February 2014

Fifteen Minutes by Karen Kingsbury

Goodreads Rating: 3.84/5

My Rating: 5/5

Goodreads Review: Zack Dylan made a promise to God and his college sweetheart as he left his family's horse farm in Kentucky to compete on the popular reality television show Fifteen Minutes: If he makes it, the fame won't change him.

Overnight, Zack is the nation’s most popular contestant, a country singer with the looks and voice of a young Elvis. As his star rises, Zack is asked to compromise and quiet his beliefs, and also something more. Just as America is falling in love with Zack, just as he’s on the verge of winning it all, his choices lead him to the brink of personal disaster.

At the same time, Reese Weatherly, a therapeutic horse instructor, is no longer sure about her relationship with Zack, or the wedding they had dreamed about. While Zack advances from one round of the competition to the next, an offer comes to Reese--one that will take her to a home halfway around the world.

Then Chandra Olson--reigning diva pop star and one of the Fifteen Minutes judges--intervenes. Chandra has suffered so much public pain and private agony since her days as a Fifteen Minutes contestant. Now she wants just one thing: meaning.

Can Chandra's private losses help Zack find his way, or will his fifteen minutes of fame cause him to lose the life he once loved? Fifteen Minutesis a story of character, compromise, and the cost of having it all. A story that raises the question: Who are the real winners?

My Review: This book gets a five star review from me! I seriously haven't read a Karen Kingsbury book that I haven't loved. This is definitely no exception. I enjoyed the storyline, with Zack realizing the cost of fame, as that seems to be an issue in today's world. I really liked reading about a down to earth guy who tries out for a popular singing competition in hopes of getting money to save his family's farm. However, when fame starts to get to him and limits are put on sharing his beliefs, the fame starts to get to him. His girlfriend back at home has been giving an amazing opportunity that she only starts to consider after she notices a change in him. These characters were easy to relate to and this was a story that I definitely recommend! I couldn't put it down and read the majority of the story in one sitting!

I've got photos and vacations that I've not shared before. This vacation is from this past summer. My family and I loaded up the car and took a road trip down to the gulf coast. An area that we had not previously explored before. I love traveling and visiting new places, so this vacation was a lot of fun. The only downside was the long...looooooong...car ride! But it was definitely worth it! Some photos were taken in the car as we drove down the highway, so those aren't the best quality. But, you get the idea! This post is pretty photo heavy - so, I'll let them do the talking! Enjoy!