Curled Up With a Good Book and a Cup of Tea

In one of Langston Hughes' most famous poems he asks "what happens to a dream deferred?" In the novel Glorious , by Bernice L. McFadden, we see what happens. Easter Bartlett is a fictional Harlem Renaissance writer whose road to fame was paved with trouble, heartbreak and loss. As a child she was hit hard by the turmoil of the Jim Crow South, losing family and friends to the racial strife. But Easter had a talent and a dream, and her strength and resilience brought her out of her past and to Harlem where she would find success as a writer, only to have it all taken from her and be sent back to where she began. In Glorious , Ms.McFadden blends fiction and fact to create a story that is both beautiful and heart-wrenching. There are many parts of the book which the reader will find raw and brutal. But the times that are written about were raw and brutal. McFadden presents these stories in a way which will shock and horrify the reader, but also makes the reader unde...

Are you a 'Doing it all' or 'Do what matters' woman? No matter what our roles in life are, as modern women we often find ourselves trying to figure out how to manage our busy lives. As Christian women, we turn to the Bible for guidance. But sometimes it can be hard to find the answers, since life today is much different from what it was back then. It's often hard to find chapter and verse that can be applied to our current situations. In The Life Ready Woman: Thriving in a Do-It-All World , Shaunti Feldhan, with Robert Lewis, shows Christian women how they can live an abundant life while keeping a Biblical perspective. She shows us how we can live God's best for our lives and find the peace and balance we all desire. I found this book refreshing. I often shy away from books that give life advice because I find that they are often written with only one type of person in mind, or that they are trying to create one type of person. But Shaunti Feldhahn ...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme at Breaking the Spine where bloggers share which upcoming releases they are eagerly anticipating. My choice this week is: The Kid by Sapphire Release Date: 5 July 2011 The Kid is the sequel to Push which most people know as the novel that was adapted into the award winning movie Precious. This book will tell the story of Abdul Jones, the son of Precious. I haven't found a whole synopsis of the book but here is what the press release says: "Sapphire never fails to render the hardest material comprehensible by coming from a place of love. In her second novel, she fearlessly explores the young life of an African American boy as he approaches manhood; alone, brutalized and with the soul of an artist." ( PRNewswire ) Have you read Push? Are you going to read The Kid?

Jackie Donovan is praying for two things to come into her life - an honest, wonderful man to marry and The Bailey House, a local bed and breakfast that features in many of her happy childhood memories. Until her prayers are answered she must remain content with her job at a local magazine and going on blind dates set up by her relatives. When Jackie meets Davis Erickson, a handsome man who holds the keys to the bed and breakfast, Jackie thinks her prayers have answered. But it seems her dreams may remain just dreams as she begins to learn about Davis' past and the secrets surrounding the Bailey House. Will Jackie's prayers ever be answered? Hatteras Girl is cute story set in a beautiful destination spot, the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Alice J. Wisler does a wonderful job of painting the scene for the reader. Even if you have never travelled to this area you will still be able to picture the scenes through Wisler's writing. I did have a difficult time connec...

It's Monday! It's a holiday here so no school for everyone. I definitely become a lot more productive on long weekends! It's Monday What Are You Reading is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey . What I Read Last Week Citizens of Nowhere: From Refugee Camp to Canadian Campus by Debi Goodwin Glorious by Bernice L. McFadden What I'm Reading Now A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck What I Plan To Read Next While The World Watched by Carolyn Maull McKinstry The Sentimentalists by Johanna Skibsrud (2010 Giller Prize Winner) What are you reading this week?

The town of Dadaab in the North Eastern Province of Kenya lies 100 kilometres from the border with Somalia. Its biggest feature is three refugee camps run by CARE which are home to over 160,000 refugees, most of whom have fled the civil war in Somalia which began in 1991. Life in Dadaab is tough. Many people have been living there for over a decade. There are no job opportunities, resources are stretched thin, and thousands more refugees continue to flood the camp. For many young people in Dadaab, their only hope at a future and to provide for their families is to obtain one of a few scholarships to a Canadian university. In Citizens of Nowhere: From Refugee Camp to Canadian Campus Debi Goodwin follows eleven refugees from Dadaab throughout their first year in Canada. She begins by exploring their lives in Kenya and getting to know their hopes and dreams for the future as well as their impressions of Canada. She then meets them at the airport as they arrive in Canada and fol...

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly meme where book bloggers share upcoming books they are eagerly anticipating. My selection this week is: Swept Off Her Feet by Hester Browne Release Date: 8 March 2011 Evie Nicholson is in love . . . with the past. An antiques appraiser in a London shop, Evie spins fanciful attachments to Victorian picture frames, French champagne glasses, satin evening gloves, and tattered teddy bears—regardless of their monetary value. Alice Nicholson is in love . . . with Fraser Graham, a dashing Scotsman whom Evie secretly desires. As crisply neat and stylish as Evie is cheerfully cluttered, Alice is a professional organizer determined to pull her sister out of her comfort zone—and who presents her with an irresistible offer. As a favor to friends of Fraser’s family, Evie jumps at the chance to appraise a Scottish castle full of artifacts and heirlooms. What could be more thrilling than roaming the halls of Kettlesheer and uncovering the McAndrews’ family treasures...

Happy Monday! This meme is hosted by Sheila at Book Journey . It's a great way to get yourself ready for the week and keep all your book reading in order! I love sitting down on Mondays to take a look at the week ahead. What I read last week Hatteras Girl by Alice J. Wisler The Life Ready Woman by Shaunti Feldhan What I'm reading now Citizens of Nowhere: From Refugee Camp to Canadian Campus by Debi Goodwin What I plan to read next A Billion Reasons Why by Kristin Billerbeck Glorious by Bernice L. McFadden While the World Watched by Carolyn Maull McKinstry How is your week looking?

Happy Friday! It's been a cold week here and even though it's supposed to warm up a bit this weekend, I think I'll still stay in curled up with a good book and a cup of tea. Welcome to the hop, hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books . Each week book bloggers visit each other, finding new blogs and more great reads! This weeks question is: Tell us about one of your posts from this week and give us a link so we can read it. I'm going to share my review of War Child: A Child Soldier's Story . Emmanuel Jal is now an international hip hop star, but at the age of 7 was raging in his native Sudan and he was conscripted as a child soldier. He did his share of fighting, but was rescued by British aid worker and has gone on to use his musical talent to share the story of child soldiers. Incredible read. With the recent vote on secession for Southern Sudan, and the increased use of child soldiers around the world, this is a timely and important read. What's been you...

At the age of seven Emmanuel Jal's childhood ended and his life was changed forever. He was living in a small village in Sudan with his family as the civil war raged on. The Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), a predominantly southern Sudanese rebel movement were fighting against the Islamic government for control of Southern Sudan and its resources. While Jal's father was a powerful commander in the SPLA, the family continued to move throughout the country trying to find peace. But eventually the war found them, and Jal was conscripted into the SPLA as a child soldier. War Chlld: A Child Soldier's Story is Emmanuel Jal's incredible story of bravery and survival as he fought for over a decade. His cunning and intelligence helped him to survive as he became one of the Lost Boys, walking to Ethiopia to live in a refugee camp where he was trained to become a soldier. He honestly and vividly recounts his experiences in battle. But Jal was given an amazing o...

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme at Breaking the Spine . It's where book bloggers share which upcoming releases they are looking forward to. My selection this week is: RSVP by Helen Warner 17 March 2011 (UK release date) RSVP tells the story of four women, one wedding and a whole heap of trouble... Anna's world is rocked when she receives an invitation to her ex Toby's nupitals - Toby was The One, The Love of Her Life, The One That Got Away. Will attending his Big Day finally give her the sense of closure she so desperately craves? Or will it only re-open old wounds? Clare is Anna's best friend, the person who was there for her when she and Toby split all those years ago. But little does Clare know that Toby's wedding day will also change her own forever. Ella is a classic femme fatale. She loves men and leaves them without a backward glance. But the one person who's never fallen for her charms is Toby. As he prepares to get hitched, is it too late ...

How would your life be affected if you won the lottery? Would it solve all of your problems or just bring you more? A Million Blessings is a book of three short stories that examine those questions. Playing the lottery is a contentious issue in the Christian church and for three people they're going to find out why. In Showers of Blessing by Angela Benson Andrew Gooden is an assistant pastor who is down on his luck. Addicted to gambling, he is just about to lose everything. But a winning lottery ticket saves him. Will he be able to use his winnings to build his dream church, or will his addiction consume him even more? In Second Chance Blessings by Marilynn Griffith pro football player Craig Richards is dealing with an injury that has caused him to lose everything, including his wife. After moving back home he begins to put together a new life for himself, until a second shot at fame comes calling. Will he risk everything for fame and fortune? In A Knight in Pink...

It's Monday What Are You Reading? is fantastic meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey . Not only is a great way to find out about books but as one blogger put it last week, it's an excellent way to get yourself and your upcoming week in reading organized. What I Read Last Week Old School Ties by Kate Harrison A Million Blessings by Angela Benson, Marilynn Griffith, and Tia McCollors War Child by Emmanuel Jal What I'm Reading Now The Life Ready Woman by Shaunti Feldhan What I Plan to Read Next Hatteras Girl by Alice J. Wisler Citizens of Nowhere: From Refugee Camp to Canadian Campus by Debi Goodwin How does your week look?

Tracey Mortimer longs for the good old days of school. Back then she was the most popular girl in school. Everyone followed her and wanted to be in her good books. But now, at the age of 33, she's stuck in a dull marriage and her days have become a never-ending round of cleaning, cooking and kids television. However, things are about to change for Tracey. A TV company has decided to make a reality show about the perfect school reunion and Tracey is its star. Soon she is caught up in preparations for reliving the good old days when she was the centre of attention. Only, not all of her classmates remember Tracey in such a fond way…. Old School Ties by Kate Harrison is both a funny and serious look at the way our lives change and how the way in which we remember ourselves doesn't always match up with how we really were. It will have you reminiscing about your school days and wondering if it really was how you remember it to be. In the beginning of the book you most l...

Happy Friday! My weeks seem to be going by pretty fast which is nice, but that also means that the weekends are going by just as fast! I'm looking forward to a relaxing day of reading on Saturday and the Super Bowl on Sunday. The Book Blogger Hop hosted by Jennifer at Crazy For Books is a weekly get together for book bloggers. Each week about 300 bloggers participate so you will definitely find some new blogs to follow and some great books to read. This weeks question is: What are you reading now and why are you reading it? I'm reading two books right now: The Life Ready Woman by Shaunti Feldhan is for a blog tour. It's a book for Christian woman to help discover what God's purpose is for your life, how to live it out and to be ready for what life brings you. So far, I'm really enjoying it. War Child: A Child Soldier's Story by Emmanuel Jal is his personal story of being a child soldier in Sudan. I just finished reading Romeo Dallaire's book on chil...

The time has arrived. Patent Attorney Ashley Stockingdale is getting married…to a surgeon! This is what she has been dreaming about and waiting for. Bring on the Vera Wang dress, the Kenneth Cole shoes and the Kate Spade place settings. Doesn't it all seem perfect? Too bad it's not turning out that way. As if being a Patent Attorney in Silicon Valley and a bride to be wasn't enough, Ashley's company has just hired her ex-boyfriend, her fiance is talking about moving across the country, and her soon to be sister-in-law/wedding planner has decided that only a Gone With the Wind theme would be appropriate for the wedding. Add to that a very judgmental mother-in-law, a roommate with a dark family secret, and a few great-aunts who can't wait to throw her a lingerie shower (thongs included) and Ashley is beginning to wonder if her happily ever after will ever be real. With This Ring, I'm Confused is the third book in Kristin Billerbeck's Ashley Stocking...

Personal shopper Annie Valentine is back and life is fabulous! But will it stay that way for long? Annie has just hit the jackpot with a job as a presenter on a brand new makeover show. Unfortunately, the show is not on a big name channel and its budget certainly reflects that! Life at home isn't much better. Her son has become an eco-warrior who gets a little over-zealous cleaning out the closets, her daughter is spending all of her time in her room supposedly studying, and a sexy young blonde stranger has just moved in. On top of this, her husband Ed is starting to feel some strong baby urges. Will Annie be able to handle of all this AND fame? How Not to Shop is the third novel in Carmen Reid's Annie Valentine series and I love her more and more with each book I read. She is a ton of fun and what girl wouldn't want to own her wardrobe? How Not to Shop is a whirlwind of fun and a great, easy read. Annie's life is one big roller-coaster, as well as tho...