Author: Nancy Holder

Item: The Rose Bride
Rating: 4
Author: Amanda Marie

August 2015 in Review

Posted August 30, 2015 in Life, Reading / 10 Comments

Things that Happened in August

I returned home from summer camp! It was a fun time but I am glad to be home.
I survived the days of smoke so thick I could not see more than a block ahead of me. When I went to drive into town, my vehicle put the auto-lights on because it thought it was night. It has never been this bad that I recall. Yay for the forest fires of Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Canada.
I started school again. Back in the classroom with fifth and sixth grade students.
Speaking of being back in the classroom, I’m going to leave you with one very short sentence: I hate lice! (Thankfully I do not have any.)

Books I Read in August

Tagged as Fairy Tales, Family, Monthly Wrap-Up, Pope Francis, Saints, School, Sister, Summer, Summer Camp

Review: The Rose Bride – A Fairy Tale Retelling and a Greek Goddess

Posted August 17, 2015 in Reading, Review / 2 Comments

The Rose Bride by Nancy Holder
Series: Once Upon A Time
Publisher: Simon Pulse (2007)
Paperback (245 pages)
Rating:
Also in this series: Snow, Water Song, Sunlight and Shadow
Reading Challenges: 2015 Birthday Month, 2015 Color Coded, 2015 Fairytale Retelling, 2015 Mythology, 2015 Re-Reading, Read 2015

Synopsis

When Rose’s mother dies, her only comfort is the exquisite rose garden her mother left behind. The purple blossoms serve as an assurance of her mother’s love. But Rose is dealt a second blow when her father dies and his greedy widow, Ombrine, and her daughter, Desirée, move in and take over the manor in true Cinderella fashion.
Fate has been cruel to Ombrine and Desirée, too. So despite their harsh ways, Rose has compassion. But these feelings are bitterly tested when, in a rage, Ombrine tears out the garden. Rose nearly gives up all hope—until a chance meeting with the king. Happiness might be within her reach, but first she must prevail over Ombrine. And then she must determine if she has the courage to love.

Find the book: Goodreads

Tagged as 4 star, Birthday Month Reading Challenge, Color Coded Challenge, Fairy Tales, Fairytale Retelling Challenge, Mythology Reading Challenge, Read 2015, Rereading Challenge, You Read How Many Books Challenge

June and July 2015 in Review

Posted August 10, 2015 in Faith, Reading / 4 Comments

It has been a crazy month and a half! I will share some of my summer camp experience here but most will wait until it’s own post with pictures!

Things that Happened in June & July

As you may recall from a previous post, I spent the summer working at a great Catholic summer camp. I really want to talk a lot about that but I promise I will post more with pictures later.
I survived 6 weeks without much cell phone service or internet. It was really great for me.
I also read things that I wanted to read rather than what I needed to read based on review copies and such.