The Melody of the Mulberries by Tonya Jewel Blessing

The Melody of the Mulberries is a book written by Tonya Jewel Blessing, and is set in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, in the 1920s. I didn’t realize that this was book number two in a series, so my opinion of this book is formed on this book alone, and not a previous work of the author.
Being the second book in a series, I feel like I missed out on a lot, and by not reading the first book, i feel like I missed out on a great book. When I looked into the first one because I just kept feeling confused, I found that the first book seemed incredibly interesting. There was a kidnapping, and a man ending up in prison for it. I feel like I really missed out by not reading that one. It was really difficult reading this second book without the knowledge of the first. However, this was a good book. It has little touches that I loved, like the Appalachian folk beliefs at the beginning of every chapter. I wrote a few of them down, and have them in a notebook to refer to, sort of like affirmations. One that I really loved was:~ All wishes are shooting stars come true. (chapter six)
A couple of the others felt more like old wives tales, and superstitions, such as:
~ For good luck you must get out of the side of the bed in which you go in.
~If your right ear itches, someone is speaking well of you. If your left ear itches, someone is speaking ill of you. Those beliefs made it really fun to get to the nest chapter. The book also included little drawings of a plant, and it was really pretty. The cover was gorgeous too, and I love when books have covers I enjoy looking at. I loved a lot of the names used for the characters. That is something very important to me when I read. Character names that I love, and can pronounce easily make a very positive reading experience. If there are more difficult names in books, I find myself just automatically skipping over their name, and a lot of times, skipping the stuff about them. Not on purpose. It’s just really hard to focus and enjoy a story when your trying to figure out how to pronounce a particular name. I really enjoyed the writing style though, and really loved how I felt like I was back in the 1920s. The way the author used dialog to make me feel like I was there, was amazing, and really reminded me of a book I loved as a child.
This book felt very nostalgic for me, and I am so grateful I got the chance to read it. It took me back to a time when I fell in love with reading. As a kid I read that book with an accent in my head, and I kept finding myself do that with this one. And that just really put me over the moon in love with this book.
I will be looking forward to the next book in the series, hopefully there will be one, and I think I’m going to see about getting my hands on the first, and doing a marathon weekend of them because I just loved it.


This book was provided to me by bookcrash in exhcnage for an honest review. These words are my opinion.

Homestead Friends: Trapper Loves His Daddy! by Shelli Levi

   

    Homestead Friends: Trapper Loves His Daddy! by Shelli Levi is an adorable book for kids about a young pup named Trapper, who adores his dad, Big Bo. There are several pages that discuss his traits and which ones are similar to each of his parents. Trapper is fast like his mom Leaping Leah, and lazy in the sun like his dad.
   It's a really cute book with beautiful illustrations. In fact, when receiving this book in the mail, both of my kids made sure to let me know that they really loved the artwork. My youngest son, he is seven, and just starting to read, enjoyed the book the most, and read several sentences all by himself. This of course made me so happy, and proud, and it really pushed him over that edge to him realizing he can read stuff, all on his own. My oldest son, who is 10, enjoyed the book but less than my youngest. He said it was a good story, but that he thinks it needs more action. I thought that was pretty funny. I have to admit that the story did lack in the action department, but that just wasn't needed for this book. I have read this story a few times now, well, had it read to me (courtesy of a 7 year old), and it really is just a nice, beautifully illustrated book, that doesn't lose it's charm, no matter how many times you read it.

 Thank you book crash for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Snake Mouth By Anne Jordan - review

   

      The story takes place in England during the time when they experienced a flood. The Lynmouth Flood. I find this peculiar because after receiving this book, my town experienced a flood also. In the midst of the panic to evacuate at a moments notice, I left this book behind. The day after the flood though, my husband and I decided to hike through the woods surrounding our home to see the damage. Before leaving our home to stay at a hotel for a few days, I made sure to grab this book, and hike it back with us through the woods, so I would have something to do. I had no idea when I received this book, that it was about a flood. I try to find out as little as possible about books before reading them, so that I can be surprised. And boy was I surprised.

   Snake Mouth by Anne Jordan tell us the story of a girl named Tina Walton, who lives during the Lynmouth flood. She has tourettes, and that makes people upset with her, even though they shouldn’t be. I really felt for Tina during this book. She was so kind, and I could feel the hurt in her when she would do something “wrong” and fear she was going to hell. I’ve felt that. It’s hard, and it is so scary. That is one thing I dislike about church. Going to hell was a huge fear for me for so long, that it kept me from doing so many things, and experience so many things because I was too afraid that I wouldn’t be able to go to heaven anymore. I thought I wasn’t forgivable, and tried so hard to be good. That broke my heart as I was reading this book, because I relieved some of the times when I was terrified. Then adding the flood that just happened here in Oklahoma. This book was hard to read. It was a good, enjoyable book, but it was hard to swallow. I don’t think that it would be this difficult for others to read, it just struck so many chords with me.

   The cover is what stood out to me originally. I am a big sucker for nice covers. It also felt nice. And the chapter titles (which were only the word chapter, and then the number) had these cute little bubbles on them, that made me really enjoy the starting of a new chapter. It was a short book, but not many chapters, so the chapters felt long at times. But being stuck in a hotel room gave me plenty of time to get through them, without the other responsibilities like dishes getting in the way. This book was broken up into 3 parts, which I enjoyed because it gave me a chance to wrap up how I felt as each section came to a close. And with this book have such heavy topics for me, it was nice.  I really enjoyed the last chapter of the book. Because it truly felt like Tina was going to go on in life with people who actually care about her. And She can begin to heal and move on from the traumatic events of her childhood. Overall, this book made me feel so many things. Sometimes good, sometimes sad. But I’m glad I had the chance to read it.


I was sent this book by the publisher and bookcrash in exchange for an honest review.

I have included some photos I took of the flooding in my area. We did not see the worst of it, and it receded in my area very quickly. At the time of writing this review, some families are still away from their homes, and dealing with water. Any prayers, or anything you have to send their way, would be so much appreciated. I will leave some links for financial help if anyone feels so inclined. But I am not asking anyone to do anything. Just please pray for those still affected.

https://tulsacf.org/2019storms/

https://www.redcross.org/

https://www.okcattlemen.org/flood-relief-fund

These photos include a picture of my car, the one with the red circle is my mailbox, and the other is a photo my husband took of me trying to find something to float some stuff out on. 

But we also saw a rainbow a few days later. I am sad to admit I had never seen a rainbow in real life (I don't spend a lot of time outside) so it was really cool to see. 

Saving Meghan by DJ Palmer

    

 Becky Gerard is a loving mother to her very ill daughter Meghan. Meghan is a bit of a medical mystery. Becky spends all of her time taking care of her daughter, and trying her best to figure out what’s wrong with her, on her own. She has created a large online group, mainly for her daughter, but also for others who have children with medical issues. She even met a friend through the group.
    One day, Becky is boarding a plane, heading to visit her mother one last time before her mother passes away. While the plane is preparing to take off, Becky receives a call from her husband Carl, informing her that their daughter has had an incident. Becky makes a huge fuss and gets off the plane and gets home to her daughter. And that is where the story starts to take a very interesting turn.
     This story is told from the point of view of 3 people. Becky, Meghan, and the doctor Zach. Each perspective lets you in on a different secret. We learn from Becky that her own mother faked illness to receive disability. We learn from Meghan that maybe everyone has a secret. And we learn from Zach, that your own experiences can always help someone else.
    This book had me hooked from the beginning, and took me for a ride I was not expecting. As I read, I thought I knew what was going on. I thought I knew who had ulterior motives. I thought I had it all figured out. I was wrong. This book will send you on a whirlwind of a twist. I promise you will not expect it, even if you get a hint (and there’s a small hint, but trust me, that went right over my head.)
   After I finished this book, I had to tell my mom about it. She doesn’t read much anymore, but the topic was right up her alley, so I asked if I could tell her about it. Well, I tried. I don’t think I did the book justice. The story, the characters, it was all so good. I gave her a summary, but I will save you from the very choppy summary I told her, and just tell you to please read this book. Please go pre order it, so you can have it in your hands the second it becomes available. You will not regret it.

Here is a link to amazon where you can buy this book for yourself.

Little Girl Crying by Belinda Rose

      This book came to me wrapped like a present. And what a present it was. I have struggled with disordered eating before, and it’s a slippery slope to eating disorders, and I have a really good relationship with those. As a younger woman, in my very early 20s, I spent a lot of time on forums where eating disorders were the topic. I formed many friendships, and watched many of those friends suffer. I have since distanced myself from that community, and developed a better relationship with food. But this book, let me feel all of those emotions again. I felt like I was back in that community. This book, made me cry both happy and sad tears. It was truly a gift to me. And I just know I will be reading it again.

      Belinda Rose offers us the glimpse inside the mind of someone who is struggling not just with an ED but also some mental illness. The parts of the book that were about mental illness were really difficult for me to read. My brother was given the same diagnosis that Belinda was given, and reading how she felt, and the thoughts she was having broke my heart. And made me weep for my brother. I can’t even begin to imagine how tiring it is. And I just want to fix it all for everyone who is suffering.

  The images used in the book are stunning, and I wish I could rip them out to frame and hang on my wall. But I don’t like to destroy books, so I’ll just have to flip though it when I want to see them. Which isn’t a bad thing. I think even just flipping through this book, you can stumble upon bits and pieces that can touch you. The cover was beautiful, and I love a book that looks good on the shelf, because I love to display my books.

   I blew through this book. It was incredibly easy to feel close to the author, and incredibly easy to feel like I was listening to a friend. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to read this book. I think it would be a blessing to other people, and that anyone who is struggling, or knows someone who is, can benefit from reading it.

    I recommend this book to everyone and if you would like to grab a copy for yourself, please do, you won’t regret it.

This book was given to me by bookcrash in exchange for a review.

Innocence Denied by Mike Garrett

   

First, I want to start by saying that Innocence Denied by Mike Garrett was sent to me by BookCrash in exchange for a review. And, I want to always give my honest opinion on the books that I read. I also want to say that I was raised in a Christian home, and I try to live right as an adult. I have a love for Christian books. But, I will not be finishing this book. Don’t worry though, I will be explaining. There will be some slight spoilers, so if that isn’t your thing, I apologize. I have some photos, and some thoughts that I want to talk about. And, because I feel it is necessary, I’m including a trigger warning here, for stalking and creepy behavior. Because I was not expecting this, and I understand how the content could be upsetting. I'll put the pictures I took at the end of this review.
    In the first six chapters, I was in love with this book. It grabbed me, and held on tight. The murder happened quickly (I am a true crime junkie, so this kind of story was right up my alley). It made me feel like the books was going to be quick, and juicy. The chapters are short, which is great for a busy homeschooling mom. I can read a chapter quickly when I manage to grab a minute. But, at the start of chapter 6, things changed for me.
   The two main characters are named Larissa, and Derrick. I feel like I need to address that so I can specify who I am talking about.
    The first sentence of chapter six states that Larissa’s address had been easy to find online. It then went on to say that Derrick drove past her house several times. Derrick is the man who is supposed to be a Christian, and then judging by the description, help her save her soul. This set of a red flag for me. But, I kept reading because just driving past her house a few times, isn’t that big of a deal. Weird, yes. But, not wrong.
  Then came chapter seven. The first sentence of the last paragraph of that chapter says he “observed her for several nights.” He learned her routine. This is not ok, but again, I kept reading. I was interested in this book, and the premise of it was interesting to me. But, continuing on in chapter seven, something even more upsetting happened. Derrick tells the dog he has to stay in the car while he grabs a ski mask, a revolver, and a flashlight. Why is this man of God heading to a woman’s home armed with a gun, and a ski mask? It also says in this chapter that he guesses her height and weight to order clothes for her, and states more than once that his attraction to her has tainted his original intent.
   Chapter eight. “In the eyes of the law he was about to attempt an unconscionable crime, but holding the crucifix dangling from a chain around his neck, he knew that god supported his actions.” I don’t think I agree that God would be ok with him stalking a woman, and then sneaking up on her, and terrifying her. But, there’s more. He says that since he has nothing left to live for, what does it matter if he goes to jail. Which to me, shows that he is aware of what he is doing, and that it’s wrong.  Still in chapter eight, there was another quote that disturbed me, and is where I decided to stop reading. This quote is “She was obviously in good physical shape, but hopefully she would still be too exhausted frim her workout, unable to physically avoid him until he stated his intentions.”
   I skimmed a bit more after this, and decided that I no longer felt good about finishing this book. As a woman, who is afraid to go outside alone, or to keep a pattern in fear of someone using that against me, I am upset, and disgusted. As a woman, from a young age, I learned to be aware of surroundings at all times. I learned to hold my keys between my fingers, just in case I need a weapon. I learned from my dad to sharpen my pencils before leaving every class, just in case I needed to protect myself. I learned that I had to watch what I wore in public, and to check my car before getting in. I learned to try to get all of my errands done before the sun went down. All of this, for my own safety because a lot of men (no, not all of them, but that is not that point) think that they are entitled to me. That I owe them something. Even if they are asking me to smile more. They are not entitled to me, or my smiles, or my body. And this book, really disgusted me. I don’t care that Derrick had good intentions. What good are good intentions if you use them to be deplorable. There are too many examples of men doing horrible things because they felt entitled to something, or someone. Or because they were nice to a girl, but she wasn’t interested. Or a girl said no to them. I will not continue to read a book that lets a man stalk, and then confront a woman in a terrifying manner under the umbrella of good intentions. If his intentions were so pure, why didn’t he write a letter? It said in the book that Larissa’s address had been easy enough to find. So write her a letter, leave your contact information, and if she wants, she can contact you. But to go so far as to assume that she has to let you help her, so you stalk her, it’s just disgusting.
   I know some people will be bothered by this, so I feel the need to include. There is an animal death, and not because of natural causes, in chapter 30. So if that kind of thing upsets you, you can be prepared for it. I found that while skimming through the book, so I can't promise nothing like it comes up before then.
   I am sorry that I won’t be finishing this book, but I am not sorry for using this moment to take a stand for something I believe in. I can’t say that I recommend this book to anyone, but if you want to read it for yourself, you can grab a copy here.

(These images aren't in any particular order.)

Girl, Wash Your Face By Rachel Hollis

    I love a good self help book. That's what I thought this book was going to be. It had so many good reviews, I was excited to get my hands on it. I was sadly, disappointed.
  I had no idea who Rachel Hollis was before this book. But, I didn't care about that. Having read the book, I wouldn't care if I ever knew who she was. She is a christian blogger, which is not a big deal. I was raised in a christian home, and I thought that would help me enjoy this book more. It didn't.
  All this book managed to do, is bore me. The author is not as relatable as she wants to come off as. I know that not every one has a perfect life, but this author does a darn good job of making me feel bad about mine. I'm glad her business was successful, and that she found her one true love easily, and that she had 4 kids after a small bout of infertility, but so many women struggle much harder than that through most of these things. It makes her seem privileged and stuffy. So, while I think this book had some good, but kind of generic, motivating quotes, it was over all, kind of annoying. So, read it if you want. It wasn't the worst book ever, but just know, it will probably make you feel like you suck at everything, instead of like you can do anything.