Top Ten Flowery Covers

 

Welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday link-up sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl.  Today's theme is May Flowers, piggybacking off the April Showers post. I was going back and forth between flowery titles and flowery covers, and went with flowery covers.

My eye is healed, and I'm able to wear my contacts and read!!! It's been so nice.

These covers are so pretty. 

Have you read any of these, or have you heard of them? Let me know in the comments. 

I hope all of you, Moms, had a wonderful Mother's Day on Sunday. We took my mother-in-love out to lunch, and flowers to my mom; got to spend Sunday with my daughter, and my grands. It was a busy weekend, but full of lots of fun.

The Alphabet Challenge The B's Have It

 

Happy Tuesday, and welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday - sort of, post. Today's Top Ten Tuesday theme, sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl, is books with a high page count, the ones that could be door stoppers. I'd have to list all the Harry Potter books to come close, so I decided to do an Alphabet Challenge post. It's truly been a manic Monday here, so this was easier.

If the title starts with The or an A, I will use the second letter. I'll post them in alphabetical order. This is perfect for those alphabetical reading challenges.

                                                            

                                                            

                                                           

                                                           

                                                           

 

I know it's not a Top Ten Tuesday, but I hope you find something new to read.

June and July 2024 In Review

 

It's been quite a while since I've posted a month in review, so I decided to combine June and July. Life has been overly busy which has sadly impacted my reading time. I'm hoping August changes some of that.

June 2024

How far would you go to fix the mistakes you've made and regain the trust you lost? For Jade Jessup, the answer is 2,448 miles. Once one of Chicago's significant financial advisors, Jade lost her credibility when her fiancé (and coworker) stole millions of dollars from their clients in a Ponzi scheme. Now she's agreed to help one of them--an aging 1960s Hollywood starlet named Berenice "Benny" Alderidge--seek financial restoration.

Jade sets off along Route 66 with Benny and her handsome adult foster son, Bridger, who is filming a documentary retracing the 1956 trip that started the love story between Benny and her recently deceased husband, Paul. Listening to Benny recount her story draws Jade into memories of her own darker association with Route 66, when she was kidnapped as a child by a man the media labeled a monster--but she remembers only as daddy.

Together, all three of these pilgrims will learn about family, forgiveness, and what it means to live free of the past. But not before Jade faces a second staggering betrayal that changes everything.

My review.

When newcomer Mercy Windsor arrives in Mercy Peak in 1948 after a scandal shatters her gilded world as Hollywood's beloved leading lady, she is determined to forge a new life in obscurity in this time-forgotten Colorado haven. She purchases Wildwood--an abandoned estate with a haunting history--and begins to restore it to its former glory.

But as she does, her every move tugs at the threads of that mountain's lore, unearthing what became of her long-lost pen pal, Rusty Bright, and the whereabouts of the infamous Galloping Goose Engine No. 8, which vanished years ago, along with the mailbag it carried, whose contents could change the course of countless lives. Not to mention another fabled treasure that--if found--could right so many wrongs.

My review.

With its sweet bedtime rhymes, I Dream a Dream for You resembles the classic title The Going to Bed Book by Sandra Boynton. A family of red pandas make their home in the forest. When it's time for bed, Mom and Dad tuck in their three kiddos, and as they all drift to sleep, dreams come to life through the vibrant pictures and story. Parents or grandparents will enjoy reading this sweet bedtime rhyme, filled with dreams and aspirations for their little ones. With amazing, colorful illustrations, this read-to-me story richly shows the love of a faith-filled family with creative, interesting scenes that kids will love to see over and over--and those who read it to them will experience the blessing of God's love, which is meant to be shown and shared with families.

My review.

  July 2024

Miss Camilla Pierpont, a renowned matchmaker and influential member of the New York Four Hundred, has vowed never to marry after suffering a devastating heartbreak during her debut years ago. However, when she is nearly abducted along the Hudson River, she finds herself rescued by an annoyingly outspoken, albeit fascinating, gentleman who challenges her in a manner she wasn't expecting.After learning that Camilla Pierpont has enjoyed success with taking wayward young ladies in hand, Mr. Owen Chesterfield travels to the Hudson River Valley determined to convince Camilla to sponsor his sister, who is in desperate need of social rehabilitation.Knowing her life is in danger, Camilla agrees to Owen's proposition and travels with him to West Virginia, finding herself charmed by the less-than-formal attitude of his small hometown, as well as by Owen himself. But danger waits in the shadows, disrupting what she knows would be the most spectacular match she's ever made--her own.

My review.

Eighties supermodel Harlow Hayes seeks solace in a quaint Florida beach town to hide and heal from a heartbreak that shattered her entire world. To her surprise, she encounters Matt Knight--a Hollywood A-lister with a bad-boy reputation--who has returned to his hometown to help his plucky grandmother, Tuesday, save her century-old skating rink, the Starlight.The Starlight holds a special place in the hearts of the community, once acting as a refuge for Depression-era families and bringing the town together with gatherings and celebrations. Tuesday's determination and resilience even protected her beloved rink from her husband's shady business dealings. Yet when the Starlight is threatened with demolition, Tuesday may not be able to stop it. As Matt and Harlow plot with Tuesday to save the Starlight, they find themselves on a journey of surprises, self-discovery, and the kind of healing that leads to love. New York Times bestselling author Rachel Hauck weaves a heartfelt tale of romance, perseverance, and the enduring power of community.

My review

August hopefuls . . .

Queen of Hearts

A Matter of Honor

Nightmare Virus

Between the Sound and Sea

Top Ten Tuesday --- Debut Novels I Enjoyed

 

Happy Tuesday and welcome to another edition of Top Ten Tuesday, sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl. If you've hung around here very long you know that debut novels are one of my favorites. Here's just a small selection of my favorites. Most I read as I was just beginning to blog.

Diva NashVegas is Nashville Sweetheart

Do we share any favorite debuts? Let me know in the comments!

Born of Gilded Mountains by Amanda Dykes Reviewed

 

                                                                

About the book:

Title: Born of Gilded Mountains

Author: Amanda Dykes

Genre: Christian Historical Fiction

When newcomer Mercy Windsor arrives in Mercy Peak in 1948 after a scandal shatters her gilded world as Hollywood's beloved leading lady, she is determined to forge a new life in obscurity in this time-forgotten Colorado haven. She purchases Wildwood--an abandoned estate with a haunting history--and begins to restore it to its former glory.

But as she does, her every move tugs at the threads of that mountain's lore, unearthing what became of her long-lost pen pal, Rusty Bright, and the whereabouts of the infamous Galloping Goose Engine No. 8, which vanished years ago, along with the mailbag it carried, whose contents could change the course of countless lives. Not to mention another fabled treasure that--if found--could right so many wrongs.

Among the towering mountains that stand as silent witnesses, the ghosts of the past entangle with the courage of the present to find a place where healing, friendship, and hope can abide amid a world forever changed.

Goodreads || Amazon || Barnes & Noble || Baker Book House

My Thoughts:

This is the fifth book of Amanda Dykes that I've read and once again I am at a loss for words. Using beautiful imagery and letters between the two main characters Ms. Dykes pulls her readers into the beauty of the Colorado mountains and old Hollywood.

It is a story of friendship, hardship, healing and redemption. There is a bit of romance and a mystery woven through.

Amanda Dykes' is a master storyteller who weaves an intricate tapestry like a beautiful painting, pulling the reader into a story they will never forget.

Bottom Line:

I was pulled in from the beginning and couldn't stop thinking about the characters and the story. I hated for it to end and it will be on top reads for 2024.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book via the publisher. I was not required to write a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

About Amanda Dykes

Amanda Dykes has written and published a few short stories including, “Bespoke: a Tiny Christmas Tale“, the critically-acclaimed bicycle story that invited readers together to fund bicycles for missionaries in Asia. A former English teacher, she has a soft spot for classic literature and happy endings. She is a drinker of tea, a dweller of Truth, and a spinner of hope-filled tales, grateful for the grace of a God who loves extravagantly.  Also, by Amanda Dykes: “Tin Can Serenade” and “A Song in the Night” featured in the Message in a Bottle Romance Collection. You can connect with Amanda at the following locations:

Website || Facebook || Instagram || Twitter 

Top Ten Tuesday April Showers Bring May Flowers

 

Happy Tuesday, and welcome to another Top Ten Tuesday sponsored by That Artsy Reader Girl. Today's prompt is April showers bring May flowers. I went through my archives to find these beauties. I love daisies, carnations, and of course roses; but pink is my favorite color so if it's pink it's perfect.

We have lilacs, lilies, roses of Sharon, and daffodils in our yard. My husband is a master gardener and does an amazing job keeping everything alive and blooming. 

What's your favorite flower? 

Please let me know what your favorite flower is. With Mother's Day on Sunday, this is a perfect prompt. Hope you have a wonderful Tuesday.