Turn The Page ... Tuesday

Oh my. I have no idea why this took me so long to read The Language of Flowers. Sara told me to read it. So I did.

Amazon says: "The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system with nowhere to go, Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But an unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger has her questioning what’s been missing in her life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness." 

Yo! Adrienne Says: Listen to Sara. Listen to me. If you haven't read it. Read it. ASAP. Wring your heart out good. 'Nuf said.

I {heart} Susanna Kearsley. I haven't read a book of hers that I haven't like. The Shadowy Horses didn't disappoint. 

From Amazon: "Archaeologist Verity Grey has been drawn to the dark legends of the Scottish Borderlands in search of the truth buried in a rocky field by the sea.

Her eccentric boss has spent his whole life searching for the resting place of the lost Ninth Roman Legion and is convinced he's finally found it—not because of any scientific evidence, but because a local boy has "seen" a Roman soldier walking in the fields, a ghostly sentinel who guards the bodies of his long-dead comrades.

Here on the windswept shores, Verity may find the answer to one of the great unsolved mysteries of our time. Or she may uncover secrets someone buried for a reason."

Yo! Adrienne says: If you are a sucker for historical fiction then any Susanna Kearlsey book is for you. The Shadowy Horses is a great place to start with this author (or any of her amazing books).

So I was lucky enough to haven another "girls weekend" with my sorority sisters and Carry on  Warrior came up. Turns out that one of my "sisters" had read the book and another had gone to high school with the author and her husband. 

It's ok - you can sing it.

"It's a small world after all ..."

Anywho - here's what Amazon has to say: "The inspiring and hilarious instant New York Times bestseller from the beloved parenting expert, public speaker, and founder of Momastery.com whose writing "is like a warm embrace" (FamilyCircle.com).

Glennon Doyle Melton’s hilarious and poignant reflections on our universal (yet often secret) experiences have inspired a social movement by reminding women that they’re not alone. In Carry On, Warrior, she shares her personal story in moving, refreshing, and laugh-out-loud-funny new essays and some of the best-loved material from Momastery.com. Her writing invites us to believe in ourselves, to be brave and kind, to let go of the idea of perfection, and to stop making motherhood, marriage, and friendship harder by pretending they’re not hard. In this one woman’s trying to love herself and others, readers will find a wise and witty friend who shows that we can build better lives in our hearts, homes, and communities."

Yo! Adrienne says: Goodness. Glennon is not afraid to share her heart. Life is 'brutiful" (brutal and beautiful). Her blog Monastery is one that I've added to my feeds. She is fresh and real and not afraid to share the broken beautiful bits of herself in hopes that she brings healing to others ... along with herself. She is brutiful.

I have read quite a few of Mitch Albom's books. I've liked them all. have a little faith one that sat on my shelf for far too long.

Amazon says: What if our beliefs were not what divided us, but what pulled us together In Have a Little Faith, Mitch Albom offers a beautifully written story of a remarkable eight-year journey between two worlds--two men, two faiths, two communities--that will inspire readers everywhere. Albom's first nonfiction book since Tuesdays with Morrie, Have a Little Faith begins with an unusual request: an eighty-two-year-old rabbi from Albom's old hometown asks him to deliver his eulogy. Feeling unworthy, Albom insists on understanding the man better, which throws him back into a world of faith he'd left years ago. Meanwhile, closer to his current home, Albom becomes involved with a Detroit pastor--a reformed drug dealer and convict--who preaches to the poor and homeless in a decaying church with a hole in its roof. Moving between their worlds, Christian and Jewish, African-American and white, impoverished and well-to-do, Albom observes how these very different men employ faith similarly in fighting for survival: the older, suburban rabbi embracing it as death approaches; the younger, inner-city pastor relying on it to keep himself and his church afloat. As America struggles with hard times and people turn more to their beliefs, Albom and the two men of God explore issues that perplex modern man: how to endure when difficult things happen; what heaven is; intermarriage; forgiveness; doubting God; and the importance of faith in trying times. Although the texts, prayers, and histories are different, Albom begins to recognize a striking unity between the two worlds--and indeed, between beliefs everywhere. In the end, as the rabbi nears death and a harsh winter threatens the pastor's wobbly church, Albom sadly fulfills the rabbi's last request and writes the eulogy. And he finally understands what both men had been teaching all along: the profound comfort of believing in something bigger than yourself.  Have a Little Faith is a book about a life's purpose; about losing belief and finding it again; about the divine spark inside us all. It is one man's journey, but it is everyone's story. Ten percent of the profits from this book will go to charity, including The Hole In The Roof Foundation, which helps refurbish places of worship that aid the homeless."

Yo! Adrienne says: This is a beautiful book. How often have we judged based on appearance or just made a snap judgement based on our own preconceived notions. I love how Mitch Albom admits his own weakness/misconceptions but is open to receiving something deeper. Add this book to your list. It will bless you for sure. Maybe it will light a fire that has been dim for some time.

The bible study I participated in has been studying "Return to Jerusalem". It has been challenging but also a great opportunity to dig in to the Old Testament. Lynn Austin's books have helped me bring the  lives of those we are studying to life.

Amazon says: Return to me: "After years of watching his children and grandchildren wander from their faith, Iddo's prayers are answered: King Cyrus is allowing God's chosen people to return to Jerusalem. Jubilant, he joyfully prepares for their departure, only to learn that his family, grown comfortable in the pagan culture of Babylon, wants to remain. 

Zechariah, Iddo's oldest grandson, feels torn between his grandfather's ancient beliefs and the comfort and success his father enjoys in Babylon. But he soon begins to hear the voice of God, encouraging him to return to the land given to his forefathers. 

Bringing to life the biblical books of Ezra and Nehemiah, Return to Me tells the compelling story of Iddo and Zechariah, the women who love them, and the faithful followers who struggle to rebuild their lives in obedience to the God who beckons them home."

Keepers of the Covenant: "In one life-changing moment, the lives of the exiles in Babylon are thrown into despair when a decree from the king's palace calls for the annihilation of every Jewish man, woman, and child throughout the empire in less than one year.

Ezra, a quiet but brilliant scholar, soon finds himself called upon to become the leader of his people. Forced to rally an army when all his training has been in the Torah, he struggles to bring hope in a time of utter despair, when dreams of the future--of family and love--seem impossible.

In Keepers of the Covenant, acclaimed novelist Lynn Austin weaves together the struggles and stories of both Jews and Gentiles, creating a tapestry of faith and doubt, love and loss. Here, the Old Testament comes to life, demonstrating the everlasting hope displayed in God's unwavering love for His people. "

Yo! Adrienne Says: If you have ever tried to study the Old Testament and struggled - these books are for you. They help bring the main characters to life and help you understand the times and what their day to day lives were like. Certainly more akin to historical fiction but Ms. Austin is biblically accurate when it come to her main characters and scripture.