Rhe’s Bookshelf – May Recap

Book Reviews by Rheanna, Rhe's Bookshelf

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Happy June Ya’ll! It’s the first day of June (almost officially summer), school is almost out for us, its National Donut Day and I’ve been reading like a crazy women. May was a good reading month and I’ll be sharing my May reads with you in this post. Make sure you are following me on Facebook because when I can I share links to the books I’ve read, especially when they are on sale or Free!

Troublemaker by Leah Remini

This book is still quite expensive in both the hands on book and kindle versions so I picked this up at my local library. Ever since I started watching her show on A&E I’ve wanted to read this. Scientology has always fascinated me, I mean Tom Cruise jumping on a couch, hello! I’ve learned a ton by watching her show, and reading this book just added to that. I think its such an important read and it took guts to write this. I admire her for doing this! This book is raw and real, and really written in her voice. Its easy to read and I powered through it. I ended it wanting more. Add this book to your summer book list.

    3 out of 5 Stars

 

True Crime Addict by James Renner

Another random library find! I was just trolling through the library and the title of this book popped out at me. This title definitely describes me, and while I wouldn’t say I completely identify with the author of this book; I would say that I became as interested in his life as I was in the case that he was discussing. Among current true crime buffs, the Maura Murray case is big. Its one of the mysteries that is so mysterious you can’t stop thinking about it. There’s no end to discussing it. Countless podcasts have tackled it, as well as a documentary or two. What is interesting about this book is that I wouldn’t necessarily call it strikingly well written. At times he rambles and thoughts seem disconnected. He goes between his own personal life and the case. But like Leah’s book, Renner is raw and real and that is what I personally love as a reader! It speaks to me and draws me in. I feel things on a deep level, and whether that is good or bad I’m not sure. This book is a must-read for true crimers, and while you’re at it track down Renner’s previous book, which is about the Amy Mihaljevic.

3 out of 5 stars


One of my girlfriends had checked this book out of the library, and she sped through it. There were so many holds placed on it that she decided to pass it around our little group. I snatched it up because it has been a long time since I have read a book on the “Just came out” list. I sped through this book as well. It is complex, but readable. Twists and turns that will catch you off guard. I had to go back and re-read portions to make sure that I really was reading what I was reading. Hendricks and Pekkanen capture your imagination and tap into your raw feelings, pulling you into the lives of the women in this book. If you want to check it out your best bet is probably the library. The Kindle version of this book is still over $10 on amazon. But you can read the first four chapters for free! I would highly recommend this book, and I’m adding this book to list of books that I would read again.

5 out of 5 stars

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Rhe’s Bookshelf – February Reads

It’s almost March ya’ll! I can not believe it! Time is continually flying by, and the older my kids get the faster it goes. This is also precisely the exact time that I would prefer it slow down. But until it does I’ll continue to live in my happy book-reading land. Books just make me happy! I packed quite a few in this month, making the most of my brand spanking new Kindle I purchased. Don’t worry, I’m still a card-carrying book nerd, in love with my real-life books. I’m also in love with my free and cheap Kindle books, so there you go. If you’re not following me on my Goodreads account I’d love it if you did! Click the images below to grab your copy of each of the books, or click the Kindle Unlimited image on the side bar if you just can’t get enough of books! Give a try for 30 days and I bet you’ll love it.

 

When the Heart Calls (Canadian West #1)

5 Stars

Worth the Risk (The McKinney Brothers #2)

4 Stars

A Love Fulfilled

2 Stars

Dangerous Curves Ahead (Perfect Fit #1)

4 Stars

Thrown For a Curve (Perfect Fit #2)

3 stars

Because of You (Coming Home #1)

3 Stars

The Wonder of You

2 Stars

Saved

2 Star

You can find my reviews on Goodreads! If you’ve read any of these I’d love to know what you think; and leave your book recommendations in the comments below. I’m ALWAYS looking for a good recommendation!

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Favorite Things for 2018!

We are about half-way into the first month of 2018! So, it’s a great time to share some of my favorite things that you should try, read and get for the new year.

 

First up, beauty supplies! 2017 was the year of trying all the beauty supplies. I can’t even begin to tell you how many I’ve tried this year. From cleansers, to lipsticks, and even some muscle rub!

beauty supplies

   

 

  1. REDKEN No Blow Dry NBD – Since blow drying my hair is my least favorite thing to do, even at its short length, when I spied something specifically meant for that I jumped at the chance to give it a try! This stuff is actually designed to help your hair air-dry faster, while being able to style it! I use it every day. There are three formulas – for thick hair, find hair and medium hair. available at ulta and amazon
  2. Skinfood Egg White Pack, Korean Skin Care – I have several Korean friends that are always raving about Korean skin care products. This is my first one, and I’m going to head back for some more. This product is basically like a Biore strip, although I felt like it worked so much better. Plus, I love a brand that prides itself on quality ingredients, working with eco-friendly and responsible farmers across the world. That’s something I can get behind. available at ulta, skinfood.com, and amazon
  3. Clinque Take the Day Off cleansing balm – I picked this up on whim in the check out at Ulta. You know how that happens. This little tiny purple container is literally amazing! It is light, doesn’t make me greasy and goes a long way. It does a pretty fantastic job on my color-stay lipsticks and eye make-up. available at Ulta and amazon
  4. AP24 Whitening Flouride Toothpaste – Now I’m going to admit to you right off the bat that I totally committed the ultimate blogger sin and didn’t do a before an after photo. But lets be real, I’ve got three kids and life is crazy!!! I head about this from my girlfriend who competes in the Mrs. America pageants. She raves about it. So I’ve been using it, with the kiddos as well. I definitely would recommend this to anyone looking for something like this. It takes good, my kids like it, and it does an amazing job at whitening teeth without harmful peroxides. available from an independent rep, NuSkin.com or amazon (for an amazing price!)
  5. RimmelLondon Provocolips 16 Hr Kiss Proof Lipstick – Obsessed is probably a light way of explaining how much I love this lipstick. I think I have about six colors and I wouldn’t mind adding in some more. While being a lover of lipstick means I have a lot in my collection, I also love my husband. So my first foray into kissable lips was when I got married thirteen years ago, and I’ve been on a constant hunt ever since. Of all the ones I’ve tried recently Rimmel’s Kiss Proof knocks it out of the park. It goes on smooth, doesn’t automatically adhere to your teeth (which I had found with similar brands), and while it is Kiss Proof I don’t have to take one million layers off my lips to get it to come off. Go get some!!! available at most drug stores (CVS, Walgreens, rimmellondon.com and amazon (i linked my favorite color)
  6. Cover Girl TruNaked Smokey Eye Pallet – this is a brand new product I got to try thanks to Influenster (if you don’t use Influenster you have to give it a try! You don’t need a blog – use my referral link ) The pigment on these colors is crazy amazing and this is perfect for creating those smokey eye looks for date night! available at drug stores and amazon
  7. Revitalift Intensive Overnight Mask – Oh man I love this stuff! Being honest with myself about taking care of my skin as I settle into my mid-thirties was a battle. But here I am, accepting it, and valuing the amazing skin genetics has given me by not taking that for granted. Extra bonus of this is that it keeps my skin looking and feeling amazing in these brutal East Coast winters! Yuck! This California girl does not like what this weather does to my skin. $24.99 seems steep but when you are investing in the future of your skin, its totally reasonable. available at CVS, Walgreen and Amazon
  8. Sugar + Spruce Muscle Rub – previously known as Ladyburg, Sugar + Spruce is a military family owned business located in Fredricksburg, Virginia. I love love love this place! I may just make a whole post devoted to all the products I love from them. For all of you that are re-dedicating yourself to getting back to the gym or running (like me) this is exactly what you need. Make with pure and quality oils infused with natural muscle soothers like Capscian and St John’s Wart, this is my go to product post-workout.

 

clothing

  1. Frumos Palazzo Pants – These pants are life, and I secretly dub them my period pants. When I’m tried of wearing leggings these are my pants! I’m already trying to decide what color I’m going to order these in next. They are so comfortable and I’m excited to style them for all types of occasions, not just lounging around the house (available in plus size!!) Way to go amazon fashion! click image to purchase

 

                2. Leggings Depot Leggings – I was on the hunt for some plain black leggings that were buttery soft and I had heard from someone that they had                              gotten some leggings off Amazon. Since I now apparently buy everything on Amazon, why not give it a shot! They aren’t see through and they                              didn’t fall apart in the first wash so I could that as a win. click image to purchase

 

Books

  1. Jamie Farrell, Officer’s Ex-Wives Series – I love this series and I keep bugging her to write more! If you’re looking for a fun series to read this year add this to your list. Her Rebel Heart is book one.
  2. Jamie Farrell, Misfit Brides Series – I may be a little partial to Jamie. She’s a fellow military spouse and a lover of all things southern (including Luke Bryan, so you know…).  Blissed is book one.
  3. Kim Mills, Way Home Series – Another military spouse, but this time Canadian, Kim Mills is a new writer on the scene and her books are fabulous! There are two books in the series, All the Way Home is book one.
  4. Finding Chandra Levy – If you like true crime, this was on my list for 2017. It’s written well and an easy read. I picked it up, having known some of about the case since I was living near where she was from at the time of the case. Now that I’m living in Washington, DC I thought it was time to pick this up and see what I could learn.
  5. The Killer of Little Shepherds – This is a true crime genre book all about the birth of Forensic Science, and the case involved in the creation.
  6. Becoming Winston Churchill – My mom read a book about WC, so I too set out looking for one. If you also were a fan of The Crown and became intrigued by this interesting character, that was towards the end of his life during that story line, I suggest you learn a little bit more about the great man.
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Rhe’s Bookshelf – A Visit to Summer Grove with Cindy Woodsmall’s New Series


I am so excited to be doing a book review for ya’ll! It’s been awhile since we’ve paid a visit to my bookshelf and I’m really excited to bring you guys a new book from my favorite Amish-life author. Cindy first came across my bookshelf a couple years ago with the Amish Vines and Vineyards series which is the reason why I started reading Amish books in the first place. It never seemed like anything I would love but I did!! When the series was done I had some serious sadness and withdrawl issues. But Ms Woodsmall is back with what is going to be another amazing series; and I was lucky enough to check out the first two books.

summary


Twenty-year-old Ariana Brenneman loves her family and the Old Ways. She has two aspirations: open a café in historic Summer Grove to help support her family’s ever-expanding brood and to keep any other Amish from being lured into the Englisch life by Quill Schlabach.

Five years ago Quill, along with her dear friend Frieda, ran off together, and Ariana still carries the wounds of that betrayal. When she unexpectedly encounters him, she soon realizes he has plans to help someone else she loves leave the Amish.

Despite how things look, Quill’s goal has always been to protect Ariana from anything that may hurt her, including the reasons he left. After returning to Summer Grove on another matter, he unearths secrets about Ariana and her family that she is unaware of. His love and loyalty to her beckons him to try to win her trust and help her find a way to buy the café—because when she learns the truth that connects her and a stranger named Skylar Nash, Quill knows it may upend her life forever.

summary

The Old Order Amish life Ariana Brenneman loved vanished virtually overnight with the discovery that she was switched at birth twenty years ago. Now she’s immersed in the Englischer world, getting to know her mother and under the authority of her biological father, an atheist intellectual with resolute plans to expand Ariana’s worldview. Only Quill Schlabach, a childhood friend
living Englisch, can help steady Ariana’s tilting ground between the two worlds, but can she trust him after so many betrayals?

At the same time, Skylar Nash is forced to choose rehab or spend several months with her true relatives, the large Brenneman family and their seemingly backward life—no electricity, no technology, no fun. What the young woman can’t leave behind is her addiction to illegal prescription drugs and deep emptiness from the belief that she doesn’t belong in either family.
New ties are binding Ariana and Skylar to the lives they were meant to have. Can they find the wisdom and strength they’ll need to follow God’s threads into unexpected futures?


Review

So I didn’t read the back cover of book one, so I had no idea what was coming. Feeling emotional while reading a book is really one of the most important things I look for when reading fiction. I want to feel what these characters feel. That is what gets you through a book, makes you want to continue on and find out what happens. The writing, again, sucks you in as Cindy is so skilled at drawing you into the Amish world. The relationships of the family, and the love that the main character shows to the family draws you in. Quill is one of my favorite characters in Ms Woodsmall’s books. His passion and love for the faith, while in direct opposition to his life, was emotional. You could feel it coming from the book. I found myself simultaneously angry, imagining how parts of this book could never actually happen in real life….while also thinking, “What would happen if this was real life?”

Cindy’s books are an easy and enjoyable read, but don’t mistake that for simple or something that isn’t complex. The relationships are hard, and the reality of what these people are dealing with his powerful and very, very real. People might get angry at the way some of the characters behave, I know I did, but you have to understand the reality of the world these characters live in. It’s a very real world. Looking at these books as not only an enjoyable read but as an education as well is important. These books are an education for its readers, and Ms Woodsmall expertly does so.

have you read any Amish fiction? I’d love hear about it!! 
And one lucky reader will win their own copies of books 1 and 2 of this series!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



~Rheanna
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Military Monday: Rhe’s Bookshelf Reviews ‘blue stars’, by Emily Gray Tedrowe

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blue stars, by Emily Gray Tedrowe
summary:
Blue Stars: A Novel brings to life the realities of the modern day home front: how to get through the daily challenges of motherhood and holding down a job while bearing the stress and uncertainty of war, when everything can change in an instant. It tells the story of Ellen, a Midwestern literature professor, who is drawn into the war when her legal ward Michael enlists as a Marine; and of Lacey, a proud Army wife who struggles to pay the bills and keep things going for her son while her husband is deployed. Ellen and Lacey cope with the fear and stress of a loved one at war while trying to get by in a society that often ignores or misunderstands what war means to women today. When Michael and Eddie are injured in Iraq, Ellen and Lacey’s lives become intertwined in Walter Reed Army Hospital, where each woman must live while caring for her wounded soldier. They form an alliance, and an unlikely friendship, while helping each other survive the dislocated world of the army hospital. Whether that means fighting for proper care for their men, sharing a six-pack, or coping with irrevocable loss, Ellen and Lacey pool their strengths to make it through. In the end, both women are changed, not only by the war and its fallout, but by each other.
review:
I feel like there is a part of me that still hasn’t decided how I feel about this book. I wanted to love every single page of it, but I had a difficult time really investing myself in this book. Knowing many of these amazing families (families of wounded) myself I was really hoping to see a more accurate description of their lives. I’m not sure if it was the hyper-political feelings that came through in the book or the fact that while I am sure there are family members that are very similiar to the characters in the book, I felt like these were an extreme portrayal with very stereotypical and somewhat negative personality traits. Having never been through the experiences myself, I guess I can’t actually say for certain. The meat of the book was really those pages inspired by the controversy at Walter Reed in the mid-2000s. That part of the book was very well portrayed, but I felt it got lost. I just wasn’t quite sure how I felt about this book, mostly because I think I had such high hopes for it. While the author herself isn’t a military spouse, she is the sister of Marine. I had no inkling that the novel would be discussing injury either, it took awhile to figure out the direction of it. I had never read a novel about military life, that wasn’t a romance before, so perhaps maybe I was excited to see a part of my life come out from the pages of this book. 
I give this book 2.5 out of 5 stars. 
**I received an Advance Reader’s copy of this book. I was not compensated in any other way; and as always my thoughts and my opinions are my own. 

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