Josh Knowles as Jamie Fraser

Since the incredibly popular series of books, Outlander by Diana Gabaldon came out, readers have been going crazy trying to find the perfect guy to portray the hunky hero, Jamie Fraser. I admit, I've been on that band wagon, but more as a curious bystander. That is until now. I think I've seen what Jamie Fraser would look like if he were real! Ha ha!

I've been watching Full Metal Jousting on the History Channel. And John Knowles could totally pass for Jamie. He's big, he's red headed and pretty cute too! He rides horses and jousts. Granted Jamie Fraser has not jousted in the Outlander series, but still, the jousting adds a pretty good historical edge to John Knowles as Jamie Fraser. I can't be the only one who has thought this!

Here is John Knowles, wish I had a full body shot of him, he's a tall dude. And this picture doesn't do him justice either.

Forever and a Day

Forever and a Day by Delilah Marvelle
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I thought the first half of the book was okay, the third quarter of the book was fantastic but it was so rushed in the last quarter. The third quarter (and I do apologize for breaking this up like a football game) explained so much history and saw the beginnings of change in the main female characters future that you got really excited for what was to come. I really thought in the fourth quarter that this book was certainly going to be a series, but it wasn't. It ended much too quickly and wrapped up too neatly. For once I would have like to seen a book go into a series.

View all my reviews

Home Front

Home Front by Kristin Hannah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Powerful story. Another fantastic Kristin Hannah novel that gets you in the gut. Right through the heart. My husband and I were both in the military but ETS'd right before 9/11. We were fortunate not to have to be in the war but these are my brothers and sisters and it's very hard to read. Yes it's fiction, but still.

Jolene is a doting mother and wife who happens to be a Black Hawk helicopter pilot for the Washington National Guard. She keeps up on flying with her best friend Tami when the kids are at school and the husbands are at work. But this is 2005 and Jolene and Tami are called to active duty to serve in Iraq.

Jolene's husband is a liberal defense attorney who recently lost his father and doesn't at all understand wars and how Jolene can just up and leave her family to fight someone else's war. Jolene's patriotism is put to the test. How can she leave her children with a father who makes little time for them? She knew this could happen and she knows it's her duty. As Jolene is preparing to leave, their marriage takes a turn for the worst and Jolene heads for war to defend her country with a broken heart.

A tragic series of events occur and Jolene's life is turned upside down. She goes home to a different life, nothing is the same. From here it's one heartbreak after another. There were tears and lots of them.

Part of me wants to call this book controversial, but another part of me wants to believe this book was written for a love of our warriors and a cry for help for soldiers who return to war broken people. Not just those with missing body parts and scars, it's also about those who are so mentally broken they lose their identity and struggle to find help for the hell they went through in a war so many of us cannot fathom.

My heart breaks for our soldiers who come back and can't get the help they need through the VA. It's been long known that the VA is not equipped to handle all the PTSD cases there are. It makes me so sad. It makes programs like the Wounded Warrior Project a hero program for our heroes. This book has given me the encouragement I need to donate to them.

View all my reviews

A departure from books for...Exercise

I'm running a 12K road race and three half marathons this year. I do not want any injuries and I want to be in the best shape of my life so I am running, running, running. And cross training for strength too. It's amazing how much time exercise takes up...and how lazy I was before. I still love to read, but I love feeling fit even more. I will continue to read when I can, but for the most part, my old reading time is now becoming my new exercise time. I'm proud of myself and I look forward to kicking my own ass!

Like the picture says, motivation has gotten me started and it's starting to become a habit...and I WILL keep on going!

Fallen In Love (Fallen #3.5)

Fallen In Love by Lauren Kate
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Meh. This is why .5 version novella's aren't a good idea. It wasn't very good, I only liked Miles and Shelby's story as it seemed like the most realistic and could be a story on it's own. Even then it wasn't that great.

My guess is that this book was published for a few extra dollars for the author and to tide fans over until the next book comes out. Meh.

View all my reviews