#Christmas Short Story Review: Letters Home

My 1st review is here for A Literary Christmas reading challenge! And I have been SOOOO excited about this NEW RELEASE! It just came out today -- and it's only $0.99.

"Letters Home" is from the Steadfast Love series, which I definitely recommend the whole trilogy & this new short story to readers who enjoy inspirational romance...


>>>>> Grab your e-copy now! <<<<<






Letters Home: A Christmas Short Story
Steadfast Love Series

written by Rachelle Rea Cobb

35 pages // published in 2018 // inspirational historical romance

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Since the Steadfast Love series came to a thrilling conclusion, readers have clamored for more from Cade and Margried. This Christmas, that wish is granted in this charming epistolary short story (about 6,000 words) that reveals more about Margried--and her family.

In the year 1566, she fled from an arranged marriage to a convent by the sea. Then a political and religious uprising shattered her plans to remain sheltered there, and she found safety only through an unlikely rescue.

See the events of the Steadfast Love series unfold through Margried’s eyes—and meet the sister never mentioned in those books but with whom Margried longs to reunite… if she will ever write her back.

Ah! What an excellent companion/prequel story to The Steadfast Love series!

I love that this even feels like a spin-off -- the same story I already love, but filled with newness, narrated by a different character this time. (It also makes me wonder if more similar tales could follow?!) 'Letters Home' is from the point-of-view of Margried, who is one of Gwyn's companions in the trilogy. We now can watch Margried's side of the story reveal itself, as she writes heartfelt letters to her sister. Their story is a moving one. Margried has escaped from an entrapping life, one complete with an arranged marriage; her one constant hope, the object she is fixated on, is to rescue her sister from the same kind of life.

"I abandoned you. How you must feel it! First Mama left us -- though not of her choice -- and now I have gone. Dear sister, can you ever forgive me?"

If you happen to read this short story before the trilogy, it will probably just make you eager to jump into the rest of the books. Trust me, what 'Letters Home' touches on in the overall plot is barely the tip of the iceberg; there's so much more goodness waiting for you! I love how Mrs. Cobb intertwines this story with the plot of the trilogy -- adding just a bit more of paths crossing paths, making connections we didn't know existed before.

"For the first time in my twenty years, I crossed the ocean. It was exhilarating and exhausting, and I do not recommend the experience."

And to anyone who has already enjoyed the trilogy... What are you reading this review for? Just start reading the new story already!

A clean inspirational read.

e-book

P.S. Like and vote for this review on Goodreads and Amazon.


Don't forget about my Book Lover's Ornament prize -- YOU COULD WIN IT! >>>

Are you sharing about any Christmas books? (on your blog, Goodreads, Instagram, etc?) Share it below!

'Tis the season for merry reading...
Please link to your sign-up posts, book reviews, and other Christmas book posts here:

My picks for A Literary Christmas! + #GIVEAWAY!

Dear Readers,

It's time! Let the holiday reading begin!
[Make sure to read all the way to the bottom! HINT = GIVEAWAY!!!!!]

Here's a quick re-cap about A Literary Christmas:

What's this holiday reading challenge about? ::: Whether you just want to read 1 amazingly-good Christmas book, or 10, you make your own list of titles to read, and finish as many of them as you can.

Where will it take place? ::: In your favorite cozy reading nook. Whether it be while wrapped in fleece blankets in bed... sitting by the fireside drinking hot chocolate... or maybe on the sunny beach!

When will it take place? ::: November 1st - December 31st.
(but my special giveaways ends on December 2nd, by the way, so that the blessed winner can receive their prize in time for Christmas!)

If you haven't yet, catch up on how to participate in A Literary Christmas.

(As soon as you start posting about the challenge on your blog, Instagram, Goodreads (or other social media) please start linking up your posts at the bottom of this page. I'm excited to see the books you're reading!)

Use hashtag #ALiteraryChristmas


Here's a few books that I'm planning to read for the challenge:

*Click on the book covers to see the book details on Amazon.com.

What books are you reading for this Christmas challenge?

AND NOW FOR THE GIVEAWAY! . . .

1 winner will receive a Christmas Book Page Ornament from Sweet Berry Gifts on Etsy!

Aren't these bookish ornaments just DARLING?

Fill your tree with these beautiful book page ornaments from Sweet Berry Gifts. I assure you, this would be an AMAZING gift to the bookworm (uh, bookdragon) in your life!

Ornaments are made from books printed between 1940 - 1960 for a natural aged look. This ornament is also the perfect gift for any book lover or teacher on your Christmas list! Ornaments are 3" in diameter.

Connect with Sweet Berry Gifts online!
Etsy | Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest


The giveaway is open to everyone (in the U.S., that is), whether you're participating in the reading challenge or not. (But you can get 5 extra entries in the giveaway if you are taking part in A Literary Christmas -- EVERY DAY!) Invite your literary-minded friends!

Giveaway rules: Open to United States ONLY. Ends on December 2nd.

I'm so thrilled to be spending this holiday season reading some delightful Christmastime books -- And I can't wait to see which titles you're going to read for the challenge as well! Join me if you can.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link to any of your posts for this reading challenge!

Please link to your sign-up posts, book reviews, and other Christmas book posts here:

A Literary Christmas 2018 begins + Link up your holiday reads!

Dear Readers,

I'd like to invite you to a SPECIAL READING EVENT this holiday season, where together we will celebrate all the excitement of Christmas book-reading during the most wonderful time of the year!

It's our THIRD ANNUAL Literary Christmas. And it's happening now.

What's this holiday reading challenge about? ::: Whether you just want to read 1 amazingly-good Christmas book, or 10, you make your own list of titles to read, and finish as many of them as you can.

Where will it take place? ::: In your favorite cozy reading nook. Whether it be while wrapped in fleece blankets in bed... sitting by the fireside drinking hot chocolate...



Or out on the ice sheets of the Arctic environment, with only starlight from the heavens and a tin lantern to illuminate the tiny text inside your vintage copy of A Christmas Carol.

But probably not the latter option.

This Christmas reading challenge is born of my own delight in filling the entirety of the month of December (and the latter of November, in most cases) with holiday-themed books galore. Literally, I keep adding to an ongoing booklist all through the year when I happen across Christmas titles that I may like to try my hand (errrr --- eyes?) at, just so I can read it when the holidays arrive.

Please tell me I'm not alone?

The challenge starts on November 1st (for all the early birds). But whenever YOU start reading your holiday books, start linking up your reviews and posts with us ALL SEASON LONG!

Sign-ups are open NOW! Just so whenever you're ready to pick up a festive holiday title, the event link-up is open.

How to participate in A Literary Christmas:

Think about some Christmas books to read, or maybe re-read this season. This could include fictional stories (modern or vintage books), or non-fiction (an Advent devotional, or a book on Christmas traditions?)... it's up to you! Your goals can be 1 book, 5 books, or some short stories. AUDIO BOOKS & E-BOOKS ARE WELCOME!

Write a blog post or social media post to tell us that you're joining A Literary Christmas reading challenge, and maybe give us a sneak peek of the books you want to read for this challenge. Make sure to link to this blog (or even this individual post) to spread the word among your friends. Grab one of the challenge images to use in your post.

Use hashtag #ALiteraryChristmas


<a href="https://inthebookcase.blogspot.com/2018/11/a-literary-christmas-2018-begins-link.html" target="new"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBkY8K8oFm3o6sPLPkzoDW9tj5duAPE1s8b7LAY4cRyGR2OWVZTSrr1t8SI4cvAKkQt3A73UZYK3fOm0qO450jnjNOtCOAxJF10go58DCYRnJB6GZHLgbqJs5Y1dgZ91ZisoS4Y5Bc-8Y/s1600/aliterarychristmas-button.jpg" alt="A Literary Christmas: Reading Challenge // inthebookcase.blogspot.com" title="A Literary Christmas: Reading Challenge // inthebookcase.blogspot.com"></a>


<a href="https://inthebookcase.blogspot.com/2018/11/a-literary-christmas-2018-begins-link.html" target="new"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxEGR83ZtnGkh17LS4hVnJFeQT9ZNE5KEmaicFeAc7huTjHDOWOc7R5jL_-UW0uK4sU6j_SEC82P5CVvdvIP8W221E2LNt-36QmfQmf63Lv3mi5G3qRUO1TJz3F5w37rk-VQToOb8IXyo/s1600/a-literary-christmas-banner.JPG" alt="A Literary Christmas: Reading Challenge // inthebookcase.blogspot.com" title="A Literary Christmas: Reading Challenge // inthebookcase.blogspot.com" /></a>

Link up below! Copy the link to your post online and add it to the linky below. Now you've joined the challenge!

Next step: Start reading the books on your list! When you talk about the books on your blog or review them (on Goodreads, your blog, Instagram etc.), be sure to link up your posts below so that we can all check out what everyone is reading. (I know that I hope to find some good book recommendations from you all!)

Use hashtag #ALiteraryChristmas


A Literary Christmas officially begins on November 1st and ends on December 31st. (You may begin reading your Christmas books whenever it suits you though.) *wink*

BE HERE ON NOVEMBER 2nd (yes, TOMORROW!)
I have a bookish surprise in store for you all! *cough*
GiVeAwAaAaAaAaY tImE!

>>> Enter here! <<<

Stay tuned!

Once the book reviews and posts start rolling in (like presents under the Christmas tree), I think we can all gather some fresh holiday titles from each other. In the meantime, if you're looking for what books you should be reading this holiday season, check out some of the Christmas books I've shared about in the past, or visit online lists such as:

Favorite Christmas Books

Christian Christmas Books

Christmas/Holiday Christian Fiction

Link to your sign-up posts & reviews!

* If the linky isn't showing up for you, try refreshing your page. Or just leave your post links in the comments section, and I can add your post to the linky for you, if needed.

Book Review: New Horizons

New Horizons
Mandie: Her College Days #1

written by Lois Gladys Leppard

222 pages // published in 2006 // Christian YA

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Newly arrived at the Charleston Ladies' College, Mandie and Celia are faced with challenges. Despite Mandie's best efforts to make new friends, her classmates will have nothing to do with her. To make matters worse, April Snow - her rival - has also enrolled in the college. Could she be influencing the others to give the girls the cold shoulder?

Mandie Shaw and her best friend Celia Hamilton have finally made it to college -- Charleston Ladies' College, to be exact.

My thoughts?
Awww... I'm sad that the Mandie series really is over. It is a series that I loved during my childhood. And here's Mandie all grown-up, going to college now. And again, that series is over too (before it could even really get going). Yes, there's only to be 1 book in the Mandie: Her College Days series.

This book is quite different than the previous series. I could tell from the start that New Horizons stepped up the game in terms of writing style (yes!), the not quite so stilted dialogue, and some in the (slightly) maturing characters. Snowball doesn't get to make as much of an appearance in this volume (which means he can't escape from Mandie so easily, if she doesn't have him with her, now can he? ha ha ha!). But all our favorite characters appear somewhere in the storyline.

To be honest though, the plot is pretty loose. The mystery itself doesn't stand out greatly as a big mystery... but it was all a fun throwback to the original Mandie series. It has some good elements in the plot, and I'm just thrilled that the author was able to fit in one final chapter of Mandie's life for us committed fans.

(It still left me with unanswered questions though. And if you're a fan like me, you'll know WHICH unanswered question irritates me the most that I'll just never know... But I can hope. And so can you.)

A clean read. Suitable for tweens and up.

paperback // e-book

P.S. Like and vote for this review on Goodreads and Amazon.

Get ready! A Literary Christmas is approaching!

It's that time of the year. (Well, soonish.)

A Literary Christmas is returning this year... on November 1st!

Get your holiday book-reading lists ready, folks.

Soon we're going to be all cozy with our festive reads...

Book Review: Siddhartha

Siddhartha

written by Hermann Hesse

152 pages // published in 1922 // philosophic classics

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Herman Hesse's classic novel has delighted, inspired, and influenced generations of readers, writers, and thinkers. In this story of a wealthy Indian Brahmin who casts off a life of privilege to seek spiritual fulfillment. Hesse synthesizes disparate philosophies--Eastern religions, Jungian archetypes, Western individualism--into a unique vision of life as expressed through one man's search for true meaning.

“What could I say to you that would be of value, except that perhaps you seek too much, that as a result of your seeking you cannot find.”

It's considered a classic, so I read it... but to start my review off, I'll say that it's not exactly a favorite or anything like that.

Siddhartha is a tale about finding spiritual enlightenment, and it's a journey about finding your true inner self. The book might make you think about yourself, or make your question what you're seeking in your life. It is, like most classics, a book to make your think good and hard about your life choices, and perhaps helps you to see other people's lives through a new perspective.

The story feel like a parable, as if it has many layers of meanings. It is told to the reader simply. It's not wordy, but is filled with words of wisdom. I'm sure that everyone can find at least one good line in there to really sink your teeth into and apply to your life. Me? I probably ended up finding at least a dozen quotes that speak to my heart in some way. One thing this book does not lack is knowledge of the human race.

Overall, I found Siddhartha to be fairly interesting (hey, I finished it to the last page), but still not my cup of tea. Sometimes though, we need a good read about an important quest. Specifically a quest to sometimes find... ourselves. Because if one doesn't even know one's own self, then who are we, really?

Note to discerning readers: There is some mature content, more so than what I personally want in a book -- but at least it isn't too frequent or an overload.

“Searching means having a goal, but finding means being free, being open, having no goal ... because in striving for your goal there are many things you do not see, which are directly in front of your eyes.”

Buy the book!

paperback // e-book // audio

This is book #10 for me in the Back to the Classics 2018 challenge.
[CATEGORY: Classic With a Single-Word Title]




P.S. Like and vote for this review on Goodreads and Amazon.