Monday, September 29, 2014

I wish I could visit Higher Grounds Cafe!


Miracle at the Higher Grounds Cafe by Max Lucado What if you could ask God anything? What would you ask? And how would he answer?

Chelsea Chambers is on her own. After a public split from her NFL superstar husband, Chelsea takes a bold step out of the limelight and behind the counter of the Higher Grounds Cafe, an old-fashioned coffee shop in dire need of reinvention. But when her courage, expert planning, and out-of-this-world cupcakes fail to pay the bills, this newly single mom finds herself desperate for help. Better yet, a miracle.

When a catastrophe strikes and her ex comes calling, Chelsea begins to wonder if the whole universe is conspiring against her quest to make it on her own. After a shocking discovery opens her eyes to the unseen world around her, Chelsea finds the courage to ask, and heaven answers in a most unexpected way."

 To put it simply, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a wonderful reminder of how powerful God is and He truly can do anything. The story was cute, without being too predictable. This book made me want to go to a coffee shop and had me wishing Higher Grounds Cafe truly existed. I would recommend this to anyone looking for an uplifting, quick read.

* I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Driftwood Tides


Driftwood Tides"He made himself an island until something unexpected washed ashore.When Holton lost his wife, Adele, in a freak accident, he shut himself off from the world, living a life of seclusion, making drifwood sculptures and drowning his pain in gin. Until twenty-three-year-old Libby knocks on his door, asking for a job and claiming to be a friend of his late wife. When he discovers Libby is actually his late wife's illegitimate daughter, given up for adoption without his knowledge, his life is turned upside down as he struggles to accept that the wife he'd given saint status to was not the woman he thought he knew.Together Holton and Libby form an unlikely bond as the two struggle to learn the identity of Libby's father and the truth about Adele, themselves, and each other."

This book was okay, but just didn't go beyond that.  While I appreciated the story of forgiveness and redemption, it just fell flat for me.   I loved that he was an artist of driftwood pieces, but beyond that I probably would not recommend.  It felt too predictable and nothing was really unique to the story.  Something was just off.  I was hoping for more.

*  I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*