Seeing Through Stones

Seeing Through Stones
By Rajdeep Paulus

About the book:
"I live in the in between. Between yesterday and forever. The way forward haunts me. The gap I must cover daunts me. And hope beckons, ‘Run to me,’ but I just learned to walk." After a lifetime of abuse, the Vanderbilt siblings flee their home, finally free to pursue new dreams while running from yesterday’s nightmares. Once bed-ridden Jesse navigates the Chicago streets, concealing his identity and planning revenge. A chance encounter in the rain introduces a girl who offers Jesse a glimpse of a sunnier future, but how will he weather the growing storm inside himself? Separated from her Post-it note prince, Talia hides at a safe house for survivors of domestic violence while her father turns the city upside-down to find her. Surrounded by women fighting their own demons, Talia faces her past at every turn.



My thoughts:
It's not easy to write a sequel picking up where you left off but Rajdeep Paulus pulled it off in "Seeing through Stones". She seamlessly wove the continuing story lines into another emotional and sometimes chilling story. This time told from two perspectives, Jess and Talia.

I really liked seeing more of a glimpse into Jesse and his feelings towards things. Talia continues to blossom through the book and take a few more courageous steps.

If you liked "Swimming through Clouds" you'll love "Seeing through Stones" just as much.

Talia dreaming in a blue dress inspired by Cristian siriano

The Stone Collective

The Stone Collective is a community making much of Jesus as we create art, photography, prose, poems or music that commemorate the wonderful things God does in our life. Based on the passage in 1 Samuel 7:12-14, each month we will collect Ebenezer Stones as a regularly practice in the art of worship via our creativity. Want to join in on The Stone Collective? Create your own Stone and link up to LIVE IT OUT! Blog. #TheStoneCollective


Sometimes, only music will do.
Waiting Room by Jinny Diaz

See all of The Stone Collective
Here

feel free to use #TheStoneCollective for IG,FB, Twitter, Etc.

A February Bride

A February Bride
By Betsy St Amant

About the book:
A year's worth of novellas from twelve inspirational romance authors. Happily ever after guaranteed.
Allie left the love of her life at the altar---to save him from a lifetime of heartbreak. When a Valentine's Day wedding brings them back together, she struggles against her family's destructive history. Can Allie ever realize that a marriage is so much more than a wedding dress?
History repeats itself when Allie Andrews escapes the church on her wedding day---in the same dress passed down for generations and worn by all the women in her family---women with a long history of failed marriages. Allie loves Marcus but fears she's destined to repeat her family's mistakes. She can't bear to hurt Marcus worse.
Marcus Hall never stopped loving Allie and can only think of one reason she left him at the altar---him. When the two are thrown together for his sister's Valentine's Day wedding, he discovers the truth and realizes their story might be far from over. Can Allie shuck expectation and discover who she is as a bride and in the Bride of Christ? And if she ever walks down the aisle, what dress will she wear?

My thoughts:
In a February Bride, Allie forgoes her chance at happiness because she believes her family is cursed. She leaves her fiancé at the alter and a few months later is thrown back into his circle bringing all her conflicted feelings back. Will Allie be able to move past her past heartbreak and take a chance at a lasting future?

How I imagine Allie's dress



* I received this book free for review from Zondervan Publishers through netgalley.com*

Rating: 5 carats

A January Bride

A January Bride
By Deborah Raney

About the book:
A year's worth of novellas from twelve inspirational romance authors. Happily ever after guaranteed.
What will happen when novelist Madeleine Houser's 'pen pal' friendship with a lonely widower takes an unexpected turn?
Who can work in a house that's overrun by contractors and carpenters? Not Madeleine Houser, a successful novelist who gladly accepts the help of her octogenarian friend, Ginny, to arrange for a temporary office in the charming bed and breakfast owned by Ginny's friend, Arthur. Maddie's never met the innkeeper---but a friendship grows between them as Maddie and Arthur leave messages for each other each day. To Maddie's alternate delight and chagrin, she seems to be falling for the inn's owner---a man who's likely many years her senior---and who she's never even met.
Arthur Tyler is a college professor who lost his young wife to cancer. Together they ran the bed and breakfast where Art lives, but without his wife, the house is missing warmth and cheer. He jumps at the chance to have author Madeleine Houser use the space that was once filled with guests. He, too, begins to enjoy the daily exchanges with Maddie, but a series of misunderstandings lead him to believe she's far from being a prospective date---even if he were ready to date again, which he's not.
When Maddie and Art finally meet and discover one another's identity, sparks fly. Even so, they each have obstacles to overcome in order for this winter romance to blossom.

My thoughts:

A January Bride is a quick, light read a sweet and somewhat predictable read. Maddie is an author in need of a place to write. Art is a widower who owns a Bed and Breakfast. A pretty typical romance set up. While predictable, how events came about were sometimes surprising and a little bit sweet.

Dear Mr Knightley

Dear Mr. Knightley
By Katherine Reay
About the book:
Samantha Moore survived years of darkness in the foster care system by hiding behind her favorite characters in literature, even adopting their very words. Her fictional friends give her an identity, albeit a borrowed one. But most importantly, they protect her from revealing her true self and encountering more pain.

After college, Samantha receives an extraordinary opportunity. The anonymous “Mr. Knightley” offers her a full scholarship to earn her graduate degree at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. The sole condition is that Sam write to Mr. Knightley regularly to keep him apprised of her progress.

As Sam’s true identity begins to reveal itself through her letters, her heart begins to soften to those around her—a damaged teenager and fellow inhabitant of Grace House, her classmates at Medill, and, most powerfully, successful novelist Alex Powell. But just as Sam finally begins to trust, she learns that Alex has secrets of his own—secrets that, for better or for worse, make it impossible for Sam to hide behind either her characters or her letters.

My Thoughts:

Samantha, who grew up an orphan, is a twenty something determined to make it on her own. But one too many mistakes gives her no place to go but back go the place she grew up, Grace's house. Discouraged but still determined she decides to earn back the journalism scholarship she lost. Earning her scholarship back comes with one condition, that she write letters to the unknown man providing the scholarship to her. She calls him "Mr. Knightly"

This entire book is written in letters. Initially that sounds boring but is actually unique and a bit captivating. Samantha feels like a failure on the inside and appears awkward on the outside but having the birds eye view of her that we do she is tender and likable.

Katherine Reay is a debut novelist who I can tell has many more captivating books to come.

*I received this book free for review from Thomas Nelson Publishers*

Rating: 4 carats

Playlist Fiction

Playlist Fiction, the awesome YA e-book line is releasing their books I'm paperback.

I'm so excited I painted pictures inspired by each book or series.

Status Updates series By Laura L Smith
"Its Complicated"
And
"It's Over"



Glass Girl series By Laura Anderson Kurk
"Glass Girl"
And
"Perfect Glass"




The Ellie Sweet Series By Stepahnie Morrill
"The Revised Life of Ellie Sweet"
And
"The Unlikely Debut of a Ellie Sweet"



"Swimming Through Clouds" By Rajdeep Paulus



"Between These Lines" By Jennifer Murgia




Be on the look out for more titles from Playlist in 2014

Learn to paint in 2014!

Are you called to paint and haven’t because you don’t know where to start? Gorgeous Girls is for you. You can unblock, get out of your own way, and create beautiful work that really matters. If you’ve lost your connection with your muse or if you don’t know how to get it revved up Kat can help you.
Join me her Let's Draw and Paint! Gorgeous Girls, a year-long art class aimed at novice artists who want to learn whimsical/mixed media painting with a foundation in Fine Art techniques. Gorgeous Girls starts January 1st, 2014 at the Early Bird price of $197.
Need more info the class? ( http://katcanpaint.com/gorgeous-girls-virtual-art-studio/ )
If you can shush about how you can't even draw a stick figure then you can learn how to paint a gorgeous face. And that just happens to be the first lesson of Gorgeous Girls 2014. Check it out for free! ( https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/64464092/Glam%20Faces.pdf