Review: CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SINGLES SOUL

Chicken Soup for the Cold (Photo credit: texascooking)

CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE SINGLES SOUL by Jack Canfield
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Honestly, I love the Chicken Soup For the Soul Books – Probably why I keep reading them…

Five years ago I had just gotten married, moved into a new home and was trying to enjoy the benefits I always heard about that come with being a ‘newlywed.’ Most of that ‘enjoying’ was me hanging on to a nice moment here and there, learning that all I had hoped for was far from reality. At that time I had put a Chicken Soup for the Soul book in our ‘bathroom reading materials.’ Little did I know at the time from that point I would find myself stowing away in the bathroom – reading these great short stories! What a blessing that had been to me then, to have 5 minutes of joy in a life and marriage that wasn’t what I’d always hoped and didn’t bring half the smiles this little book gave me. How grateful I was though, I honestly think that this book helped me survive, it was at least one of those sweet tender mercies from the Lord that helped me survive, others were my sweet little Jada (my niece – how I miss her!) and my amazing and simply wonderful neighbor Rhonda, who helped pick up the pieces of my broken heart. I wish I could find or at least remember which ‘Soup’ that this was… About the same week that I finished my ‘Soup’ my ex-husband also asked for a divorce.

I was given this particular “Soup” shortly after my divorce four years ago, I chuckled to myself and said well I guess there is a version for every stage! Secretly I’ve hoped that once I finished reading this one that my chapter of being ‘single again’ in my own life would also come to a close… While it hasn’t been the same week, I’m hopeful. I’m so grateful for this book, the progression through different stages of singleness and the healing and heartbreaking stories alike. I felt like I had a support group this past four years, which was absolutely needed as I found myself alone and isolated from what friends I thought I had, in a strange new place and navigating career suicide with my move. I found myself having to rebuild my life nearly from scratch, re-evaluate who I am, what I believe and what impact I currently have on the world around me and what I want to change to be the difference. I purposely slowed down at reading this book, only allowing myself to read one or two entries a week, and sometimes less. I felt that I needed the time to process others stories and my own mind and heart. I honestly think that this book helped me from truly assisted me in my will to not become bitter and vengeful, but more grateful that he let me go and had the courage to do so, allowing me to have a much better chance at happiness. From experiencing my bad marriage and my loneliness before hand to my life now and my attitude towards myself. I’m so grateful for the experience. I truly am happy with who I am, happy with how I give back to the world and make an impact, and know that frankly I was an amazing wife, and might someday again have that chance, but I love hanging out with myself and now really comfortable in my own skin. All of this is intricately entwined together as this has been a long and sometimes painful, and mostly joyful growing experience, and has been a nice little journey and chapter of my life. Thank you Jack Canfield for your guidance through this minefield. 🙂

Ps. If I decide to marry again one day, I look forward to it with joy. But in the meantime I’m loving each moment of being single!

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Review: 16 Lighthouse Road

16 Lighthouse Road by Debbie Macomber
My rating: 1 of 5 stars

I just finished my semester of college, and all my required text book reading. I was feeling like I needed and wanted something light-hearted and maybe a little bit cheesy. I admit it, I love being cheesy! I openingly fantasize about the love I someday hope to really have, so I do enjoy romances from time to time. I have to believe for myself that crazy love is real! I know I’ve experienced it – when I don’t downplay it and be honest with myself. For this I’m incredibly grateful! I also have horrible romantic experiences that I’m also grateful for because they make me appreciate the great. But often times I feel like I loose faith and hope in finding crazy real love again. That’s why I enjoy these ‘fluffy’ books. Now, I’m also a realist and completely realize that not all of life is like this, and we are one of the few lucky ones if we but just a moment or two of these moments and memories!
However, that being said – This book needed work! At the beginning of this book, I felt like I have read one of Debbie Macomber’s books before, however cannot find any record of such. I do not know if this is one of Ms. Macomber’s first books – but her writing style indicated so. It was frustrating most the time. Now as far as clean level of romance. It was clean, there was mostly romantic feelings, but only one scene that was tastefully done. It was as if it had been written with a middle/high school student mentality and reality view of life. In addition, there were so many characters, that seemingly didn’t completely tie together. They all went off in different directions. I understand that the Judge was the central character, and the supporting characters were her children and their relationships, her best friend and her relationships and the life and happenings of a couple that had passed through her courtroom, in addition to the judges mother, and the judges love interest, oh and don’t forget her ex-husband. All these stories went in a million directions and never seemingly came back to tie together with a climax or a resolution! The dialog was a completely un-realistic and it was hard to not gag most the time with these ‘really, are you kidding me situations.’ I finished the book but I doubt that I would ever read one of her’s again. I might, if this was among her first books. I might read a later one and give her another chance. But if looking for a good light-hearted fluffy, feel good story mixed with romance that just leaves you grinning and warm on the inside … keep looking!

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Review: The Grand Finale

The Grand Finale by Janet Evanovich
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

At this point we all know I love Janet Evanovich. This was again one of her pre-Plum romances. Honestly, I love them the most! They are all somewhat similar, and of course have formulas. But I don’t care. They are cute, witty, crazy little circumstances, always with a fun main character, sometimes ditsy, this one (Berri) wasn’t, and have a hunk of a man for them, with crazy supporting characters. You can definitely see the development of Stephanie Plum‘s character and story line, and supporting characters throughout these. It’s been fun to watch the development really. This was well written, there were a few disconnects though. In addition to a few times where you can see Janet started foreshadowing somethings and then changed her mind or forgot about them. I didn’t like how it ended. It was ok, but I wasn’t ready for this story to end and thought it could have had a stronger closing, this one just kind of left me hanging and saying, “Really? That was it!?”
I really found myself identifying with Berri, recently divorced from an un-loving, un-supporting, roommate type spouse and having to find her direction in life again. While Berri didn’t know where she was going or what she was doing before; I had. My difference was having to redirect my entire career, not just find one. Both she and I are working our tail ends off burning the candle at both ends and going to school (well I’m starting). All the while we still find all these opportunities to serve just because or part of our everyday actions even though we feel like we are going to burn out at any second. One thing that I noticed with Berri & Jake and the “Little Old Ladies” aka the supporting characters is that each of them were able to find love again, and relax about it! All of the love that they found actually came very quickly and easily. This is hard for me, I live in a society where everyone meets, dates, engaged and married within 3 months. I have a hard time believing that a healthy foundation can really be built in that time frame, or that you can even remotely know the person. Most of the hold back and difficulties in Berri & Jake’s relationship & romance came from Berri herself resisting it and trying not to allow love in her life, or anyone really close enough to her to throw her off her “Plan”. Sometimes life doesn’t work out the way we plan, but we have to remember that God always has a “Better Plan” for us, better than we can ever imagine, we just have to be willing to let his hand guide our lives….. in all things.

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