Jennifer Hallmark's Blog: Jennifer Hallmark

Grief. It’s such a tricky response to loss. Come and go. Ebb and flow. Stuck at times. Almost normal at others. Grief. My daughter has mentioned to me a few times since my BFF Joyce’s death in February that I haven’t dealt with the pain. The loss. The unfairness of it all. I know I […]

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This review is going to be a little different than usual. Today, I’m not discussing a book I’ve read but one I am exceptionally excited for. Following its late November release in Polish, Andrzej Sapkowski released a prequel to the eight-book Witcher series in English this past September. While Crossroads of Ravens predates the others […]

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 A Good Thought For Your Day

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I love spec fiction. Whether it’s fantasy, sci-fi, time travel, or Gothic inspirational, I read many books from these genres. But sometimes I like a change. I tend to binge-read, and this past summer, I devoured the twenty British mystery novels in Margery Allingham’s series involving the universal Uncle, Albert Campion. I love the characters […]

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I looked at the calendar last week. September 24th. Wednesday, the 24th of the month. The day after my “A Smidgen of Hope” post was due on my website. Ugh. I slapped my head and thought, “Girl, why can’t you get your act together?” Then I told myself that I was in my sixties and […]

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In 2006, a friend of mine gave me his copy of World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks and said, “You have to read it!!!” (I know I put three exclamation points there, but his enthusiasm was that high!) Don’t be put off by the word ‘zombie’ in the […]

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I found an old, beat-up copy of George Orwell’s 1984 at a thrift store. It’d been years since I read this story/warning/prophecy of sorts. So, today I will talk to you about my thoughts on this dystopian classic… “The best books, he perceived, are those that tell you what you knew already.” 1984 is a […]

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Sometimes, we don’t quite understand what God is saying to us. Maybe misinterpret is a better word. On January 14th, I shared a post about my “word” for 2025. Here’s a quote: Every year, I take a few moments during December to seek God for direction and focus for the following year. This time, the […]

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Looking for an adventure that’s reminiscent of a fairy tale? Immerse yourself in The Blue Bird of Happiness by S.M. Shigemitsu–a retelling of Maurice Maeterlinck’s play “The Blue Bird,” featuring the brother and sister heroes Tyltyl and Mytyl. In case you’re unfamiliar with Maeterlinck’s play, young Tyltyl and Mytyl search for the Blue Bird of […]

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“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” —Philippians 4:6 NIV “You watched me go under.” My son Jonathan accused the family surrounding him. Our outing at Bear Creek ended at the swimming area, where we splashed and swam in a shallow roped-off […]

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