Keeper of the Stars by Robin Lee Hatcher

Goodreads Summary

She blames him for her brother's death.  Can she let go of resentment and open her heart to love?

Penny Cartwright found it difficult to understand why her younger brother would choose to join a country singer's band rather than return to Kings Meadow after college...and the separation strained their relationship.  Then a car accident made certain her brother could never return.

Trevor Reynolds has chased stardom in Nashville for more than a dozen years, but it remains out of his reach.  After an accident kills his young drummer, Trevor goes to Kings Meadow to keep a promise - and perhaps to discover what truly matters in this life.

Thrown together by circumstances, Penny and Trevor must learn to give and receive forgiveness.  And if they do, perhaps something beautiful can rise from the ashes of heartbreak.

My Thoughts

I wasn't opposed to reading this book but I honestly wasn't really excited to read it either.  I have been in the mood to read exciting, suspenseful books and this clearly wasn't going to be that kind of book.  I was actually kind of dreading it a little bit.

However...

I really enjoyed it!  Keeper of the Stars has just the right amount of enjoyability, heart, love, faith, and a touch of sadness (not too much) to make it a really good and cozy read.  I give it two thumbs up!  I started it yesterday, late afternoon, and had to make myself put it down so that I could go to bed since I had to work this morning.  I finished it an hour or so after I got home from work.

I am happy to say that I have found a new author that I will be on the lookout for.  Keeper of the Stars  by Robin Lee Hatcher was well written and enjoyable.  Definitely one I will recommend to fellow readers.

*Note: I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

My Name is Mahtob by Mahtob Mahmoody

Goodreads Summary

The daughter at the center of the international bestseller and film Not Without My Daughter finishes the story that captivated the world: held hostage in Iran, escape over the mountains, growing up in fear of kidnapping, battling deadly disease, and leaning on the sustaining power of God's goodness.

Two decades ago, Not Without My Daughter (a global phenomenon are into a film starring Sally Field) told of the daring escape of an american mother and her six-year-old child from and abusive and fanatical Iranian husband and father.  Now the daughter tells the whole story, not only of her imprisonment and escape but of life after fleeing Iran: living in fear of re-abduction, battling recurring nightmares and panic attacks - all under the menacing shadow of her father.

This is the story of an extraordinary young woman's triumph over life-crushing trauma to build a life of peace and forgiveness.  Moving from Michigan to Tehran, from Ankara to Paris, Mahtob reveals the profound resilience of a wounded soul healed by her faith in God's goodness and his care and love for her.

My Thoughts

My Name is Mahtob is a companion book to Not Without My Daughter.  Mahtob Mahmoody shares her experiences in her own words.  She writes about her feelings, thoughts, and experiences while being held captive in Iran and even afterwards when she made it home.

I actually haven't read or watched Not Without My Daughter but that didn't make My Name is Mahtob any less interesting.  I enjoyed reading this book and I definitely plan on reading and watching Not Without My Daughter now.

I do have to say that after about the first half of the book it got pretty slow.  It wasn't bad but it wasn't quite as interesting as the first half of the book.  It got a little confusing at times because it wasn't necessarily in chronological order.

Mahtob Mahmoody did discuss her faith but not to an extent that it was overly religious toward any certain religion.  She is Lutheran but this book isn't offensive to readers of any religion.  It is just an autobiography of her life and faith and it is a lovely book.

*Note: I received a copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review.

Life-Changing Magic: A Journal by Marie Kondo

Goodreads Summary

“Does it spark joy?”

These four little words have the power to create a revolutionary shift in your mindset. By asking yourself which things, activities, and relationships spark joy—and which don’t—you can mindfully zero in on your ideal life. Peppered with quotes and inspiration from The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, this journal is an invitation to apply Marie Kondo’s principles to not only the objects in your home but also the moments in your life, one day at a time.

My Thoughts

To be honest, I thought this was going to be one of those journals that have the prompts at the beginning of each page that kind of give you an idea of what to write.  I actually like those journals.  However, this journal isn't like that.  It leaves little spaces to write down a little something everyday for three years.  Here is a page to show what I mean...

And it also has little spots of "joy" here and there.  Little quotes and inspirational sayings every few pages.  Here's a sample...

All in all, I do like this journal.  It's different than I expected but that's a good thing!  I like it and will recommend it to journal lovers!

* Note: I received a copy of this book from Blogging For Books in exchange for an honest review.