Diana is written in 3rd person. She is the gallery's keeper of the Moder Collections and Lily is her assistant. Diana has worked her way up to this position and is doing everything she can to keep it. For Lily, this is a dream come true. Lily has put both their jobs in jeopardy by speaking those words in front of everyone at the showing, including the press. 

An insurance company has sent an art investigator to find out about the painting that is said to be a forgery before they can compensate the owner. He knows a lot about art and gets right to business of figuring out what Lily knows about that painting and about art in general. He plays a big part in how things unfold although Lily is the one who does a great deal of her own investigating. At one point he asks her if she is in the right business because she finds out some important information many times. 

Things aren't how they look on the surface and I got carried away with the story as things unfold. Lily's family is a bit complicated and at first, we don't know why. We find out at the beginning that she has another big regret, like she regrets speaking up about the portrait. I enjoyed how that unfolded and came to a resolution with her sister and then her mom.   

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys learning history when it is intertwined in a fictional story. Once you've read several chapters, it becomes difficult to put down. I switched back and forth between audible and e-book. The narrator was very good. I enjoyed her accent and style of reading.                                                 

Favorite Quotes:

"Her example has taught me that if you have status, money, and power, you don't need to talk about it. Rather you wear it lightly, effortlessly, like an Egyptian cotton shift on a warm summer day." 

"Sometimes an artist needs to begin in secret because, just like those unfinished works she loves, true expression can be daunting, paralyzing, and even terrifying. It's a solitary, often painful venture and it's almost impossible to share such vulnerability with others." 

Check out her website: Katherine Reay​

WHERE SECRETS LIE

Book two in the Tupelo Grove series did not disappoint. This book starts where the first book left off. It is filled with even more mystery and family secrets that lead to more to be discovered in this book and the next.

We delve deeper into the issue of stolen artifacts and smuggling while the university that they work for is on the verge of financial collapse. Savannah and Hez end up in more danger as they strive to save the school and solve the mysteries. There is so much more going on behind the scenes with the university that I am not even sure they have shown us all of them.

There are also some strange things going on that have nothing to do with the school but cause problems for them personally as they try to rebuild their relationship. I guessed who was behind those things pretty easily after the first book. There is only one person against them being together. 

There are so many twists and turns to keep you on the edge of your seat. I listened to it in one day on Audible right after I finished book one. I can't wait for book three to come out next month.

Check out their websites:
Colleen Coble
Rick Acker​

​"There are books enough to find a thousand worlds. You can play in the woodlands or write home or mend your socks. It is only for lack of imagination that you are bored."

"These stories make us remember something we forgot. They make a young boy want to hop out of bed and see the ruins of a castle. These kinds of stories wake us up."

"Grief is the price I paid for loving fiercely, and that was okay, because there was no other choice but to love fiercely and fully."

This book made me want to reread all of the Narnia books and so many other things that C.S. Lewis wrote. It made me excited to read with a new outlook, to look for those hidden stories inside of the story. I felt so many emotions as I read the last quarter of the book. A book that can pull that much out of me deserves to be shared with others. 

Check out her website for more information on her books: Patti Callahan Henry

A big day on my running journey was Saturday, February 7, 2026. My youngest daughter bought us tickets for my birthday back in November. She didn't just buy one for me but bought herself one because she wanted to do something WITH me. That was the true gift, time with my grown daughter. We had planned to "train" from December to the race, but we didn't. She works full time in food service on top of working with me four mornings a week. I had all sorts of excuses, mostly just not feeling like it. I have a high stress job and by the end of the workday I'm just done. I also wanted to run outside instead of the little treadmill I bought so I COULD run inside when it got dark too quickly or it was too cold. I let those things stop me from doing what I knew I wanted to do and needed to do.  That didn't stop me from getting out there and doing my best. 

I started getting really excited after I picked up our race packets on that Thursday night. Friday, I gathered all the things I'd need for an early Saturday morning race. I got us both some long sleeve shirts when I picked up the packets so we could wear them during the race and after because they are so comfortable. I did my best to set an early bedtime but I'm terrible at that. I went to bed around midnight and got up at 5:30 so I could get dressed and have some time to do my Bible Recap before my daughter arrived. 

We got to Fair Park by 7:30 and had some time to walk across the parking lot and grab a few pics before the race started. We weren't sure of the plan, but I had downloaded three of the audio runs from my MADE4 app that I use frequently on my runs. My plan was to use those to make running the 6.2 miles as easy as it is to run the shorter distances. The run audios always make it pass so quickly and I feel so good afterwards. She told me she didn't want to run by herself, so I decided to stick with her. She was listening to her favorite TV show on her phone while I was listening to the runs. I started telling her what I was going to do for each interval, not to make her do it, but so she would know. She decided to run with me when I ran and walk when I walked. 

The miles passed so quickly. Each mile marker on our app took us by surprise. That spurred us on and we put more effort into the running intervals. She even made a short video at mile five to send in our family text showing that we had made it that far and were so close to finishing the race. We walked maybe a fourth of the time, but we ran the rest. It could have been a bit more or less, I'm not really sure. I just know we did a great job and finished strong. We ran through the finish line and got our medal.

They had the Finisher's Cup waiting to be picked up. The first thing we wanted was that banana. It tasted so good. We both agreed they could have had most of the things in the cup in exchange for another banana. We ate the banana and pretzels dipped in the chocolate. We found a place to sit down to enjoy our treat before walking back to the car. The walk to the car seemed to take forever, maybe if we were walking much slower than before. My feet were feeling a bit of pain but not as badly as they have in the past for a really long run. 

The drive back to Arlington was filled with talk of the race. We picked up my husband and took our daughter to our favorite burger place for our first real meal of the day. It was fun to sit and talk for a bit while we enjoyed our food. I went home after and did my best to lay down and talk a nap before having to get up. I slept a little bit not a deep sleep. I normally can't even sleep that much after a race. I get so keyed up that it stays with me. 

I really loved the time together with my daughter doing something that is fun and good for us. This race has so much meaning for me because it was my very first race 13 years ago. I did the 5K. I've done two 5K's, one 15K and now one 10K. I'm not sure if we will do the 10K again next year or do the 15K. We just need to decide now so we can buy the early bird tickets cheaper. I'd love to do the 15K just because I feel it is a big accomplishment. My feet want me to pick the 10K. I'll do whatever she decides. 

The weather is getting nice and the days are growing longer. That means I can get more runs outside where I can get some sunshine and get out of the house for a bit. My goal is to get out there two or three times a week. 

Thanks for joining me for the race update. I'm going to be putting some "look back" posts for some other runs soon, just so I have them all in one place. I love to look back at all the fun I've had doing the races. 

​As always, 

~A Simple Texas Girl living life on the Jesus Way!

I've got so many wonderful books on my TBR pile, and it just keeps getting bigger. My goal is to read one classic each month that I haven't read or haven't read in a while. I want to read some of the older titles each month along with the newer books and new releases that I can't help but get. I love supporting the authors and gracing my shelves with beautiful books at the same time. I do read a lot on my kindle with KU. It helps me decide what I need to get for my shelves. Honestly, I'd love to be able to get all the books, but I have limited shelf space and funds. That doesn't seem to stop me in MANY cases. 

I can't wait to share with you the books for February! I have a book review I need to write and am in the process of reading two other books.  

As always, 

~A Simple Texas Girl living life on the Jesus Way! ​