Book Review: Dreams of Falling By Karen White

DREAMS OF FALLING

By: Karen White

Published: June 5, 2018

Publisher: Berkley

Historical Fiction/Southern Fiction




Three young women growing up in South Carolina in the 1950's become the best of friends. Margaret has everything she will ever want or need and lives on a family plantation. Ceecee is a preacher's daughter and had a strict upbringing. Bitty is the rebel of the three. After graduation, they lie to their parents and take off for a girl's weekend in Myrtle Beach where everything about their future and their friendships changes forever. But, that's only part of the story. White weaves her story of secrets, friendships, and loyalty by taking us back to the 1950's and bringing the reader up to date in the present. Larkin, the granddaughter of Margaret, has been forced to return home from NYC. Her mother, Ivy, has had an accident. Larkin hasn't been home for nine years and had no plans of returning. What made her run away is one of the many secrets for the reader to draw out of the pages.

I have read White's books in the past and while I really loved this one, I have to admit that I kept getting confused with the characters and their connections. It nearly took me half of the book to be able to keep everyone straight. I think part of it is that Ceecee, Ivy, and Larkin are not related, but Ceecee raised both of them. So, keeping the family lines straight and how everyone was connected took a bit of concentration. Then when a new character is introduced you have to rethink everyone's relationship again.

The book is told from three character's perspectives, Ceecee (both present day and in 1951), Ivy (in her comatose state), and Larkin. Larkin has been kept in the dark most of her life but is that because she wasn't told things or had never asked? The reader learns early on that there was a fire and while Margaret died in that fire, Ceecee and two-year-old Ivy were saved. The novel leads up to this day and reveals secrets kept between friends that maybe didn't need to be kept a secret at all. It isn't so much a mystery as the reader can kind of assume what the story is leading up to. But, White's writing will keep the reader interested anyway. Her style is warm and comforting and you easily want to be surrounded by the lure of the marsh, the purple martins, the home-cooked casseroles, and Gabriel's ice cream shop. The friendship created by the three women is stronger than most families and between the drama, a little romance, and the promises held between friends, you will want to keep reading.

The book easily flows between the present and the past and that to me was the best part of the story. Reliving the early days of Margaret, Ceecee, and Bitty's friendship and the pivotal week at Myrtle Beach was a fun trip back in time. If you can get through the beginning and the task of keeping the characters straight, you will find yourself transported to a Southern plantation and the dreams of love and happiness between friends.

Favorite Quote:

A thick crackling sound came from inside her chest, 

like that of stepping on a frozen puddle

in the middle of winter and shattering its surface. 

She felt suspended in time, somehow, 

as if this all weren't happening, 

or had already happened to someone else. 

Karen White - source

Karen White is the New York Times bestselling author of more than twenty previous books. She grew up in London but now lives with her husband and two children near Atlanta, Georgia.  For more on White, check out her website, HERE. You can also find her frequently posting updates on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

To purchase a copy of DREAMS OF FALLING, click the photo below:



Other books by Karen White that I've reviewed:

Grand Central: Original Stories of Postwar Love and Reunion

The Forgotten Room



Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase this book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. 

Books that Came in April 2018

Boy, you can tell I have a lot going on, I only read 6 books in the last month and four of them were children's books. I also had one audio that I was listening to, but it expired before I could finish it, so I'm currently back on the waitlist. April was full of more winter days than spring-like days. Many of our track meets were canceled and the ones we could have were pretty chilly. I'm now in full-on graduation mode and spending a lot of time getting things ready. We are at the point of all the "lasts". Last band concert. Last choir concert. Patrick turned 18 last month and I just can't even believe I have been a mom for 18 years.

I did take a few days for my annual trip to Minneapolis with my mom, her sister, and daughter. We have been taking this trip for nine years and it is just such a wonderful time. The mother/daughter/sister/cousin time is priceless and full of laughter....and ice cream.

This array of pansies was a welcome sight during our trip as it has seemed that Winter was never going to end. But, we had lovely weather and I think that Spring has finally arrived.

We ended the trip by seeing "Jersey Boys" at the Orpheum Theatre. Oh. My. Gosh. That was an amazing show! It's the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Season and our moms loved reliving their younger years through those songs.

The month of May will fly by in a blink of an eye as we move through the end of the school year and graduation. I can't stop that train, so I'm going to enjoy the ride and soak in all the scenery.

Make sure you check out all the wonderful books that were added to my shelves in May.

Currently Reading: LET ME LIE
Currently Listening: POPULATION 485
Still Reading:  THE GIFT OF AN ORDINARY DAY, GRACE NOT PERFECTION
Up Next: I'm just going to focus on these for now with the limited free time that I have to read.

If you would like to purchase any of the books in this post, clicking the photo or title of the book will take you directly to the product on Amazon. If you choose to purchase the book I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. 

HEART LAND
By: Kimberly Stuart
Published: July 17, 2018
Publisher: Howard Books
Format: Paperback

Kimberly Stuart is an Iowa author and I'll be reviewing her newest book for the Cedar Rapids Gazette in July. I've previously read and reviewed her book BETTER TOGETHER.

Grace Klaren has finally made her dream of living in the Big Apple and working in the fashion industry a reality. But when she’s unexpectedly fired and can’t afford the next month’s rent, Grace does something she never thought she’d do: she moves back home.

Back in Silver Creek, Iowa, Grace is determined to hate it. She rails against the quiet of her small town, where everything closes early, where there’s no nightlife, where everyone knows each other. She’s saving her pennies and plotting her return to New York when she almost runs over a man who’s not paying attention at a crosswalk. It turns out to be Tucker, her high school sweetheart whose heart she broke when she left ten years ago. They reconnect, and Grace remembers why she fell for him in the first place.

And her career begins to turn around when she finds a gorgeous but tattered vintage dress at a flea market. She buys it, rips it apart seam by seam, and re-creates it with new fabric, updating the look with some of her own design ideas. She snaps a picture and lists the dress online, and within a day, it sells for nearly $200. Suddenly, Grace has her ticket out of here.

But Grace can’t fight her growing feelings for Tucker. Sometimes when they’re together, Tucker paints a picture of what their future could be like, and it feels so real. And when she finally gains the funding to move her new business back to New York, Grace must decide where home really is—will she chase her long-held New York dream, or find a new dream here in the heartland? 






THE BATTLE OF JUNK MOUNTAIN
By: Lauren Abbey Greenberg
Published: April 17, 2018
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Format: Hardcover

I love finding great middle-grade novels to recommend to my daughter's friends and my fellow teacher friends for their classroom. This one sounds perfect for summer reading.

Twelve-year-old Shayne Whittaker has always spent summers on the Maine coast, visiting her grandmother Bea and playing with her BFF Poppy. Both Shayne and Bea are collectors, in their own ways: Shayne revels in golden memories of searching for sea glass and weaving friendship bracelets with Poppy, while Bea scours flea markets for valuable finds, much of which she adds to a growing pile in her house that Shayne jokingly calls Junk Mountain. 

This summer, though, everything has changed. Poppy would rather talk about boys than bracelets, and Bea's collecting mania has morphed into hoarding. Only Linc, the weird Civil War-obsessed kid next door, pays attention to her. Turns out Linc's collected a secret of his own, one that could enrage the meanest lobsterman on the planet, his grandpa. What begins as the worst summer of Shayne's life becomes the most meaningful, as she wages an all-out battle to save her friendships, rescue her grandmother, and protect the memories she loves the most.






GIRL IN PIECES
By: Kathleen Glasgow
Published: August 30, 2016 - April 10, 2018, Paperback
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Format: Paperback

This was the Target Book of the Month pick. I didn't realize it was written for teens until I saw it in the teen section at Barnes and Noble. It is a 2019 nominee for the Lincoln Award which is voted on by participating Illinois High School students.  So, I'm guessing it'll be a great read! GIRL IN PIECES is also a debut novel for Glasgow, which I love.

Charlotte Davis is in pieces. At seventeen she’s already lost more than most people lose in a lifetime. But she’s learned how to forget. The broken glass washes away the sorrow until there is nothing but calm. You don’t have to think about your father and the river. Your best friend, who is gone forever. Or your mother, who has nothing left to give you.

Every new scar hardens Charlie’s heart just a little more, yet it still hurts so much. It hurts enough to not care anymore, which is sometimes what has to happen before you can find your way back from the edge.






HOUSE OF ROUGEAUX
By: Jenny Jaeckel
Published: April 24, 2018
Publisher: Raincloud Press
Format: Paperback

Another debut novel and one I'm definitely intrigued to read.

For Abeje and her brother Adunbi, home is the slave quarters of a Caribbean sugar plantation on the Antilles Island of Martinique. Under the watchful eye of their African mother, the children thrive despite what threatens to break them. After a night of brutality changes their lives forever, it is their strength and extraordinary bond that carries them through. 

At the dawn of emancipation, Adunbi’s daughter Hetty finds her way to Quebec City as the maid to the slave owner’s daughters. There she discovers a talent for piano and meets a bold saddler’s apprentice named Dax Rougeaux. After buying her freedom, Dax and Hetty join a growing community of Afro-Canadians living free. 

In moving prose, author Jenny Jaeckel creates a brilliantly imagined epic, weaving a multi-layered narrative that celebrates the Rougeaux family triumphs while exposing the injustices of their trials. As each new member of the family takes the spotlight, a fresh piece of the puzzle is illuminated until at last, after a span of nearly two centuries, the end brings us back to the beginning. 

In her debut novel, award-winning author Jenny Jaeckel masterfully blends coming-of-age, folklore, and historical fiction with explorations of gender, race, and sexuality, creating a wondrous tale of hope and healing. A relevant work of love, determination, and the many small achievements that make up greatness, House of Rougeaux draws a new map of what it means to be family.






POPULATION 485
Meeting Your Neighbors One Siren at a Time
By: Michael Perry
Published: October 8, 2002
Publisher: Harper
Format: Audiobook

I remember this book coming out and being interested in it. I found the audio version in my library overdrive and downloaded it. It's a short 6 hour listen, which is perfect right now since I don't have a lot of free time. I can listen in the morning while getting ready and I will finish before my time runs out on the library loan.

Here the local vigilante is a farmer's wife armed with a pistol and a Bible, the most senior member of the volunteer fire department is a cross-eyed butcher with one kidney and two ex-wives (both of whom work at the only gas station in town), and the back roads are haunted by the ghosts of children and farmers. Michael Perry loves this place. He grew up here, and now -- after a decade away -- he has returned. Unable to polka or repair his own pickup, his farm-boy hands gone soft after years of writing, Mike figures the best way to regain his credibility is to join the volunteer fire department. Against a backdrop of fires and tangled wrecks, bar fights and smelt feeds, he tells a frequently comic tale leavened with moments of heartbreaking delicacy and searing tragedy.

COLORAMA
From Fuchsia to Midnight Blue
By: Cruschiform
Published: March 20, 2018
Publisher: Prestel Junior
Format: Hardcover

This is a children's book, targeted for elementary-aged readers, but I am loving this for me. I am a color geek and have skimmed this and can't wait to set aside time to read every page. On one side is a full page of the color with the opposite page listing the name of the color and a description of something that color. I just think it is the neatest book. I won't be able to wait to dive in and then share it with you.

What is the color white? The serenity of a snowfall? The peace of a dove? The purity of alabaster? This original and captivating exploration of color delves into the nuances of the universal palette while also explaining the history behind some of the terms used to describe certain hues. Elegantly designed it offers two-page spreads for 133 different shades. Each full-page of brilliant color faces a charming explanatory illustration and text of technical, scientific, historic, etymological, or linguistic terms. Two helpful indices present the colors in the order in which they appear in the book and also sorts them thematically in categories such as "Birds," "Cloth," "Modes of Transport," and "Formulas." The book also offers inspiration and guidance to painters and illustrators. Young lovers of art can understand why artists chose a particular shade over another. As fun to peruse as it is informative, this unique, cleverly designed book offers a wealth of surprises about the colors around us.






AN ATLAS OF IMAGINARY PLACES
By: Mia Cassany
Illustrated by: Ana de Lima
Published: May 8, 2018
Publisher: Prestel Junior
Format: Hardcover Picture Book

The gorgeous picture book combines geography and fantasy and looks like such a fabulous book.

Upside-down mountains, volcanoes that spew bubble gum, a gentle humpback whale keeping an entire city afloat. These and other wonderful worlds may not exist on Earth, but elsewhere--who knows? Each spread of this captivating book invites readers on a fantastic voyage. Ana de Lima's whimsical, softly colored illustrations are filled with surprising details that reward close examination, while Mia Cassany's soothing narrator is a nameless fellow traveler. A jungle where the animals exchange stripes, spots, and markings each time they sneeze, an archipelago made up of dessert-shaped islands and a lighthouse so tall you can draw a new galaxy with your finger are just some of the wild places to visit. Perfect for before-bed reading, or daytime dreaming, this stunningly illustrated book will delight young readers and encourage them to conjure their own imaginary places. 






MAMA'S BELLY
By: Kate Hosford
Illustrated by: Abigail Halpin
Published: April 17, 2018
Publisher: Harry N. Abrams
Format: Hardcover Picture Book

A perfect book for a child who is waiting for a new baby brother or sister to arrive.

As a curious little girl awaits the arrival of her baby sister, she asks Mama many questions: “Will she have freckles?” “Will I have to share my blanket?” She helps Mama and Dad prepare to meet her little sister, singing her songs and knitting her a new blanket. But the most important part of getting ready is taking care of Mama. When Mama can’t see her toes, she counts to make sure there’s still ten. When Mama’s tired, she draws her a picture and gives her hugs. An honest and gentle exploration of the excitement and anxiety kids feel when welcoming a new family member, Mama’s Belly is ultimately a celebration of motherly (and daughterly) love and a soothing story for older siblings that even with the spotlight on a new baby, there is always enough love for everyone.






I GOT A CHICKEN FOR MY BIRTHDAY
By: Laura Gehl
Illustrated by: Sarah Horne
Published: March 1, 2018
Publisher: Carolrhoda Books
Format: Hardcover Picture Book

After reading and reviewing Gehl's PEEP AND EGG books, I saw that this one had just come out. So I tracked down her publisher and begged for a copy of this one.  My nieces love their chickens and I bet they will love this book!

What a birthday girl wants more than anything from her Abuela are tickets to the amusement park. Instead, she gets a chicken. But this chicken is no ordinary chicken; it has plans! With a lot of hard work and help from lots of other animals, this chicken may just end up building the girl the best birthday gift ever!






SNAIL MAIL
By: Samantha Berger
Illustrated by: Julia Patton
Published: May 1, 2018
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Format: Hardcover Picture Book

I love writing letters and supporting our US Postal Service. My mom retired as a rural carrier after 25+  years and my dad worked as a postmaster after he retired from his newspaper job. This book looks like a great way to encourage your kids to write letters.

A long, long time ago, before email and texting, the mail was delivered in a much slower way-it was called Snail Mail (because some thought it was delivered by a snail). Although it took much longer, everyone agreed that letters were a little more special when they were delivered by Snail Mail. They might be handwritten. They might include a drawing. They might even contain a surprise inside! One such letter was sent by a Girl to the Boy she loved, and it was up to four special snails to deliver her card across the country. The snail's trek across the country-through desert heat and dangerous blizzards, across mountains and plains, through cities and forests-and along the way, they find that taking time to slow down and look around makes the journey all the more beautiful. 

Snail Mail's playful and educational story encourages kids to have slow living and to approach life with determination and wonder. Julia Patton's rich illustrations showcase America's diverse terrain and national monuments from coast to coast. Kids and parents alike will delight in this celebration of America's beauty and the power of a simple handwritten letter.




These next two books offer a unique way to teach kids about animals and the human body. Through 3D illustrations and unique lenses, kids can learn in a fun, interactive way. These would be great for a homeschool or classroom library and would make a great end-of-year teacher gift. 




ANIMALS
A Lens Book
By: Valentina Facci
Translated by: Sally-Ann Delvino
Illustrated by: Alberto Borgo
Published: May 1, 2018
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Format: Hardcover

Do you know what the difference is between vertebrates and invertebrates? How are mammals different from other types of animals? How does a fish swim? How do birds fly? Why does a jaguar have spots? Answers to these fascinating questions and more lay inside Animals: A Lens Book, a fun and fascinating illustrated book that promises to provide hours of fun and learning for kids. Use the three different color lenses in the book's cover to make discoveries about all different types of animals on each page. You'll never look at the animal world the same way again after learning all these curious facts about our furry (and not-so-furry) friends. 




THE HUMAN BODY
A Lens Book
By: Valentina Bonaguro
Translated by: Denise Muir
Illustrated by: Matteo Gaule
Published: May 1, 2018
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Format: Hardcover

How do bones and muscles work? What part of our brain helps us to see and hear? How does blood get from our heart to our other organs? Answers to these fascinating questions and more lay inside The Human Body: A Lens Book, an inspiring and creative illustrated book that promises to provide hours of fun and learning for kids. Use the three different color lenses in the book's cover to make discoveries about all the systems of the body, including organs, the skeleton, the muscles, and more. You'll never look at your body the same way again after learning all these curious facts about what makes us human.

I'm linking up with THE DELIBERATE READER for her monthly feature NEW ON THE STACK. To see other bloggers' new books from April, click HERE.

As always, be sure to let me know if you read any of these. 

Quick Lit: Mini Reviews of Some Recent Reads - March Edition

I'm trying to read more books that I choose for my own reading enjoyment. Not for review, but because I've been wanting to read them or they caught my attention. Most of them have been talked about ad nauseam or have been on my to-read list for a long time so they don't really need a full review. But, I'd still like to give them some space here on the blog.

I'll be linking up with Modern Mrs. Darcy and her monthly Quick Lit link up. Be sure to head over to see others link up their Quick Lit posts. 

Our family headed out for a somewhat spontaneous Spring Break trip. I took lots of books with me and you'll have to check in later to see which ones I actually finished. I always have high expectations for reading and don't usually read everything I take, but I'm hoping I make a dent in this pile. 

Here are a few of the books I read or listened to in the last month.....

MAKE YOUR BED

Little Things that Can Change Your Life...and Maybe the World

By: Admiral William H. McRaven (US Navy Retired)

Published: April 4, 2017

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Format: Audiobook

This inspiring bestseller should be required reading for every high school or college graduate. After giving the commencement speech at the University of Texas in 2014, he was approached to make it into a book. It's a short, quick read or listen at just over an hour. But, it is extremely impactful and inspiring. 

Admiral McRaven offers stories from his multiple years in the military that can apply to everyone. He starts with the simple task of making your bed every day. This simple task helps you start the day with an accomplishment and sets the tone for the rest of your day. Some of the other inspiring mantras include Swim with the Sharks and Don't Ever Ring the Bell. Even though the stories are all military focused, you can still find ways to connect them to "civilian" life. His approach is straight-forward and direct. If you find yourself in a difficult situation, you can easily think back to a lesson that applies and face it with strength and integrity. 

TELL ME MORE

Stories about the 12 Hardest Things I'm Learning to Say

By: Kelly Corrigan

Published: January 9, 2018

Publisher: Random House

Format: Audiobook 

I listened to this one on audio because I really enjoyed listening to THE MIDDLE PLACE on audio. The author narrates this one and her emotions are just on the edge of falling over the cliff, but she holds on. Unfortunately, she shares her deep grief after losing her father and her best friend. But she also shares the life lessons she has learned over the years through her own cancer experience, the death of the two important people in her life, being married for nearly 20 years and raising two daughters. This is a short book, but it packs a punch. It's full of Aha! moments and sadness and hope. I had to stop listening to it a few times because I can't put on makeup and cry at the same time, but it's one I would listen to again.

THE ONE MAN

A Novel

By: Andrew Gross

Published: August 23, 2016

Publisher: Minotaur Books

Format: eBook

My niece recommended this to me knowing I love novels set during WWII. Even though this one has been loosely based on actual people and events from WWII, it is a fictional story. But, let me tell you, it is intense. I think it is the most intense story I have read set during WWII. The premise is that there is one man that can help the US in the war efforts. This man is one of two who knows how to build an atomic bomb. The other man with the knowledge is working for the Germans. So the US feels it is imperative to find this one man and get him to the US. Through intelligence and information from the inside, he is found in Auschwitz. Now the US has to figure out how to get him out and there is only one man who they believe can do that. 

I liked how the title of this book gives two different meanings...the one man who is needed to bring back to the US with the knowledge of bomb building and the other is the one man who the government believes can get him out. Of course, all the horrors of WWII and concentration camps fill the pages and the buildup to the main climax of the book was quite intense. You can't imagine how these two men will actually find each other in a camp of tens of thousands of men and then get out in the specified time. You can't imagine it, but know, the ride will not be what you expected. 

 I admit, the scientific formulas and talk about bomb-making was like reading another language, so I skimmed those parts of the book. But, that information isn't needed to understand the story or the great importance of the mission. It is a thrilling read and one I'm glad I read. But, I think I'll need to find something much lighter for my next book choice. 

"It was for this reason that man was first created as one person, 

to teach you that anyone who destroys a life is considered by Scripture 

to have destroyed an entire world; and any who saves a life

 is as if he saved an entire world."

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on the links above it will take you to that product's page on Amazon. If you choose to purchase I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase. 

Book Review: As Bright As Heaven By Susan Meissner

AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN

By: Susan Meissner

Published: February 6, 2018

Publisher: Berkley Books

Fiction/Historical Fiction




As a fan of Susan Meissner, I had no doubt that her tale of WWI and the crippling Spanish Flu would be a page-turning tale. I was not disappointed. Even though this tale of a family in Philadephia suffers greatly and tragic events fill the pages, I was still drawn to this story. Each chapter is told from a different character's perspective which gives the reader a broad view of how one small decision can change the trajectory of a family forever.

It's January 1918 and the Bright family has just buried their sweet infant, Henry, after an incurable heart condition. Pauline and her husband decide to join her husband's uncle in the funeral home business. This fairly new idea of funeral parlors and embalming is unheard of in their rural area, but Pauline is no longer afraid of death and has this desire to be closer to it. What she doesn't know is how surrounded by death she and her family will be.

Pauline and her three daughters tell their family's story. Evelyn, the bright teenager who is thrilled by the huge library in Philadephia. Maggie, the slightly younger caretaker of her siblings isn't afraid of what is behind the doors in the embalming room. Willa, the youngest, isn't happy with all the rules in this new house and doesn't understand why her family had to leave the countryside, her grandparents and live in a funeral home. As the family begins to adjust to living with Uncle Fred, to the dead bodies in the other side of the house, and the hustle and bustle of the city, their father decides to go help during the war efforts. Pauline is left behind to run the funeral home with Uncle Fred. There is word of a devastating flu moving swiftly through the city, but no one realizes the tragedies that lie ahead for them as bodies start to pile up outside their door.

You would think a story of war and a flu that took 12,000 lives in one city would be too full of sadness to read. Just when you think this family can't bear any more sadness, another layer is added, yet you keep reading because you have to believe there is hope for each of them. You have to believe that in the depths of a horrific disease, something will soon change. It does when Maggie finds a baby and saves him from certain death. This baby is the light in their dark tunnel. As Philadelphia emerges from disease, so too the Bright family must emerge from their own personal tragedies. Their story and resilience will amaze you and remind you that there can be happiness in even the worst of times.

Miessner expertly takes readers into the minds of her characters whether they are an eight-year-old girl full of fear and anger or a mother who can't shake the shadow of death following her every day since she buried her baby. The story moves swiftly because we are eager to hear the next character's voice. We wonder how Maggie is adjusting to her neighborhood crush leaving for the war or how Pauline is grappling with caring for her daughters and running an overflowing funeral home while trying to keep the disease away from her family.

I was fairly unaware of the devastation the Spanish Flu had in our country let alone the city of Philadephia. Meissner paints a vivid portrait of the awful events that took place and how it didn't discriminate...hitting the slums and the richest families equally. The fear seeps off the pages and the grief grabs you by the throat making it hard to believe any family could suffer this much. Fans of historical fiction and family stories will find Meissner's tale one they will want to talk about with others.

Favorite Quotes:

"You think you have a view of what's waiting for you just up the road, 

but then something happens,

 and you find out pretty quick you were looking at the wrong road."

"I think that grief is such a strange guest, 

making its home in a person 

like it's a new thing that no one has ever experienced before."

My review of A FALL OF MARIGOLDS by Susan Meissner
My review of A BRIDGE ACROSS THE OCEAN by Susan Meissner

Susan Meissner - source

Susan Meissner was born in San Diego, California, the second of three. She spent her childhood in just two houses. Her first writings are a laughable collection of oddly worded poems and predictable stories she wrote when she was eight.

She attended Point Loma College in San Diego and married her husband, Bob, who is now an associate pastor and a chaplain in the Air Force Reserves, in 1980. When she is not working on a new novel, she is directing the small group ministries at The Church at Rancho Bernardo. She also enjoys teaching workshops on writing and dream-following, spending time with my family, music, reading great books, and traveling. For more on Meissner, visit her website, HERE. 

To purchase a copy of AS BRIGHT AS HEAVEN, click the photo below:







Thanks to the publisher for sending a copy of this book for the purpose of this review. This review is my honest opinion. If you choose to purchase this book through the above link, I may receive a small commission without you having to pay a cent more for your purchase.