The Hardest Peace: Expecting Grace in the Midst of Life's Hard by Kara Tippetts ★★★★☆

Weathering the storm with grace

Non Fiction – Memoir – Christian

192 pages

Publication Date:  2014

In The Hardest Peace, Kara Tippetts, mother of four and a pastor’s wife, shows how even amongst the awfulness of stage-four cancer there can be beauty in pain and

how God can give us the peace and grace we need.  He can be our strength.

I admit I have been putting this one off.  Kara is my cousin-in-law and has been on hospice for the last few months.  So I have been unable to separate her book and, at the time, her impending death.  But with her passing this week I have decided it is time to put on my big girl pants and write this review.  Kara’s journey has been life changing for so many that it would be a disservice to memory not to pass it on.

I started getting acquainted with Kara’s journey from her blog, Mundane Faithfulness, ----when I could pluck up the courage- and I have to admit I had some misgivings about reading her book, but Kara ever the graceful lady, quieted my fears with softness of her approach leaving me unburdened by her story.  The superb writing had a very musical quality, and the ideas and impressions were so fluently expressed that I had a difficult time remembering to write comments for my review.  I also loved Kara’s powerful ability to turn a phrase and get an amazing emotional response.  This book is worthy of multiple read and I even was forced to pull out the hi-liter even though I hate to deface books.

I originally had more things about Kara and the specific things she writes on, but honestly this is all I can handle writing  right now without completely falling apart.  Thank you for your patience with me and please don’t let my lack luster performance deter you from looking into this book. 

The Wide-Awake Princess by E.D. Baker ★★★★☆

Magic doesn’t always improve things!

Fiction – Juvenile/YA – Medieval Fantasy

261 pages

Age Level: 10 - 14 | Grade Level: 5 – 8

Publication Date: 2010 

Wide-Awake Princess #1  

When a curse is set in motion Annie, the younger sister of Sleeping Beauty, is the only one immune to the enchanted sleep placed on the castle.  Annie, with a little help from her friends, has to find her sister’s one true love to save the kingdom.

I found this story idea so fascinating and to me my delight I found its execution nicely handled.  The interweaving of fairy tales was well planned and the comfortable writing style a great asset to keeping it somewhat romantic, but not offputtingly so.  Ms. Baker sets the stage perfectly for the body of the story with a great prologue, and allows this fun story to mature at a comfortable rate.  I appreciated some Annie’s insights on how much magic messes up things and that it isn’t a crutch for her.

Ms. Baker does a great job both in world creation and character construction.  Annie is a delightfully real girl, with no artifice added either through the use of magic like others of her noble class in the book or by the author trying to create a character full of perfection.  The different places and kingdoms have enough of their own culture to contrast with what Annie is used to create the feeling that we are all experience new things together.  My only real complaint is that the nobility titles were not used correctly, which is rather minor and probably would only bother me, but unlikely to cause the intended audience any problems.

 

Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day by Winifred Watson ★★★☆☆

A charming light read with a bit of depth.

Fiction – Adult - Classic

234 pages
Publication Date:  1938 

After a colorless life as an English governess, Miss Pettigrew, is mistakenly sent to work for glamourous nightclub singer, Delysia LaFosse, changing the course of both women’s lives.    

This story takes place in a different time and setting than I usually read, but I found it rather refreshing, especially since this was written as a contemporary piece instead of the usual historical fiction I see.  It was beautifully contrived, with lovely writing and a fascinating premise and well executed plot.  And being written before England entered WWII puts an interesting perspective on life during this time.

Miss Pettigrew was an interesting mix of contradiction and a stark contrast to Delysia and her anything goes crowd.  I would by no means this book a sort of moral compass, but I did love Miss Pettigrew opening herself up to new experiences and ideas.  This allows her to decide things for herself and stop depending on the morality forced upon her by others.  She finally got to become more herself and less what she was told to be.  A sort of universal human struggle, we can relate too.

Because of its time period I was a little taken a back my by the language, but I did quickly adapt, but it should be noted that there are a couple of blatantly racist parts that really threw me.  I will make no excuses for them, and only mention them as something to be aware of.

I also really adored the movie with Frances McDormand and Amy Adams, but the book and movie should really be treated as two separate things and not the book coming to life on the big screen.

The Forests of Silence by Emily Rodda ★★★☆☆

A Solid Adventure

Fiction – Juvenile - High Fantasy

Age Level: 8 - 12 

131 pages

Publication Date: 2002

Deltora Quest #1

Literary Awards:  West Australian Young Readers' Book Award (WAYRBA) for Younger Readers (2002)

Only the jeweled Belt of Deltora can stop the plans of the dastardly Shadow Lord, but the gems were stolen long ago and hid around the land.  Who will have the courage to face overwhelming obstacles and make the belt whole once again?

While this book didn’t move me like Rowan of Rin it still was a fun adventure story and opens up the reader to the elaborate world of Deltora.  Ms. Rodda as always is a master world builder, with lovely visuals, interesting characters and a land full of wonder. 

Ms. Rodda’s writing effortless writing and quick pace kept my attention and wanting to know what happens next.  I like that the backstory started far enough back for the reader to really understand what was at stake and how easily woven it was into the first few pages.  The backstory also helps set a dramatic, pivotal point setting the stage for change and conquest.  Also, having the story on the shorter side will help it appeal to younger readers with shorter attention spans.

 Another great thing about this book is that it is a bit older so its’ series is finished along with a couple of others revolving around the same characters.