The Firelight Girls Review

About the Book: The summers you spend at summer camp are indelibly etched on your heart. But what happens when the camp you love is about to close? Can you ever really say goodbye to the place that made you who you are? These are the questions that plagues Ethel, the seventy-year-old former camp director who is nursing a broken heart after losing the love of her life as she now faces the impending closure of the camp on Lake Wenatchee that she called home. It's also a question that inspires change in forty-year-old Shannon, who spent the summers of her youth as a vibrant, capable camp counselor and is now directionless after watching her career implode. And there's Laura, who has lost all intimacy with her husband and doesn't know if she can save what seems to be gone forever. Finally, Ruby, who betrayed Ethel years ago and hasn't spoken to her since, hopes this will be her chance to make amends. When the four women learn that a homeless teen has been hiding at camp, they realize camp is something much more immediate for all: survival.
And so the three generations of women search for a way to save the place that saved them all, finding in the process a way back to themselves and each other in The Firelight Girls, Kaya McLaren's novel of love and loss, heartbreak and healing.

My Review:
If I could use just one word to describe this book it would be WOW!  This story truly touched my heart and I absolutely loved these ladies.  They are each going through their own personal conflicts, but with the help of each other and their amazing friendship they are able to find their way again. There were several moments were I found myself thinking back to my own camp days and I even remembered the words to some of the songs they sang. I hope when I am older sitting around with my friends, I have as fun as these ladies.  Their scavenger hunt had me crying with laughter!  This is a must read for anyone who honors true friendship.  This book will make you want to call your girlfirends and get together for s'mores!

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About the Author: KAYA MCLAREN spent four summers in college working at Camp Zanika on Lake Wenatchee in Washington State, and fifteen years later returned to run the teen programs for two more. In addition to her camp experience, she's been an elementary teacher, an art teacher, an archaeologist, and a massage therapist. Although her roots are in Washington, she currently resides wherever the wind takes her. 

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The Life Intended Review

About this Book:From the author of the international bestseller The Sweetness of Forgetting, named one of the Best Books of Summer 2012 by Marie Claire magazine, comes a captivating novel about the struggle to overcome the past when our memories refuse to be forgotten.

In this richly told story where Sliding Doors meets P.S. I Love You, Kristin Harmel weaves a heart-wrenching tale that asks: what does it take to move forward in life without forgetting the past?

After her husband’s sudden death over ten years ago, Kate Waithman never expected to be lucky enough to find another love of her life. But now she’s planning her second walk down the aisle to a perfectly nice man. So why isn’t she more excited?

At first, Kate blames her lack of sleep on stress. But when she starts seeing Patrick, her late husband, in her dreams, she begins to wonder if she’s really ready to move on. Is Patrick trying to tell her something? Attempting to navigate between dreams and reality, Kate must uncover her husband’s hidden message. Her quest leads her to a sign language class and into the New York City foster system, where she finds rewards greater than she could have imagined.

Purchase this book at:

Amazon  -  Barnes & Noble

My Review:
I absolutely loved this book! This is one of the books you read and think about for days after. Without giving away the story, there were so many points within this book I felt like the author was inside my head. I could relate to Kate's thinking and wonder how did she know? The characters are easy to relate to and I grew to love them and their special relationships with each other. Towards the end I was on the edge wondering how it would all turn out. I could not put this down and you won't be able to either!

About the Author:  Kristin Harmel is the international bestselling author of The Sweetness of Forgetting, and has also written four previous women’s fiction novels, as well as two young adult novels. Her work has been featured in People, Woman’s Day, Men’s Health, Runner’s World, and Ladies’ Home Journal, among many other media outlets. She lives in Orlando, Florida.

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Website  -  Facebook  -  Twitter  -  Goodreads