I have been blessed in many ways. I haven’t experienced a devastating loss, for instance. Sure, there have been many times when grief entered my life, but they have been manageable. At least they seem that way now. At the time, they did feel like my whole world has crumbled. But really, what did I know about having my world utterly destroyed? Nothing. Not when compared to losses others have experienced.

I feel blessed. I am privileged to watch my daughters grow and marvel at how they are confronting their world. I am grateful to be able to watch my parents grow old and wonder at the grace they handle all the trials of aging. I am grateful that I have all of them still because I don’t want to find out how strong I could be without them.

I don’t know that I would be any good at dealing with a loss so great that it can cut you down. That’s how I felt reading The Rules of Inheritance by Claire Bidwell Smith. It was almost too heavy for me to bear. The loss, the impending grief… I can almost feel her being suffocated by it all.

But read on, and learn about the strength that must be in all of us and you’ll feel uplifted. Maybe there is hope, maybe there is that light at the end of the tunnel and that pain such as this does not endure but abates with time and that it is survivable.

It is a very interesting read that I think most of us can relate to and maybe even learn from. It may be a difficult read for some people because of the subject matter, but I also think there is a lot to be learned from it. I highly recommend reading it. I couldn’t stop turning pages even when I wanted to.

You can read more about what I think about this on my book review on Found Not Lost, my review blog.

You can also visit the author’s blog and learn more background information about the characters in her book. It’s fascinating reading all the additional tidbits behind the story!

See what other readers think of this book by visiting The Rules of Inheritance on BlogHer.

“This is a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.”

Yesterday we had How-tos. Today we have MyBlogSparks. That is, two posts for opportunities from My Blog Sparks.

The first is a review for a new line from Febreze, the Wooden Wick Candles. These are perfect to spruce up your home for the holidays. They also make great gifts!

The second is a review and giveaway for the Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes. You can win 2 boxes of Betty Crocker Boxed Instant Mashed Potatoes (one Roasted Garlic and one Homestyle Creamy Butter), a serving bowl, a trivet and a serving spoon. This too would make a perfect gift if you don’t want to keep if for yourself.

Here’s a few more book reviews posted on Found Not Lost this week:

Desiree is the story of Napoleon Bonaparte’s first love who eventually became Queen of Sweden and Norway while you all know what happened to poor Napoleon. Based on a true story and based on real people, this novel spans events in Europe during the Napoleonic Wars. It is written in diary form all from the point of view of Desiree, the daughter of a silk merchant, who was engaged to Napoleon before Josephine came along. This was one of my favorite reads this month.

Island of the Swans refers to a small island inhabited by swans on the estate of a duke. The story revolves around two lovers who fell in love when they were young but were separated from each other by fate and life. They both go on with their lives but always, buried within them, they kept the love they have for each other. They run into into each other several times after their separation and each time their love remains palpable. But they now have obligations and family to take care of. They can’t just drop everything and everyone to be with each other. It’s a heartbreaking story but it is also not without hope. The ending is a bit surprising and you wish for so much more for them, but ultimately love prevails and in the end that is all that matters.

Darcy’s Great Escape is another sequel to the Pride and Prejudice story by Jane Austen. The characters and settings are familiar but that is all that this book has with the original Pride and Prejudice. New characters are introduced in this book and the story ventures way off the main line but it is in no way diminished. It is still a very interesting and entertaining read. I especially enjoyed the new characters introduced in this book and the twist and turns that everyone’s life takes in this book will keep you turning pages.

I’m giving away a $25 Kroger Gift Card! – sign up to win by August 8. Click on the link for details.

Have you tried Breyer’s Smooth and Dreamy Ice Cream Bars and Sandwiches? It’s hard to believe they are lower in fat and calories than regular ice cream. Read what we thought about them and how they were devoured in no time.

And now that we’ve taken care of our body’s hunger, let’s take care of the mind. If you like poetry, you’ve probably already heard of Alexander Pushkin. I recently had a chance to review My Talisman: The Poetry and Life of Alexander Pushkin and found myself intrigued not only by the poems but also by the story of the poet himself.