shelfreflectionofficial's Reviews (844)

I heard this author speak in person and thought she was really funny. So I decided to try one of her books. It's not typically my go-to genre, so I guess I don't have a lot to compare it to, but it was a nice change of pace for me and did not disappoint. I enjoyed the read- her humor was evident throughout! The relationship between Nellie and Matt reminded me a lot of the banter of the characters on the show Alone Together. It was quirky and funny. I plan to try some of her other books.

The book wasn't meant to be a complex mystery, detective, or suspense novel, so don't read it with those expectations. It was a light-hearted rom/com, pretty fast read, and worth checking out.

My two criticisms are 1) her chapters had titles. Not my preference, I don't like to have any info about what I'm about to read, I like to see it for myself. 2) Her portrayal of the Amish character Amos was different than what I expected. It was a little weird, his dialogue was not like any other Amish book I've read and I don't know if it was because she was showing someone who was just learning English, or what, but I guess I just didn't know how accurate it was. I think I would have liked his character better if it wasn't such a vast social gap between him and the other characters. I think I just found it a little unbelievable. But again, just my preference.

My comprehensive review for this series is on book one, but wanted to write a separate review on the last book since no one will be reading this unless they (most likely) read the other two. I wasn't a big fan of the last book. I don't understand how Juliette is all of a sudden the person who gets to make all the decisions and plans. Just because she decided she cared? Why would Castle, or anyone else, say 'Yeah. I think she has the best expertise. She knows how fighting and politics works more than anyone else. Let's all do whatever she says. Because look- she has strong feelings about this, and that is enough to succeed at whatever she desires.' I just didn't like Juliette's character (per my other review). For her to dominate the last book as she did, I didn't believe it, it didn't make sense. I also don't get how Kenji is apparently her best friend in all of this- when did that happen? In my opinion, she really should have ended up with him. I think the series would have been better without the love triangle, but I suppose that's what most young adults prefer in their books. I did appreciate that the writing in this book was more action and dialogue than the dramatic abstract feeling fluff from the first book. Here is an excerpt from the book that I really liked:

"Doubt had married my fear and moved into my mind, where it built castles and ruled kingdoms and reigned over me, bowing my will to its whispers until I was little more than an acquiescing peon, too terrified to disobey, too terrified to disagree. I had been shackled, a prisoner in my own mind."

I would recommend reading this book right after the first one. I waited awhile before I was able to read this one and it took a bit to remember all the details from the first book and I don’t think I appreciated some of the connections as much as I would have had the first book been on the forefront of my mind. Despite the delay, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was fast-paced and took some unexpected turns, and resolved itself which I appreciate in a book. I love books that incorporate history and I thought she did a good job of weaving the legend into the story. I also enjoyed seeing her Pinterest board with pictures of the actual places and things used in the story. I think my one, I guess, 'question' with the storyline is that the monk had told her she needed to figure out how to use her powers better or they would destroy her. That the more she acts out of desperation, the more it will cost her. We saw that in her nosebleeds and such as she tried to do larger tasks. But even the event at the end seemed out of desperation and it didn’t seem to affect her, and if it wasn’t out of desperation we see only a small glimpse of the process it took to get to this point. I feel like there was a piece missing to that aspect of her story, something that didn’t quite come to fruition. But I digress. Looking forward to her next book!

Oh the memories! This was a fun read. There wasn’t a whole lot of 'behind the scenes' info about either Gilmore Girls or Parenthood but it was still fun to get in Lauren's head a little bit. See where she came from. See how similar her person is to the characters she plays. And of course it was funny! Based on other memoirs I’ve read of characters I’ve loved in their shows or movies, I appreciate when their real person isn’t too far from their characters. Plus with this book it was just fun to reminisce both shows that I loved so much! I still wish Stars Hollow was a real place....

**Received this book in a Goodreads Giveaway**
The book overall was a good book in terms of writing, action, and suspense. My one-star rating is because I don't feel right about giving it anything higher due to some of the content. Let me explain:

The premise is that the Vintage Club members believe that the wine Jesus gave his disciples at the Last Supper gave eternal life. That they could find the grape seeds or particular grape vine from which the wine was made to create the elixir to live forever (on Earth, might I add, which is grossly short-sighted). I'm not sure of the author's intent in writing this book- whether he actually believes the 'legends' presented in this book or if he was just writing a creative story. But I have issue with what the book depicts. For starters- they say Jesus was a god, not God, which goes against everything the Bible teaches...

Plus they're missing the best part of the Gospel! God sent his Son to earth to live the perfect life we never could and die the death we all deserve so that we could spend eternity with them in Heaven. Christ's sacrifice and our salvation is not based on us- whether we're good enough, loving enough, self-sacrificing enough, wise enough. No, it is a gift we don't deserve and can't earn. Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" and "whoever comes to me I will never cast out." (John 14:6; 6:37) There is only way to eternal life and if you desire it, He will never turn you away. And it is not through the bread and the wine that we obtain it, but "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9) What great news for us- we don't have to do good works and cross our fingers that they outweigh our sins! He died "once for all" (Romans 6:10) and we need only to accept his gift!

Regardless of his intent in writing this story, I think it demeans Christ's sacrifice to even pretend that Jesus, eternal life, and the Gospel is anything other than the truths Scripture tells us. And for that, I give one star because I can't rightly recommend a book that twists the truths of the Bible- regardless of motivation.

My initial reflection on reading this book was anger and sadness. There's enough resources out there to know that immigrants and children in foster care are not always treated like human beings. It sickens me to think about the experiences families immigrating into the US or the children riding the orphan train had to endure. I can't fathom what kind of person you have to be to treat children like criminals when they've lost everything they have, or to treat people like scum just because they see the world through a different cultural lens. I realize that this is not always the case and am hopeful that foster homes and programs for immigrants will get better and better to improve the lives of those at the mercy of the system. I think, if anything, this book is a reminder that everyone has a story that has brought them to where they are and we must get better at learning others' stories and see them in light of that, most specifically as human beings that matter just as much as ourselves.

My second reflection is mostly because of some of the other reviews I've read that criticize the 'stereotypes' portrayed in this book. When I hear 'stereotype' I try to ponder the context before becoming indignant because, honestly, stereotypes exist because they come from a place of truth. A lot of people held issue with the character of Dina, the conservative Christian stereotype. She was kind of a monster. If I had to choose a label, I guess I would fall under conservative Christian, but I need to make it known that whatever god Dina was worshiping, it was not the God of the Bible. We should be wary to pass judgements on labels when people claim them who shouldn't. All Christians are sinful people. But the behavior and words that Dina used are not what God wants from us, not even in the least bit. There are plenty of people like Dina out there, so I don't think this stereotype is 'wrong' per se to write about, as long as we realize that followers of Christ should treat ALL people with respect and love and I wish people like Dina would either stop calling themselves Christians or would start trying to be one.

My thoughts on the book as a whole literary work. I was very intrigued by the premise- I always enjoy fiction rooted in historical events, so it was interesting to learn about the orphan train and places during the 30's. I really liked how the author connected the past with the present via the objects in her attic. We discovered some in the present before we knew their significance, which leads you to keep reading to find out how the keepsake played a role in Vivian's journey. The things we take with us from place to place really do tell a story and show us what we value and what has shaped us into who we are. I think that is a thought worth pondering and exploring which is what this book is truly about.

My final reflection is just a truth I want to share. The author plays with the idea of 'fate.' That the events in these characters' lives had to happen the way they did to find certain people or experience certain things in their lives to bring them to where they are. The intricate connections between one life and another. And this is a very important revelation- not because our lives are controlled by the fates- but because our lives are orchestrated by a loving Creator who desires to bring us to very specific places and meet very specific people because he has a plan for us and desires to draw us to Himself. That is a pretty incredible reality! Whether we can see God's providence right now or not, we can be confident that God doesn't waste our pain, that he sees us, and he is orchestrating a great symphony that someday we will hear in full!

Honest. That's how I would describe this book. I loved how transparent Ron and Denver were. They let you in on their thoughts. Thoughts I think we all have at some point or another but don't want anyone to know about. I think the part that resonated with me the most (right now) was Ron's wife's battle with cancer- the prayers they prayed and the verses they clung to. And the way they responded when things didn't necessarily go the way they would have liked. Because yes, 'All things work together for the good for those who love God' but that doesn't mean 'the good' is the good we want and think should happen in every moment. And just because God doesn't do what we want him to do, doesn't make him any less God or any less trustworthy or any less loving. Ron and Debbie's struggle was a very real struggle and I think it's important to watch people walk through hard things and come out the other side firm in their faith despite the Enemy's pull to make us despair and be angry.

These people set a great example of how we should see and treat people. People are more than their circumstances. Everyone has a story. And to truly care about someone, you need to know their story- what made them who they are today. Of course, this book also includes some pretty horrific things that should not have happened, and it's pretty angering to read those parts, knowing how people were treated and not being able to change the past. But Ron and Denver show us how we have the power to change the present and the future. This was a heartfelt story with a great message and a lot of truth. Here are some quotes to give you a little taste:

"I cannot see into a person's heart to know his spiritual condition. All I can do is tell the jagged tale of my own spiritual journey and declare that my life has been the better for having followed Christ."

"We had gotten to the point where we had to leave it up to God. Sometimes to touch us, God touches someone that's close to us. This is what opens our eyes to the fact there is a higher power than ourselves, whether we call it God or not."

"Instead of lining sidewalks with picket fences, she'd fenced out fear, prejudice, and judgment, creating with her smile and open heart, a sanctuary for hundreds. Instead of planting yellow flowers, she'd sown seeds of compassion that changed hearts, mine and Denver's only two among them."

"But I found out everybody's different- the same kind of different as me. We're all just regular folks walkin down the road God done set in front of us. The truth about it is, whether we is rich or poor or something in between, this earth ain't no final restin' place. So in a way, we is all homeless- just working our way toward home."

I've had this book on my shelf for awhile but never felt inclined to read it- whether it was the title or the cover or what, I don't really know. But I finally read it and I'm glad I did! It was a great book! I've read a lot of WWII stories lately, so it was really fun to read something from New York during the Revolutionary War period. The author wove her fictional story through true historical events- which I love! I know it's a good book when it causes me to google things and learn more. It was an educational, yet suspenseful story I finished in a few days. It was thought-provoking as well. I don't think I ever realized or connected that when the words 'All men are created equal... with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' slavery was still rampant. I hadn't realized how hypocritical those words are (in light of that time)- that the men who passionately bellowed those words to the Brits, had slaves at home. It's pretty shocking, really, and to think how long it took for freedom to truly come about. Having just read- Same Kind of Different As Me- you realize it's a lot longer than you think. It was a great read and I look forward to the next book in the series! FYI- it leaves you on a cliffhanger, so if you're looking for a resolved ending without having to the read the rest of the series, you won't get one!

I am really enjoying the series! You know it’s a confident and good writer when they aren’t afraid to kill off their characters. Two observations on this book. One: I have to keep telling myself to not analyze the theology too much and just appreciate it as a fiction story with GENERAL gospel parallels because some of the theology falls apart in the story if you hold it too tightly. Second: I just really don’t think I could have done what Carrington and Remko do with Elise at the end. I won’t spoil it, but I just really can’t imagine that. Rachelle is a great writer and I would definitely recommend this series.

Overall, great series! Talented writer. Would recommend. Just for my own remembrance, my only criticism of this particular book would just be some of the repetition. Some of the language and character experiences with the light got a little tired by the end. The first two books had more plot movement and suspense. This last book seemed more 'fluffy' I guess. Less action more experiential. More 'soul dialogue' of engaging with the light and remembering your identity and such. Which is all great truths and should definitely be included in this series. I just wish it wasn't such a large chunk of this last book. But still- I appreciate these books and look forward to see what else Rachelle Dekker will write!