Tag Archives: Valerie H.

Review: Pupcakes

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Pupcakes
by Annie England Noblin
4 stars

This past December, I read several Christmas novels involving dogs, and Pupcakes was one of my favorites.  While this novel is technically a Christmas novel, it takes place over several months, so it doesn’t have the full Christmas feel as some other books.  Which means, this can be a great anytime of the year read!

Brydie Benson is going through a rough time.  She was recently divorced and lost her bakery, and is now looking for a place to start over.  She finds a great opportunity to house-sit (and dog-sit) for a lady who has recently had to move into a nursing home.  Brydie is a not a dog person, so is unsure how to handle living with Teddy Roosevelt, the small pug she now has to care for.  As Byrdie starts to rebuild her life, she tries her hand at baking for her new canine buddy, which leads to some great new connections including a possible new love interest.

This was a sweet, fun read that I definitely recommend to fans of chick lit and dog fiction.  This was the perfect book to read over the holidays.

Read-alikes

Recipe for Disaster by Stacey Ballis

Restoring Grace by Katie Fforde

The Debutante Divorcee by Plum Sykes

Review: Looking for Lovely

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Looking for Lovely: Collecting the Moments that Matter
by Annie F. Downs
5 stars

Our Assistant Director, Emily Ellis, kept mentioning how much she loved Annie F. Downs, so I thought I’d give one of her books a try.   I have to say, I share her love.  Annie F. Downs’ writing is friendly, engaging, and totally relatable.  In Looking For Lovely, Downs describes how she decided to look for the beautiful things in her life, even when things don’t seem so beautiful.  She breaks up her book in short stories that each reflect on something lovely in her life, and how within that lovely she’s able to see God’s hand in her life.  Downs does a nice job of incorporating Biblical scripture in with her personal stories, and in the end creates an uplifting, fun read.  Highly recommend.

 

Read-alikes

Present Over Perfect by Shauna Niequist

Wild and Free by Jess Connolly & Hayley Morgan

Everybody, Always by Bob Goff

Review: The Good People

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The Good People
by Hannah Kent
4 stars

I loved Hannah Kent’s debut Burial Rites, so I was eager to read her second novel.  The Good People takes place in Ireland in the early 1800s.  Nora Leahy has lost her daughter and husband and is left alone with her ill grandson, Michael.  Michael was once a happy healthy young boy, but now has constant fits and is a burden to Nora.  Nora hires Mary to help care for the young boy and turns to elderly Nance for medical advice.  Nance suggests that Michael may be a changeling, which leads Nora to become obsessed with the idea.  Nora, Nance, and reluctant Mary begin to try a series of “cures” to bring back Nora’s beloved grandson.

Based on a true story, I found the tale fascinating and was eager to learn more about stories of people in Ireland who had believed they were effected by “the good people.”  Just as in Burial Rites, Kent’s writing is lovely and surrounds the readers with vivid descriptions of setting.  I’m excited to see what she writes next!

Read-alikes

To the Bright Edge of the World by Eowyn Ivey

The Wonder by Emma Donoghue

The Marriage of Opposites by Alice Hoffman

Review: Year of Yes

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Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun, and Be Your Own Person
by Shonda Rhimes
5 stars

“You never say yes to anything.”  These were the words Shonda Rhimes’ sister muttered to her one Thanksgiving.  These six words caused the creator of Grey’s Anatomy to rethink her life and to challenge herself to a new way of living.  Rhimes describes herself as a life-long nerdy introvert who often would shy away from new experiences.  She decides to commit to a full year of saying yes.  She’ll say yes to experiences that scare her, to putting herself first, and to saying no when needed.

This is a fun, inspiring read about a woman working to grow and improve herself.  Fans of Rhimes’ shows will love some of the behind-the-scenes descriptions, but there’s plenty here for readers who have never heard of the famed TV writer.  Highly recommended!

Read-alikes

Hunger by Roxane Gay

Love, Loss, and What We Ate by Padma Lakshmi

Notorious RBG by Irin Carmon & Shana Knizhnik