Flower Crew: Joseon Marriage Agency

Kdrama. I just want to watch it. I think it’s great. And you get used to the subtitles so quick, don’t be scared. I think I love the historical ones the most. This one was kinda cute with equal amount of drama. It also had a happy ending, which I am a sucker for.

I feel very off during this pandemic. Which I am sure a lot of you are. I should be reading way more. I now have all this time. But, I am having a hard time focusing on books. I am quitting a lot of them. I feel like the day flies by and I don’t know exactly what I did all day? I feel like most of the time I am a referee breaking apart the children. It has been better since online school became mandatory. I fight with feelings of wanting to be productive and feelings of not wanting to do anything. A roller coaster of adjusting to a new lifestyle. We normally are very, very busy. A roller coaster of internalized stress. Stress more of the unknown. I don’t like to not be in control. Despite the fact that control is an illusion. So I do what I do and I decided it’s all ok. I haven’t started drinking or smoking, so I guess that’s a plus. We are safe, healthy, and trying to do our bit by staying home.

Other things I am not reading:

Gilmore Girls

Ha! Not ashamed to admit I love Gilmore Girls. This is my second time watching through the series. I am half way through season 3. A little laughter, love and drama.

Office Ladies Podcast

I also loved The Office. I think I have watched the series at least twice, some seasons a few more times. This podcast with Jenna Fisher and Angela Kinsey, goes through each episode in order and talk about behind the scenes things. I think they are great.

Worth It

It is very hard to find things that the entire fam is interested in. This web series is on Hulu, and all six of us love it. These two guy go around and eat the same type of food at different price points and decide what’s worth it. Simple, funny, short episodes. There is a little language but it gets bleeped out.

Stay sane WordPress friends ✌🏼

The Five People You Meet in Heaven & The Next Person You Meet in Heaven

Books 22 & 23 in 2020.

“The Five People You Meet in Heaven”

“The Next Person You Meet in Heaven” by, Mitch Albom

Well in order to keep my waning sanity during this tragic, global pandemic, I have been walking. My house is full of three angsty teenage boys, an anxious almost eleven year old boy, and my laid off husband. Talk about extreme testosterone. We have been home for five weeks now. I am praying my house will stand at the end of this, I fear for the life of my sliding glass door. So, if the weather cooperates I walk. Sometimes four miles, sometimes only two. I try to be gone for an hour or more. In the quiet, on the country roads, I breathe deep cleansing breaths, and am able to come back and not mentally harm any members of my family. Sometimes they want to come, and I can’t say no, because fresh air is good for the soul. It is still a change of scenery and movement for my chubby muscles, bones and heart. Even though, I would rather be alone listening to a book.

I listened to these on my now far and few between alone walks. I have loved every single Mitch Albom book I have ever read. He is an amazing story teller. Now these books are not meant to be what actually will happen when you go to Heaven. Mitch explains he thought of the idea from the stories an Uncle used to tell about people meeting people in Heaven. They are more about living life without regret. Knowing that you have purpose, even when you feel small. Having peace with the people in your life, and cherishing precious moments of time. Overall afterthought, loved them both, even though they made me cry a little.

The Bride Test

Book 21 in 2020.

“The Bride Test” by, Helen Hoang.

I was looking for something a little fluffy. I just want something fun to escape to. This had a bit more angst in it than I was looking for. It also had some intense romance. Whew. It was a page turner, due to the fact that I had to keep turning the pages to skip a bit too much lovin for me. It also had quite a few “f” bombs. With all that said, it was an ok story. I liked the characters, I liked their struggle. I was rooting for everyone. I wanted a fairy tale ending for them.

Esme was living in Vietnam working hard, a single mother helping provide for her young daughter, mother and grandmother. While cleaning bathrooms in a hotel, a rich Vietnamese American woman asked her a few odd questions. She wanted her to come to America and fall in love, then marry her son, who was having a hard time meeting women. Though the request was strange, her mother encouraged her to go. When she gets to America she meets Khai. Khai has struggled with people his whole life. His autism has always gotten in the way of every relationship he has ever had. Could this fun, loving woman from Vietnam be the first one to enter his heart?

Overall afterthought, it was ok.

I Found You

Book 20 in 2020.

“I Found You” by Lisa Jewell.

This book. Creepy. Had me on the edge of my seat.

Present:

Man is found by woman.

Different woman is missing her man.

Could man found, be the lost man?

Past:

Teenage boy is dating girl.

Girl’s brother doesn’t like teenage boy.

Teenage boy ends up being psycho, goes missing, presumed dead.

Present:

Is the man found the teenage boy grown up?

Is the man found the brother of the girl?

Even though there are some intense creepy scenes in this, I thought it was such a good thriller. I listened to it on audiobook, and the narrator had a British accent which made it great. I cannot for the life of me, do any accents in my head. Ha. Overall afterthought, excellent mystery.

The One and Only

Book 19 in 2020.

“The One and Only” by Emily Griffin.

My books I got in my panic run to the library on March 13th, are not doing it for me. Ha. I keep starting and quitting. So I am on to ebooks. It’s just not the same. They are hurting my head… I can’t seem to get the right lighting setting on my iPad. I am also being whiny about not being on a beach in Florida on our Spring Break right now. Done reading about my lame woes? Ha. I will move on.

I have actually read this before. I did not read it for a second time on purpose. I knew as soon as I started, that I definitely had read it before, but could not for the life of me remember how it ended. So I read it for a second time. Eh, I could of gone without. It’s about a woman in her thirties, Shea, whose best friend’s mom passes. Her best friend’s dad is a famous college football coach. Shea, for as long as she can remember, has been in awe of Coach. But her feelings for him have been shifting, and she thinks he feels it too.

This was just so, so for me. I think I need a little something lighter. I just couldn’t remember what happened at the end. Kind of a weird premise. Overall afterthought, not my favorite.

Anxious for Nothing

Book 18 in 2020.

“Anxious for Nothing: Finding Calm in a Chaotic World” by Max Lucado.

This book was so awesome and so fitting for right now. A calm in the storm. I have been on a roller coaster of “we’re fine” and “we maybe will not be fine” for a few weeks now. I am sure most people are there. Max Lucado uses scripture to remind us that we are not in control of anything, but God has got our back. It was so great to be reminded of that.

Sometimes when I read nonfiction I take notes, or underline (if I own the book obviously) if I read something that stuck out to me. I don’t have page numbers because I listened to the audio book, and these are not direct quotes , but here are a few paraphrased things Max Lucado said that stood out to me.

•Control is not ours to take.

•Instead of relinquishing control release it.

• Rejoice in the Lord always. 

•Gods sovereignty is above all.

• He is in all things.

•We have a choice to wear our hurt or our hope.

•Have Gratitude it is the mindful awareness of the benefits of life.

•Gratitude takes us away from “if only” to “already have”.

•Nothing can take Jesus from us.

•What you have in Christ is greater than anything you don’t have in life.

•He can give you a happiness and a fountain of living hope.

•Anchor your heart with the Lord.

•It’s not a peace from God but the peace of God.

•God has not promised a life without storms but he promised to be there with us 

•Philippians 4:8-9. 8Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.  9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you. 

•You can pick what you ponder!!Choose what you think about! 

•Fear triggers prayer or despair, Choose wisely.

•You cannot always chose your circumstances but you can choose your thoughts.

This is probably one of those books that I would of highlighted everything. Ha! And if I read it again I would have different things to highlight. Overall afterthought, loved it.

Death at Wentwater Court

Book 17 in 2020.

“Death at Wentwater Court” by, Carola Dunn.

I was looking for a series to read. I enjoy a good historical fiction mystery, with a strong, witty, female lead.

Some of my favorites mystery series that I have finished are :

•Rhys Bowen’s “A Royal Spyness Series”

•Jacqueline Winspear’s “Maisie Dobbs Series”

•Susan Elia MacNeil’s “Maggie Hope Mysteries”

•Rhys Bowen’s “Molly Murphy Mysteries Series”

If you’re looking for something to read, I loved all of those. I was hoping “A Daisy Dalrymple Mystery” would be the beginning of something new! Not sure how I felt about it though.

Daisy is from Britain in the 1920’s. She was visiting a friends country estate,to write about the beautiful home for a magazine she is working with. While there, a man has fallen through the ice and drowned. What seemed to be an accident, quickly turned into a murder investigation where everyone became a suspect.

I thought it was ok. Not super intriguing or anything. It is an older series that started in 1994. It was clean and not inappropriate in any way. I may give Daisy one more chance to dazzle me, before my search of a new series starts again. Overall afterthought, just ok.

The Glass Hotel

Book 16 in 2020.

“The Glass Hotel” by, Emily St John Mandel.

I read Emily St John Mandel’s “Station Eleven” years ago and remember really liking it. This however, was not my favorite. To be honest I felt completely lost the entire time. I can usually follow timelines that jump back and forth. But I struggled. Along with timelines being all over the place, so were the characters. I sometimes couldn’t remember who the character was, or if they were being newly introduced. I am surprised I finished this. Normally I don’t power through. And then the ending was so weird. Such a strange story of white collar crime, odd family dynamics, random main characters and a ghost story all mixed in. Overall afterthought, nope, still confused.

gods in Alabama

Book 15 in 2020.

“gods in Alabama” by Joshilyn Jackson.

I love Joshilyn Jackson books. I think I have pretty much read all of them. A couple of them are a little dark, ok well most of them. Ha. They just deal with some seriousness. Trauma, abuse, and sometimes murder. This was one of her more stressful intense books. So I am not sure it was a good time for me to read it. But I did enjoy it.

It is about a young woman in her late twenties, who had stayed away from her hometown in Alabama for ten years. She moved to Chicago, and now had a steady boyfriend who wanted to go home and meet her family. Other than the fact that her family was a bit crazy, she had a past there that she did not want to return to. There were ghosts that she was sure to haunt her. Against everything inside her, she made the trip home and had to face her family and past.

It took me a minute to like this story. It had a lot of rough stuff in it. I almost quit but I knew it would end well. Overall afterthought, ok.

**If your looking for something to read these are my top three Joshilyn Jackson books :

“Someone Else’s Love Story”

“Almost Sisters”

And

“The Opposite of Everyone”