The Powerful Purpose of Introverts by Holley Gerth

 

Honestly, if I can only recommend one book this year it would be The Powerful Purpose of Introverts. 

Throughout these pages, Gerth takes readers step by step through the strengths and weaknesses within an introverted person, with an emphasis on the strengths and how to live a healthy life in balance with the weakness. It was eye-opening.

The first two chapters Gerth devotes to actually examining the differences in how an introverted brain operates and leading readers through some tools to better understand how their personality functions within those differences. I love personality research and still found some great new material in here and personal insights.

The next ten chapters identified ten spectrums from struggle to strength for introverts. I loved how hopeful and proactive these chapters were. Growing up a known introvert, I was made well aware of the struggles introverts face. It was refreshing to see Gerth pair these with strengths for introverts as well as steps and understandings on how to move along the spectrum towards strengths like resilience, solitude, and confidence. 

This isn't a quick fix book or even a ten steps despite the break down of chapters. Instead, Gerth has provided a toolkit full of possibilities and affirmation that fills a long needed space on the shelves. 

While each page clearly shows Gerth's research into personality and processes of the brain, it's her passion for people and her hard won experience in this field that shines through each page and makes the information so relatable. 

5 out of 5 stars.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc." 

Home Made Lovely by Shannon Acheson

 Home Made Lovely by Shannon Acheson is a step by step introduction on how to curate your home into the space you desire. Tackling everything from personal style to how to be a good host, Acheson breaks down the basics in all areas of making a home into a thorough introduction to the art of hospitality.

Overall, there were some great points to this book. I really appreciated Acheson multiple idea lists throughout the chapters as they gave great jumping off points for inspiration on things like curb appeal and preparing for overnight guests. I also appreciate how many chapters conclude with worksheet pages allowing readers a chance to respond to the material they just consumed.

One of my favourite parts of the book were the sections on personal styles and colour. Honestly both are sections I've heard a lot about (thank you HGTV) but never really had explained in a coherent manner. The styles pages  with their pictures and key features were fun and informative and gave some great clarity and inspiration. While the colour wheel pages really helped give a wider colour theory and cleared up the difference between hue, shade, tint, and tone, so helpful for this whimsically eclectic Mama.

Now, there were two points that didn't sit as comfortably with this book and I feel they're worth mentioning as well.

First, chapter 3. Chapter 3 is centered on making your home "spiritually ready". Honestly, while some of this was interesting, the author and I come from very theologically different background and some of this chapter just didn't sit with me.

Second, there were definitely sections of the book where I felt either a generational or privilege dichotomy. There were points where she talks about saving coffee money or spending hundreds where designer versions would be thousands. In the communities I know that mentality could be very frustrating as so many don't have the wiggle room to "just skip something" as they live paycheck to paycheck.

I think there's still useful information and inspiration to be taken from the book for a wide audience but felt the need to point out this lifestyle difference as it caught me off guard.

4 out of 5 stars.

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc." 

A Castaway in Cornwall by Julie Klassen

 

I've been a fan of Klassen for years, but I've never had one of her stories capture my interest and heart as quickly as A Castaway in Cornwall. I feel like Klassen took many lessons from her recent foray into series writing with The Inn on Ivy Hill to provide readers one of her richest stories yet.

First, I couldn't help but fall in love with her world. A Castaway in Cornwall uses the rugged shores of 1813 Cornwall filled to the brim with interesting characters for it's home. I felt like this book definitely makes great use of its setting and cast of characters as there are so many with moments to shine. From Eseld to Jago and Miss Chegwin (who honestly could handle a prequel of their own) the characters draw you in through their well written personalities and story. Klassen also used the characters to explore the interactions between poverty, smuggling, and wreck picking which happened on the coast in a way that highlights the ups and downs of that trade. I've always loved how Klassen uses history to build a solid, inviting world and this effort is no different.

Klassen also stays true to her routes by giving readers some solid leads to fall in love with thanks to the characters of Laura and Alexander. Laura's got the sweet, searching stubbornness that seems quite common to a lead in this genre yet at the same time Klassen brings a different twist. Laura's theme of rescue and redeeming the flotsam adds an interesting dynamic to her character, her struggles for home, and her relationship with Alexander. Alexander's story was delightful in that I honestly had no idea which way the twists and turns were going to land which made for a delightful page turner (until 3 am, oops, don't regret it). 

Again, I'm not terribly surprised as Klassen's research and characters have always been solidly drawing me in novel after novel and have only strengthened with experience. The big surprise, for me, in this book was the plot itself.

Klassen manages to keep a quick pace weaving in shipwrecks and war, romance and grief, old rivals and new beginnings. I loved the faster pace and the depth of her plot. 

On one side the historical aspect was exciting. Alexander's connection to the war and unrest kept me guessing throughout. The inclusion of the smuggling was an aspect I had read some on before but through her characters Klassen added a human element. I was also intrigued by the island of Jersey of which I was unfamiliar. It's Klassen's ability to take that historical framework and breathe story into through the emotion, dreams, and sorrows of her characters that makes her work so memorable. Themes of loss and regret were very present within her characters yet not heavy handed and the way that Klassen constantly wove in hope and restoration makes for a very satisfying read at the end of a very long year. 

Honestly, if you only read one of Klassen's books make it this one.

5 out of 5 stars

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."

Where I've been

So you may have noticed there haven't been as many posts this year.

Can I just say pandemics suck?

As a family with disabilities, the pandemic has meant lots of time in isolation, lots of adjustment, and lots of creative flexibility to meet our kids unique needs in a time where no one really knows what's going on.

Thankfully, we're hitting our groove and the addition this week of Christmas decorations, cookies, and music has made us a much jollier bunch.

Oh and cookie decorating totally counts as art class, right?

I'm still reading, I'm still reviewing, however, there will probably be a few more posts in the future about our lives homeschooling because that takes up a huge part of our lives at the moment.

We may also have a surprise in our family that I may write about in the New Year, depending on how things fall into place.

Either way, I hope to write more and not fall into a blogging self isolation. 

See you soon (promise this time)

Nothing Short of Wondrous by Regina Scott

 

Regina Scott has once again invited readers to journey with her to the early days of the national parks. This time it's the Geyser Gateway hotel, lead by the widowed Kate Tremaine who serves as the readers (and Calvary's) guide to Yellowstone.

As far as lead characters go, I enjoyed Kate as a main character. Scott gives readers a well balanced character in Kate between her determination, her humour, and even her trauma. Scott gives a character who is both quick wittedly able and equally capable of evoking empathy as readers are drawn in to root for Kate, Danny and the hotel.

Scott provides an equally capable counter in the character of Lt. Prescott. I appreciated how Scott teased out his backstory and how completely the character felt to act within his motives.

One thing that can't be overlooked in this series is the setting Scott paints an amazing picture of the beauty of Yellowstone on every page. There are few authors I can think of that capture the wonder and awe of creation like Scott consistently has and this national park series is the perfect vehicle for her skill.

Plot wise, I was engaged with the story of Kate, Will, and the Geyser Gateway. The romance was fairly straightforward and I was pleased that the characters trauma was acknowledged in the plot allowing for richer interactions amid the heart and adventure.

I did have two points that detracted slightly from my overall perception of the story.

First. Private Smith was definitely written as a well balanced contrast to Lt. Prescott but his story left me feeling unsatisfied. Scott does an excellent job building up his past and dropping hints without giving a full picture as to his motivation or a satisfying conclusion. After all the build up I was eager to find out what was driving this character only to be left dangling. Now, I do realize this is part of a series and Private Smith's story may come out in a different section of the American Wonders series, one of the tensions in an ongoing series.

Secondly, and this is completely personal preference, but the book felt more romance first historical fiction second which was a reverse of what I expected. The book is well written it just felt the historical aspect was more to build up the romantic tension. Readers going in for a more historical story should be aware of this.

Regina Scott has provided a unique series with her exploration of love and life against the backdrop of the beauty of the national parks in their early days.

4 out of 5 stars 

This book was provided as part of the #RevellReadsBookTour, all thoughts are my own.

Line by Line by Jennifer Delamere

Alice McNeil is determined to remain a spinster pursuing a life of purpose through career and hobbies despite her mother and society's expectations. Douglas Shaw is equally determined to use his intelligence and ambition to rise above a childhood of poverty regardless of what his heart may be saying to the contrary.

There is no doubt in my mind that Jennifer Delamere is a solid writer. She paints her world well, she's easily established a trilogy here with characters like Emma, Rose or even Mavis poised to take their own time in center stage. I even thoroughly enjoyed her little forays into the scientific advancement of the day and age showing the importance and procedures of the telegraph and the new found promises of the telephone.

That said, I struggled with this book. I did not connect with Alice or Douglas at all as story leads until the very last pages of the novel. Alice's character seems so focused on her spinsterhood it's hard to see the character underneath.It also makes the expected ending feel more jarring as Alice's character has to 

undergo a complete inner shift in a very short time to reach the anticipated conclusion (while well written, the format did feel very familiar to the genre). Douglas' ambition also leaves out a lot of his personality until his acquaintance with Carnegie.  I felt like I spent more time searching for a character to lead me into the story over enjoying the story itself.

Honestly I feel like this is still an enjoyable book just not a match for me.

3 out of 5 stars

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."

Set the Stars Alight by Amanda Dykes

After reading Dykes latest book Set the Stars Alight I am convinced she is not a story teller but a story weaver, combining plot threads and ideas into a wondrous narrative that draws readers into a world of her creation.

Dykes starts weaving her threads by introducing two stories, that of Lucy Claremont and Dashel Greene as well as that of  Frederick, Juliette, and Elias two hundred years prior. I've seen these alternating time periods done badly, I've seen them transition well but, again, Sykes weaves the time periods together in an almost dance as each shift in era doesn't leave you jarred but simply reveals the next step in the story (and yes this does make it ridiculously hard to keep the one more chapter promise before bed).

I'll admit, it took me awhile to get into the pacing and narrative that Dykes creates at first. It was hard to connect the two stories in my mind. 

On one hand we had Dash and Lucy, one looking to the stars, the other to the past grieving the loss of Lucy's father and reuniting after years apart to chase down The Jubilee, a long unsolved naval mystery. On the other, you have Fredrick a privileged son weighed down by guilt, Elias the peasant he was press ganged into naval service with, and the young woman who connects them Juliette.  However, slowly but surely, Dykes weaves her connectors bringing past and present into light to create a rich, engaging story.

Dykes doesn't shy from deeper themes within her work, in fact, she uses the different eras and their context to further hone in on them. Here readers are invited to explore grief, identity, and restoration with a wide range of characters who feel fully fleshed, making readers feel invited into their world. Honestly, the little details like the dove, the star parties, or even the ball just added so many honest elements which made the book better.

I'm also glad to say this was one of the most satisfying conclusions I've encountered in a novel this summer (and honestly this is the year where I crave a satisfying ending). Dykes ability to weave her narrative meant that the characters plots were well resolved with a few twists at the end that made it extra sweet.

4.5 out of 5 stars

 "Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc."