Saving CeeCee Honeycut by Beth Hoffman

We all want to have the easy, wonderful childhood that we read about in stories, and most of do not experience that.  We all have little bumps in the road, but have family and friends that get us through it all.  For CeeCee she was not as lucky in the beginning.  She had to take care of her mother who was mentally unstable and did things that embarrassed CeeCee which in turn lead to ridicule and isolation.  There were two things that got her through these times -- her books and her next door neighbor.  Then, one day, it all changed.  Her mother died and CeeCee went to live with a relative she did not know.  By moving in with her aunt she found a life full of fun, love and caring.  She grew into herself and found that things could be good.  I laughed out loud and cried.  Hoffman did a wonderful job detailing the joy along with the pain and gave us some very memorable characters.

Time is a River by Mary Alice Monroe

Fly fishing.  Not something that I have ever really thought about doing.  I don't really even enjoy regular fishing.  Here it was used as a form of therapy.  At first, for Mia, who was recovering from breast cancer.  It then turned into dealing with a failing marriage and learning who she really was again.  The other part of the book was about a girl, Kate, who grew up in the cabin in which Mia was staying for the summer.  It was Kate's rich, stormy history and love of nature and the outdoors that helped Mia find strength in body and self.  Mia also helped the town heal and learn the truth about a much loved member of their community, Kate.  When I told Terry I finished the book he asked me what I got out of it.  I would have to say that there is a strength within us that is stronger than what we know and we have to believe in it and trust it.  I was sad to have this book end because Monroe took me into this town and these people and I did not want to leave, it felt like a place I could call home.

eating heaven by Jennie Shortridge

The subject matter in this book was hard to deal with at times.  It was not murders or illicit happenings.  It was real life and things that I think many of us may have touched on in our lives.  You have Ellie who is a successful food writer, but has struggled with binging, lack of family support, her body image and just a poor self esteem.  Then you toss in her Uncle Benny who is diagnosed with cancer and she tries to take care of him.  Then she meets a wonderful guy with complications.  Shortridge does a beautiful job telling the story and really making us feel it too.  The layers were rich with description and depth and at times so brutally honest it made you want to close the book and just walk away.  Some of the issues hit close to home and I am sure that is why it hit me so strongly, but I am so glad I read it and look forward to reading more of her books.  She has a great style and made you really  look at and think about things that could/would/do face you.  Don't pass this one up.

Pardonable Lies by Jacqueline Winspear

Maisie Dobbs is an amazing character with such depth and feeling you want her to help you figure things out. She works on three cases in this story, two of which are dealing with lost people in the war.  It digs up many of her demons that she thought she had put to rest after the war.  She travels to France and ends up with more questions than answers and finds out that someone very dear  to her had been holding things back.  In the end she is able to solve her cases and give answers in a way that harm no one.  She also was able to put to rest some of her demons and move on with her life in a more positive way.  Another  wonderful novel in this series that just gets better and better with each page.

A Turn in the Road by Debbie Macomber

A road trip across the country.  Something we would all love to do.  Three women head out and really have an adventure.  Three generations all with their own little issues and you would think it would not work.  They all learn from each other, gain a better respect for each other and grow into better people.  Macomber knows how to tell a story and you always feel apart of it and are rooting for one person or the other.  This is part of a series, I did not know this before I started, and it is near the end.  I am hoping to start from the beginning so I can see how some of these characters got to where they were in this book.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Subtitle:  One Man's Mission to Promote Peace... One School at a Time -- I kept running into this book at thrift stores but was reluctant to purchase.  I found it at the library on audio and thought it would be good to listen to on my walks.  After Mortenson attempted K2 and ended up in the wrong town he had a vision to build schools.  This town that he wandered into had no school, yet the children were trying to learn in an outdoor space and using the ground to do figuring.  Through much trial and tribulation he was successful and built many schools and more and helped many people .  He felt, along with many elders in these towns and villages, that if you could show the children a different path and that there was more than war and violence that things could be better.  Learning about the areas he was in and seeing what he went through truly enlightened me to some of the plight in Pakistan and such.  I still do have a problem when people focus so much on other countries and causes when there is so much that can be done here in the United States.  Mortenson is a very driven person and I am glad that I took the time to listen to this book and see things a different way.

The Chocolate Cat Caper by Joanna Carl

I wanted a fun mystery novel and I got it.  This takes place in a small town in Michigan and involves chocolate and a murder.  The characters are easy to like and the story line was easy to follow.  Carl melded the folks in the story well enough, you knew enough but not too much.  She really kept you going on the who-done-it though.  A few times I thought I had it figured out but then questioned myself.  It was really fun to read and is the first in a series, so I am looking forward  to following these folks for a while.

Circle of Grace by Penelope J. Stokes

I am not sure if I have read this before, and if I did it was just as pleasurable the second time around.  Four women went through college together and promised to stay in touch with a circle journal.  Over the years it went round and round, but Grace was not telling the truth about her life.  A huge shock came to her and she was forced to face some things and wanted them to all get together.  Life never turns out how you expect and it depends on how you face it as to how well you do.  In the end your friends are really important and will be there for you if you open yourself up to them.  It really was a wonderful, touching novel.