Monday, February 25, 2013

The New-Fashioned Wedding:Designing Your Artful, Modern, Crafty, Textured, Sophisticated Celebration

By Paige Appel and Kelly Harris

The New-Fashioned Wedding showcases the beautiful work of Paige Appel and Kelly Harris, founders of the event planning company Bash, Please. Each chapter is devoted to a bridal couple and their signature style. Although traditional and elegant themes are included in this book, there are fresh and unusual themes that reflect today's modern bride, such as Country Eclectic, Backyard Bohemian, and Urban Organic, just to name a few.

Each theme includes details of the vision and color palette for the dress, venue, food, decor, flowers and more. The back of the book lists each category by couple/theme with ordering information.

This a beautiful book that will surely inspire the newly engaged couple and those planning special events.

~ Paula

Thursday, February 7, 2013

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

By Rachel Joyce

Harold Fry unexpectedly receives a letter from a former friend and colleague whom he hasn't seen in 20 years. She is dying and wants to say goodbye. Harold intends to walk to the mail box to post his reply to her letter, but unexpectedly he just keeps going. He ends up walking 600 miles to meet with his old friend Queenie.

This is the story of Harold's Pilgrimage. During his journey he meets many interesting people who help him see life in a new, more meaningful way. With each mile, Harold's life story unfolds through memories of his childhood, his marriage, and his relationship with his son. Harold has a lot of time in those 600 miles to reflect on his past, and the hardships and joys of his life. In that time, he realizes he is not perfect, there are things he could and should have done differently. But this is not a sad story overall. The pilgrimage is difficult, yes, but Harold's journey is an encouraging and inspiring one that we can alll relate to.

Beautifully written, this book sums up not just Harold's life but most peoples lives. If you enjoy stories of positive transformation, you will want to read this book.

~ Kathy

Gone Girl

By Gillian Flynn

This New York Times bestseller begins with the mysterious disappearance of the beautiful Amy Elliott Dunne on her fifth wedding anniversary. Her movie-star handsome husband, Nick, is not quite as distraught as one would expect from a grieving husband. The chapters alternate between Nick and Amy's point of view of a love story gone bad.

Masterful storyteller Gillian Flynn keeps the reader in suspense throughout this tale. Every time you believe that you've figured it out, you realize that you aren't even close.

The movie rights have been sold with Reese Witherspoon cast as Amy.

~ Paula