Eleanor Review and Giveaway!

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Eleanor by Jason Gurley 

450 pages

Publication Date: June 27, 2014

Summary:

Time is a river. 1985. The death of Eleanor's twin sister tears her family apart. Her father blames her mother for the accident. When Eleanor's mother looks at her, she sees only the daughter she lost. Their wounded family crumbles under the weight of their shared grief.
1993. Eleanor is fourteen years old when it happens for the first time... when she walks through an ordinary door at school and finds herself in another world. It happens again and again, but it's only a curiosity until that day at the cliffs. The day when Eleanor dives... and something rips her out of time itself.
And on the other side, someone is waiting for her.

Goodreads | Amazon

About the Author:

 Jason Gurley is the author of the bestselling novel Greatfall as well as The Man Who Ended the World, the Movement trilogy and Eleanor, a novel thirteen years in the making. His short stories, including The Dark Age, The Caretaker, The Last Rail-Rider and others, appear in his collection Deep Breath Hold Tight: Stories About the End of Everything. He is work has appeared in a number of anthologies, among them David Gatewood's From the Indie Side and Synchronic and John Joseph Adams's Help Fund My Robot Army!!! & Other Improbable Crowdfunding Projects. Jason is a designer by trade, and has designed book covers for Amazon Publishing, Subterranean Press, Prime Books and many independent authors, among them bestsellers Hugh Howey, Matthew Mather, Russell Blake, Michael Bunker, Ernie Lindsey and others. Jason lives and writes in the Pacific Northwest.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

My Thoughts: 

Okay. This book is...this book is...well. It doesn't read strictly YA even though the main character is a teenager. And it is kind of a science fiction book, but it just doesn't feel like one. I am doing a spectacular job with this review so far, eh? But that is just the point, 'Eleanor' is unlike any book I have read before. 

The first few chapters are intriguing, but normal. A literary tale of a mother's depression and the legacy she leaves for her daughter, who herself becomes a reluctant mother of twin girls. And then suddenly, and very much so without warning, the whole scope of the book changes. Suddenly this isn't just a normal, albeit depressing, literary read. Now we are traveling between strange worlds with young Eleanor, confused, powerless, and struggling to arrange live around this 'new normal'.

The last quarter of the book is where it all starts to come together. I found it touching, beautiful, trippy, strange, wonderful, and just so happy. I don't want to give away many details about this book, because with the way it just is....I'm not sure what a person might consider a spoiler. 

Two things I didn't like: 1. Eleanor was super self centered. Sure, when life is suddenly spacey-wacey, timey-wimey you do tend to become a bit self focused. But reading through one of her tantrums and I just thought to myself 'What the crap is wrong with you, child?' I skimmed over some parts and tried to stick with her better qualities. 2. Some parts of the story, mostly the latter half, are quite trippy. Like, weird unexplained dream-like things are being described and my brain couldn't handle some of it. Parts here were also skimmed over for the sake of my sanity.

Overall, though, 'Eleanor' was worth the read. Every second, even the skimmed over seconds. Jason Gurley has created a new type of novel that blends realism with dream worlds, adding the perfect dash of crazy family, loyalty, and love. And the cover? Love. Read this one today so you can understand the perfect weirdness that Gurley has created. 5 Stars and recommended to those looking for something new, or for those looking for a good blending of literary and sci fi. 

Giveaway:

Five $20 Amazon Gift Cards (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days Review

What Your Heart Needs for the Hard Days by Holley Gerth
Visit the Author's Website HERE
Publisher: Revell 
Publishing Date: August 26, 2014

Goodreads Summary:

In this uplifting book, Holley Gerth invites readers to sit down with her to be filled with the strength, peace, and joy that come from God's promises to us. Each of the 52 devotions based on the Psalms will help weary women remember that God is good and we're all in this together. Whether it's a bad hair day or a broken heart, Holley offers hope and encouragement to get us through whatever life brings. 
Women need that kind of encouragement because we all have hard days--days that make us want to give up, retreat inside ourselves, and drown our sorrows in a pint of ice cream. And while we may crave all sorts of things to ease the pain we feel in our hearts, what we really need is truth. We need to be confident in God's character and his promises. We need to remember--and celebrate--who he made us to be. And we need exactly the kind of encouragement Holley Gerth loves to offer.

I received a copy of this book direct from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Buy direct from the publisher HERE!

My Thoughts:
Holley Gerth is a woman I have openly professed to wanting to be. She is warm, inviting, honest, and beautiful. Her last book, You're Going to be Okay (links to review), was easily a 5 star book. Now that I am thinking of it again, it definitely deserves a re-read soon. "What Your Heart Needs..." is Gerth's latest release and companions well with "You're Going to be Okay''.

Drawing on the Psalms, Gerth leads us through 52 short devotions covering a variety of hard day topics. Some chapter titles include 'God Isn't Holding Anything Against You', 'God Will Give You Everything You Need', and 'God Has a Great Place for You Today'. Each devotion includes a verse, a Psalm to read, a leading prayer, and space to record God's responses. With a number like '52' it is easy to assume the readings need to be done weekly, but because they are so short (2-3 pages) I found it quite easy, and enjoyable to read one a day.

Although I love Gerth and her uplifting words, I cannot claim this as my favorite devotional. One of the first things I noticed was the lack of a nice ribbon bookmark. With the gorgeous bound cover and great giftable vibe, I thought a nice red, ribbon bookmark would be standard. As a smaller book, some of my normal bookmarks don't fit well. Still, I can always use a post-it note to keep my spot easily accessible. I also felt like the book could have seriously benefitted from a topical index, or even just a one line description below chapter titles in the table of contents. When my heart is having a bad day, I want to be able to easily find the topic and Psalm that will soothe.

As you can see, my complaints revolve around it's production and binding. The words inside are very typical Gerth. It is just not the devotional I can see myself easily turning too in place of others. Still, a great size for the nightstand and a great Gerth primer. I can't help but give it 4 stars. I recommend it to those who love Gerth and could use a little heart love on the hard days.

Quick Review: Goodnight, Ark

Goodnight, Ark by Laura Sassi 

Illustrated by Jane Chapman

Visit the Author's website HERE

Publisher: Zonderkidz

Publishing Date: August 5, 2014

Goodreads Summary:

Beds are ready.
Food is stored.
Noah hollers,
'All aboard!'
It's bedtime on Noah's ark, but the animals can't sleep because of the storm. Two by two, they crowd into Noah's bed, creating a sticky situation. Will Noah ever get them back to their own beds? Climb aboard the ark for this rollicking, yet ultimately restful bedtime story as Noah finds a way to make things calm and cozy, even in the midst of a storm.

I received this book from the publisher via BookLook for Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Buy direct from the publisher HERE! 

My Thoughts:
First, let me apologize to just about everyone out there. I have fallen behind on the blogging schedule, and while I race to catch up on a few other things in life, my reviews have gotten out of hand. This week will be pretty review heavy! I appreciate your stopping by to check out these phenomenal books in advance :)

Goodnight, Ark was the perfect pick for Baby Girl. The author creates a delightfully fun bedtime story, that is both quirky and comical. It was not what I was expecting. Most books and stories about Noah and the Ark focus on the building of the ark, the loading of the animals, the flood, and so on. Sassi pauses the story and takes us in for a fun glimpse behind the scenes of the first night on the ark with the animals. The rhyming and cadence are fun for both parent and child, easily reminding us of the rolling waves beneath the ark.

And oh my goodness the adjectives! This book will open up a whole new vocabulary for your child to learn: quail, zoom, zing, thump, stomp, rumble, pouncing, snorting, blaring, and so much more! Because of the excitement of the book and the actions your child would love to replicate, I would say this book is better read before other more calming bedtime books.

The illustrator, Jane Chapman, has illustrated over a hundred books including some NYT bestsellers. Let me just say: the illustrations are.the.best. Each painting is a double page spread and uses all available white space to illustrate the story and action, but also to draw the eye to all the beautiful details. Just check out the video below to get a glimpse of all the animals :)

So I easily rate this book as 5 stars. Baby Girl loves the animals and I think she will grow into it more as she grows up as well. Add this one to the bedtime routine, and soon!

Growing Up Social

Growing Up Social by Gary Chapman and Arlene Pellicane
Visit the book page HERE
Publisher: Northfield Publishing 
Publishing Date: September 1, 2014

Goodreads Summary:

In this digital age, children are spending more and more time interacting with a screen rather than a parent. Technology has the potential to add value to our families, but it can also erode a sense of togetherness and hinder a child's emotional growth. In Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World, you'll learn how to take back your home from an over-dependence on screens. Discover the five A+ skills needed to give your child the relational edge in a screen-driven world: affection, appreciation, anger management, apology, and attention. Today's screens aren't just in our living rooms; they are in our pockets. Now is the time to equip your child to live with screen time, notfor screen time. Constant entertainment is not the goal of childhood. No phone, tablet, or gaming device can teach your child how to have healthy relationships; only you can. Growing Up Social will help you:


Equip your child to be relational rich in a digital world
Replace mindless screen time with meaningful family time
Establish simple boundaries that make a huge difference
Read what's working for the screen savvy family down the street
Prepare your child to succeed down the road in relationships and life
Learn healthy ways to occupy your child while you get things done

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Buy it from Book Depository today! 

My Thoughts:
There are more screens in our lives now than ever before. Our lives have become inundated with them. Surrounding me right now I have at least four different digital devices I can see without even trying. I have six Internet tabs open and Spotify running in the background while texting my husband. To say technology has wedged it's way into my life is an understatement. I mean, how else are you reading this?

I've been slowly aware of the technology takeover, but I felt so personally helpless. Technology is coming folks, might as well embrace it! But then I had a child. And I get to witness firsthand her addiction to the iPad and Curious George. George. All. The. Time. I started to feel uncomfortable. I started to realize just how frequently I used my own phone because I was too exhausted to play with Baby Girl. So when I saw 'Growing Up Social' to say I leaped at the chance to be on the launch team is an understatement.

'Growing Up Social' was very informative and practical. The authors used a lot of scientific results about the brain in relation to electronics that I found fascinating being a layman brain nerd. I love that they backed up their thoughts with studies and information that rings true. This was a major plus for me.

What I was mostly worried about going into this reading choice, was finding it too anti-phone. Luckily, I didn't find that completely evident. Chapman and Pellicane stress the importance of there being a time and a place for electronics to fit into our lives. As parents, we need to set rules and stay firm. This is true on all aspects of parenting isn't it? So why not here in how our kids spend their time on their phones and computers.

This book has been a big launching pad in my own life. It helped renew my passion for literacy in the life of my child and all children, which easily lead me to try something new and brave. I have started setting time limits on Baby Girl's Curious George time in the mornings and am working on getting her to choose books over the iPad. This has so far resulted in a LOT of Curious George books borrowed from the library :)

But also, and perhaps most importantly, I have started to set limits for myself. The instant I feel bored I pick up my phone and search for something to read or do. Blech. Just blech. I have squashed all chance of breeding creativity. I teach my child that staring at a phone is good and acceptable. So have I completely stopped? No. But I am trying to change things. I use my phone in the mornings during our family snuggle (aka lazy)time and then I try to leave it in the kitchen or on the dining room table. Then I can hear if I get a text or call but it is not on my persons. When I do get bored now or have down time, I want to turn to something else like coloring with my daughter or having a dance party. 

I think this is going to be one of those books that impact my life, that make a dent and stay with me for awhile. Can I give it the full five stars though? Finding myself hesitant to do it makes me think I shouldn't. 'Growing Up Social' didn't have a personal feel to it. It got a bit lost behind all those fantastic stats and studies. Some of the sections felt repetitive and I found myself wondering if it even needed to be a full length book. Still, overall the book is a great resource and will get you thinking about making much needed changes. Official star rating stands at 4.5 stars then and earns a coveted spot on my Life Changer shelf. If you are a parent of children and CARE about your children, then read this book :)

Beauty So Rare

A Beauty So Rare by Tamera Alexander
Visit the Author's website HERE
Publisher: Bethany House
Publishing Date: March 25, 2014

Goodreads Summary:

Plain, practical Eleanor Braddock knows she will never marry, but with a dying soldier's last whisper, she believes her life can still have meaning and determines to find his widow. Impoverished and struggling to care for her ailing father, Eleanor arrives at Belmont Mansion, home of her aunt, Adelicia Acklen, the richest woman in America--and possibly the most demanding, as well. Adelicia insists on finding her niece a husband, but a simple act of kindness leads Eleanor down a far different path--building a home for destitute widows and fatherless children from the Civil War. While Eleanor knows her own heart, she also knows her aunt will never approve of this endeavor.

Archduke Marcus Gottfried has come to Nashville from Austria in search of a life he determines, instead of one determined for him. Hiding his royal heritage, Marcus longs to combine his passion for nature with his expertise in architecture, but his plans to incorporate natural beauty into the design of the widows' and children's home run contrary to Eleanor's wishes/ AS work on the home draws them closer together, Marcus and Eleanor find common ground--and a love neither of them expects. But Marcus is not the man Adelicia has chosen for Eleanor, and even if he were, someone who knows his secrets is about to reveal them all.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Check out the ebook direct from the publisher! 

My Thoughts:
Sigh. This review is one that slipped under my radar. I read it over a month ago, jotted down some thoughts, and even though I enjoyed it, I apparently forgot to share that joy with the blogosphere. Please forgive me Bethany House, Netgalley, Tamera, and friends, if this review is a bit more scatter-brained then usual. 

'A Beauty So Rare' is slow, lengthy, but wonderful. Like a warm pot of soup simmering on the stove, this novel builds and warms, and builds and warms nestling it's way into your heart. The characters are given time to mature, become real and dear. And not just the main characters, but the secondary characters as well. The story itself is believable and realistic. The time frame and historic research done by the author shine through making it a star of the novel itself. 

Because of the length of the novel, Alexander is allowed to share interesting facts about botany and it quickly becomes a tie in piece to the theme of the novel: beauty. Eleanor is our leading lady and isn't considered outwardly beautiful. She struggles and resigns herself to never becoming married. But as her relationship with Marcus, aka our leading man, grows we learn, discover and unwind our way to the truth: beauty is so much more than skin deep. What an important message! 

The main relationship is adorable, touching, and mostly realistic. I don't think I can expound on my feelings there for sake of spoilers. Know that it ties in with my one dislike of the book: the ending which came quickly, crazily, and a bit too perfect.

A saga in the making, 'A Beauty So Rare' is book two of the Belmont Mansion series. I have not read book one and so can safely say 'Beauty' stands on it's own two legs. However, I NEED to go back and read book one in hopes that it is just as good as this second installment. I will also be pining, and hoping, and waiting, until book three releases! A bold 5 Stars from me. I would recommend it to those who love a historical romance with well developed characters and themes. And also wouldn't mind a bit of length :)