Catching Up... Again (Kinda) Mostly About Books

 24th, Mon- How To: Crafting With Cricut Joy- Large Decal

26th, Wed- June Makeup Looks

28th, Fri- Books!!!

Hey Y'all!

So yeah, excuses?

We were traveling on Monday & Tuesday, Wednesday was my scan day and it showed something... maybe. So Friday I had a PET scan, and we're waiting for results. 

So no, I didn't craft at all.

Also, remember how last month I said Makeup Looks were back? In June I don't think I wore makeup but one time, and I didn't take any pictures. We were mainly hanging with family and working on the van. I'll try to do better in July.

BOOKS!!

I did read, a lot in June...

Here's May: https://craftinwifescreations.blogspot.com/2024/05/books-what-ive-read-this-month.html

I believe I had mentioned finding the first two Bridgerton books at Unclaimed Baggage, so I started with them, since I had just finished the prequels.

The Duke & I

The Viscount Who Loved Me

Both were good, and really with a few exceptions, the show follows the books pretty well. One major difference is the Queen doesn't exist in the books. A more minor character, a fourth Featherington sister, is missing in the show. I really don't know why Julia Quinn didn't come up with another "P" name, and instead called the youngest Felicity.

This review  sums up my thoughts on book 2 well:

KCarter

5.0 out of 5 stars Better than the adaptation!

Reviewed in the United States on April 15, 2024

Verified Purchase

I enjoyed this even more than the tv adaptation of this book. The situations, and circumstances of the characters felt so much better and more natural. Such as her also participating in the season. The ending and how they came to be together was FAR better. Kate was also much more likable, while Anthony was a bit more of a rake and edgy. And to be honest, I like not having the queen so heavily involved like in the show as well. Again it leans more towards realism in the relationships and dynamics between characters.

Overall a fantastic read that I quite enjoyed!

Books one:

I don't 100% agree with this review, but they do a good job with a summary. They gave it a 2 star and I'd say 4... it made me want to read the others (which I did already know from seeing seasons 1 & 2 on Netflix to be fair.)

Alicia Butler

3.0 out of 5 stars A womb doesn't quicken without healthy seed.

Reviewed in the United States on May 17, 2020

Verified Purchase

Maybe, it's because I just left the beautiful world of Pride and Prejudice. Perhaps, it's because I just spent five months reading Diana Gabaldon's writing. Or, maybe, this one just didn't live up to the hype for me.

*May contain spoilers*

It's very simple in terms of prose. For those who like their books to be devoid of the fluff and flower, this one is up your alley. I like the metaphor and buttery descriptions though. I like the rhythm and movement of language. So, for me, it was a bit lacking.

Prose: 1 out of 5 stars.

The characters were a different story. I loved them, until I didn't. And, once I didn't it took a long time for me to love them again. When we first meet Daphne, she's a poised albeit, slightly sarcastic lady of society. As the oldest girl in the Bridgerton family, she feels immense pressure from her mother to marry. Daphne, however, doesn't want just any husband. She wants a well-suited match in which she can at least find happiness as a wife.

Enter Simon, a handsome duke who suffers from an overload of childhood trauma. Simon's mother died upon his birth. His father abuses him for not living up to the expectations of perfect Hastings heir. And, Simon has vowed that he'll never take a wife. Nor have children.

Here's what I liked about them:

Daphne is sweet, witty, and she knows what she wants. As the younger sister to three brothers, she has no problem putting the men around her in their place. Until she does. Once she falls in love with Simon, it's like those things I loved about Daphne completely disappeared. She became naive, immature, and thoughtless. And, then suddenly, with one giant fight she's both capable of putting him in his place and a complete bully about it all at once. Characters should grow as the story evolves. For me, Daphne didn't.

Simon, on the other hand, does experience a lot of character growth. He goes from being an insolent man with a chip on his shoulder, to a loving husband who adores his wife. But, it takes a massive toddler-like meltdown and him leaving her for two months to get him there. And, here's the thing, I don't blame Simon for his reaction in that moment. Just like I don't blame Daphne for her reaction to his truth. I do blame him for his reaction to her reaction. I blame him for the belligerent drinking and fighting. It was just too melodramatic for my tastes.

Characters: 3 out of 5 stars

In terms of style, I give Ms. Quinn credit. She knows how to tell a story that makes you want to turn the page. It was an easy, uncomplicated read. And, I found myself wanting to see more of what was happening "off screen" because there was enough intrigue for the world of the Ton. I would love an Upstairs/Downstairs or Downton Abbey style glimpse at the servants of this crew. I'd love to hear their thoughts on the melodramatic lives of their superiors. Julia Quinn isn't fancy in terms of writing, but that's a good thing for this story.

Style: 3 out of 5 stars

The reason I consider it to be a good thing that Ms. Quinn writes in such a simple manner is the plot. Oh, the melodrama. I'm pretty sure this book could put soap operas to shame and I hope the Netflix adaptation tones it down some.

Plot: 2 out of 5 stars

Total: 2.5 out of 5 stars

Next I read this:

The Life We Bury, Allen Eskins

College student Joe Talbert has the modest goal of completing a writing assignment for an English class. His task is to interview a stranger and write a brief biography of the person. With deadlines looming, Joe heads to a nearby nursing home to find a willing subject. There he meets Carl Iverson, and soon nothing in Joe's life is ever the same. Carl is a dying Vietnam veteran--and a convicted murderer. With only a few months to live, he has been medically paroled to a nursing home, after spending thirty years in prison for the crimes of rape and murder. As Joe writes about Carl's life, especially Carl's valor in Vietnam, he cannot reconcile the heroism of the soldier with the despicable acts of the convict. Joe, along with his skeptical female neighbor, throws himself into uncovering the truth, but he is hamstrung in his efforts by having to deal with his dangerously dysfunctional mother, the guilt of leaving his autistic brother vulnerable, and a haunting childhood memory. Thread by thread, Joe unravels the tapestry of Carl’s conviction. But as he and Lila dig deeper into the circumstances of the crime, the stakes grow higher. Will Joe discover the truth before it’s too late to escape the fallout?

I really liked this book, the story and the is Carl guilty was a pretty easy solve, but the who done it was a bit less obvious. His mother and brother were a heartbreaking dose of some people's real life. 

This is a five book series, but it seems like, from looking them up that they don't follow the same story. If I came across the other books I'd read them, but I'm not actively looking for them. 

After than I read a Wanda Brunstetter book, but I didn't take a photo and don't remember which one. It wasn't very good, and even though I bought book two I've yet to attempt it.

I then read the first two books of this Nora Roberts series:

Boonsboro Trilogy

I really liked the first two, which I got from a thrift store. I'd like to find the third, and complete the brother's stories. 

The first book:

The historic hotel in BoonsBoro, Maryland, has endured war and peace, changing hands, even rumored hauntings. Now it's getting a major facelift from the Montgomery brothers and their eccentric mother. As the architect of the family, Beckett has little time for a social life. But there’s another project he’s got his eye on: the girl he’s been waiting to kiss since he was sixteen.

After losing her husband and returning to her hometown, Clare Brewster soon settles into her life as the mother of three young sons while running the town’s bookstore. Though busy, Clare is drawn across the street by Beckett’s transformation of the old inn, wanting to take a closer look…at both the building and the man behind it...

Don't miss the other books in the Inn BoonsBoro Trilogy
The Last Boyfriend
The Perfect Hope

Book 2:

Owen is the organizer of the Montgomery clan, running the family's construction business with an iron fist - and an even less flexible spreadsheet. And though his brothers give him grief for his compulsive list making, the Inn BoonsBoro is about to open right on schedule. The only thing Owen didn't plan for was Avery MacTavish....

Avery's popular pizza place is right across the street from the inn, giving her a first-hand look at its amazing renovation — and a newfound appreciation for Owen. Since he was her first boyfriend when they were kids, Owen has never been far from Avery's thoughts. But the attraction she's feeling for him now is far from innocent.

As Avery and Owen cautiously take their relationship to another level, the opening of the inn gives the whole town of BoonsBoro a reason to celebrate. But Owen's hard work has only begun. Getting Avery to let down her guard is going to take longer than he expected — and so will getting her to realize that her first boyfriend is going to be her last....

The "main family" has a a great dynamic and all are interesting characters and have their own depth, which makes you want to read the next book. The love stories happen realistically, and not every aspect is perfect (which I enjoy). 

After I read those two, I took a bit of a break from reading books, and flipped through a few of my Mother in laws magazines. Then for a few days I just played with the kids, watched a few movies, or played games on my phone.  

Just this week I finished book one in this series (and started book 2):

Piecing It All Together, Leslie Gould

When Savannah Mast’s fiancé dumps her a week before their wedding, she flees California for the safety of her Amish grandmother’s farm near Nappanee, Indiana. She’s not planning on staying long but becomes unexpectedly entangled in the search for a missing Amish girl. She can’t leave – especially not when her childhood friend Tommy Yoder is implicated as a suspect.

When Savannah accompanies her grandmother to Plain Patterns, a nearby quilt shop, the owner and local historian, Jane Berger, relates a tale about another woman’s disappearance back in the 1800s that has curious echoes to today.

Inspired by the story, Savannah does all she can to find the Amish girl and clear Tommy’s name. But when her former fiancé shows up, begging her to return to California and marry him after all, she must choose between accepting the security of what he has to offer or continuing the complicated legacy of her family’s faith.

I enjoyed both the main story, and the story within the story. I will say in the beginning I found Savannah to be a little... dumb. But, she realizes how much she was depending on and changing who she was and redeems herself for me. I liked this review:

Kris Anderson, The Avid Reader

4.0 out of 5 stars A Charming Tale!

Reviewed in the United States on September 17, 2020

Piecing It All Together by Leslie Gould is the beginning of the Plain Patterns series. I thought Piecing It All Together was well-written with developed characters in a picturesque setting. Savannah Mast is at crossroads when her fiancé calls off the wedding a week before the big day. It inspires her to make a change and go back to the place she loved growing up which was her grandmother’s house. Her mammi, Dorothy Mast, welcomes her and introduces her to the quilting circle at Plain Patterns owned by Jane Berger. Besides running the quilting shop, Jane writes a column for the Nappanee News and is a local historian. Jane knows that God will send someone to her who will need one of her historical tales. When Savannah gets involved in the disappearance of local teen, Jane begins telling her a story that echoes what is happening. I soon found myself engrossed in this novel and did not want to put it down. I like how the two stories (Savannah and Emma) worked together. I enjoyed both women’s stories. Piecing It All Together is a story about friendship, family, faith, and love. It was interesting learning about midwifery. I loved the descriptions of the Home and Hearth quilt the ladies created for someone special. I like how all the loose ends were wrapped up with a satisfying ending. I look forward to reading A Patchwork Past when is comes out in the spring. Piecing It All Together is a charming story with an unfeeling fiancé, an AWOL adolescent, a determined deputy, a quilt quandary, an emergency midwife, and ancestral anecdotes.

What are you reading this summer? Any recommendations? Let me know in the comments below.

Have a great day,

Craftin' Wife