My 19 Must Reads

Today I turn 19!!! Today is also Big Ben's (the clock in England) Birthday who turns 154 this year. Go you, Ben!

In order to celebrate this age transition year where I'm not considered a teen, but still not in my twenties I have decided to list 19 books that are a must read (in my own personal opinion).

Disclaimer: the order of books is not in any particular order.

TAYLOR'S 19 MUST READS LIST: 

1. East of Eden by John Steinbeck -- senior year of high school read and loved, loved, loved it
       rating: 4.5 out of 5 bookshelves

2. The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak -- this book literally changed by life during the 12 hour car ride from my house to my grandmothers, nothing is harder to explain to your family that you are "NOT CRYING, STOP LOOKING AT ME"
        rating: 5 out of 5 tears (you will cry)

3. The Fault in our Stars by John Green (seriously anything by John Green)
        rating: 10 out of 5 tears (YOU WILL CRY) 

4. The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern -- mysterious, sexy, great, and full of twists and turns
       rating: 4.4 out of 5 bookshelves

5. Between shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys -- unique read full of Latvian history during Stalin's reign 
        rating: 5 out of 5 bookshelves

6. Along for the Ride by Sarah Dessen -- this was the first book I read by Sarah and the rest is history
        rating: 4.2 out of 5 bookshelves

7. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen -- best summer read before junior year & best essay I ever wrote                                                                                                                                      rating: 4 out of 5 bookshelves

8. Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles) by Marissa Meyer -- Cinderella is a cyborg? heck yes!
        rating: 5 out of 5 bookshelves

9. Looking for Alaska by John Green -- seriously anything by John Green is golden
        rating: 5 out of 5 tears

10. Short-straw Bride by Karen Witemeyer -- just overall enjoyable!
        rating 4.9 out of 5 bookshelves

11. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee -- best required reading assignment from sophomore English 
        rating: 4.5 out of 5 bookshelves

12. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott -- first big read that started it all
        rating: 4.3 out of 5 bookshelves

13. Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly -- words can not describe how great this book is
       rating: 5 out of 5 bookshelves

14. Five Flavors of Dumb by Antony John -- deaf girl becomes manager of rock band, sign me up!
        rating: 5 out of 5 bookshelves

15. Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park -- first read by independent author so amazing
        rating: 5 out 5 bookshelves (with a hint of tears)

16. If I Stay by Gayle Forman -- so spectacular
       rating: 5 out of 5 tears

17. Just Between You and Me by Jenny B. Jones -- love this author, love this book
       rating: 4.3 out of 5 bookshelves

18. Blood Red Road by Moira Young -- hunger games meets all girl biker gangs and bald heads
      rating: 4.6 out of 5 bookshelves

19. The Bible -- maybe I'm a little bias but I love God so of course his Book is gonna be on this list
      rating: trumps all :)


That was a lot harder then it should have been. Hope everyone is having a great May 31 wherever you are! Hope your summer days are full of Popsicle sticks and smell of suntan lotion.

For His Kingdom,
Taylor Reid 

My Cup of Tea Thursdays

I remember once upon a time ago I got a little over excited and decided to do all these great things with this blog. Well Honors courses happened and I was literally stuck reading 15th century text that took time away from my ideas. So I have decided to try a few new things. This one seems more doable.  Cup of Tea Thursdays-- I like the title (also because Thursdays are full of promise of the weekend to come) and because of this quote:

“You can never get a cup of tea large enough or a book long enough to suit me.” ― C.S. Lewis

The whole idea of this concept will be to review books that I just can't get enough of. You know those books you can't stop thinking of, dreaming of, speaking of? Yeah, those books! 

There are so many in my head to write about that I don't even know where to start first! Oh, the tragedy!

Yet, today I have chosen to share a book that always seems to find a way to be in my hands and read. 

 

One of those books happens to be:
Screen Play by Chris Coppernoll

This book is written by a man but is written in the first person of a woman.Very interesting. Not a let down.

The book is a fast read in itself. It only took me about a day, but that also had an impact on my homework. Now that it's summer no worries, read your heart out!

This book is set in present day New York City where Harper a 30 year old actress finally hits it big after years of struggling to make a name for herself. What I loved the most about this book was how modest and dedicated Harper was to her passion but also to God. So inspiring. There is also comedy when Harper finally decides to take a swing at internet dating, something she never thought she would have done.

This book gets a 4 out of 5 bookshelves.

As always I hope everyone is having a terrific summer so far! I saw the Great Gasby finally and it was fantastic. I loved it.

Happy summer reading!

For His Kingdom,
Taylor Reid

Book Review #8: A Most Peculiar Circumstance (Ladies of Distinction #2) by Jen Turano

This book is very dear to me because this is the first book I ever received as an advanced copy from Bethany House Publishing. I could not stop grinning from ear to ear when I ripped open my package from the mail and saw: 

"ADVANCED READING COPY"

For an avid - penny pinching - reader such as myself I have dreamed of a day like this, and God saw it fit for it to finally happen! How great is that? 

A Most Peculiar Circumstance (Ladies of Distinction #2)  by Jen Turano 

As seen above this is the second book of Jen Turano's series. I have yet to read the first one, but I took a gander and nothing seemed hard for me to follow with characters that were present in the first book. That is always a great thing! But now I want to go read the first one and see what I missed between those two main characters! 

This book takes place during the women suffrage movement in America. I couldn't stop myself from thinking of the mother from the movie Mary Poppins! We're first introduced to the heroine of the story, Miss Arabella Beckett, who has found herself in jail. She has only one passion which is to help the downtrodden women of America. She attends rallies and lectures across the country, so little did she think that when she offered some assistance to a young woman would things go sadly awry.

Being that she is the independent sort, Arabella is loath to admit she needs help and certainly doesn't need help from an arrogant, narrow-minded knight in shining armor - Mr. Theodore Wilder.

Also known as Theo, Mr. Wilder is on a mission and that mission has sent him on a merry chase. Arabella's brother - Hamilton - sent Mr.Wilder to track down his sister before his wedding so she could attend. This is when the sparks fly people~ Little do both Arabella and Theo want to acknowledge it! 

Both finally return to their home in New York, and there are circumstances that force their paths to continue to cross. Yet, the most peculiar feelings growing between them certainly can't be love! Love? Never. 

Of course it will take some trouble that Arabella accidentally gets tied into that followed her to New York and threatens her life, and this unlikely couple must face the possibility that they might  have landed in the most peculiar circumstance of all: love. 

I loved the witty conversations that corresponded between Arabella and Theo. Also how they both grew in their personalities and faith.

This book easily gets a 4 out of 5 bookshelves from me. 

It's raining where I am and that's not summer weather, but it's perfect reading weather!

For His Kingdom, 
Taylor Reid

Book Review #7: Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade

Another author first for me! And again another great book to add to a summer beach read list! Here goes the review~

Undeniably Yours by Becky Wade 

Well, this book was great. I am super impressed with all of the material I have been reading lately by some really awesome authors, and Becky Wade has shown through her newest novel that she is definitely included in that statement! 

The story starts with a young woman named Meg Cole whose father died unexpectedly, thus, making her a major shareholder of his oil company and sole inheritor of his fortune.

What I loved about Meg was how relate-able she was. Even though I personally can't relate to all of the blessings she grew up in concerning her wealth, she really was like any other girl. She's soft-spoken, tenderhearted and interested in art!

Meg has to move back to Texas and to Whispering Creek Ranch to take up the reins of her father's empire. This situation I feel makes Meg approachable for the reader because she knows that she doesn't have it all together, even if she would love to think she did. She stresses out like any other over-worked woman and because of this it adds another appealing characteristic that personally made me love Meg.

She also inherited her father's thoroughbred racehorse farm. She gives its manager, Bo Porter, six months to close the place down. Bo Porter (being the determined man that he is) decides that he will resent the woman who has decided to rob him of his dream. But we all know when it comes to ways of the heart that mindset will soon soften. Instead of anger, Meg evokes within him a profound desire to protect, and the more time he spends with her the more he longs to be with her. It's not a walk in the park for these two concerning their relationship. Many obstacles stand in their way of unity- her wealth, his unworthiness, her family's outrage, but all these hurdles just make Bo more motivated to earn the right to love Meg.

Who doesn't love a guy like that? I for one was team Bo! Go Bo! Bo is my Hero~ [like my chant?]

Yet, just when Meg begins to realize that Bo might be the one thing on the ranch worth keeping, their fragile bond is viciously broken by a force from Meg's past! Which by the way, I did not see coming! So I will not be a spoiler and tell you what it is, but must recommend you read and find out!!

All of this becomes the biggest test for Meg and Bo! Can their love- and their belief that God can work through every circumstance-survive?

Another great point about this book I would love to add is this book actually helped me get over some personal issues (which is weird to think). Still, through reading of how Meg worked through her own issues on forgiveness of others and her overflowing hospitality for other people gave me another perspective. All of which was similar to things that I struggle with, and it was just a great reminder how to just think over and consider.

Sadly, every book has a last page, and after every great book I am always sad to say goodbye. All the characters that I come to love and feel I know personally makes me wish the pages were endless. I can excitedly say I found out this the first book of the Porter family series! Woohoo! That means probably snippets of characters that I attached to and new stories of that will make me attached to others characters that I will read about in the near future.

This is a major recommend for summer! It's perfect! Add it to your book bag~

How about you readers? Have any books in consideration for reading this summer? I love to hear about other books! Leave a comment I got all summer to read and I'm always looking for new material!

[Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."]

Amazon link to the book~!

Hope everyone is having a fantastic start to their summer!
For His Kingdom,
Taylor Adams 

Book Review #6: Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

Oh, oh, oh finally someone has been reading my mind! A contemporary Christian romance that involves a prince! Rachel Hauck have you been hacking into my dreams?

This is a book that I found at Barnes&Nobles and I could not leave the store without it in my hands. 

So I bought it. 

During dead week. I stayed up until 4am reading it. During dead week. (FYI: Dead weak is the weak before finals.) But ooooohhhh was it a great distraction~

Once Upon a Prince by Rachel Hauck

This is the first of her new series: The Royal Wedding Series (the waiting time for the next one is killing me already!).

I read a few reviews that people compared it to The Princess Diaries, and I can  see some similarities, but to be honest I didn't mind it. The characters were still different and the main girl isn't a princess so there wasn't any training to be a princess. The similarities are small and I probably wouldn't have even thought about it if I hadn't read any reviews previously. But that's my own opinion!

So Rachel created a fabulous read for her old and new readers alike! The story starts with Susanna Truitt and at 29 she has never once dreamed of a great romance or being treated like a princess. All she wants is to marry the many she has loved for twelve years. Well life isn't going according to the plan Susanna wanted. He high-school-sweetheart-turned-Marine-officer breaks up instead of proposing.

For some reason it was really hard for me to like her ex-boyfriend at all mainly because I felt so sorry for Susanna to have invested so much of her life into something that she wasn't even that committed too. At the time Susanna had forgiven him for the way he handled the situation she also came to terms with everything handled the way it was suppose to. I actually felt like I was growing and learning with Susanna as she ventured through the new territory of telling people she forgave them and I think that's a great lesson for everyone. I liked that added touch Hauck gave her.

The best part of this book is Prince Nathaniel. Call me bias but I am a hopeless romantic so when an European Prince comes to America all handsome and helpful a girl can't help be swoon. [DISCLAIMER: This prince is sadly not real, that we know of now at least.]

So Nathaniel travels to St. Simmons Island on his American holiday and from there is smitten with Susanna. If you ask me seems like she traded up! I had to laugh about that, and in a weird way it made me forgive her ex-boyfriend easier because Susanna was basically been wooed by a Prince. Score!

Yet, even though it all seems like love dovey time with sugar cookies and daisies sprinkled in the air there are some hurdles Nathaniel and Susanna have to jump though. One is admitting their feelings! Guh, I hate knowing their feelings and they won't say anything! I mean I want to jump in the book and just set them aside and tell them, but that would be crazy.

Both are live lives in different worlds. He's a royal prince. She's an ordinary girl. Then Susanna receives an invitation to Nathaniel's coronation and all the ultimate choice is put before them.

His kingdom or her heart? God's will or their own?

I loved, loved, loved this book and I really do hope to see more of Susanna and Nathaniel. My guess for the next one will be based off of Nathaniel's brother, but only we'll have to wait until that blessed day comes and I can dive back into this wonderful story Rachel has created.

Buy this book today you will not be disappointed! It will lift your heart and make you smile from page to page. I can't wait to see how Rachel goes with the rest of the series to come!

For His Kingdom,
Taylor Reid

Book Review #5: A Nobel Groom by Jody Hedlund

I am so excited that I had time around finals to finish this new book I received!

A Noble Groom  by Jody Hedlund

I want to start off by saying I am getting more and more impressed by the book covers that are being put on Christian books these days. The models are great, and even the art! The process it takes to make a cover I know takes a while, so I like to appreciate the cover before I even begin to read. And it also helps in this case one of the  main characters. Very dashing~

Hedlund paints for her readers another splendid read! It starts with a recently widowed woman known as Annalisa Werner who has a hunch that her husband was murdered, but is unable to prove it. She is now the sole provider for her young daughter and another one on the way and on top of that in 1881 Michigan she has six months to make enough money to pay off her land loan or her home will be given back to the bank! Stressful for sure!!!

Annalisa is in a bind and having a husband, her father is convinced, will help her.

Enter in handsome nobleman, Carl von Reichert, who had just escaped narrowly his death for a crime he didn't commit. He flees to a small German community in Michigan and secures a job on Annalisa's farm even though he knows nothing when it comes to farming and hunting.






It seems like I gave so much away but the truth is I was pleasantly surprised by some of the twists and turns that were fresh to read in the sense that I haven't read one like it. There were times were my heart ached for those hurting that goes on, but I want to disclaim that this is not a depressing book.

As a matter of fact, the romance is perfect and I adored the way Carl adored the Annalisa's children. It was beautiful. The chemistry between Carl and Annalisa and her children  was just an enjoyment to read.

Overall, this book was a great read and I am more than grateful to have received a copy! If anything I do wish there was a little more closure for a few characters mainly Annalisa's siblings. I felt that some issues were brought up and never closed, but that is how family affairs happen sometimes. Issues are closed and that does bring realness to the depth of the book. But other than that I highly recommend this book for your summer reading list!

[Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."]

Amazon



For His Kingdom,
Taylor