Between The Pages | September Reads & Recommendations
September was a challenging month for me due to a flare-up of my fibromyalgia and trigeminal neuralgia. The relentless pain made it difficult to concentrate on much, let alone reading or writing. Despite the obstacles, I managed to squeeze in a few books.
Challenges and Triumphs
Navigating the day-to-day with chronic illness can be exhausting. The constant pain and fatigue often make it feel like an uphill battle. However, finding solace in books has always been a source of comfort for me. It was a welcome distraction, even if I could only read for short bursts.
September’s Reads
While my reading wasn’t as extensive as I would have liked, I did manage to finish a few books. Here’s a quick overview:
Sandwich: A Novel Kindle Edition by Catherine Newman
Sandwich by Catherine Newman is a heartwarming and humorous novel about a family’s annual summer vacation to Cape Cod. The story revolves around Rocky, the matriarch, who finds herself caught between her half-grown children and aging parents. As Rocky navigates the complexities of her family dynamics, she grapples with her own personal challenges, including the onset of menopause. Amidst the chaos of summer, a series of events sends Rocky back in time, allowing her to relive both the tenderness and sorrow of past summers. Through flashbacks and present-day moments, readers witness the evolution of Rocky’s family relationships and the secrets they’ve kept hidden. The novel explores themes of love, loss, and the importance of family bonds. With its blend of humor, nostalgia, and heartfelt emotion, Sandwich offers a poignant and relatable tale of one family’s life.
My Ratings
** Meh
** Stars: ⭐⭐
** PG 18: Cuss words and swearing implied sexualness, but not detailed.
** My Shelf Rating: Bottom.
** Re-readability factor: No, It’s not something I would typically read.
** Recommendation: Depends. But probably not. It’s popular, and I’m sure others who read this genre frequently will like it.
** General Emotions: This really isn’t my type of read. I had been hearing about it over the summer and heard it was a big deal. So I decided to give it a try. It’s too liberal for my conservative Christian values. I usually stop reading if there’s too much swearing, but I wanted to give it the benifit of the doubt.
** Engagement Level: Slow start, and it drug on for me, but I did finish it.
Greetings from Lavender Valley (Sisters of the Heart Book 1) Kindle Edition by Tammy L. Grace
Greetings from Lavender Valley by Tammy L. Grace is a heartwarming tale about a foster mother’s legacy and the enduring bonds of sisterhood. Jewel Austin, a beloved foster mother to countless children, has formed a deep connection with five foster girls she welcomed into her home long ago.
As Jewel approaches the end of her life, she writes a final letter to these women, now grown adults, with a special request. She wishes for them to reunite at Lavender Valley Farm, the place where they found solace and support. Jewel’s intuition and understanding of their needs lead her to believe they will need each other’s companionship during this difficult time.
The five women, each facing their own challenges and carrying the weight of their past experiences, must confront the obstacles that prevent them from fulfilling Jewel’s last wish. The novel explores themes of family, loss, healing, and the power of sisterhood as the women navigate their emotions and work toward honoring their foster mother’s legacy.
My Ratings
** Good Read
** Stars: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
** G- Clean
** My Shelf Rating: Middle Shelf.
** Re-readability factor: Sure
** Recommendation: Yes
** General Emotions: Hopeful, touched, Heartwarming, memorable, encouraged. It was like a warm hug on a cold day.
** Engagement Level: I was engaged from the start and finished it within a few hours.
The Cottage on Blueberry Bay: Women’s Fiction Romance (Blueberry Bay, 1) Book 1 of 4: Blueberry Bay by Ellen Joy
The Cottage on Blueberry Bay is a heartwarming tale of love, loss, and finding one’s place. Meredith, a recently divorced woman, inherits a charming beach cottage from her estranged father. Initially hesitant about the connection to her past, she reluctantly visits the quaint seaside town of Blueberry Bay.
As Meredith explores the cottage and interacts with the friendly locals, she begins to uncover hidden secrets about her family history and her own childhood. With the help of a kindhearted widower and a group of quirky neighbors, she starts to piece together the missing puzzle pieces of her past.
The warm embrace of Blueberry Bay and the unexpected connections she forms lead Meredith to question her future and the path she wants to take. She must decide whether to hold onto the bitterness of her past or embrace the newfound sense of belonging she finds in this idyllic coastal town.
My Ratings
** Good Read
** Stars: ⭐⭐⭐
** G- Clean
** My Shelf Rating: Middle Shelf
** Re-readability factor: Maybe
** Recommendation: Yes
** General Emotions: Hopeful, touched, Heartwarming, delighted,
** Engagement Level: It kept me interested, was an enjoyable read, and was well-paced.
As we wrap up this month of reading and reflection, I’m reminded of books’ power to transport, teach, and heal us. Even in the face of challenges, there’s always solace to be found in the pages of a good story.
I hope my September reads and recommendations have sparked your interest and inspired you to explore new literary adventures. Thank you for joining me on this journey.
Until next month, happy reading!
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I’m sorry to hear of the painful flare-ups. I was hoping you were ok since I had not seen much on your blog lately. Hope you will feel better soon. Books are a big help to me when I am not feeling well, too.
I have not heard of any of these. The last two sound interesting.
One of my favorite books this year so far is Hope Between the Pages by Pepper Basham. It’s set in one of my favorite places, involves a library and a bookstore, and has lots of bookish references. A good nonfiction one I recently finished was Help for the Hungry Soul: Eight Encouragements to Grow Your Appetite for God’s Word by Kristen Wetherell.
I read Sandwich this past month too; I did enjoy it a lot but I can definitely see how it would be too liberal for conservative Christian views. The other two books sound really good too.