bring on the blessings by Beverly Jenkins

Ms. Jenkins shares a very inspirational story that one can only imagine would occur in fiction. This story centers around a woman by the name of Bernadine Brown who comes into a fortune. She chooses to use this money to bring good to people. She decides to buy a small town that is in trouble and she has great plans on how to make this small town, rooted deep in history, thrive again. This is a story of faith, hope and dreams. It was a feel-good story, with a few deeply sad tid-bits thrown in that added depth to the story appropriately. The end of the book left the reader expecting a follow-up, which I hope happens I would love to see where all of the characters end up next.

Forever Lily by Beth Nonte Russell

Forever Lily is a beautifully written story following the path one mother takes to adopt her first daughter, Lily. The path to bring Lily home is an unusual one in comparison to what one might assume when imagining an adoption. Beth Nonte Russell agrees to travel to China with her friend Alex to help her adopt and bring home a little girl from an orphanage there. From the start of the journey we are able to pick up on the anxieties and insecurities Alex faces in relation to the adoption. Alex panics and decides, after a roller coaster of emotions, that she can't adopt the little girl. By this point Beth relizes that she can't leave this little girl behind. This story follows the ups and downs of both "mothers" outward reactions as well as the interpretation of feelings through Beths narrative. I was very impressed with the authors ability to share this story without "bashing" Alex- it seems like that would have been an easy thing to do. However, Beth is able to share this story and state just the facts leaving emotions out when sharing Alex' outward reactions to situations. This is a very moving story that leaves you feeling that justice was served in the end and that teh happy ending occured for this little baby girl.