Review: Briar Rose

Briar Rose by Jane Yolen
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I first read this book about 17 years old (16 years ago). This is a book that sticks with you. You know the type, the kind that randomly will run through your head or something else will trigger your thoughts that will end up drifting back to you. For the last 16 years I have considered this on my top books list. It still is for the record. But how I remembered the book and how I internalized it this time were drastically different. But I know it’s the same book nonetheless.

I didn’t remember from before:
* The way Gemma’s story was intertwined with ‘today’ and told in bits and pieces.
* I don’t remember so much detail about the holocaust camps
* I didn’t remember a thing about the Prince!

For whatever reason this book came to mind so much this year that I felt compelled to read again, I was enthralled to find a copy of it on Amazon. (I love Amazon).

Since this was a book-book, it did take me a little longer to get through. Most days I found myself wishing I could simply stay home in my quiet peaceful and clean home enjoying the coolness of the weather and finish this delightful story once again that has lingered in my mind and heart since the last time I read it 16 years ago. I certainly wasn’t disappointed in it, many others re-reads were highly disappointing.

I loved meeting all the characters and hearing their bits and pieces of Gemma’s history with their own. However, most of them were very short. However, “The Prince’s Story” seemed very long! It’s went on for chapters. Not that it’s bad and it’s interesting, and nauseating at the same time. Not because of the writing, but because of what happened. Ah history… but it’s been interesting to see how much his story is elaborated upon.

Overall I still absolutely love Jane Yolen, and look forward to reading more of her books. I love her style, her rhythm, and great talent for story telling.

I tend to have been drawn to many books around WWII, I felt years ago and still that Ms. Yolen has a unique talent for relating the hard stories. Highly recommend!

Favorite Quotes from the Book:

“Fairy Tales always have a happy ending.’ That depends… on whether you are Rumpelstiltskin or the Queen.”
― Jane Yolen, Briar Rose

“Time may heal all wounds, but it does not erase the scars.”
― Jane Yolen, Briar Rose

“Stories,” he’d said, his voice low and almost husky, “we are made up of stories. And even the one’s that seem the most like lies can be our deepest hidden truths.”

― Jane Yolen, Briar Rose

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Review: The Christmas Sweater

Glenn Beck at the Time 100 Gala, May 3, 2010. Photo by David Shankbone. This photos is licensed under the Attribution 3.0 license, which means it can be used and modified for any purpose only if the author is properly credited where it is used. Category:Pictures of Glenn Beck Category:Time 100 Gala (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Christmas Sweater by Glenn Beck
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Honestly, I loved it! I know some have complained about the lack of elegance of Glenn Beck’s writing. Seriously, who cares!? It’s consistent, the story flows, and it teaches you something as it penetrates your heart. So what that he embellished his real story. We are to write about what we know. In addition he lets on to no pretense that it’s 100% real from the beginning.

Really, I loved the book. It was a quick and very easy read. I found my self engaged and wanting more. He kept you wrapped in his story, waiting on edge to see what it was that turned around his attitude. Yet, being so surprised at times you go from laughing to crying in a mere instant! I loved it. It’s a short sweet read, the style reminds me of Richard Paul Evans.

Some experts from the book that touched my heart…

“The real question is, Who Are you? Somehow I understood. Without the storm I would never know myself. Does everyone have go through the storm? Yeah, sooner or later. But no one has never been lost to the storm, just lost in the storm. What most people don’t realize is they don’t have to fight the storm, you just need to stop feeding it, stop giving it power over you.”

“Will there be other storms?
What if I’m afraid?
I’ll be with you. Remember no one has ever regretted the journey. No one has ever stood here and wished they could go back to the other side. Do you know who you are now?”

“Trust that we are worthy to make it through our storms.”

“Maybe we are supposed to only see a hint of the answer and figure the rest out on our own using faith. It is the understanding that you can be forgiven & start over that you can face your greatest fear & regret, the sky will open up and you will find happiness and love. It is the key to breaking the chain of regret & misery. The greatest gift was given all of us by a loving Father in heaven.”

“My mom gave me my sweater. But, the greatest gift was given all of us by a heavenly father it is the only true gift ever given to all but never opened or only appreciated by few. It is the gift of redemption the gift of atonement and it sits on the top shelf of the closets of our souls. Christmas is about what that infant boy did at the end of his mortality. Without his death, his birth is meaningless.”

“The greatest gift is any gift that was given with love. I remember realizing all she had done for that gift.
I refuse to stand at his feet and see Him with the same look in His eyes as he asks “Son, is that the gift that I gave you?” Pick up your gift of redemption and allow it to transform your lives.”

Wow! Again what a fabulous book! Ultimately teaching you such a valuable and surprising lesson about the atonement and redemption. How do you suppose our Father in Heaven and Savior Jesus Christ feel when we leave their un-opened gifts crumpled up in the corner untouched, unused, unappreciated?

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