Dragonfly in Amber

The second Outlander book, Dragonfly in Amber tells the tragic story of the Scotish rising in 1745. Knowing the disastrous results from the future, Claire and Jamie attempt to save their countrymen by preventing the rising. The time spent in France was interesting and reminiscent for me. Their relationship was lovely, of course, though real enough with the challenges and trials. I laughed and cried the whole time. Will read it again!

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

Last October, I attended a book signing for Sharon Kay Penman. One of my favorite authors, I couldn't miss it. Diana Gabaldon 'hosted' and they answered questions, talked about the writing process, and their favorite characters. Diana was gracious and witty and I bought this special edition of her book that started it all- Outlander. With the holidays and everything I didn't get to reading it until the week of Christmas. Once I started, I COULD NOT put it down. The story follows Claire, a nurse in post WWII England as she is accidentally sent back in time to 18th century Scotland. With her medical knowledge and historical information, she seeks to help those around her and find her way back to her own time. Along the way, daring Jamie Fraser becomes her friend, forced husband, lover, and confidant. I loved their relationship and willingness to courageously help each other. The second I finished this I picked up the next.. and the next. All I can say is I have a lot of laundry to fold and my floors need to be mopped, but it was worth it!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

I reread HP7 last summer, in time for the last movie to come out. It was so fun to read this time since I wasn't in a rush to find out what would happen to my favorite characters! The feel of the urgency and importance of their actions was really thrilling and I couldn't wait to see how it all went down again (if if I already, mostly, knew!) Can't wait to read them all again and relive the awesome journey.

The Birth House

I put this book on hold after it was recommended by my favorite 'mommy blog' Clover Lane and I loved it. Set in a small town in Nova Scotia during WWI, it follows a girl named Dora Rare as she transitions from childhood to womanhood and becomes a midwife along the way. The societal issues and point of view was fascinating- realizing how far we have come but how similar we are in some ways. Loved it.

Cleopatra's Daughter

Just finished this awesome historical novel by Michelle Moran about the children of Marc Antony and Cleopatra, twins Selene and Alexander who lose their parents young and are taken back to Rome to be raised at court. The glimpse into their world- the politics, gender roles, religions, and fashion was fascinating. Will read more of her books again soon I hope!

The Martha Rules by Martha Stewart

 I'm the wrong person to ask about this book since I happen to love Martha Stewart but I really enjoyed it. I only got to read half of it before it had to go back to the library but the resounding question I have now is, "What is my passion?" If I'm supposed to find that thing that's me, that will be part of my life's work, how do I transition that into a business? I think about the "things" I am most excited about and most of them are baked goods or home decor. I feel like I'm far from an actual business opportunity or experience but I appreciate Martha's push to ask myself, "What is my passion, what is worth fighting for?" I'm inclined to say it's selling pretty cupcakes or something but in actuality, it's probably more of a cause or a value than a business venture- impacting the world through well thought out, passionate, careful plans and plain old hard work.

See the Martha Rules here, starting at only $0.01!

The Power Based Life by Mike Flynt

I received a free copy of The Power Based Life by Mike Flynt from BookSneeze a while ago and never got to reading it (Christmas time, getting over Christmas time, hand surgery, everyone with the flu and bronchitis, you know the drill). I finally got around to it and can't wait to share this book. Written with an encouraging and inspiring voice, the author shares personal experiences, scriptures, and various stories that will uplift and inspire. Every time I set the book down I felt encouraged to take charge of my life- to control what I can, to have a better attitude about what I can't, and to realize my will and drive extends much further than I previously thought. I'm going to try to convince my (non-reading) brother to give this a try- I think he would love the sports analogies (and the encouragement!)