I finished reading "The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder" by Rebecca Wells, who also authored the novel "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood," yesterday. I truly enjoyed it but the (spoiler alert) death of one of the central (in my opinion) characters pissed me off until I got to the end of the book and the story was wrapped up nicely. As the title suggested, hair played a central role in the story. I truly loved the story of Calla Lily, her family, her friends, and their triumphs, trials, and tribulations! I can only hope that the book eventually gets made into a movie. It was that good! I was supposed to be reading "Michael Vey: The Colony" by Richard Paul Evans, but the book release has been delayed; so I suppose I shall take a reading hiatus until next week. I'm pretty sure I will be able to finish "The Colony," as well as the two holiday books on my list, by the end of this year.
Everything I've read (or plan to read) in 2024
1. Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
2. The Girl Withe the Make-Believe Husband by Julia Quinn
3. The Other Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn
4. First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn
5. Queen Charlotte by Julia Quinn
6. The Ghost of Mount Morbin by J.R. Traas
7. The Bachelor by Carly Phillips
8. Spells for Lost Things by Jenna Welch
9. Bookworm by Cookie O'Gorman.
10. Ya-Yas In Bloom by Rebecca Wells
11. The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder (Finished 11/18/2024)
Yet to be released/received/read
12. Michael Vey: The Colony by Richard Paul Evans (Pre-ordered; release date: 11/26/2024)
13. Christmas In Bethel by Richard Paul Evans (Pre-ordered, release date: 11/26/2024)
14. The Christmas Blessing by Donna Van Liere (ordered but not received as of 11/19/2024)
A bookworm is always hungry for a book! According to Amazon, I've got to starve for another week before embarking on my next "Journey Through A Book!"
Summary of "Michael Vey: The Colony" by Richard Paul Evans: In this electrifying tenth and final installment of the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling Michael Vey series, the Electroclan go on a high-stakes rescue mission.
After saving Tara and Jack--and losing a few of their own--in a dramatic battle in the Peruvian jungle against the Elgen offshoot the Chasqui, the Electroclan has returned to the US to regroup. But their downtime is brief, as Abi--who was abducted from her college dorm--is still missing.
Piecing together what few clues they have from video footage of the abduction as well as some additional information from Grace, whose consciousness has broken free from her physical body and connected with worldwide intelligence, they determine that she is being held somewhere in Peru by the leader of a group of other electrics known as the Colony. And so--once again joining forces with Alpha Team for a dual-pronged attack--they return to South America for a rescue mission.
They've fought--and won--against incredible odds before. But they've never had to face off against others with powers similar to--and potentially stronger--than their own. Still, with the life of one of the Electroclan members at stake, failure is simply not an option as they take on their final mission.
Summary of "Christmas In Bethel": From Ricard Paul Evans, the New York Times bestselling author of The Christmas Promise and The Christmas Box--"the most popular holiday tale since Tiny Tim" (Newsweek)--a new novel celebrating the life-changing power of the holiday spirit.
Leigh Beth Stilton has never liked the holidays. After growing up in an unstable home, escaping an abusive marriage, and witnessing daily tragedies as an EMT, Leigh just can't bring herself to care about Christmas cheer. In fact, she's so convinced she's not worth loving that one winter's eve, she decides she can't go on--until she comes across a book called Bethel and starts to read.
Leigh is unfamiliar with the author, J.D. Harper, but his words speak directly to her. She's never felt so seen and understood, and this connection gives her the strength to carry on. She avidly reads every novel Harper has written, and when he comes to town for a book signing, she jumps at the opportunity to meet the writer who means so much to her.
In a twist of fate, Leigh runs into J.D. in a coffee shop, and the two immediately click.. Before she knows it, she's swept up in a whirlwind of fancy dinners, exciting travel, and the attention of the man whose work has been so meaningful to her. But she's leery after a lifetime of pain and when she discovers that J.D. hasn't been completely honest, her hopes are dashed. Can they find their way back to each other and can Leigh learn to trust her heart?
Summary of "The Christmas Blessing": In The Christmas Shoes, young Nathan Andrews was a child who lost his mother to cancer. Now his deepest wish is to become a doctor. When a stranger named Robert gave him money to buy his mother a pair of shoes for her last Christmas, both Robert and Nathan learned the deepest lessons of love and giving. Now a medical student in his third year, Nathan realizes there are still things to be learned about faith, blessings, and sacrifice. Lessons he will learn from Meghan Sullivan-a young woman born with a hole in her heart that has not kept her from becoming a champion runner. And lessons learned from a young boy named Charlie, who teaches how to live a life of true courage. Together, they will help guide Nathan through the darkest period in his life. The Christmas Blessing is an inspiring story about hope existing in the darkest places, and love is always the greatest gift of all.
I am determined to finish these 3 books by the end of 2024! Hopefully, the delays in shipping will not fully stop me on my "Journey Through A Book!"
