Books You Can Feel Good About

Saturday, December 10, 2022

The Polish Girl by Malka Adler

"Even when we quarreled I stayed near her and didn’t leave. It seems I needed Mama’s support."

Tough read with life as a constant struggle for Danusha. She is two before WW2 and six when it's over. They lived in Poland, hiding and moving constantly because they were Jews. They found some kindness here and there for short times. She was always expected to be silent, as though she wasn't there. She stayed near her mother, who didn't show her love, yet they needed each other. Her mother did show love for Danusha's brother, as he was the son of the family. The story is told by Danusha and her perspective in pieces of their lives, then from her mother's perspective as she tells stories to her friends about their experiences during the war. It was a tough time for them to live and survive through the war, it was also very hard for Danusha to find her own way, her own meaning, to figure out life and how to live. Based on a true story of a daughter and mother. It's not an uplifting story, rather of constant struggle and sadness, but there are lessons to be learned about how the same thing can look entirely different from different perspectives and expectations.

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#ThePolishGirl #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #HistoricalFiction #MalkaAdler #fivestarbooks

My reviews

Thursday, December 8, 2022

5,000 Blankets

You don't want to miss this heartwarming story coming to theaters December 12 and 13. Get your tickets today!

Wow what an impactful movie. The acting and production are flawless - it feels like you are watching the people that this real story is based on. The father (Bobby) in a well-off family is strongly physically and mentally affected in such a way that he runs off and enters the world of the homeless in the Texas area. After losing everything, the mother (Cindi) and son (Phillip) move in with her mother and start over. In their ongoing process of looking for Bobby, she discovers that the homeless people in the area need blankets. Even though it's Texas, it still gets cold in December. It's Phillip's wish that they reach out to their community to get blankets for what they figure are 5,000 homeless people in their area. It's an interesting process, and a story well worth watching. Very well done. Touching. Inspiring. Good story. Real. A story that needed to be told, brought to light.

Many thanks to Sony Pictures for providing a sample of the product for this review.

Opinions are 100% my own.

#5000BlanketsMIN #MomentumInfluencerNetwork #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

Buy tickets today to see 5,000 BLANKETS exclusively in theaters December 12 & 13 only!

Movie Website: https://www.5000blanketsmovie.com/

Buy Tickets Link: https://www.fathomevents.com/events/5000-Blankets

Giveaway: $10 Amazon giftcard

(Note: This is limited to US winners only. Winner chosen at random from comments on this post by 12/12. If chosen you'll need to submit your full name and email address.)

Tuesday, December 6, 2022

The Sisters of Sea View by Julie Klassen

1819 Sidmouth England. When their father dies, his estate goes back to an heir. Their Mother and four sisters own the house at Sea View but have little to live on. Their former lady's maid helps them to consider taking in borders to help keep them going. This is the start of a fabulous series with shadows of Jane Austen. It's easy to settle in and feel involved in their lives. The struggle of starting this business after being a Gentleman's family, lost loves, new interests, new people and their lives, social norms and their reduced state add flavor to the story. Originally, they had come there because their mother was in need of the healing of the sea. One sister was born with a cleft palate has had several surgeries, left more scarred inside than she is outside now. Interesting things to learn about the area, healing baths and cleft palates. Beautifully written, keeps you enthralled to the end and looking forward to the next in the series.

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheSistersofSeaView #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #JulieKlassen #ChristianHistorical

My reviews

Friday, December 2, 2022

Wagon Train Wife by Catherine Kennedy

She will do anything to ensure her sister's safety… even marry a man she barely knows.

Good read. I love wagon train stories, the trip, the starting over. The reason Eliza, Hannah and Thomas left is enough to get hooked. The path they take and people they meet on the way are quite interesting and endearing. Has some interesting twists.
I received this book free from the publisher and Book Sirens review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#BookSirens #WagonTrainWife #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #HistoricalRomance

Quotes:

“I believe God put us in each other’s paths. He knew before we did we needed each other.”

"As Thomas had stated earlier, this was supposed to be a happy day. There would be time later to mourn what she had given up securing her sister’s safety."

My reviews

Friday, November 25, 2022

Love on the Border, McKinnie Mail Order Brides by Ciara Knight

Who doesn't love a man who takes in orphans that no one else wants? Eli does but it's a struggle. He sent for a mail order bride and met her while robbing the stagecoach she's on. Love, redemption, forgiveness forming a tight bond. Struggling the whole time. Excellent read.

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#LoveOnTheBorder #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #RegencyRomance #CiaraKnight

My Reviews

Thursday, November 24, 2022

The Blackout Book Club by Amy Lynn Green

Set in Maine around 1942, Christian Historical Fiction. Told from the point of view of four different characters, each with their own back story and interesting personality. It's during the war in a small coastal town. They decide to get together for a book club at the library to take people's minds off the war. They soon become a close-knit group of friends. It's told in a neat format of individual characters and then again when they gather for the club. They take minutes of the meetings, the format of which I've never seen before, completely informal and personal as to the character whose turn it was to take them. Very clever. Each has their own issues, but realizes how much better life is when you let friends in. Not a dull moment! Easy to get attached to.

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheBlackoutBookClub #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout

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Goodreads

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

The Call of the Wrens by Jenni L Walsh

Marion's story spanned both WW1 and WW2. Evelyn's story was in WW2. Both served as motorcycle dispatch riders for the British Women’s Royal Naval Service or Wrens. Their stories go deep for each. Marion wants to fit in, Evelyn wants to prove herself. Each is handicapped in their own way. Marion grew up in orphanages, Evelyn was brought up in a wealthy family and sheltered. They each had wonderful men in their lives. It's easy to get attached to these characters and find yourself rooting for them, holding your breath and at the edge of your seat at times for each. I found it interesting that lives of real Wrens had influenced the writing, real life situations during war. The excellent writing kept me engaged to the very end. Inspirational.

I received this book free from the publisher and NetGalley book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

#TheCalloftheWrens #NetGalley #BooksYouCanFeelGoodAbout #JenniLWalsh #WW2 #WW1

My reviews