fiction | Christian | Historical
Publisher: Waterbrook Multnomah
Publication Date: November 5, 2013
Recommended To: Women, Adult, YA
Contains: Slightly mature references/clean

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Blurb From Goodreads:
A Clearing in the Wild: When Emma’s outspoken ways and growing skepticism lead to a clash with the 1850s Bethel, Missouri colony’s beloved leader, she finds new opportunities to pursue her dreams of independence. But as she clears a pathway West to her truest and deepest self, she discovers something she never expected: a yearning for the warm embrace of community.
A Tendering in the Storm: Determined to raise her children on her own terms, Emma suddenly finds herself alone and pregnant with her third child, struggling to keep her family secure in the remote coastal forest of the Washington Territory. As clouds of despair close in, she must decide whether to continue in her own waning strength or to humble herself and accept help from the very people she once so eagerly left behind.
A Mending at the Edge: As a mother, daughter, sister, and estranged wife, Emma struggles to find her place inside—and outside—the confines of her religious community. Emma reaches out to others on the fringe, searching for healing and purpose. By blending her unique talents with service to others, she creates renewed hope as she weaves together the threads of family, friends, and faith.
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Book One: I thought this was a fantastic start to what I anticipated would be a great trilogy. I thought Emma was an interesting character in an interesting and unusual setting. She is considered an outspoken woman in her community where women do exactly what they are told and don't question. I will admit I would have liked to have seen small signs earlier in the book that more women secretly felt the same way she did about issues, even if they still remained in silence. I think the complete submission from all other women made the community a bit distant to the reader initially. This, however, changed later on. I thought this was a great start as Emma made the journey with her husband and other men to a site for the building of a new community, and the trials faced along the way.

Book Two: This second book in the trilogy had me beating my head on a wall just a little bit. Not because it was bad, but because I could see where Emma's choices were taking her and I kept telling her not to do it and evidently my pleas weren't working... It was cool to watch and see how Emma was brought to a new point of understanding of life and people, and a new viewpoint of those around her. I also really liked that we got to see Louisa's point of view from time to time. It made her character much more real and helped to round the readers view of all that was going on and better understand the opinions held by the characters.

Book Three: This book was a great end to the series. It was great to watch Emma learning, growing, and slowly finding her place in her new home at Aurora. Not only was she finding her own place in the midst of the community, but she was also helping others who found themselves in their own difficult situations. As her viewpoint continued to change--as it began to in the second book--she learns to see the good in others. Old enemies slowly become equals as Emma matures, though still possessing her quirky uniqueness.

Overall I thought these were great books and great series. I loved following along beside Emma throughout her life.I thought it was really cool that this series is based off a real person, a fact I hadn't realized until I was reading the acknowledgements in the back. Very cool. I would definitely recommend this series! 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.

Need You Now

Title: Need You Now
Author: Beth Wiseman
Labels: Fiction | Christian | General
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Publication Date: April 20, 2012
Recommended To: Women, Adults, YA
Contains: Tis clean.

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Blurb From Goodreads: When big-city life threatens the safety of one of their children, Brad and Darlene Henderson move with their three teenagers from Houston to the tiny town of Round Top, Texas. Adjusting to small-town life is difficult for the kids, especially fifteen-year-old Grace who is coping in a dangerous way. Married life hasn't always been bliss, but their strong faith has carried Brad and Darlene through the difficult times. When Darlene takes a job outside the home for the first time in their marriage, the domestic tension rises. While working with special needs children at her new job, the widowed father of one of the students starts paying more attention to Darlene than is appropriate. Problem is, she feels like someone is listening to her for the first time in a long time. If Darlene ever needed God . . . it's now. Experience a family's triumph over lies, betrayal, and loss while still clinging to the One who matters most.
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This is such an incredibly emotionally charged book. I'm not sure that it's a "break down and cry" kinda emotional, but it was emotional nonetheless. I thought Need You Now was a very realistic, relate-able book for any reader.

Need You Now centers around the individual lives of a family who moves into a small town. In the attempt to adjust to their new lives, the kids fall into touchy situations and in some cases, dangerous predicaments. Darlene and Brad have their own problems as the move puts new pressure on their marriage, causing them both the handle the tension in different ways. It was really interesting to watch how the family changed and interacted with each other while each had their own problems that affected the others. In the end, each needed to press toward God in order to work through the present issues.

This is a book I think anyone could enjoy and to relate in some way. Recommended!  I bought this book, and therefore was not required nor asked to write a review, nor a positive one at that. I was not compensated for this review.

Redwall (Redwall, #1)

Title: Redwall
Author: Brian Jacques
Labels: Fiction | Fantasy
Publisher: Puffin/Philomel Books
Publication Date: September 20, 2002
Recommended To: Children, YA, Adult
Contains: The best story ever.

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: Redwall Abbey, tranquil home to a community of peace-loving mice is threatened by Cluny the Scourge - the evil-one-eyed rat warlord - and his battle-hardened horde of predators. Cluny is certain that Redwall will fall easily to his fearsome army but he hasn't bargained for the courage and strength of the combined forces of the Redwall mice and their loyal woodland friends.
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Redwall has been one of my favorite books and series since I was a kid. No matter how old I get, it never gets old. I love that regardless of your age, Redwall is a book that is enjoyable for everyone. I have friends who read it as kids and are still periodically reading them as adults. I am fully convinced that Redwall is and will continue to be a classic.

Redwall, the first book in the series, revolves around the adventures of a young mouse named Matthias. Matthias lives at Redwall Abbey, a peaceful sort of place dedicated to helping woodland creatures in need and living in peace in Mossflower. All this is shattered when the notorious rat Cluny the Scourge shows up on the scene, dead set on conquering the abbey and enslaving its inhabitants. It's up to Matthias to step up and lead his fellow creatures to victory over the rat and his horde, with the help of relics left behind by the deceased Martin, the Warrior of Redwall.

I'm very glad I stumbled upon this old favorite and got the chance to read Redwall again! Highly recommended to all ages! I borrowed this book, and therefore was not required nor asked to write a review, nor a positive one at that. I was not compensated for this review.

Critical Reaction

Title: Critical Reaction
Author: Todd M. Johnson
Labels: Fiction | Legal Thriller
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: November 19, 2013
Recommended To: Men, Women, Adult, YA
Contains: Clean

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: After decades of turning out plutonium for the arms race, the Hanford Nuclear Facility has long been shuttered, though its deadly legacy cannot be fully contained. The men who guard the facility from sabotage or monitor its buildings for radiation leaks are told the risks are under control. They believe it, until the worst happens: a thunderous explosion in the dead of night.
          Two workers, lifer Poppy Martin and new hire Kieran Mullaney, believe themselves lucky to survive the blast. But as the debris is cleared, they discover their safety is not assured. Dead ends and closed doors halt their efforts to discover what really happened--and what radiation may have poisoned them. When stalling and threats force them into the hands of experienced trial lawyer Ryan Hart, they learn that theirs is no ordinary lawsuit. There is something still hidden in the desert of eastern Washington, and someone is willing to go to extreme lengths to make sure it never sees the light of day.
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I had an interesting time reading this book. Initially I was a bit turned of some preconceived ideas of what a thriller should be like. Before Critical Reaction, I had only read one other thriller. This first thriller was crazy face paced, drew you in immediately and didn't let you go even if you did want to take a quick break from it. So that's the impression I had stuck in my mind of what thrillers were like. Evidently legal thrillers are a bit different, but by the end I liked it just as much.

Critical Reaction revolves around a legal case in which Kieran is suing the nuclear waste company that he works for. The lawsuit is a result of an accident that happened several months ago, one in which Kieran is pretty sure he was exposed to radiation. He jumps into the lawsuit with one agenda--to find answers. He enlists a college friend to help him, and thus enters Emily and her estranged father. The trio join forces but soon find that the accident involved far more than anyone realized.

I really did end up liking this book a lot, despite my early reservations toward it. I loved that the point of view switched around to various people involved in the accident, which allowed the reader to periodically see different pieces of the puzzle and attempt to figure out the big picture. Of course, like any good book that uses this technique, it was never enough to get too far ahead and figure out everything before the characters, but it was enough to give the reader motivation to try and thus remain hooked. This is definitely a book that I would recommend!

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.

Real

Title: Real
Author: Jamie Snyder
Labels: CLGN | Christian Living
Publisher: Bethany House
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Recommended To: YA, Adults
Contains: N/A

Buy It: Amazon | Book Depository | Kindle
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Blurb From Goodreads: Does your Christianity "show"? Pastor Jamie Snyder shares how to have a deeper, more satisfying walk with Jesus that goes beyond church on Sunday.
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Even though this was a rather short book, and easy read, I found Real to be very thought provoking and at times, convicting. Snyder takes on the task of posing the question we should all be asking ourselves: if it weren't for Sunday, would anyone know we were Christians?

Snyder proceeds to step by step evaluate seven aspects that define a life dedicated to Jesus, including unbridled generosity, daring courage, rebellious joy, and others. Despite its short length, this book touches on so many aspects of being a following of Jesus. Probably my favorite quote of the whole book was at the end, literally one of the last pages where Snyder says, "Political and religious leaders of the day even accused the church of turning the world upside down in the name of Jesus. [...] I would love to be accused of turning the world upside down in the name of Jesus."

I liked that each chapter ended with questions, which makes this a great book to use for a youth group, Sunday school, or other small group study. It's an easy read--I made it through it in only a few days despite work, school, homework, and being sick. But at the same time, I found it challenging in a lot of ways. Definitely worth the read!

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.