FROM GOODREADS.COM: This real-life Brady Bunch story is about what it means to endure the unthinkable---and still open one's heart to what's next. When two childhood friends die of cancer six weeks apart, the shared experience of loss brings their grieving spouses together.
After months of late-night phone calls, family dinners, and countless dreams and tears, this unlikely pair builds a trust, a love, and a shared life. Told from alternating points of view, The Color of Rain illuminates the stepping-stones of healing that lead to a joyful new beginning for Michael and Gina Spehn and their five children.
Like many who grieve, Michael and Gina had to choose to hope again. Along the way, they discovered that God can restore the darkest circumstances---and even from death, He can bring new life. Michael and Gina's gripping story of 'growing new hearts' will inspire readers not only to survive loss but also to receive the new courage, faith, and identity that God gives in the midst of tragedy.
This is NOT a book review.
RAMBLINGS ABOUT THE BOOK: Plain and simple - it was fantastically written. The book switches back and forth from Gina's perspective to Michael's and vice versa, and both (although their styles are different) are eloquent writers. They take us through the beginnings of their respective marriages, the birth of their children, and up until and after their spouse's cancer diagnoses. They don't hold back when describing the disease and how it took the lives of their true loves, Matt and Cathy. It's written with a love for their deceased spouses, and a love for each other and their children. This book is about tragedy, triumph, hope, love, and faith
WHAT THE BOOK SAID TO ME: I knew this book was going to be hard for me to get through and heart wrenching for me. I've, unfortunately, had to deal with cancer too many times in my short 27 years. My brother was diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma at age 26, my husband and I lost our friend, Andy, to leukemia (he was only 26), my aunt was diagnosed with colon cancer, which has come back in her liver, and one of my dance students (also a daughter of some old family friends) is in the thick of dealing with the ugliness of leukemia. She is 16. It's such a nasty, hurtful disease that seems waaaay to prevelant in our world today. I did get through the book without crying, and the only reason was because I read the majority of it at work. The hardest parts for me to read where the "death scenes." As Gina and Michael described the final hours of Matt and Cathy's lives my heart ached and my stomach turned. I don't think I've EVER read a book that has affected me the way this one did. It really made me stop and think about my own marriage. What is Nick was sick? Am I doing enough every day for him to know that I love him unconditionally, and do I really appreciate him enough? When I got home from work the night after reading of Matt's final hours, I made Nick lay on the bed with me. I explained to him what I was reading about and proceeded to discuss my feelings for him. I feel so blessed that we are both healthy. Secondly, it made me think about my brother and his wife. He was diagnosed 2 weeks before their wedding. The amazing woman that my sister-in-law is, she stuck by him through it all. They got married as planned and went on their honeymoon as planned.Thankfully, today, my brother is doing fantastic. I am happy to report that he is a DAD! But, I kept putting him and his wife in Gina and Matt's place as I read through the book. What if his cancer was terminal? I could imagine his wife taking care of him in the manner that Gina took care of Matt. There's nothing worse than being able to identify with a situation like that. Whether you can identify or not, whether you've been through a tragedy or not, please read this book. It will change the way you look at your world and the relationships you have in it.
ADDITIONAL RESOURES:
Check out http://www.cancer.org/
http://www.lls.org/ (my favorite)
and Michael and Gina Spehn's foundation at http://www.foundationsforfamilies.org/
11/4/11
FROM GOODREADS.COM: Tessa Russo is the mother of two young children and the wife of a renowned pediatric surgeon. Despite her own mother's warnings, Tessa has recently given up her career to focus on her family and the pursuit of domestic happiness. From the outside, she seems destined to live a charmed life.
Valerie Anderson is an attorney and single mother to six-year-old Charlie--a boy who has never known his father. After too many disappointments, she has given up on romance--and even to some degree, friendships--believing that it is always safer not to expect too much.
Although both women live in the same Boston suburb, the two have relatively little in common aside from fierce love for their children. But one night, a tragic accident causes their lives to converge in ways no one could have imagined.
In alternating, pitch-perfect points of view, Emily Giffin creates a moving, luminous story of good people caught in untenable circumstances. Each being tested in ways they never thought possible. Each questioning everything they once believed. And each ultimately discovering what truly matters most.
This is NOT a book review.
RAMBLINGS ABOUT THE BOOK: I think I've read all of Emily Giffins books so I was ready to pick up another (plus, the pretty purple cover drew me in... puuuuuurple!). True to her style, the first half of the book draaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaags. Why does she do this to me? The only reason I didn't put this down is becuase, one time, I muttled through one of her earlier titles and ended up really, really liking it. So, I know what to expect. First half long and painfully draw out, second half lots of twists and turns! If you've never read her, give it a shot and don't judge by the slow first half. The characters were beautifully written. You felt like they were real. The story was about these women as just that... women. What makes them tick, what defines them... The story line was a bit predictable, but the true tale and lesson was in how to handle CONTROVERSY and BETRAYAL. Both women are likeable, even with their unique flaws. It was interesting to read two sides of a VERY interwined story, but I'm team Tessa. NOTHING excuses what happens to her...
WHAT THIS BOOK SAID TO ME: Marriage... a steep and slippery slop. One thing I try to remember on a daily basis is to have realistic expectations. You aren't playing house and not everyday or even every month or year is going to be roses and sunshine. While in your marriage, you will grow and change as individuals and grow and change as a couple. I got married at 23, now, at 27, I'm certainly not the same person I was merely four years ago. I'm sure adding children (as the characters did in this book), changing jobs, changing locations,etc change who you are and what and how your relationship is. For some people, it takes EFFORT as life goes on to stay connected to a spouse and remember the reason you love them, appreciate them, and to remember your promise to "stay true" to them for the rest of your life. Intially love may be a feeling, but at its heart, its a decision... a decision to love this person even on his or her worst day (or YOUR worst day), to love them through the transitions life brings, and to love them not for who they were on your wedding day, but who the will grow into and BECOME.
OTHER BOOKS I'VE READ BY THIS AUTHOR:
10/25/11
Sisterhood Everlasting by: Ann Brashares
FROM GOODREADS.COM: From #1 New York Times bestselling author Ann Brashares comes the welcome return of the characters whose friendship became a touchstone for a generation. Now Tibby, Lena, Carmen, and Bridget have grown up, starting their lives on their own. And though the jeans they shared are long gone, the sisterhood is everlasting.
Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.
Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.
As moving and life-changing as an encounter with long-lost best friends, Sisterhood Everlasting is a powerful story about growing up, losing your way, and finding the courage to create a new one.
Despite having jobs and men that they love, each knows that something is missing: the closeness that once sustained them. Carmen is a successful actress in New York, engaged to be married, but misses her friends. Lena finds solace in her art, teaching in Rhode Island, but still thinks of Kostos and the road she didn’t take. Bridget lives with her longtime boyfriend, Eric, in San Francisco, and though a part of her wants to settle down, a bigger part can’t seem to shed her old restlessness.
Then Tibby reaches out to bridge the distance, sending the others plane tickets for a reunion that they all breathlessly await. And indeed, it will change their lives forever—but in ways that none of them could ever have expected.
As moving and life-changing as an encounter with long-lost best friends, Sisterhood Everlasting is a powerful story about growing up, losing your way, and finding the courage to create a new one.
This is NOT a book review.
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| Janine, Ashley, Jen & Me - April 2004 |
WHAT THE BOOK SAID TO ME: I find it kind of ironic that female friendships are commonly grouped in fours. I was a member of "The Fab Four" in college. J squared and A squared kicking butt and taking names! What a fun time! Reading this book and delving into the characters made me think about all the CRAZINESS that our friendships provided during our college years. Unfortuately, we can't be in college forever and by 2006 we were going our seperate ways. Since then, much like the "Sisterhood" girls, our friendships have flourished, waned, been rebuilt... Between the four us we live in three different states, have 4 different degrees, have/have had 5 husbands and 2 children. No matter how much time goes on I will ALWAYS love these girls. They were my rocks when I needed one, my good time girls, and a shoulder to cry on. They loved me when I was an emtional wreck and when I bouncing of the walls being silly. I love that no matter how much time lapses I will have stand still moments that belong ONLY to the four of us! Ashley, Janine, & Jen.: You were with me at such an important time of my life and were there to help me figure out who I was and who I was yet to become. XOXO times 10 million!!!
OTHER BOOKS I'VE READ BY THIS AUTHOR THAT I'VE READ:
