You are my Sunshine

 

You are my Sunshine: A story of love, promises, and a really long bike ride by Sean Dietrich. MI: Zondervan Books. 2022. 224 pages.  Notes ****

Described as "A laugh-out-loud true story of love, a grand adventure, and a promise kept." The book lives up to the description and so much more. It was only a few years after their marriage that Sean and his math-minded wife Jamie are faced with a medical scare that threatens their future together. Jamie is determined to live a grand adventure and to test life to its limits by proposing a bike ride of the Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Towpath Trail. Sean is not at all athletic or outdoorsy, but he will promise anything to make Jamie happy in the belief that the bike ride will never happen. Jamie does all the planning, purchasing of needed gear, bikes, tent, grass fed beef sticks, supplies, etc., and Sean finds himself on a trike (he's afraid of bikes) on a trail that includes poison ivy and SNAKES! 

This quick read is an adventure filled story of marriage, friendship, and perseverance. Dietrich has a humorous way of capturing everyday events and presenting them in their absurdity to the reader. I laughed out loud at the exchange between Jamie and Sean, "would you eat me? If we were starving!" The kindness of the people they meet along the journey inspires all of us to overcome the fears that holds many of us back from our great adventure. What is holding you back?

I received a copy of this book as a Little Free Library giveaway promotion. 

Sean Dietrich is a columnist, podcaster, stand-up storyteller, and novelist known for his commentary on life in the American South. His work has appeared in Southern Living, Good Grit, South magazine, and other publications, and he has authored fourteen books. Follow Sean's daily writing at seandietrich.com or at @seanofthesouth on Instagram.

Follow me on Instagram at flaming_books

#bookstagram #grandadventure #overcomingfearandanxiety @zondervanbooks #GreatAlleghenyPassage #C&OCanalTowpath 

The Girls Who Disappeared

 

The Girls Who Disappeared by Claire Douglas. New York: Harper, 2023. ****

Four girls enjoy a night out and drive home on the Devil's Corridor ending in disaster! Only one girl is found at the crash site pinned by the steering column and unable to get out of the car. Rescued and unable to remember what happened to her friends leaves Olivia Rutherford open to the suspicious scrutiny of her neighbors and the townspeople. A long and arduous recovery does not restore her memory of that horrific night. It's now twenty years later and journalist Jenna Halliday has arrived in Willshire to interview those close to the missing girls to create a podcast in the hope of turning up new evidence or clues as to what happened on that night. Jenna didn't expect the locals to be willing to talk, however, she didn't anticipate hostility and threats. Are they protective of Olivia or does everyone have something to hide? 

I received an e-copy for a review.

This fast-paced psychological thriller will keep you guessing until the very end. No spoilers here. Douglas' plot is ingenious and original. We know that no one can disappear into thin air, however, there are no credible sightings to explain what happened. It has now been twenty years without a clue. A suspenseful read that will keep you reading,  many discussion points for Book Clubs. 

Claire Douglas has worked as a journalist for fifteen years, writing features for women's magazines and national newspapers. She wanted to be a novelist since the age of seven, a dream that came true with the publication of her first novel, The Sisters, which won the Marie Claire's Debut Novel Award. She lives in Bath, England, with her husband and two children.

#psychologicalthriller #bookstagram 

Mini Series Sew Along 2022 Season 3

 

Alison Glass and Guicy Guice have collaborated and are hosting a Mini Series Sew Along for 2022.

https://alisonglass.com/mini-series-sew-along/

I joined from the very first, however, I am just now making my blocks. Somehow, I couldn't wrap my head around the process of paper piecing such small pieces. I kept trying and trashing. It didn’t help that I purchased a new machine at the same time. 

A few suggestions:

• Print the patten in color
• Do not print double-sided (a no-brainer, I know)

Finally, three friends got together to sew and it just clicked. I didn't pay too much attention to color placement and even though the pieces are small, you do use pretty big pieces of fabric to make it work. 

Meet Trixie and the Triangle Cabin Block.

On of the suggested tools is this seam roller. I found it very helpful in pressing the strips.

Usually when I get to this stage I start to panic that I did something wrong, keep going!

Ta dah!

Trixie has let me know that she does not like Decobob thread.

Block 3 - Bloom - this block was more challenging than the other two!

Block 4 - Rainbow - the last block in Series 3 

All 4 in Series 3 are completed, so much fun! 

#miniseriessal2022 #trianglelogcabin #alisonglass #guicyguice #MiniSeriesSAL #diamondsidestep #rainbow #bloom