First Impressions: A Lineage of Grace by Francine Rivers

A lineage of Grace is a collection of stories based on five famous women of the bible; Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, Bathsheba, and Mary. I’ve owned this anthology for a number of years. And I felt that it was finally time to read it. Honestly I was in the mood for something uplifting and God and female centered. However, the first story Unveiled, which is about Tamar - a 14 year old girl married off into a traumatic family situation. She is abused and used and continously hurt by her husband and his family. The entire time Tamar must rise above, by loyal and remember she is to be a child bearer. The story is violent and at times hard to read; while this was most likely the pilight of the women of the time It is still hard to read. I get what Rivers was trying to do here. However, the womanist in me....Really finds the narrative of this story a tad dangerous.
Tamar by no fault of her own is forced to play a harlot in order to have a wrong righted. She must take abuse and remain loyal. The story, from my point of view, could lead some women to believe that abuse is okay in a marriage. And that one most look beyond it and remain loyal. Its troublesome. I hope the other stories in the book are better. If I had to rate it today I would most likely give it a 3 out of 5 stars - just based on the narration.

Here is the synopsis (amazon) for the first story in the book:

Her name meant "date palm," and like her namesake, Tamar hoped to survive the harsh environment she was placed in: to bend but not to break. Rubbed with scented oil and arrayed in wedding finery, 14-year-old Tamar is thrust into a world of abuse, betrayal, and disillusionment when she is given in marriage to an evil, idol-worshiping man. In the face of her suffering, she must make choices: Will she let her new husband, Er, destroy her innocence and corrupt her? Will she leave the religion of the Canaanites and embrace the God of the Hebrews despite the life of misery she is cast into? Or will she fall into despair and become as wicked as her husband and his brothers?

Look What Finally Showed Up?

Tomi Adeyemi‘s best selling book finally made it to my front door. I ordered it over two weeks ago, but I am guessing that it just to longer than normal for Book Depostiory to process the order for the book. It is a hot little tome right now! I am super excited to dive into it next weekend ♥️.

Here is some info about the book:
Zélie Adebola remembers when the soil of Orïsha hummed with magic. Burners ignited flames, Tiders beckoned waves, and Zélie’s Reaper mother summoned forth souls.

But everything changed the night magic disappeared. Under the orders of a ruthless king, maji were killed, leaving Zélie without a mother and her people without hope.

Now Zélie has one chance to bring back magic and strike against the monarchy. With the help of a rogue princess, Zélie must outwit and outrun the crown prince, who is hell-bent on eradicating magic for good.

Danger lurks in Orïsha, where snow leoponaires prowl and vengeful spirits wait in the waters. Yet the greatest danger may be Zélie herself as she struggles to control her powers—and her growing feelings for an enemy.

You can find out more about the author at :
http://www.tomiadeyemi.com

New Book on the way

Book Despository sent me a 10% code for my wish list; so I went strolling and decided to pick up the one book that would be most important to my current reading lists. “At the end of the street” has been on my To Buy List for over a year. I’ve heard great things about this book and I am so eager to read it.
Especially, because Recy Taylor’s story is included in this book. Ms. Taylor was raped during the Jim Crow era and took on her attackers. The attackers never saw the inside of a court room and Ms. Taylor died earlier this year never having experienced justice. Her is a synopsis of the book:

Rosa Parks was often described as a sweet and reticent elderly woman whose tired feet caused her to defy segregation on Montgomery’s city buses, and whose supposedly solitary, spontaneous act sparked the 1955 bus boycott that gave birth to the civil rights movement. The truth of who Rosa Parks was and what really lay beneath the 1955 boycott is far different from anything previously written.

In this groundbreaking and important book, Danielle McGuire writes about the rape in 1944 of a twenty-four-year-old mother and sharecropper, Recy Taylor, who strolled toward home after an evening of singing and praying at the Rock Hill Holiness Church in Abbeville, Alabama. Seven white men, armed with knives and shotguns, ordered the young woman into their green Chevrolet, raped her, and left her for dead. The president of the local NAACP branch office sent his best investigator and organizer--Rosa Parks--to Abbeville. In taking on this case, Parks launched a movement that exposed a ritualized history of sexual assault against black women and added fire to the growing call for change (amazon.com).

To Be a Knitter: The Book Babe reviews The Friday Night Knitting Club by Kate Jacob

To be a knitter? According to Darwin; a character in a Kate Jacob’s The Friday Night Knitting club, knitting is as anti-feminist as you can get. It’s old fashioned and way...way...not cool. Which is probably I am such a fan of the practice. In Jacob’s novel we follow the lives of Georgia and Dakota Walker as well as all the characters that make up Georgia’s Tribe. Their yarn shop, Walker and Daughter is just one little place in the sprawling city of New York. The yarn shop has more than just pretty skeins of yarn, and lovely needles. It is also a place for women to come together to talk about their lives and relax and be themselves. Originally the shop was just a shop until Dakota came up with the idea of sharing her delicious home made baked goods with some of the women that always seemed to come into the shop on Friday nights.
With the help of Anita, Georgia’s close friend/benefactor and mother figure, Dakota convinces her mother to start the Friday Night Knitting Club. The club consists of a television producer (Lucie), doctoral student (Darwin), part-time employee and hand bag designer (Peri) and book editor (K.C.). Each of these women come to the group with their own set of issues. Lucie is single, and ready to start a new chapter in her life. So she decides to have a baby - without a father in the picture. Anita, is a woman in her seventies, who is trying to find herself after the death of her husband. Darwin, is the most perplexing character of all, she’s a women’s studies major working on her doctoral thesis. She is trying to understand what it means to be a woman in todays day and age. Peri, is a young woman who is trying to make it in New York. K.C., is the character I most related to, she is in her prime - and suddenly decides to change careers. Also, she is a really horrible knitter. Then we have the non-knitting characters just thrown in....Catherine, Georgia’s high school best friend , who betrayed her years earlier and seems to be looking something. Then there is James, Dakota’s father and Georgia’s ex, he abandoned them around the time Georgia found out she was pregnant. He is back in the city and wants to smooth things over with Georgia and wants to finally get to know his daughter.
This book is a real character study in the complexity of women’s lives. From Catherine’s need to deal with being the trophy wife to a man with to much money and who can’t keep his penis to himself. To Darwin, struggling with a miscarriage and cheating of her husband. And then there is Georgia, trying to balance running a business, being a single mom and deal with her feelings for James. Each woman within this book is someone that you can see in yourself and that is the beauty of the novel. Their complexity makes them extremely relatable. Jacob was also able to carry out a storyline faux pas that could make a reader scream; especially at the beginning of a series. However, this book was so good I am willing to come back for the second book, Knit Two.

Favorite Character : Darwin - she is so ME. She is brainy and awkward, but so endearing. Her friendship with Lucie was charming and made me long to go beg being bestie to have a baby.
Favorite Scene: The Scene between Dakota and her Great Grandmother; it made me cry. And It reminded me of the power of a grandmother’s presence and love.

Oh and another thing to love....all that knitting. Plus the print book has a pattern for a scarf and a recipe for muffins. So you get a sweet and a craft. It’s really a win win.

I gave the audiobook five out of five stars on Goodreads.

My favorite Quotes:

Well....I was just not impressed!

Well....
I didn’t like it. There where. Lot of reasons why I didn’t like Fifty Shades Freed but the main one is that it just fell flat. And I mean it dead panned for me. There was the sex...and all that; which is great but a majority of the honeymoon and all the self discovery they have as a couple just didnt happen. And then Mia....I mean she was pretty much ignored; just a person in the background. It was down right annoying. The biggest no no for me. The hospital scene. It reminded me of why I disliked Ana in the end. And after reading Darker I can definitely say this movie just fell flat. It did nothing for me and I can definitely see why the movie got bad reviews. It lacked a good plot and it just seemed rushed and badly put together. I do plan to see it again with another group of women and we’ll see if my views change by then. But right now....I am just not a fan.

Best thing about the movie:

Jamie’s beard....♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️! Yummy.

Cassandra Clare, Manga and Shadowhunters....Pure Magic

I am not a fan of comics, manga or graphic novels all that much. However, I am not above reading one if it means I can revisit a story I once loved. Last year, I read two (March by John Lewis and Kindred by Octavia Butler)and I liked them. But venturing into the shadowhunter world this way was a little different then I expected. I have read all three of the Infernal Devices novels - and they’re some of my favorites; so I really knew I would love this adaptation. And I did. So here are my thoughts:

What it got right:
The adaption really kept the spirit of the characters; Will especially comes off just as reckless and funny as he does in the books. Jem (my Book boyfriend from way back) is still the silent, gentle warrior that you meant in the long form novel. And Tessa is still strong willed, opininated and lovely. I am happy that the characters were lively and easy to connect too. The story line was as you expected and all of the major themes of the book weren’t missed.

What could have been better:
I would have loved for the comic to be in color. Especially since the first few pages of the booo are in color. I think that would have added a litrle more depth to the entire book. Also, Magnus....ugh...I didn’t like him in this book. He didn’t seem like the “over the top” warlock we are so used to. Also, Church (the cat) is introduced but remains unnamed. For what ever reason this annoys and and I truly hope Church will get some much needed love in the next comic.

All and all I really loved this short, quick look into the Shadowhunter world. I can not wait to read the next two (both of which are just sitting on my shelf waiting). I am going to give this book 5/5 stars on Good reads.

The new Harry Potter Game is almost here....

You can pre-register here ! http://www.harrypotterhogwartsmystery.com

The Bookbabe Reviews To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

I have seen the movie at least once and for what ever odd reason I was never really compelled to read the book; even though I had owned a tattered second hand copy for a number of years. I began my journey with this book with only a baseline knowledge of what the book would hold within its pages. To my surprise the book made me long for the simpler times of Childhood. Were I was able to live a carefree and easy life. To Kill a Mockingbird is very much a story of growing as it is an indictment of an America long since dead and buried. An American, that even today, some in our society would like nothing more than to go back to.

In Lee’s American classic we meet a young girl nicknamed Scout and her older brother Jem and their father Atticus. The Finch’s live in the small southern town of Macomb. Scout and Jem are your typical children - they tease one another, get into as much trouble as possible and live for soft summer breezes and cool lemonade. They do however, have an aching desire to see Arthur “Boo” Radley come out of his house - and the children spend summer after summer (with the help of their friend Dill) attempting to get a glimpse at old Boo Radley.

The children have never had much trouble in life, things are pretty good for them. Until there begins to be some grumbling amongst the town folks about Atticus defending a black man (Tom Robinson) who has been bought up on rape charges. Tom is accused the worst offense imaginable - forcing himself on a white woman. The children are immediately thrust into their fathers business. Even though Atticus tries to instill in them the importance of turning the other cheek and being the bigger person. It’s hardest for Scout to heed her fathers edict and walk away when children at her school call her and her father “nigger lovers”. Some how she does, and so does Jem (for the most part).

The trial on Tom Robinson I believe was a turning point for both of the children. It was as they stood in that court room watching their father defend a man, trying to save a mans life that I believe a part of their innocence was lost. It was at that moment and at that time that the Children really saw that the world wasn’t fair. They were taught a tough and life changing lesson. This moment was heart wrenching and the trial scenes made me angry and also tearful. As a person of color, I wanted Lee to write a different ending. I wanted to believe that with Atticus at the helm of Tom Robinson’s defense that the evident truth would win the day. But, I was wrong. And Atticus lost. And the latter end of the book left me teary eyed and as I said before wanting to go back to a simpler time. When I was a child and the truth and complexities about race, culture, and class were unknown to me.

The beauty of this book is the difficulty of the subject matter. Harper Lee portrayed the attitudes of southern whites with ease because she was one. She also handled with care the need of social change and justice. She showed the reader that not all whites were racist and that some would do their best to treat their fellow man with respect and dignity - right to the end. It’s easy to see why Atticus is a beloved character in literary circles. He along with Scout are perhaps my favorite characters I’ve read in the past few months. With that being said

I am so very happy to have finally picked up this book; and I am very proud to call it my first completed read of the new year. I can’t wait to snuggle up in my bedroom with a nice mug of tea and rewatch the classic film. I gave to Kill a Mockingbird 5/5 stars on Goodreads.

Quotes I Loved:

“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view...until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.”

“Until I feared I would lose it, I never loved to read.”

“People in their right minds never take pride in their talents.”

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.”

Knitting is my newest Super Power

The past three months have been filled with trying to keep myself busy and whole. Since August I have had a tough time getting back into rhe rhythm of things - so I decided to come up with a new craft. So knitting it was. It took me a few hours and now I am a knitting fool. I have managed a triangle shawl, and a few cowls. I am currently working on three projects. One for my boss, another for my god child and one for myself. Check out the photo’s below (yarn info included below as well)!

This yarn.....my oh my...I am in love. I am going to order a few more of these skeins (since Wool and the Gang now has free shipping).

This denim (yup you read that right) yarn is chemical and dye free. I am knitting it on a size 8 (40 inch) circular knitting needles. This gorgeous yarn is 8.50$ a skein. I must admit that I adore working with this material. It knits up fast and absolutely lovely. (BTW this project is for me lol)

This is the fourth time I have worked with lushious yarn. This is Heartfelt Hertiage (Stitch Studio by Nicole) an A.C. Moore brand. I have made several cowls with this material and I am in love with it. Its heavy and warm. And silky and knits quick. This fun and funky colorway is called Bluebird.
The color is my God daughter (8) Madison’s favorite color. This little scarf will be absolutely perfect for her. And I have a funny feeling it will
be much loved and worn with joy.

This yarn is 100% Acrylic, super bulky and is being knitted on size 13 bamboo needles. (Which are my favorite.)

I will share the finished products on my blog as soon as possible.

What I’ve been doing the past few weeks.

Knitting....Knitting.....Knitting
The past two months have been a time for me to re-evaluate a few things and prepare myself for the future. I’m reading of course...but I am also Knitting (and working a second job). I’ve had my ups and downs these past few months. I have felt stress come from all sides. Work, home, family, etc. Knitting has been a new form of mediation for me. I can’t wait to come home some nights just to pick my needles - turn on some music or an audiobook and just listen ans knit. Knitting has been a fun craft to learn and I have several projects planned. I can’t wait to start a very bookish inspired crafts. And maybe a few of them will be featured as giveaways.

Book just added to my TBR

In this generation-defining self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the crap to show us how to stop trying to be "positive" all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people. For decades, we’ve been told that positive thinking is the key to a happy, rich life. "F**k positivity," Mark Manson says. "Let’s be honest, shit is f**ked and we have to live with it." In his wildly popular Internet blog, Mason doesn’t sugarcoat or equivocate. He tells it like it is—a dose of raw, refreshing, honest truth that is sorely lacking today. The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is his antidote to the coddling, let’s-all-feel-good mindset that has infected American society and spoiled a generation, rewarding them with gold medals just for showing up. Manson makes the argument, backed both by academic research and well-timed poop jokes, that improving our lives hinges not on our ability to turn lemons into lemonade, but on learning to stomach lemons better. Human beings are flawed and limited—"not everybody can be extraordinary, there are winners and losers in society, and some of it is not fair or your fault." Manson advises us to get to know our limitations and accept them. Once we embrace our fears, faults, and uncertainties, once we stop running and avoiding and start confronting painful truths, we can begin to find the courage, perseverance, honesty, responsibility, curiosity, and forgiveness we seek. There are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter, Manson makes clear. While money is nice, caring about what you do with your life is better, because true wealth is about experience. A much-needed grab-you-by-the-shoulders-and-look-you-in-the-eye moment of real-talk, filled with entertaining stories and profane, ruthless humor, The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F**k is a refreshing slap for a generation to help them lead contented, grounded lives.

The Real meaning of T.H.U.G. Life: The BB reviews The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

During the course of the past few years we have at times been made aware of the deaths of unarmed people of color at the hand of law enforcement. These incidents are nothing new however, but in the 21st century everyone has access to video cameras so these incidents can be lived streamed for all of us to see. These deaths often lead to protests and sometimes even to riots (Think Freddie Grey and Michael Brown). But most of all these incidents leave people of color asking “Does my life matter” and “How would the media portray me if this was Me?”. As an person of color I can definitely say that also every incident seems personal and invokes a level of fear and weariness I have never experienced before. So when I found out that book about a police killing of an unarmed black youth was coming out I was excited but also very skeptical.
It was exciting to see a debut author (and a woman of color) taking on the topic. I felt that Angie Thomas was going to being a realness to the subject matter that may be missed if anyone else had attempted to write the narrative. I was skeptical about the book because I believed whole heartedly that a lot of the story would seem muddy, watered down and most of all ring false. I was afraid that the story would come off to clean and with no bite or sharp edges. I was pleasantly surprised to see that that didn't occur at all. What I discovered in the pages of The Hate U Give was a book that should immediately be thrust into the hands of every person I meet with a post note reading “READ ME IMMEDIATELY”. Thomas wrote something special - and something that fits our times.
The Hate U Give follows the experience of Starr Carter, an African American teen in California, shortly before and after she witnesses the shooting death of her best friend Khalil. What occurs from there is Starr’s need to reconcile the two sides of her life. The side that attends a predominantly white private school and dates a Caucasian boy. And the young woman with natural hair growing up in the hood in LA. A lot of this leads to conflict among Starr and one of her “friends” - she realizes all to quickly that her black identity is only okay at home and not okay with this one friend. Starr watches as her best friend from home is dragged through the mud - both by the media and by her classmates (none of which no him). At one point in the book some of Starr’s classmates stage a school wide walk out in honor of Khalil; but its later found out that they only did it so they could skip class. Starr then begins to notice she has let little things slide to get along with her one friend and so that she doesn't rock the boat. She ignores racially insensitive comments or jokes. She just does not allow it to stick to her. When Starr finally erupts no one is expecting it - to her friends she has become the “angry black girl”.
What I found so amazing about this book is that I have been exactly where Starr is. I know what its like to feel at war with myself over these issues especially in the classroom and with friends. I had a profound moment of clarity with a friend after the death of Michael Brown. Our discussion was going well until she started the victim blaming. Accusing him of being the aggressor etc etc. I literally had to stop the conversation and at one point told her that if she kept talking I would say something I couldn't take back. Since then our “friendship” has been different. Also, I know what its like to be made to feel like an outcast in my own community because of certain cultural things I enjoy that are not necessarily considered “black”. Much of Starr’s journey to self discovery I have been down as well. Thomas made Starr extremely relatable.
One thing I found interesting about the book was the title. At first I didn't understand what The Hate U Give had to do with a police shooting until I read that it was a play on the Term T.H.U.G. Life; which was coined by the late hip hop artist (and prolific writer) Tupac Shakur. Once the term was explained in the book I had and aha moment. It made a hell of a lot of sense - and reminded me that hate and bias are a never ending cycle. If we teach it to the young they may never be rid of it - the cycle just keeps going and everyone is screwed. Shakur wrote a metaphor for life (that is multifaceted) that is true not only within the hip hop culture but outside of it as well. The Hate U Give is indeed a book I will be discussing for years to come. I really can not wait to see what Thomas does next. And I am looking forward to the movie adaptation of the book that is being filmed as a type this. I gave The Hate U Give 5/5 stars on goodreads.com.

Quotes that I loved:

Shiny New Book.....

Hey Lovelies I just recieved a beautiful new autographed copy of Jodi Meadows latest book Before She Ignites.

Can you see why I am so intrigued by this book ? Its YA (young adult), features dragons and the main character is a woman of color. Finally we are getting a sci fi YA character of color. I am really looking forward to curling up with this in the next few weeks. I will be sure to leave a first impressions post on here and on Litsy.

Here is the synopsis of the book:

Mira has always been a symbol of hope for the Fallen Isles, perfect and beautiful—or at least that’s how she’s forced to appear. But when she uncovers a dangerous secret, Mira is betrayed by those closest to her and sentenced to the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles. Except Mira is over being a pawn. Fighting to survive against outer threats and inner demons of mental illness, Mira must find her inner fire and the scorching truth about her own endangered magic—before her very world collapses. And that’s all before she ignites (From Amazon).

Here is a fan made book trailer I found as well:

Sometimes you just have to buy a book!

It Can't Happen Here is a cautionary tale about the fragility of democracy, an alarming, eerily timeless look at how fascism could take hold in America. Written during the Great Depression when America was largely oblivious to Hitler's aggression, it juxtaposes sharp political satire with the chillingly realistic rise of a President who becomes a dictator to save the nation from welfare cheats, rampant promiscuity, crime, and a liberal press. Now finally back in print, It Can't Happen Here remains uniquely important, a shockingly prescient novel that's as fresh and contemporary as today's news.

It's America in 1962. Slavery is legal once again. The few Jews who still survive hide under assumed names. In San Francisco the I Ching is as common as the Yellow Pages. All because some 20 years earlier the United States lost a war, and is now occupied jointly by Nazi Germany and Japan.

Edgar Allan Poe can be a killers Best friend: The Bookbabe Reviews The Poet by Michael Connelly

After reading The Bride Collector I was ready for another mystery; so I searched through my books and found Michael Connelly's The Poet. The Poet is the story of newspaper reporter Jack McEvoy's need to understand the apparent suicide death of his police officer twin brother. He can't wrap his head around the death. None of it makes any sense to and after a little digging he discovers that everything is not as it seems. The Poet is a killer that leaves behind cryptic messages by using the Poetry and works of Edgar Allan Poe. At the same time we are introduced to The Poet we are exposed to another underlying story: cops involved in the molestation of children. This is a common thread throughout the book and one that ties several of the characters together; however this is classic misdirection. The Poet is a 501 (mass market edition) page wild ride of twists and turns and suspense. This is definitely Connelly at his finest hour. I really can't write to much about the book without giving away vital parts of the plot; so I'll share with you what I loved about the work.
I loved that Edgar Allan Poe's poetry was used by the killer is a calling card. This is a bit different and definitely interesting. At first none of the suicide notes containing these lines made any sense until they were examined further. It was never really explained in the book as to why The Poet used Poe. Another thing that was great about this book were the plot twists. You begin to believe that the killer is identified early. We think we know who the killer is and then plot twist; and with the first twist a sudden and heart wrenching betrayal. Then another plot twist and the real killer is revealed. There were so many layers to these twists; the author really kept me guessing. Another thing I really enjoyed was the ambiguous ending. Connelly left it open for McEvoy to have another encounter with The Poet.
I gave The Poet 5/5 stars on Goodreads.
Quotes I Liked:
"It's lucky no one else knows what our most secret thoughts are. We'd all be seen for the cunning, self-aggrandizing fools we are."

"Writing does for me what you got in that glass does for you. If I can write about it, I can understand it."

Did I Really Need Those Books?

HELP.....I NEED STORAGE SPACE!

I am a proud book lover and collector. It wasn't until a few years ago that I began paying close attention to the books I was purchasing. In 2013, I noticed how unruly my book collection was getting. I purchased another three tier book case and a small three tier storage shelf. My books where nice and neat and put away. At that point I was around 400 or so books. We fast forward to 2017, and I am at 624 books. And running out of space.
Some of my friends ask me why I keep buying and why I don't donate. And the answer is a selfish one: I JUST DON'T WANNA. I enjoy my crazy, eclectic collection. My reading tastes run the gambit but seriously I need a better storage system. Does anyone have any cheap, DIY ideas to help with storing books?
We all know I won't be giving up any books anytime soon! If you have any suggestions let me know in the comments.

Birthdays....

There's is amazing thing about birthdays they either make you sad or they make you really happy. Until I was about 23 birthdays were always hard for me – I never like them, and I usually cried when I had a birthday and I always associated them with something bad. Each year my birthday was a reminder that I was a year older and a year lonelier. I don't say this for pity. I don't want people to feel sorry for me in anyway – but for several years of my life I was sad. It's a hard thing to admit that I suffered from depression and anxiety and loneliness; and sometimes I think a lot of it was my own fault. I wasn't strong enough to see my own beauty, to see my own intelligence, to see how beautiful my life really was. And then I discovered a book – it wasn't that I wasn't a reader before because I was. In fact I was a self-taught reader, and I read alot. It didn't matter the topic, it didn't matter what was going on I always had a book to read. But it wasn't until I was 23 when I discovered Max Lucado's He Choose the Nails that I felt a real shift in my life.
I was raised a Christian. I always believed in the tenants of the Christian faith. But still I felt like Jesus was abstract. His sacrifice wasn't for me. I never felt that I completely belong to him but all that changed with one par his sacrifice wasn't for me. I never felt that I completely belong to him but all that changed with one book.
That one book shifted the way I thought about myself; it shifted the way I thought about my life and it definitely shifted the way I believed in the power of the written word. When I was a teenager Stephen King was the man that inspired me to write. But it was maxes work that inspired me to live. It inspired me to enjoy life more fully, to give more, to love more and to read more.
I feel now at 33 that books have shaped my life; I carry the work of Max Lucado, Rob Bell, Stephen King, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, J.K. Rowling and so many others in my heart. He Choose the Nails is just one example of how one book can change someones heart. Books have made me life whole; so much so that I want to create my own so that I can perhaps touch someone the way other authors have touched me. So....my birthday wish this year is to SAY YES to writing and to SAY YES to continuing to live my life with books in it. Here's to another fabulous year of writing, reading and loving.

The Bookbabe Reads A Classic....Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

Okay, so....the choice of this book started with good intentions; it was supposed to be a Book club read. However, while me and one other person choose to read it others sat it out. This book was perhaps one of the most perplexing books I've ever been compelled to read. The prose was beautiful and the characters (to a point) were relatable. But none of them other than The Linton's, Lockwood (narrator) and Ms. Dean. (House keeper) are likable. All of the main characters are absolutely horrifying. The Story revolves around Catherine and Heathcliff; two young people who are very fond of one another. Heathcliff is moody and mean and his upbringing definitely has a lot to do with his hard demeanor. Catherine is a spoiled brat. She must have her way and she will abuse and use anyone to get what she wants. She treats those that she loves harshly and looks down upon them. She loves Heathcliff but will deny it in favor of someone richer. It's this acknowledgment of her feelings that drives Heathcliff away for three years and leads to her marrying Linton.
The Linton's seem to be good natured, sensible people. The glimpses we have of their upbringing verse that of Catherine and Heathcliff are stark to say the least. The Linton children seem to be loved and carefree and nurtured. While Catherine is tolerated and Heathcliff is down right hated. Isabella Linton is sweet and naive and easily taken in by Heathcliff's good looks and brooding ways. She fancies that she loves him. While Catherine is mean spirited and spiteful; she's also manipulative. Edgar Linton is gentle and sweet and a well bred gentlemen; while Heathcliff is a brute and vindictive. When Heathcliff finally returns home he is wealthy (no one knows how he came about the money) and he is out for revenge. He starts with Catherine's (Hindley Earnshaw) uncle; he begins to take advantage of the mans financial misfortune and is soon the owner of Catherine's family homestead. He makes sure that Hindley's son, Hareton, has no inheritance. Heathcliff than goes after the Linton's. He plays on the feelings of Isabella Linton. She ends up running away with him and marries him.
You'd think she'd stay away from him. She is warned not only by Catherine but by Ms. Dean. Not to mention on the night she runs off with Heathcliff she catches him in the act of hanging her dog. Yeah you read that right. The psycho was attempting to kill the dog of the woman who loves him. Isabella marries him and then runs away from her while pregnant. Heathcliff's revenge on Linton is far from complete. Things only get worse for them all because Catherine becomes ill and when she dies Heathcliff is determined to blame Edgar Linton for the loss of his beloved.
It's through the child Isabella bores that Heathcliff will have his ultimate revenge. At every turn Heathcliff makes sure everyone attached to him suffers; and even more so when it seems Catherine's spirit is haunting him.
Wuthering Heights is a story about so many things - its about pain, love, loss, revenge and most of all its about how our past deeds shall always come back to haunt us. This book was hard to like; but definitely is a classic I can say I appreciate. I gave this book 4/5 stars on good reads. The Book Babe Reads a Classic....My review of Wuthering Heights

Okay, so....the choice of this book started with good intentions; it was supposed to be a Book club read. However, while me and one other person choose to read it others sat it out. This book was perhaps one of the most perplexing books I've ever been compelled to read. The prose was beautiful and the characters (to a point) were relatable. But none of them other than The Linton's, Lockwood (narrator) and Ms. Dean. (House keeper) are likable. All of the main characters are absolutely horrifying. The Story revolves around Catherine and Heathcliff; two young people who are very fond of one another. Heathcliff is moody and mean and his upbringing definitely has a lot to do with his hard demeanor. Catherine is a spoiled brat. She must have her way and she will abuse and use anyone to get what she wants. She treats those that she loves harshly and looks down upon them. She loves Heathcliff but will deny it in favor of someone richer. It's this acknowledgment of her feelings that drives Heathcliff away for three years and leads to her marrying Linton.
The Linton's seem to be good natured, sensible people. The glimpses we have of their upbringing verse that of Catherine and Heathcliff are stark to say the least. The Linton children seem to be loved and carefree and nurtured. While Catherine is tolerated and Heathcliff is down right hated. Isabella Linton is sweet and naive and easily taken in by Heathcliff's good looks and brooding ways. She fancies that she loves him. While Catherine is mean spirited and spiteful; she's also manipulative. Edgar Linton is gentle and sweet and a well bred gentlemen; while Heathcliff is a brute and vindictive. When Heathcliff finally returns home he is wealthy (no one knows how he came about the money) and he is out for revenge. He starts with Catherine's (Hindley Earnshaw) uncle; he begins to take advantage of the mans financial misfortune and is soon the owner of Catherine's family homestead. He makes sure that Hindley's son, Hareton, has no inheritance. Heathcliff than goes after the Linton's. He plays on the feelings of Isabella Linton. She ends up running away with him and marries him.
You'd think she'd stay away from him. She is warned not only by Catherine but by Ms. Dean. Not to mention on the night she runs off with Heathcliff she catches him in the act of hanging her dog. Yeah you read that right. The psycho was attempting to kill the dog of the woman who loves him. Isabella marries him and then runs away from her while pregnant. Heathcliff's revenge on Linton is far from complete. Things only get worse for them all because Catherine becomes ill and when she dies Heathcliff is determined to blame Edgar Linton for the loss of his beloved.
It's through the child Isabella bores that Heathcliff will have his ultimate revenge. At every turn Heathcliff makes sure everyone attached to him suffers; and even more so when it seems Catherine's spirit is haunting him.
Wuthering Heights is a story about so many things - its about pain, love, loss, revenge and most of all its about how our past deeds shall always come back to haunt us. This book was hard to like; but definitely is a classic I can say I appreciate. I gave this book 4/5 stars on good reads.

Post Script:
I would caution any Book lovers that this book contains several scenes in which books are thrown about or thrown into fire places. This really pissed me off and actually made Heathcliff seem even more unkind to me.

Here are a few quotes I liked:

🌷 My Spring Reading List 🌷

Spring brings about so many wonderful things....from sweet breezes , and soft rains to lovely flowers. But it also brings new books...tons and tons of new books. Here is my TBR and to be purchased books for this spring.

1) Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare (owned)
2) Lord of Shadows by Cassandra Clare (Released 5/23)
3) Empire of Storms by Sarah J. Maas (owned)
4) A Court of Wings and Ruin by Sarah J. Maas (pre-ordered)
5) Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (owned)**
6) The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas (owned)
7) What is the Bible by Rob Bell (released 5/16)
8) The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood (owned)**

9) Rest In Power by Sybrina Fulton & Tracey Martin (owned)
10) The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness (owned/re-read)

Of course you know I plan to read more than just these novels. The asterisks represent books to be read with my book club.

First rule of Book Club.....Read Classic Novels!

We're at it again...a few of the women in my group have let me know they are interested in reading Wuthering Heights along with my next month. So from 4/12-21st we will be reading and discussing this classic. I'll post the discussion questions here...and on Facebook. Feel free to join our book group The Bookbabes on Facebook...we're always looking for new, cool bookish friends!