Review: Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow

Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow

Publication Date: June 29, 2007

"True contentment is separate from our circumstances. Contentment is a state of the heart, not a state of affairs.

This is a very convicting book. A Bible study friend picked this book out for us to read and I hadn't heard of it before, but dang, it was a great read. I highlighted something on almost every page and plan on doing a whole blog post of my favorite quotes from this book.

Linda has seen a LOT of the world and she shares just a glimpse of her stories. She was a missionary for a very long time and saw the good, bad, and ugly. In this book she dives into contentment and worry and so much more. I personally struggle with contentment and thinking the grass is greener somewhere else. This book really explains WHY we need contentment and HOW we can get it.

This book covers a lot more than just contentment and it has questions at the end for each chapter. It will really make you take a step back and look at your life and thoughts, but it will benefit you to make positive changes! 💗

Review: We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

  

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

Publication Date: May 23, 2017

★★★★

Wait, what? That's what I found myself asking through a lot of this book. This book was not what I expected at all and for that reason I'm unclear on what to rate it. 🤷🏼‍♀️😂 That's kind of a good thing though, right?

This was a quick, clever read that took me by surprise and had me guessing the whole time. I read some other E. Lockart books in high school and loved them, and as far as I know this book was very different than her other ones, but it was done well! It really gets you thinking and made me start flipping back, trying to get clues and put the whole puzzle together. Definitely check this one out for a quick story where truly nothing is as it seems!

Review: The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms

The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay by Kelly Harms

Publication Date: August 9, 2016

★★★★

I love a good small town read, and this book did not disappoint! Lily is a starving artist who realizes she never signed the annulment papers from her one-night-stand-turned-wedding in Vegas 10 years ago. She of course has to track her "husband" down and finds him in Minnow Bay, Wisconsin.

Lily finds more than her husband in Minnow Bay. She finds an adorable town with kind, hard-working people who turn to friends. And not to be cliche, but she finds herself there too. Lily has a very tell it like it is personality, and I liked the banter between her and her friends and her "husband", Ben.

I thought I knew exactly how this story would go based on the title, but there's so many surprises along the way that made for a fun story! If you're like me and love small towns (or just reading about them), definitely check this one out!

Review: The Good, The Bad, and the Grace of God by Jep and Jessica Robertson

The Good, The Bad, and the Grace of God by Jep and Jessica Robertson

Publication Date: June 23, 2015

★★★★

This book surprised me in the best way! I haven't seen all the Duck Dynasty seasons (someday I'll binge them) but I loooooove reading about the Robertsons. I didn't know too much about Jep and Jessica going in to this book, but I loved reading their stories from their upbringings and early married days.

Jep and Jessica are definitely proof that you can't judge a book by its cover. When we "meet" people on TV after they've reached success, it's hard to remember that they started from the bottom. J+J both have been through a LOT in life that I would have never guessed! From health issues to marriage struggles, these two have a ton of experiences to share, and they've come a long way! They really have seen the good and bad in life and I appreciate their transparency.

This is a great, honest read about the youngest Robertson brother and the surprising twists and turns his and his wife's lives took!

Review: The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks

The Guardian by Nicholas Sparks

Publication Date: April 1, 2005

★★★★★

Shoot dang, this was the book I needed to rekindle my love for reading Nicholas Sparks! It had been far too long since I had read one of his books, but it definitely won't be long before I pick up another story of his!

This story is an interesting mix of romance and thriller and I am here for it! 🙌🏻 As always, I'm immediately drawn to the small North Carolina town filled with cute places and good people. Except for creepy stalker Richard, of course. 😝 I felt connected to the main character Julie and felt nervous FOR her throughout the entire story. It kept me on edge the whole time!

As per usual with pretty much all Sparks books for me, I cried while reading this book. 😭 I highly recommend this book if you're in the mood for a good "hiding in plain sight" small town thriller!