Remembering Jim

 

REMEMBERING JIM by Nancy Carroll McEndree      

 

 

 

Jim was called White Chocolate. He lived among the homeless and transients on the streets in North Carolina.  These people were people with nothing but each other, so they took care of each other – they watched out for each other on the streets.  Life was hard and people living in these circumstances had to do whatever it took to live and exist.  However, they were loyal and made Jim felt like he belonged, a feeling he had seldom ever felt.  They gave him hope and through their faith in him, Jim was able to work toward happiness and find his place within the family of God.

 "Remembering Jim" holds from the beginning all the way to the very end.  It is an inspiring story, showing how hope can propel one’s life.  It takes the bands of an abusive childhood and reworks them into a better life as an adult.  I cannot think of anyone who would ever forget Jim after reading his story.

 

   

THIS LIFE I LIVE by Rory Fleek

 







THIS LIFE I LIVE by Rory Fleek

 

This is the love story between Rory Fleek and Joey Martin...but before you get there, it is the story of the life and evolution of Fleek.  He lays his life bare, walking the reader through an unapologetically mistake-laden life.  Through it all, there is still a light for him and he continues working toward it - that is, until he finds his soulmate and begins to settle into the life he had always dreamed of.

 

If you know the music and the story of Rory & Joey, you know there is no happy ending for this love story. But, nonetheless, it is a beautiful love story.

 

Rory is not a book writer; he is a songwriter.  His timeline is a little jumpy.  But, he doesn't need the timeline nor a novelist's skill to tell his story.  Even knowing how this story ends, it was almost impossible to put down.

 

 

DEAREST SAMANTHA: I LOVE YOU by Heather L. Smith

 

 

I went into this book excited to read it. Sadly, what I found was a disjointed set of chapters that brought little hope or encouragement. 

 

I love that Smith had the opportunity to publish a book - I am only sorry that perhaps she didn't have enough guidance and support through the editing process. 

 

Smith lost a child - she lost a home - she definitely has a story to tell.  But, with the lack of consistency throughout the book, her story gets lost.

 

I could not recommend this book to others, as it stands.  

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travelingthroughgrief


https://travelingthroughgrief.com/

COURAGE TO SOAR by Simone Biles

COURAGE TO SOAR by Simone Biles

I worried when I picked up the book that I wouldn't be interested. I fell in love with the gymnasts during the Rio Olympics, especially Simone Biles. But, I wondered what a young girl could fill the pages of a book with.  But I was pleasantly surprised by how much I could hear Simone's voice in the stories told. She speaks openly about her birth mom and early upbringing. I really like the way she told the stories that took us through her rise in the gymnastics world. She seems very open, even talking about her conversations  with her sports psychologist.  These gave an even greater insight to who she is. 

The book gets really rushed at the end. She takes her time talking us through her early years, and spends quite a bit of time on the 2011-2013 era, but after Worlds 2013, there's only a chapter or so before we're suddenly at the Olympics. It almost felt like they ran out of time or the book had to be a certain length and so they cut a bunch of stuff. There's almost zero material from 2014.i would have loved to know about some of her experiences after the Olympics.

It was great to have a peek into her life and hear her thoughts.  I loved reading about her successes and even her perceived failures.  If you are a fan of gymnastics or know someone who is, this is a great book!

STANDING TALL ON ONE LEG by Kathy Soukup and Joel Soukup

As Joel Soukup and his mother, Kathy, face a devastating diagnosis for Joel, they learn to lean on each other and find hope where there is often none.  Joel, as a young man in high school, goes from a carefree, athletic life to one filled with doctors, hospitals and decisions that completely change his life.  Through it all, Joel never gives up and with his mother by his side, renews his determination to come out the other side and enjoy life.

 

Kathy Soukup is Joel’s mother and gives her perspective as a mother, facing one of the scariest things a mother will ever face – the mortality of her child.  While Kathy gives her side of it, she also provides the medical side of it.  Joel also authors this book, telling what he is thinking and feeling from the time of his diagnosis, through the treatments.  It is rare to see a situation like this from both perspectives and it feels like a privilege to get to see both sides in this book.

 

 

GO BIG OR GO HOME by Scotty McCreery

 

Scotty McCreery is as wholesome in writing as he appeared on the stage of American Idol.  As he states, he is too young for this to be his autobiography.  So, it is kind of a travelogue/diary of his experiences so far.  Through his rise to success, he has found out that not all people are honest or looking out for his best interests.  But, he has also found out, as always, the good people outnumber the bad.

              Scotty is a young, all-American guy walking into the chaos of fame.  He has done it well and is surrounded by so many who do have his best interests at heart.  His story is not one of the ones we see on the cover of The Enquirer – some sad story of a young person who found fame early and went down the wrong road.  Scotty is staying firm in his beliefs and working hard to keep his roots in mind as all the perks of fame invade his life – including all the temptations that become so available as one finds fame.  Along the way, stories and comments have been included from fans, band members and such.  It’s a lovely touch, reinforcing the greatness of the example provided by Scotty McCreery.