Monthly Bookshelf Review - September 2020

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

I had hoped and expected that I would do a bit more reading during September than in the previous couple of months, so it's nice to see that I have a few more titles in the Completed section in this summary! So far in the Literature class I teach we've just done a short story, which I didn't include here, but we'll be starting on our first novel very soon.

September's Books Completed and Reviewed

Summer of Dreams by Elizabeth Camden - Loyalty and friendship between Evelyn and her cousin Romulus expands to include cadet Clyde, who eventually courts Evelyn. A lovely prequel novella to From This Moment. (Read my full review HERE)

Letting Clyde into her heart might be a huge and painful mistake, but cutting him out would hurt even worse. He was worth the risk.

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett - 1930s Yellowstone is the setting for this sweet romance. Elsie is a ranger's daughter earning money for college by teaching the CCC recruits working at the park, and Nate is a young man from Brooklyn serving in the Civilian Conservation Corps. (Read my full review HERE)

. . . any man who cares about you will care about your dreams too. Your dreams are a part of who you are.

The Seaside Affair by Vicki Hopkins - Beth and her brother Francis visit a seaside town where their late mother had once lived, and uncover secrets from her past while pursuing new friendships and possible romance. Good story, but the quality of writing was quite disappointing. (Read my full review HERE)

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa - A stray cat becomes the perfect pet and traveling companion for Satoru, and proves to be one of his most loyal friends. One of my new favorite books! (Read my full review HERE)

On our last journey, let's see all kinds of amazing things. Let's spend our time taking in as many wonderful sights as we can. That's what I had pledged yesterday when we set off.

 

During September I started reading:

A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber - Kiera and Sebastian attend a Twelfth Night house party that turns sinister when a body is discovered. 

Lord Henry's expression left no doubt that he was surprised to see the canvas sack, and a quick glance at Lord Edward's face when his words faltered showed that the discovery was also unexpected. That, or he was simply a very good actor.

 The Red Ribbon by Pepper Basham - Ava's desire to find a good news story gets her into trouble when she gets in the middle of a feud among moonshiners. 

"I want to write about important things, Jeremiah. News. Information. Things to really make a difference and inspire people."

 During September I shelved:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte - I got partway through re-reading this classic but realized there was no way I'd finish in time for the online book discussion group. With deadlines for several other things looming, I reluctantly decided it would have to be set aside this time.

Coming Up in October!

 Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick

Silas Marner by George Eliot

When Silence Sings by Sarah Loudin Thomas

    

        

On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Wordless Wednesday posts

Share Four Somethings - September 2020

What I'm Reading - September 14, 2020

Connect Five Friday - New York City

And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Five Minute Friday posts

From the High School Lesson Book - A Few More Resources for Electives

Twenty-Six Lists - Joy in Simple Things

Coffee Break Reading List - September 16, 2020

From the High School Lesson Book - A Resource Collection for Fine Arts

Homeschool Pep Rally - The 2020 Edition

Twenty-Six Lists - How I Landed My Dream Job

Back to Homeschool Collection

School Scripture 2020-2021

From the High School Lesson Book - A Resource Collection for History and Social Studies

What I'm Highlighting . . . On my homeschool blog the past several weeks I ran a series of From the High School Lesson Book posts featuring collections of resources and curriculum by subject that you may find helpful.

Whether you homeschool or not, you're invited to join me at Homeschool Coffee Break for the Twenty-Six Lists link-up. It's every other week and the list prompts are for everyone, not just homeschoolers. The current list is The Jobs We've Had, and this Thursday there will be a new list link-up for us to share the Fall Activities we love best.

This post will be linked at the September 2020 Wrap-Up Roundup and Giveaway hosted by Feed Your Fiction Addiction; and at the weekly reading list meme hosted at Book Date.

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. 

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scripture and a Snapshot - Narrow Road

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

~Matthew 7:12-14~

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Thank you for joining Scripture & A Snapshot. Leave a link to your own post sharing a Scripture and a Snapshot. Take time to visit some of the other links and bless each other with comments.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea's Photos 'n Scribbles; and at Selah, hosted by A Spirit of Simplicity.

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Share Four Somethings - September 2020

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

September is almost over and I know the remaining days in the month will be busy, so I'm taking the time today to share Something Loved, Something Read, Something Treasured, Something Ahead.

 

Something Loved

On the Labour Day weekend, the hubster and I went to visit our son and daughter-in-love and granddaughter. Since it was just the two of us, hubby suggested we try staying at an airbnb instead of at a hotel as usual. So it was something new for us, but what an amazing experience! At about half the price of a hotel, we had a private room and bathroom in an absolutely gorgeous home. And even better, we made a new friend, because our hostess was the sweetest and most generous we could have hoped for. We enjoyed breakfasts and visits with her, and she graciously invited our son and his family to come spend an afternoon there as well. We've already decided that we want to stay with her on every future visit to Columbus.

If you've never stayed at an airbnb, check it out for the next time you travel or even for a local getaway. We loved it and recommend it now that we've tried it out!

Something Read

Picked up my reading pace just a little bit this month, and it's not quite over! For the next little while I will need to be prioritizing the books and short stories for the Literature class I'm teaching. You can see more about my reading in my Monthly Bookshelf Review for September 2020.

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

The Seaside Affair by Vicki Hopkins

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett

Summer of Dreams by Elizabeth Camden

  

   

Something Treasured

Clean, running water in our homes. It's a daily luxury that we usually take for granted. Perhaps we don't even realize how wonderful it is to have this privilege until something happens to interrupt the flow of water. Well, that happened to us recently. On Sunday morning I was washing my hair and thought the water pressure seemed low. By the time my husband got up and wanted to shower, the pressure was non-existent and a quick check indicated the problem was something with the well pump and its switches. We replaced the control panel ourselves but that didn't solve the problem, so first thing Monday morning I was calling a plumber and praying that it was just the switch and not the well pump itself. It was the the well pump though, which was a blow to our finances, but we do have running water again! Just being able to flush the toilets was a big win! We also have to wait for the chlorine added to the well to get through the whole system before we can use the water for drinking or cooking, but pretty soon we'll be completely up and running.

It's reminded me to be thankful for these everyday things that make our lives so much easier.

Something Ahead

Well . . . the bill for the plumber. Sigh. And we're going to have some other home improvement type expenses too. But we were really hoping to get a new (to us) vehicle right about now, so I think that will be postponed for at least a little bit. Our son has a second vehicle that he's been working on and will hopefully soon be on the road, which will really help us out.

We're starting to think ahead to the holidays too. How is it that it's autumn already and time to figure out how to use our remaining vacation days, how we'll celebrate Thanksgiving, and who will travel for the holidays. The boys are planning their own trip to visit their brother in a few weeks, and the hubster and I would like to go one more time before winter. 

This post will be linked at Share Four Somethings hosted by HeatherGerwing.com

 ©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Summer of Dreams

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

Summer of Dreams by Elizabeth Camden - When I read the novel From This Moment a few years ago, I somehow completely missed the fact that this prequel novella existed. Even reading the two stories 'out of order' was very rewarding, as I knew what would be happening a few years later and this provided some context and background.

Clyde Brixton is a cadet at West Point and a brilliant engineer, and he's made it that far on his intelligence and audacity. But thanks to his impulsive behavior, he has racked up a lot of demerits and needs to work some off if he hopes to graduate. He's offered an opportunity to work off some of those demerits by helping the general's daughter with a greenhouse project. Clyde expects a spoiled little girl, but instead finds Evelyn White is a beautiful young woman with a keen scientific mind. She and her cousin Romulus have created a fine greenhouse, but a couple of the advanced elements they want require Clyde's abilities.

While working together on hydraulics and electric generators, Clyde is drawn into their close friendship and eventually he courts Evelyn and they plan to marry after his graduation from West Point. But when Clyde takes an extended weekend without leave so he and Evelyn can help Romulus through a crisis, all their plans are threatened by the likelihood of more demerits or expulsion.

The loyal and sacrificial friendship between the three characters, and the commitment and partnership between Clyde and Evelyn form a moving background to the events of From This Moment, when the friendships and commitments will be tested anew.

By the same author: A Daring Venture, A Dangerous Legacy, Beyond All Dreams, To The Farthest Shores, Against the Tide, From This Moment, Until the Dawn, Into the Whirlwind

    

 ©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Wordless Wednesday - Bread

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

This post is linked at Pictorial Tuesday, hosted by Peabea Scribbles.

 ©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Recent Reads - Ever Faithful

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee. 

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett - Elsie Brookes has grown up as a ranger's daughter and loves Yellowstone, but she's been saving her earnings from working in the park so she can go to college. Her dream is to become a teacher, but saving enough money for tuition has been taking a long time. She accepts a second job at the park - teaching classes for the young men in the Civilian Conservation Corps - in order to have enough money by the end of the season.

Nate Webber has had a tough life in Brooklyn, and finds himself in an even tougher spot when he tries to protect his kid brother from trouble. Nate agrees to sign up for the CCC and hopes he'll be able to make it through without anyone finding out that he can't read. His group is assigned to work at Yellowstone, and it isn't long before his natural leadership abilities and his maturity earn the notice of the rangers. Nate is even given some command responsibilities, but he's worried that he'll fail at this job too, as soon as those in charge realize he can't read the manual and isn't filling out the reports by himself.

Elsie isn't sure why Nate refuses to come to the classes she's teaching, because she knows he's very intelligent but doesn't have a high school diploma. They do strike up a friendship and eventually Elsie finds out that Nate has been too embarrassed to admit he can't read, and that he thinks of himself as a failure because of it. She insists on trying to help him, and their private tutoring sessions soon blossom into a romance.

Providing background drama in the meantime is a budding relationship between Elsie's friend Mary and one of the CCC men, and the relationship struggles of another friend, Rose. Elsie's cousin Graham has come to the park for summer work, which forces Elsie to deal with her scars - physical and emotional -of the house fire Graham started accidentally when they were children. But the season at Yellowstone is marred by several accidental fires and a dangerous wildfire that threatens their lives and the hotel. Are the fires just coincidence or were any of them set deliberately? And if so, who is the firebug and what is the person's motive?

By the same author: Where the Fire Falls

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

Scripture and a Snapshot - Sing to the LORD

Sing to the LORD a new song,

for he has done marvelous things;

his right hand and his holy arm

have worked salvation for him.

The LORD has made his salvation known

and revealed his righteousness to the nations.

He has remembered his love

and his faithfulness to Israel;

all the ends of the earth have seen

the salvation of our God.

Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth,

burst into jubilant song with music;

make music to the LORD with the harp,

with the harp and the sound of singing,

with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn --

shout for joy before the LORD, the King.

Let the sea resound, and everything in it,

the world and all who live in it.

Let the rivers clap their hands,

let the mountains sing together for joy;

let them sing before the LORD,

for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness

and the peoples with equity.

~Psalm 98~

L'shanah Tovah

May you have a good year!

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Thank you for joining Scripture & A Snapshot. Leave a link to your own post sharing a Scripture and a Snapshot. Take time to visit some of the other links and bless each other with comments.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

I also link up at Sunday Scripture Blessings, hosted by Peabea's Photos 'n Scribbles; and at Selah, hosted by A Spirit of Simplicity.

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

What I'm Reading - September 14, 2020

This post contains affiliate links - using affiliate links from Just A Second helps supply books and coffee.

This weekly reading list meme is hosted at Book Date. Join in to see what others are reading and maybe get some ideas of what to read next! Although the Book Date link-up happens weekly, I don't manage to post that often. I aim to post and link about once a month, although I sometimes link up my monthly summary as well. Although I will be busier in the months to come, with teaching at the co-op added to my weekly schedule, I think I will need to be more intentional about reading. I'm teaching a Literature class and obviously I'll need to keep up with the reading I assign to the students!

I finished reading . . . 

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa - A stray cat becomes loyal friend and traveling companion to Satoru in this wonderful little travelogue novel. (Read my full review HERE)

Well, Girl: An Inside-Out Journey to Wellness by Jami Amerine - an encouraging and humorous book that focuses on the need to get our spiritual selves well and healthy so that we can pursue physical wellness in a God-honoring way.  (Read my full review HERE)

The Seaside Affair by Vicki Hopkins - Siblings Beth and Francis visit the seaside resort where their late mother once lived and find that the town holds many secrets from the past. (Read my full review HERE)

I'm currently reading . . .

Ever Faithful by Karen Barnett - In Yellowstone park during the 1930s, a park ranger's daughter agrees to do some teaching to young men working for the Civilian Conservation Corps. One of the men is Nate Webber from New York City, who was hoping for a second chance for success but is held back because of his trouble reading.

Next on the stack... 

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley  

A Stroke of Malice by Anna Lee Huber

When Silence Sings by Sarah Loudin Thomas

Summer of Dreams by Elizabeth Camden

   

    

What I'm Highlighting . . . My friends that read Just A Second are invited to join me at Homeschool Coffee Break for the Twenty-Six Lists link-up. It's every other week and the list prompts are for everyone, not just homeschoolers. Last week I shared about How I Landed My Dream Job as I listed The Jobs I've Had. This week's list will be Simple Pleasures.

On my blogs recently . . . 

Besides the reviews, here on Just A Second you'll find:

Scripture and a Snapshot posts

Connect Five Friday - New York City

Wordless Wednesday - Ohio Railroad Museum

Wordless Wednesday - First Day

Share Four Somethings - August 2020

And on my homeschool blog, Homeschool Coffee Break:

Five Minute Friday - Could

Homeschool Pep Rally - The 2020 Edition

Twenty-Six Lists - How I Landed My Dream Job

Back to Homeschool Collection

School Scripture 2020-2021

Five Minute Friday - Loud

From the High School Lesson Book - A Resource Collection for History and Social Studies

August Photo Album

Five Minute Friday - Mercy

Twenty-Six Lists - Educational Apps and Websites to Check Out

Virtual Refrigerator - Kindness Rocks

Illuminating Literature for High School (A Homeschool Coffee Break Review)

Five Minute Friday - Right

From the High School Lesson Book - A Resource Collection for Science

A Pennsylvania Mountains PhotoJournal

What are you reading?

©2008-2020 Just A Second. All rights reserved. All text, photographs, artwork, and other content may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written consent of the author. http://justasecondblog.blogspot.com/ 

 We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.