Reading, Writing & Pondering

    On Moonberry Lake by Holly Varni is her debut novel. I ended up reading the second book, The Blooming of Delphinium , first. It didn't matter, I enjoyed this one too. Cora Matthew is back in the town she started out at before her single mom took her away at age 7. They never saw her grandparents again and Cora doesn't know what happened. Her Mom passed away recently so she is back in town for the funeral and ends up receiving her family's run down lodge. She decides to remodel it. At the same time, she gets to know a variety of interesting townspeople. On Moonberry Lake is a character driven novel set in Minnesota. I enjoyed reading about all of the townspeople and I could pictures this area, maybe because we spent a couple weekends in Minnesota this past year. I enjoyed meeting them all. I enjoyed seeing Cora come into her own personhood, so to speak. I enjoyed the little bit of romance there was but I wish that had been a bit more of the story. I also liked how the ...

  The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World by Robin Wall Kimmerer is a small but beautifully written book. It is a quick but powerful little read with lovely nature illustrations. The writer of The Serviceberry is an indiginous scientist. I enjoyed her description of the gift economy. As someone who both gardens and forages for goodies, I enjoyed this book. I love her descriptions of nature. I also like how she thinks about a nature economy which is built around gratitude, reciprocity, and community based on nature. The real world economy can be tough with scarcity, competition and even hoarding by some people--as seen in the latest pandemic. Serviceberries offer a beautiful model of health and wealth when shared among a community of people and animals. I wish everyone would read this book. The Serviceberry is a lovely book that would also make a nice gift. I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions within this review are my own. ...

      I recently received two devotional church year journals to review. One is for adults and the other is for children. What I like about the adult journal is that it follows the liturgical year. The book itself is beautiful. The readings are in a larger print, which I personally like, as they are easy to pick up and read. At the front of the book, there is a page describing how to use the journal and then a few that explain what the church year is.  The other nice is, is that this book starts right out with Advent so it is ready to use right now. The Advent readings include Bible verses, commentary, hymns, prayers and space to write. All of the readings for various events throughout the church year include a similar style. I really like this style. They give a lot of food for thought and space to write. The Enduring Grace Church Year Journal For Kids is a larger workbook-sized paperback book. This is a book for elementary-aged kids and their families to read throu...

      Do you need a new Advent devotional to read this year? Let Earth Receive Her King by Alister Begg is both beautiful on the outside and full of Christmas reflections to stir your heart on the inside. Let Earth Receive Her King is divided into five parts. Following the introduction: Part One: Christmas in the Beginning Part Two: Christmas in the Land Part Three: Christmas in the Gospels Part Four: Christmas in the Letters Part Five:Awaiting the New Advent I like how this book starts before the Gospels. The story of Jesus actually begins in the Old Testament, which many of us know and yet so many years we just read the Christmas story in the gospels and call it a day. I like that this book studies all aspects of Christ coming and then the full story of his birth. This Advent book has 25 readings that run from Genesis, Isaiah, Luke, and more right through to Revelations. It encompasses the whole Bible. For me, this is new to cover so much ground in an Advent Devotiona...

  Do you feel weary? Discouraged? Does life sometimes seem out of control? Amid these moments, it can be difficult to embrace the fullness of life God promises in Him. In  Revive , popular author, speaker, and podcast host Cleere Cherry Reaves helps you reclaim God’s unchanging truth—for you and for your life. In 52 weeks of devotions, Cleere takes you on a journey to reclaim a spirit of truth all year long through Scripture, biblical declarations, and prayers to reconnect you to the joy and hope God longs for you to know. Join Cleere as you immerse yourself in God’s truth and recover the fullness of life that only Jesus offers. Each week you’ll find: Five declarations of truth to bolster your faith and remind you of God’s promises A short devotional reading to breathe life into your soul A Bible verse for meditation Bright and beautiful photography As you take this yearlong journey, Cleere calls you to: Replenish your soul through rest and prayer, knowing that God a...

Of Gold and Shadows   by Michelle Griep is the first book in the new Time's Lost Treasures series. This book is set in Victorian England in 1888. Ami Dalton is a respect Egyptologist. However, she leads a dual life and also helps save black market artifacts from the wrong people. Edmund Price is one of Oxford's most eligible bachelors. He is also searching for an Egyptologist to value a newly acquired collection. It is through this search that he becomes acquainted with Ami.  Of Gold and Shadows is a historical mystery with a slow burn romance. This is my first book by this author but it won't be my last. I think it is interesting to read about Egyptian artifacts. I also enjoy reading other details about the Victorian age. The relationship issues were also interesting. I like how Edmund and Ami both overcome issues that they struggle with personally. I also like that the book has some humor in their banter. If you enjoy Victorian age books with a dash of mystery and romanc...

  Do you like to cook? If not, are you a fan of eating someone else's good cooking? The Queen's Cook by Tessa Afshar is a book that has many elements but one main feature is that the main character likes to cook and she ends up being a cook for the Queen, as you might guess from the title. The Queen's Cook is set in Persia. Roxannah, is the daughter of an impoverished Lord who is abusive after turning his life over to alcohol. After some devastating news, Roxannah gets help from the Queen's physician named Adin to get a job in the kitchen.  Once employed, Roxannah, along with Adin, are involved in a mystery. There is also lots of cooking for the queen. There is a slow burn romance. There is the Biblical story of Queen Esther, which many of us are familiar with, but this book brings the story and the times to life. There is also an emphasis on faith in the one true God. There are themes of forgiveness, redemption, healing and more. The book is well-written. I would also ...

  Mistletoe Season is a compilation of three Christmas novellas that will warm your heart this year. Say No to Mistletoe by Sheila Roberts, Return to Mistletoe by Kathleen Fuller, and The Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham were all enjoyable reads for me. Return to Mistletoe is the first story in this book. Emmy Banks lives in Mistletoe, Missouri and runs an antique and coffee shop. Kieran O'Neill has just returned to Mistletoe following years abroad in Ireland. Emmy is his sister's best friend and he was Emmy's prom date years ago. Can they rekindle a friendship--or something more? A Mistletoe Prince by Pepper Basham is the second story. I'm not going to lie. I enjoyed Basham's Skymar series a whole lot so I was thrilled to get more of that story-line. In this one, Princess Ellie's brother, Prince Arran St. Claire is sent to Ransom, North Carolina for three months of rehabilitative work with Ellie's husband, Luke. Even before he works with Luke and Charlie...

  Do you enjoy a good mystery? The Burning of Rosemont Abbey by Naomi Stephens is a British mystery. The Burning of Rosemont Abbey is set in England in the mid 1950s. As the book begins, Paul Everly is accused of burning down Rosemont Abbey. Paul's sister, Louisa, is certain he is innocent. However, she is equally certain that her twin brother has passed away. What happened to Paul? Who burned the Abbey? Louisa, and Paul's friend Malcolm Sinclair aim to figure it out. The Burning of Rosemont Abbey is my first book by this author. I did enjoy the mystery aspect of the book as I didn't figure it out for a long time. At the same time, I struggled to really like the characters. I didn't care for the way Malcolm treated Louisa at the start of the book. He wasn't very kind to her and treated her like she was just a dumb woman in his way, honestly. That got better as the book went along, but it still bothered me from the beginning. The Aunt is kind but the Uncle is not ...

  One of my favorite Lynn Austin novels is All My Secrets . If it is one of yours too, then you will be glad to know the story of Adelaide and Howard continues in this Christmas novella, Waiting for Christmas . If you haven't read All My Secrets , I think you would still enjoy Waiting for Christmas . Waiting for Christmas features a young orphan boy named Jack who comes into Howard and Adelaide's life suddenly. Adelaide has a heart for the orphans in the city. When they get to know Jack, they learn that he has been separated from his younger sister. He also has a father who is at sea and doesn't know that Jack's mother passed away and the children have no place to go. Adelaide and Howard are trying to help Jack. I enjoyed this uplifting story set during the Christmas season and featuring the season of Advent with an emphasis on hope. I like how Howard and Adelaide learn to work out some of the kinks in their early marriage as they get to know each other. I also liked t...

  The Blooming of Delphinium by Holly Varni is my first book about Moonberry, MN. I enjoyed it as a stand-alone, but I definitely want to go back and read the first book, On Moonberry Lake .  Delphinium owns a flower shop and  the apartment above the shop where her Grandma used to live before she passed away. Delphi, as her friends call her, has a fondness for the elderly. Her elderly friend Henry, brings all of his friends over to hand out in her cooler in the back room, when the Moonberry Gardens Assisted Living air conditioning goes out. Soon, she finds her shop is host to a whole bunch of elderly folks who she feeds and helps in other ways. Delphinium then must face the director of the senior care facility, Elliot Sturgis, who is trying to figure out how to handle the meandering folks.  Delphinium also has a unique talent where she can tell someone's most admirable characteristic by getting a whiff of them. Elliot carries the scent of love and loyalty, which sme...