Book Journey

Christine grew up with a family that practiced polygamy. She loved having a large family around her, and this desire carried on from childhood to adulthood when she dreamed of being a Sister Wife, sharing in daily duties and in each other’s children’s lives.

When Christine became the third wife of Kody Brown in 1994, she thought her dreams were coming true. She loved Kody and wanted to be a part of his growing family. When an opportunity came along years later to put the family on a new TV show, Sister Wives, Christine, as well as the other wives and Kody, all felt this would be a way to shed a positive light on polygamy – snuff out rumors and show that they truly were happy to live their lives in this way.

But spotlights tend to shine brighter lights on areas that are often in the shadows…

Christine, in this tell-all memoir, shares the story of her life, her upbringing, and her marriage to Kody and her relationships with the other wives, the 18 children, and the lies she told herself. Now separated from the Church as well as from Kody and the other wives, Christine shares the intimate details of what changed during the TV show, and when she realized she deserved better.

So here is where the un-review comes in. I learned a long time ago in my early days of reviewing that it is hard to review someone’s life story.
I have never watched an episode of Sister Wives.
I had no idea who Christine was until I found this book/audio
I had heard of the series, but had no idea it had been on for 19 seasons and is still on

That said, why did I choose this listen? It sounded interesting- going in, I did not put together that this was one of the Sister Wives for the show. While it was interesting to hear the dynamics of growing up in a polygamous world, Christine’s story is obviously just that – her story, and my giving an opinion on something I know little about doesn’t seem right.

I finished because I was in it, it wasn’t that long… and I was curious how she got out.
For those who watched the show, I imagine that this is a good add-on, as this may be more behind-the-scenes information (maybe?). Christine, from what I pick up here on what she says about the show and how she challenges others, seems to be the most outspoken of the wives, with a drive for something more. Not necessarily a bad thing 🙂

Brand-new from New York Times bestselling author Mary Kay Andrews! The Queen of the Summer Read is back with her first novel in two years! Color me excited – I have been a long-time fan of her delightful books!

Maeve and Therese Dunigan are sisters—but the two have been estranged for years. They could not be more opposite: Maeve, a rule-follower and Therese, a rebel. But when their mother’s death brings the family back together, the two find that they have inherited a painting—one that could be worth millions and could save each of them from their respective wolves at the door. The only issue is the painting might be a fake and the only way they can solve the problem is to find the original. This means a road trip—to Ireland, to their family roots, and to a mysterious crime that occurred years ago. With tensions simmering, the two hit the road and find themselves on twisty lanes, in colorful villages, at local pubs, and with handsome men whose gift of the gab is surpassed only by their charm. Can Maeve and Therese find the real painting, remove a family curse, solve a cold case, and actually survive without killing each other? Join Mary Kay Andrews on a road trip that will entertain you for miles.

Have you read Mark Kay Andrews?

Save the date for another fun read! See more information here!

So there’s a blast from the past. For those of you who have been here since the early days – you may be familiar with the Monday, What Are You Reading meme/series that was passed to me and then I passed to Kathryn at Book Date, who has loved on it and taken care of it ever since. 😀 It’s actually wild to see this still a thing. Love that!

I thought I’d give it a little twist, and do mine as a video to show you the books I am reading or planning to read soon – links below to the books and of course check out Book Date for the main post and links ot others to see what others are reading to put books on your radar as well.

Hail Mary – Andy Weir
Immortal Consequences by I V Marie
Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica
What Lies In The Woods by Kate Alice Marshall
The Academy by Elin Hilderbrand and Shelby Cunningham

Happy Monday!
~Sheila

A little too much work ~ Sheila.

When Nick Radcliffe reaches out to Nina Swann, an old friend of her deceased husband, Nina is flattered by his kindness. Ash, Nina’s adult daughter, is not as easily impressed. There’s something a little too extra about Nick.

Martha and Alistair have a wonderful marriage and a sweet baby. But lately, Allistair seems to be distracted, his travelling for work is more often and longer days away. Everything seems legit, but Martha has a bad feeling…

Something is going on, and it involves both Nick and Alistair. While Nina and Martha see things differently in their relationships, Ash is going to keep digging… because there is more at stake here than meets the eye.

Even re-reading the synopsis on Goodreads now, I think, “It sounds so good!” But maybe it was just too much of a good idea.

What starts out as interesting, soon to me, became a little hard to follow as we switch timelines, points of view, back and forth and sideways….
I was listening to this one on audio and great narration… but for the storyline, I felt like I was always trying to catch up to what is happening and where we are now.
It was the ending that pulled it together (#kickass) and probably raised my overall thoughts on this one, but man, the getting there was harder than I wanted in a psychological thriller.

I have enjoyed Lisa Jewell’s book in the past (None of This Is True), and I will most likely read her again. Just too much muchness in this one.

Rated: 2.75 out of 5
Read Author Before: Yes
Read Author Again: Most likely
Who Should Read This: Psychological Thriller readers should give it a try. This one has mixed reviews overall – some really like it, and others, like me, found it confusing

Summer 2025 had quite a few books that wowed me – a couple were Book Club selections, some were random finds I was lucky enough to choose, and one was an early release that I won a copy of.
Check them out here, and review links are below.

My Friends by Fredrik Backman
Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
The Tenant by Frieda McFadden
The Book Club For Troublesome Women by Marie Bostwick
The Boleyn Traitor by Philippa Gregory
The River is Waiting by Wally Lamb

Recently I read a book that Blew. Me. Away. It was different from anything I had read before – and I always find it refreshing to break out of the cookie-cutter mold of same plot… similar twist… you know what I mean.

But – like all books… what the takeaway is – depends on the individual; and like all books – when I look at reviews, you can see the mix of the love and the not so much…
So….
For myself, being in a Book Club for over 24 years… I am starting to wonder…. when I read a book, is it the anticipated discussion that makes me want to share it with the world… or is it the book itself? Honestly, I don’t always know… 😛

No secret that I love to talk about books, and the particular book I am thinking of has soooooo much to unpack… topics I would love to discuss with others…
How would we/you/I handle such a situation?
Would you be able to ever forgive?
Was justice served?
What outcome would you have liked to see happen?
What lessons came out of this for our protagonist?
Who did you root for?

This is not the first time I have rated a book high because of its discussion value… SO – I present the question to you. For those in Book Clubs or reading groups, does a book get elevated because it would make for great discussion?
Inquiring minds want to know.