The Christmas Light

The Christmas Light by Donna VanLiere
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I look forward to reading Donna VanLiere's Christmas novella each year as we ready ourselves for the holiday/holy days soon approaching. This year's writing focuses on several hurting families in the town of Grandon, who are trying to get back on track and somehow enjoy Christmas. Jennifer De Luca is struggling to uncover the darkness for her six-year-old daughter Avery. Ryan Mazyck and his young daughter, Sophia, are moving for work reasons and are thinking of settling near his Aunt Gloria in Grandon. Sixteen-year-old Kaylee wants to believe that everything will be ok, but right now she can't see it beyond her expanding tummy. Stephen and Lily love their little church, Grandon Community, and are helping prepare for the Christmas Nativity. Each family is brought together by the power of love and faith.

There are two ways of spreading light: to be the candle or the mirror that reflects it.

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The Glass Kitchen

The Glass Kitchen by Linda Francis Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Portia Cuthcart was only seven years old when she got the knowing. Thoughts and scents of food would come to her, like magic, filling her with the urge to cook or bake like crazy. Living with her two sisters and Gram, Portia grew up learning the mechanics in her grandmother's cafe, The Glass Kitchen. But Portia also learned that her food could help heal, begin, or even end a journey. It was a single meal of cherry tomatoes stuffed with chile, cheese and bacon, pulled pork, endive slaw, and potato pancakes the foretold her Gram's death. And with that Portia promised herself she wouldn't cook again. Years later, after a nasty divorce and living in New York City, Portia again prepares to cook once again and bring back The Glass Kitchen to keep herself sane and financially afloat.

Such a great book about family, magic, interesting characters, and food - great summer read!

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So Far Away

So Far Away: A Novel by Meg Mitchell Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Natalie Gallagher, 13 and neglected - due to her parent's divorce, a father who is caught up in his new girlfriend and a mother who has slid into deep depression - is a girl on the brink. Her once best friend is now a cyberbully partner with popular Taylor Grant and the two send text messages that are cutting, cruel, and demeaning. When Natalie finds an old diary in the basement, while looking for family birth records, she heads to the city library archive where she meets 50 something Kathleen Lynch - who has lost her own teenage daughter to drugs. Kathleen, with the help of her coworker, Neil, is determined to decipher the diary's illegible writing and save Natalie.

Very current, very deep, and very moving - once again I found a book that couldn't be put down.

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Things We Didn't Say

Things We Didn't Say by Kristina Riggle

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


A contemporary read about a blended American family and all its warts and blemishes. Casey is a recovering alcoholic with a not so happy past, but when she falls in love with Michael and his children, all that is covered up. Michael only knows the "new" Casey whose worst "fault" is smoking. When Casey moves in to their family home, things shift and change. As Casey draws closer to the two youngest, Dylan and Jewel, teenager Angel plots with her real Mom to get rid of Casey. Then Dylan runs away, all hell breaks loose and secrets are exposed, words are said in anger, and Michael sides wrongly with ex-wife. Casey is ready to walk.



Very real. Very now. Gritty and honest.



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Christmas Treasures

Christmas Treasures by Thomas Kinkade

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Another wonderful Christmas release by Kinkade and Spencer - Cape Light's favorite minister, Ben suffers a heart attack right before the Christmas season. As he slowly recovers, Ben considers giving up the pulpit for a well deserved retirement. At the same time, a young, troubled family moves into a small rundown home on Cape Light, hoping for a fresh start or at least a clearcut ending with bittersweet memories.

Kinkade's Christmas series is another personal favorite. A small cozy town, kind and resourceful residents, and hope born at Christmas always makes for a great story.



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A Turn in the Road

A Turn in the Road by Debbie Macomber

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Debbie Macomber always writes a satisfying novel - interesting characters abound in her books. In this one, 3 generations of women hit the roads from Washington state to Florida for a 50th high school reunion, but make many a side-trip along the way and meet several, very interesting men. Along the 3,000 mile journey, antagonism turns into understanding and life altering decisions are made.

I enjoyed the middle aged character of Bethanne and the very difficult decision she had to make - whether to return to her repentant ex-husband, Grant, or to the uncertainty of the new love of her life that has caught her by surprise on a Harley.



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His Other Wife

His Other Wife by Deborah Bedford

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Left alone to raise her son Seth, Hilary is still trying to terms with sharing him with her ex-husband Eric, his new wife, Pam and their children. Even though Hilary has raised a very mature young man, she has leaned on him heavily through the years, maybe too much. Now at Seth's graduation, the "new family" all want to appear and share in the fun. When tragedy occurs at a senior party, both families have to learn to work together to help Seth and themselves.



I really enjoyed Bedford's writing style - inspirational, but not too heavy and preachy. Her characters struggle with their faith in God when bad things happen and easily blame each other for the mistakes that have happened, although in the end they realize what they need is to help each other. A very real-life story of today and the world we live in.



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Once Upon a Time, There was You

Once Upon a Time, There Was You by Elizabeth Berg

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Irene and John, never should have gotten married. Now divorced, the only thing they have in common is their beloved 18 year old daughter, Sadie, who is on the verge of going away to college. Living for the most part in California, with a few weeks spent in Minnesota with her Dad, Sadie tells a lie about going rock climbing with friends to her over protective mother - but instead has plans to spend a few days with her boyfriend, Ron. When Ron doesn't arrive on time at the rendezvous spot, Sadie makes a huge mistake and catches a lift with a older, handsome man. In the meantime, Irene has been plagued with doubts about letting Sadie go on her trip, but is told over and over that she has been smothering her daughter. Days later, after filing a missing person report, even the local police station racks it up as just a teenage prank. When Sadie still doesn't come home, Irene finally sounds the alarm and reaches out to John for help.



Elizabeth Berg has a way of reaching into our lives and putting into words how we think and feel. Although this is not my favorite read of hers, I still enjoyed the characters and trying to figure out why John and Irene were married in the first place, with such a cold and tragic background between their childhood lives. I also enjoyed the thoughts of Irene and Sadie as they were both trying to loosen the smothering bond between them.











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