Book Review: Chicken Soup for the Military Wife's Soul

Title: Chicken Soup for the Military Wife's Soul
Author: Various
Pages: 308
Personal Rating: 4/5

From the Back Cover: A Tribute to the women who uphold the written and unwritten oaths of service and of marriage.

All military personnel swear an oath to uphold the constitution and protect our country, while their spouces take the unwritten oath to live a life of frequent moves, lengthy separations and endless anxieties.  Their commitment requires a unique blend of patriotism, dedication, hard work and, most of all, flexibility.
The stories in Chicken Soup for the Military Wife's Soul are written by military family members and the courageous women who themselves serve int he military.  Each page celebrates the women who unite with kindred spirits to raise families,maintain homes and uphold the most positive attitudes when faing the fears of losing a loved one.
This special volume celebrates the unique bond between military wives and their spouses and their dedication to home and country.

Personal Thought and Reflection: It was hard for me to get through this book. As a military spouse this book hit a sensitive nerve in my heart, and I found myself with tears streaming down my face after reading many of these stories. I chuckled at some, as I shared some of these women's stories as my own. The hardships and tribulations that a family goes through when you are a military wife are many, and it was great to read these stories and know that we are truly not alone. Many women have gone before us and made the same such sacrifices that we ourselves have made, and many more will do so after our spouses have left or retired from the military. This book truly reiterates the fact that the military becomes your family, when you are far from home, your fellow military members and their families become your family. You call on them, and help them also in time of need. Personally I feel this, as my family has been stationed in Japan for the past 4 years. There is a family-like feel shared between the people who serve with you in a far away land. This book will touch the hearts of any patriotic person, not just spouses of military members.

Book review-Salem Falls

Title: Salem Falls
Author: Jodi Picoult
Pages: 514
Personal Rating: 5/5

From the back cover: A handsome stranger comes to the sleepy New England town of Salem Falls in hopes of burying his pas: Once a teacher at a girls' prep school, Jack st. bride was destroyed when a students crush sparked a powder keg of accusation.  now, washing dishes for Addie Peabody at the Do-Or-Diner, he slips quietly into his new routine and Addie finds this unassuming man fitting easily inside her heart.  But amid the rustic calm of Salem Falls, a quartet of teenage girls harbor dark secrets-and they maliciously target Jack with a shattering allegation.  Now at the center of a modern-day witch hunt, Jack is forced once again to proclaim his innocence: to a town searching for answers, to a justice system where truth becomes a slippery concept written in shades of gray, and to the woman who has come to love him.

Personal Thought and Reflection: Loved this book! I had a rough start with Picoult, but have since found magic in her books. She writes on some very tough subjects that tug at the heartstrings and brings her readers to strong emotion. I experienced so much during my reading of Salem Falls.  I felt angry, hopeful, fear, dread, and happiness at the end result. Picoult somehow makes her readers want to pull for the underdogs in her story. You fall in love with them, and start hoping with them that the end result with be in our favor. I have two more of Picoults works on my shelves and am looking forward to reading them!