Author: Jess C.

Posted in book reviews

BOOK REVIEW: The Girl in White Gloves: A Novel Of Grace Kelly by Kerri Maher

Posted on by Jess C.
BOOK REVIEW: The Girl in White Gloves: A Novel Of Grace Kelly by Kerri MaherThe Girl in White Gloves by Kerri Maher
Published by Berkley on February 25, 2020
ISBN: 0451492072
Genres: Historical Fiction
Pages: 384
Source: NetGalley
Goodreads
four-half-stars
Synopsis

A life in snapshots…

Grace knows what people see. She’s the Cinderella story. An icon of glamor and elegance frozen in dazzling Technicolor. The picture of perfection. The girl in white gloves.

A woman in living color…

But behind the lens, beyond the panoramic views of glistening Mediterranean azure, she knows the truth. The sacrifices it takes for an unappreciated girl from Philadelphia to defy her family and become the reigning queen of the screen. The heartbreaking reasons she trades Hollywood for a crown. The loneliness of being a princess in a fairy tale kingdom that is all too real. Hardest of all for her adoring fans and loyal subjects to comprehend, is the harsh reality that to be the most envied woman in the world does not mean she is the happiest. Starved for affection and purpose, facing a labyrinth of romantic and social expectations with more twists and turns than Monaco’s infamous winding roads, Grace must find her own way to fulfillment. But what she risks--her art, her family, her marriage—she may never get back.

I received this book for free from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Yes, I’m actually posting a book review. You can close your mouth now!

It seems 2019 has been the year of reading books about things I know little to nothing about and The Girl in White Gloves by Kerri Maher continues that theme. I knew the name Grace Kelly and had seen some old movies with her in them but I knew absolutely nothing about her. For instance, I didn’t even know she married the Prince of Monaco!

I thoroughly enjoyed this peek into the life of Grace Kelly. It’s written in such a way that you actually feel as if you’re spying on this icon. The story felt intimate and almost too real. I loved every page of it!

The story goes back and forth between Grace’s struggle to make it on Broadway and her life after she’s left Hollywood behind for life in the palace in Monaco.

Grace spends so much time chasing after approval and dreams. Unfortunately, the two don’t always compliment each other. Her family, and more importantly, her father, don’t approve of her ambition to be a Broadway star. But she’s determined to have it all… Family, friends and a successful acting career. If only the men in her life would agree to let her have them!

If I was going to sum up this book in one word, it would be “brilliant.” Like all great historical fiction, it blurred the line between fact and fairytale and has made me hungry to read more about it’s subject. In this case, I want to watch every movie referenced in the story and find out more about the real life of Grace Kelly.

I recommend The Girl in White Gloves to anyone with even a passing interest in Grace Kelly!

four-half-stars
Posted in about me, family, foster care, Note to Self

And then there were EIGHT!?!?

Posted on by Jess C.

This year has been FULL of surprises! Big ones, small ones, happy ones, sad ones, and even strange and almost unbelievable ones (possums in the toilet?). Now, here we are. It’s almost November and I have no idea where the year has gone. But when I look back, it seems like too much has happened for less than a year to have gone by. (Such is life, I guess.)

Unfortunately, I’m a super goal-oriented person. I LOVE setting both small and big goals for myself and the feeling I get when I meet or exceed those goals! So far this year, with all the unexpected happenings, I’ve failed to hit almost every goal I’ve had, especially blogging goals. 

I’ve tried so hard to keep up with blogging but it’s been nearly impossible. So my new goal (as far as blogging is concerned) is to get used to using my phone to write and post and get caught up on reviews. Using my phone, in theory,  I “should” be able to stitch together some posts in short bursts of free time throughout my days.  So say a prayer, wish me luck, and sacrifice a chicken under the light of a full moon that this is one goal I’ll be able to stick to!

Actually, maybe don’t do that last one?

No… Definitely don’t do the last one.

Seriously, DON’T DO IT! If you have a chicken, I need the eggs!!!

It takes a whole dozen eggs just to make enough for everyone at breakfast now because one of those unexpected happenings that’s occurred this year was a previous foster placement coming back into care and back into our home, bringing our current family size to eight!!! (Note to self: you need to Google when it becomes cheaper to just raise chickens and dairy cows.)

Having 6 kids, my studio time has been cut short, but I’m finally get a bit set aside most days to work. I should get my audiobook page updated this weekend so please be sure to check that out and use the links found there to view & purchase from Audible! (As always, reviewers can contact me for promo codes.)

I’m also getting some quilting and crochet time in so I’ll try to post about those projects soon.

And, of course, I’ll be posting reviews!

I pre-apologize for any funky fonts, misspellings, or other craziness that occurs as I figure out this whole WordPress phone posting thing and appreciate any suggestions on how to keep my blog going and staying connected with the blogging community with small children! Leave me a comment below or shoot me a message through the Contact Me page. Thanks for visiting!

~Jess

Posted in book reviews

Beautiful Revolutionary by Laura Elizabeth Woollett

Posted on by Jess C.

Beautiful Revolutionary by Laura Elizabeth WoollettBeautiful Revolutionary by Laura Elizabeth Woollett
Published by Scribe on July 30, 2018
ISBN: 1947534637
Genres: Historical Fiction
Pages: 416
Source: LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program
Goodreads

four-stars




Synopsis

The thrilling new novel inspired by Jim Jones’s Peoples Temple from the author of The Love of a Bad Man.

Following her conscientious-objector husband Lenny to the rural Eden of Evergreen Valley, California, Evelyn wants to be happy with their new life. Yet as the world is rocked by warfare and political assassinations, by racial discrimination and social upheaval, she finds herself disillusioned with Lenny’s passive ways — and anxious for a saviour.

Enter the Reverend Jim Jones, the dynamic leader of a revolutionary church called Peoples Temple. As Evelyn grows closer to Jones, her marriage is just the first casualty of his rise to power.

Meticulously researched, elegantly written, and utterly engrossing, Beautiful Revolutionary explores the allure of the real-life charismatic leader who would destroy so many. In masterful prose, Woollett painstakingly examines what happens when Evelyn is pulled into Jones' orbit — an orbit it would prove impossible for her to leave.

I received this book for free from LibraryThing Early Reviewers Program. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I just finished reading “Beautiful Revolutionary” by Laura Elizabeth Woollett and it’s put me in a very weird mood. I don’t even know what to say about this book right now.

Before reading this fictionalized story about the events surrounding the Lyndens, Joneses, Peoples Temple and Jonestown, the only thing I really knew was that a bunch of people drank some poisoned generic Kool-Aid and died because their leader, Jim Jones, told them to.

After reading “Beautiful Revolutionary,” I feel oddly compelled to learn everything I can about these disturbing events and how so many people were led so far astray.

The book opens with the Lynden’s on their way to start a new chapter in their life. Newly out of college, newly married, and their dreams of a happy life fully possible. But Evelyn Lynden quickly grows tired of her housewife duties and her husband. Their lives take a dark turn when Evelyn, a minister’s daughter, takes them to Sunday service at Peoples Temple. It’s here where they, and so many others, meet and fall under the spell of Jim Jones.

Even knowing where the characters in this story would ultimately end up, I still found myself dumbfounded when I got to the end. I recommend “Beautiful Revolutionary” for anyone who has a fascination with cults, Jonestown, or who is just looking for a fascinating historical fiction novel.

Have you read “Beautiful Revolutionary” or have any thoughts about Jonestown or book recommendations based on this review? Leave me a comment below and thanks for visiting!

four-stars
Posted in book reviews, Tackle TBR Read-a-thon

2019 Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon Wrap Up

Posted on by Jess C.

When I started this thing, I said I’d be okay with only getting one book finished… Unfortunately, I came up a few pages shy of even doing that!

So here are my final stats for the 2019 Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon hosted by Wishful Endings:

Pages read on days I havent already posted about:

Day 3: 41; Day 4: 69; Day 5: 50; Day 6: 50; Day 7: 24

Total Pages Read: 343

Total Books Finished: 0 😢

Oh well. I guess there’s always next year…

Posted in book reviews

Day #2 Update – 2019 Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

Posted on by Jess C.

I managed to read a little bit more yesterday than in Day 1 of the 2019 Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon hosted by Tess at Wishful Endings. Here are my stats at the end of Day 2:

Books Read:

Beautiful Revolutionary by Laura Elizabeth Woollett

This was the only book I read yesterday (other than some very short children’s books). I don’t actually know much about Jim Jones and his cult, but so far this story is amazing in a creepy sorta way.

Read-a-thon Totals as of Day 2:

Books Read Day #2: 1

Pages Read: 67

Total Books Read: 2

Total Pages Read: 109

Finished Books: 0

Posted in book reviews

Day #1 Update – 2019 Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon

Posted on by Jess C.

So I’m trying really hard not to compare my first day of the Tackle Your TBR Read-a-thon to last year, but I’m not succeeding! I currently have 4 kids under the age of 4 here so it’s silly to think I’ll be reading entire books every day… Yet my competitive nature still produces an inner voice that says I must constantly be improving and doing better than before. So I’m really struggling to just be happy with what I can do right now.

Because the idea that I should be anywhere near the page count I was at last year is a ridiculous lie.

The truth is, every page I get to read is a victory! So without further ado, the following is my Day 1 Update:

Books Read:

Beautiful Revolutionary by Laura Elizabeth Woollett

Pages Read: 28

The Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

I hadn’t actually planned on reading The Wizard of Oz during the read-a-thon, but the kids found the copy My husband got me from The Folio Society for my birthday and they were obsessed with the pictures so I decided might as well read it to them! We got through 14 pages together.

Day 1 Totals:

Books Read: 2

Pages Read: 42

Total Books Read: 2

Total Pages Read: 42

Finished Books: 0