Diane MoodyRezensionen

So much drama!!!

This was a cute story but definitely unrealistic. Everything wrapped up too neatly. The main character & her best friend were incredibly immature for their age. 3 stars is being overly kind.

I enjoyed this book very much and was a good kick needed.

This was an encouraging and helpful book about how to have a sincere and consistent prayer time. I liked the writing style, the humor, and honesty. It was written as if you were having a conversation with a friend, not being lectured to. I read a chapter a day, which worked out well since that enabled me to consider the author's points and examples without rushing on to the next chapter too quickly. This is a book for Christians as well as for those seeking answers to faith-based questions. Included at the end are discussion questions that would be great for a group or an individual.

I have never read a story of WWII in the Netherlands until now. It was heartbreaking. At one point, the horror for main character Anya is so detailed I had to stop reading. Fortunately the author turned back to the story of an American pilot who fell in love with Anya, now a damaged heroine, presumably the subject of the sequel. Reading about bombing Nazis is easier than Nazi atrocities. The pilot is based on the author’s father, who advised on the book. This was a good choice because the level of detail about the bombing runs, life on base, and the loss of fellow soldiers in battle gives authenticity to the story.½

This was the final story in "The Teacup Novella" series and I liked that it was about Lucy, the young author who 'wrote' the other four stories in the series. However, because Mark was in a coma, nothing much happened as Lucy spent most of her time in hospital with him reading her aunt's journal, and I found Lucille and Gary's story more interesting.

For me, "A Christmas Peril" was the slowest story in this series. The plot felt forced and the ending was too predictable. Also, the teacup in this novella was almost an afterthought, unlike the other stories where it played an integral role. Overall, a sweet series, but a disappointing conclusion.

This would be my least favourite story in "The Teacup Novellas" series. For the first time the plot felt rushed, the romance too quick and the characters flat. Neither Olivia nor Trevor inspired me (in fact I had to look up their names when I started writing this review) and I found the legend of Caden Cove an unnecessary edition. However, I still intend to read the final book in this series.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and following the lives of Danny McClain and Anya Versteeg. For the first-half of the book, I found Anya's story far more compelling as she struggled to stay alive during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. Despite tremendous risks and personal sacrifices, she joined the Dutch resistance movement helping Jewish children escape to freedom. When she was on a mission, I was on tenterhooks, hoping she wouldn't be caught by the German soldiers guarding the railway stations. From the start, I admired Anya's strength, determination and courage, even though she could be extremely stubborn at times, and my heart bled for the loses she suffered time and again.

Danny's story wasn't as exciting but his family's dynamics was interesting, especially the changing relationship with his father. I enjoyed watching Danny work his way through school and college before enlisting into the airforce. Once he started training and then flying missions over Germany, the action really picked up.

However, my favourite part of the book was when Danny's and Anya's stories finally converged after Danny's plane was shot down over the Netherlands close to the German border. Suddenly, both their lives were in mortal danger with the Nazis determined to destroy all members of the Dutch Resistance and capture the enemy pilot.

Despite the atrocities and horrors of war, the last few chapters were uplifting. I loved learning about Operation Chowhound where, instead of dropping bombs and causing mass destruction, huge bundles of food were dropped at various locations around Holland to feed its starving population. The reactions from the American pilots and the Dutch citizens brought tears to my eyes.

The fact that the author's father served as a co-pilot in World War II and took part in Operation Chowhound certainly gave "Of Windmills and War" greater depth and credibility, and it was a wonderful tribute to all the men and women who fought to protect the precious gift of freedom. A poignant read.

"Home to Walnut Ridge" has definitely been my favourite story so far in "The Teacup Novellas" series. I loved how the author entwined the history of the teacup into this book and linked it back to Tracey and her family.

The characters in this book were great and the warm, loving relationship between Tracey, her sister Alex, and their dad, Buddy, was touching, and I also adored the misfits who made up Buddy's Elders. They were so socially awkward and adorable, I loved them all, especially Noah with his sad backstory.

My biggest issue was with the name Buddy. Everytime I read it, instead of a middle-aged man, I was picturing a big, friendly labrador. However, still a sweet read.

Even though I didn't enjoy this story as much as the first in the series, it was still a sweet read. The teacup didn't feature as prominently as the one in "Tea with Emma" and there was a darker element in "Strike the Match". As such, it lacked the humour and lightheartedness that made "Tea with Emma" so much fun.

Even though it wasn't hard to work out who was setting fires around the town, I liked following Grant and Keri's relationship. However, I thought the way Keri spoke to Grant at the start was extremely bratty and rude.

The highlight of "Tea with Emma", for me, was the gentle romance that developed between Grant's tacturn father, Shep, and Keri's Aunt Nita. They were so cute together.

This was a cute story..Sweet characters...And I adore them all! Especially Nana & Jonathan...

There were quite a few times I got kind of bored throughout the story and that's why it got a 3/5 stars. But, thinking over the story, it's a sweet story with a message...Which I won't tell here because for who ever reads it..I want them to see it on their own.

Now, Maddie...The main character in this book? There were many times I wanted to shake her, smack her in the back of the head and tell her to leave Lanie alone and let her live her life...Many times, Lanie tried to find ways to let her know in subtle ways but Maddie wouldn't listen and it put a major strain on their friendship...Did it end it? Well, you will have to read the story for that part.

This book is for those who like clean, God centered books without it being shoved down your throat. It's not long, and a quick easy read for those who like books like this...It wasn't as quick of a read for me as it could have been because well, it had its slow moments and I was also reading another book as well (decided to just focus on this one eventually so I could get it finished, otherwise, I probably wouldn't have because many times, I thought about just deleting it from my Kindle and not finishing it but I wanted to.)

This was a book I got free from amazon.com...But even if it's no longer free, it shouldn't cost too much...I believe there are at least two other books in this 'Series'.

The next book in this series is:


[bc:Strike the Match|13109033|Strike the Match (The Teacup Novellas, #2)|Diane Moody|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1342477417s/13109033.jpg|18282331]

And the 3rd and final book (that I know of) is:

[bc:Home to Walnut Ridge|17701335|Home to Walnut Ridge (The Teacup Novellas, #3)|Diane Moody|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1365641241s/17701335.jpg|24746436]

I probably won't get to these other books for a while, just to give myself a break from them. If I try to read them now, I'd probably end up hating the series because they are not typically what I read and totally outside the box for me. I just wanted to read something different and not my normal YA Fantasy/Paranormal genre.

But they are cute none-the-less...:-)

Happy Reading!

"Tea with Emma" was a sweet read and the first in "The Teacup Novellas" series. I loved how the author has used her aunt's teacup collection to write a number of stories around them. In Tea with Emma , Maddie was the main protagonist who, having arrived home from a Jane Austen tour, wanted to set up her own English tearoom.

Despite being kind, caring and loving, I did find Maddie to be very immature and, at times, she behaved more like a giddy teenager with a crush, than a thirty-year-old woman. She frustrated me on more than one occasion, and I wanted to shake some sense into her.

My favourite character was Maddie's grandmother - I adored her. She was a wise, gentle woman who reminded me of my own grandmother, who also had her own teacup collection. I remember feeling such a grown-up lady when we visited her and she would serve afternoon tea using these elegant, delicate cups and saucers.

I also like the prologue and epilogue where Lucy, a struggling author, uses a cup from her aunt's collection to write the story of Maddie and Ian. Although the ending felt rushed, I did enjoy "Tea with Emma" and look forward to the second story in the series.½

The title alone made me want to download this book, even though the reviews on Amazon were mixed. I found the criticism there was too much unnecessary detail to be true. I did consider ditching the book on the second chapter because the dialog and pacing seemed a little labored. The story was hindered by things like details of fast food orders. Yet I kept listening since I had already paid the credit to Audible, and I did want to hear Moody's take on a burnt-out pastor's wife. By the 3rd or 4th chapter, the story picked up the pace and turned out to be worth my credit.

Other negative reviews said the story ended the loose ends too neatly, but it is a story meant to entertain and make you think. I think any pastor's wife would come away from the book wanting to discuss at least some of the issues raised in the book with her husband. Other readers will come away with a more sympathetic view of their pastors and their families. Diane Moody raises issues that are common for couples in ministry, not the exceptions, and she does it in an entertaining framework that isn't heavy handed. Yes, the main character's actions are an irresponsible way of handling the situation, but this books isn't recommending you run away--it's just exploring the possibility if you did. What woman hasn't had even a fleeting thought about running away from her problems without telling anyone beforehand?

So if you want a little "escape" --pun intended-- this book will give you that without the guilt.

I got such a kick out of the ending that I wanted to believe it was true! (I can suspend belief in my fiction, so I'm good with it.)

This is one of my comfort reads. Shelby and Tucker are precious together. It was such a sweet clean romance that it's nice to read sometimes when I just need to enjoy a story without profanity or sex. The bits of Elvis that pop up through the book are fun and completely possible, but again it's fiction, so I'm good with a little realism mixed in.

Love!

I am addicted to these novellas. I love the story within a story and always starting by catching up with the author and her life. Choosing the tea cup and the story it will tell...I'm a lover of antiques so I can completely relate to everything having a story.

Now...on to number four!

A winner!

A story set on the Maine coast and an age old legend. Oh, and a tea cup and its matching saucer!

Sadness

I've loved this sweet series but unfortunately I felt like this story was forced to get going and slow to end. The other books have been more involved with the story around the individual teacups but this one felt like it was tied up in the present. It was redundant with the stories running parallel to each other as if the book had to meet its quota of words.

I liked the idea of a tea room (and the based on Austen in Austin was cute, even though I've not read any Jane Austen). I do wish the characters had been a bit better developed and the tea room better described.

Maddie's wanting to push others around her into love (while not being willing to consider love for herself) is irritating after a while. She doesn't want to believe Lanie could find love with a guy she's only met online--I do understand that to some extent, but felt she should have encouraged Lanie to meet the guy in person or have him come visit rather than trying to push Lanie into someone else's arms. Brad disappears without resolution after he learns that Maddie tried to set him up with Lanie.

Ian's change of heart seems to occur rather quickly. This too could have been delved into a bit more--what sparked him to suddenly decide that he needed to look at this life? Could one short run be enough time to work through all the pain he's been carrying around since Melissa left him at the altar?

I prefer Laura Childs's tea series which gives facts about the various teas to this one so far.

Loved it,

A story within a story. English tea, English Gentlemen andJane Austen. I love the way this story unfolds and knowing each tea cup will be the story teller.

Couldn't put it down!

I think I loved this one even more than the first. I love getting to know the author and the journey she has with each tea cup. These stories could be endless and I hope they are. A great little series.

Wow, that was a quick read that really tugged at the heartstrings. I loved the 2 stories in one approach. Each character really came alive for me.½

This was a cute story..Sweet characters...And I adore them all! Especially Nana & Jonathan...

There were quite a few times I got kind of bored throughout the story and that's why it got a 3/5 stars. But, thinking over the story, it's a sweet story with a message...Which I won't tell here because for who ever reads it..I want them to see it on their own.

Now, Maddie...The main character in this book? There were many times I wanted to shake her, smack her in the back of the head and tell her to leave Lanie alone and let her live her life...Many times, Lanie tried to find ways to let her know in subtle ways but Maddie wouldn't listen and it put a major strain on their friendship...Did it end it? Well, you will have to read the story for that part.

This book is for those who like clean, God centered books without it being shoved down your throat. It's not long, and a quick easy read for those who like books like this...It wasn't as quick of a read for me as it could have been because well, it had its slow moments and I was also reading another book as well (decided to just focus on this one eventually so I could get it finished, otherwise, I probably wouldn't have because many times, I thought about just deleting it from my Kindle and not finishing it but I wanted to.)

This was a book I got free from amazon.com...But even if it's no longer free, it shouldn't cost too much...I believe there are at least two other books in this 'Series'.

The next book in this series is:


[bc:Strike the Match|13109033|Strike the Match (The Teacup Novellas, #2)|Diane Moody|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1342477417s/13109033.jpg|18282331]

And the 3rd and final book (that I know of) is:

[bc:Home to Walnut Ridge|17701335|Home to Walnut Ridge (The Teacup Novellas, #3)|Diane Moody|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1365641241s/17701335.jpg|24746436]

I probably won't get to these other books for a while, just to give myself a break from them. If I try to read them now, I'd probably end up hating the series because they are not typically what I read and totally outside the box for me. I just wanted to read something different and not my normal YA Fantasy/Paranormal genre.

But they are cute none-the-less...:-)

Happy Reading!

Diane Moody's enovellas are a fav for me. She exhibits amazing ability at plotting and pacing her stories for maximum impact in the fewest pages . Perfect reads for taking a brief reading break.

And the fun begins with Lucy, the author of the novella within the novella! Lucy has received a package of antique teacups from a deceased aunt which forms the basis of her stories [and this series]. The cute ups deliveryman who brings them to Lucy's door becomes the romantic interest in her life even as she writes romance into her own teacup stories - a very fun reading twist.

Novella #3 tackles gritty issues of sexual harassment, discrimination, family relationships, divorce, discrimination and more, all thoughtfully written and all within 177 pages! You can see what I mean about amazing writing! Diane's a master at it. As she is in creating relatable characters and situations in descriptive settings.

Am I impressed? Yes. Thank you, Diane, for sharing your writing gift with us avid readers and fans. Looking forward to more...

August 18, 2012
lite and deliteful! an inside look at a writer w/ writer's block , what brings her back on course and the writing gift that treats us to the contemporary retelling of Jane Austen's Emma.

After a Jane Austen tour of England, gifted by her Nana, Maddie returns to Austin driven to create an English tea house a la Jane's Chawton Cottage. Besides the gifted provision for everything needed to get the tea house up and running, Maddie believes she's gifted for matchmaking everyone around her! resulting with the like consequences revealed in Jane's Emma.. Not everyone is enamored with Maddie's 'capabilities'! The havoc she wreaks in other's lives soon comes back on her own, leaving her with dire situations she's unprepared to live with. She hasn't counted on loss of friendships and life interrupted. But Nana has more to offer than just the finances to make Maddie's dreams come true. She has some golden nuggets of insight for Maddie...

Great concept.. a pleasure to read leaving us with the attention grabbing beginnings to her next in the Teacup Novella Series.

This was a cute story..Sweet characters...And I adore them all! Especially Nana & Jonathan...

There were quite a few times I got kind of bored throughout the story and that's why it got a 3/5 stars. But, thinking over the story, it's a sweet story with a message...Which I won't tell here because for who ever reads it..I want them to see it on their own.

Now, Maddie...The main character in this book? There were many times I wanted to shake her, smack her in the back of the head and tell her to leave Lanie alone and let her live her life...Many times, Lanie tried to find ways to let her know in subtle ways but Maddie wouldn't listen and it put a major strain on their friendship...Did it end it? Well, you will have to read the story for that part.

This book is for those who like clean, God centered books without it being shoved down your throat. It's not long, and a quick easy read for those who like books like this...It wasn't as quick of a read for me as it could have been because well, it had its slow moments and I was also reading another book as well (decided to just focus on this one eventually so I could get it finished, otherwise, I probably wouldn't have because many times, I thought about just deleting it from my Kindle and not finishing it but I wanted to.)

This was a book I got free from amazon.com...But even if it's no longer free, it shouldn't cost too much...I believe there are at least two other books in this 'Series'.

The next book in this series is:


[bc:Strike the Match|13109033|Strike the Match (The Teacup Novellas, #2)|Diane Moody|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1342477417s/13109033.jpg|18282331]

And the 3rd and final book (that I know of) is:

[bc:Home to Walnut Ridge|17701335|Home to Walnut Ridge (The Teacup Novellas, #3)|Diane Moody|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1365641241s/17701335.jpg|24746436]

I probably won't get to these other books for a while, just to give myself a break from them. If I try to read them now, I'd probably end up hating the series because they are not typically what I read and totally outside the box for me. I just wanted to read something different and not my normal YA Fantasy/Paranormal genre.

But they are cute none-the-less...:-)

Happy Reading!