From the Bookshelf of Turning Pages At Midnight…

The Empty Jar

M. Leighton

Start date: June 10, 2016

Finish date: June 16, 2016

Discussion: Buddy Reads

Find A Copy At

Libraries

Group Discussions About This Book

Showing 2 of 25 topics — 1,811 comments total

Buddy Reads

* September 2025 Buddy Reads
By Diana · 13 posts · 21 views

last updated Sep 04, 2025 07:25AM

* Want to Read With Me?
By Diana · 126 posts · 64 views

last updated Jun 01, 2025 09:53AM

What Members Thought

Apr 20, 2016 Jennifer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: emotional-reads, loved-it, devoured, inspirational, best-of-2016, ugly-cry, epic-reads

To me, the hardest review to write is for the books you love the most. When you read a book that is pure perfection. When a book brings out emotions in you that you haven’t felt in a very long time. When a book literally breaks you to the point of sobbing. How do you convey that in a way that it will do it justice? You want to convey to the review reader that a book left you speechless. That is where I am at today with my review of The Empty Jar by M Leighton. If you follow Ms Leighton, you know To me, the hardest review to write is for the books you love the most. When you read a book that is pure perfection. When a book brings out emotions in you that you haven’t felt in a very long time. When a book literally breaks you to the point of sobbing. How do you convey that in a way that it will do it justice? You want to convey to the review reader that a book left you speechless. That is where I am at today with my review of The Empty Jar by M Leighton. If you follow Ms Leighton, you know this past year has been a difficult year for her. Her beloved father past away recently and she was able to channel every emotion into her writing and this is by far her best work yet! I felt everything she wrote. I felt every emotion: love, happiness, joy, sorrow, and heartbreak. She poured out her soul into The Empty Jar and I felt like I was transported into the story as I felt IT ALL!!! This is THE BEST BOOK I’VE READ IN A LONG TIME!!! This was beyond 5 stars and goes into a whole new level of the stratosphere. You really need to read this one!! If you can only buy one book this year, this is it!!

Lena and Nate’s story is such an epic love story, the kind of love story that fairytales are made of. The kind of love story that a little girl dreams about. We all dream of finding our soulmate, our other half, until death do us part. That is the kind of love Lena and Nate shared. They longed for a child to share their love with but miscarriage after miscarriage they were accepting their dream of it not happening. They embark on a once in a lifetime trip to Europe when Lena discovers after all this time she is finally pregnant. But with happiness comes heartbreak. With one event being something they have longed for another looms in the background and casts a dark cloud over what should be a joyous event.

Life changing choices are made and Lena and Nate are faced with more than just a pregnancy. There is nothing greater than a love for your child and they are faced with making the hardest decision any parent will make. Like I said, this was an EPIC love story, not for only each other but for the love for their child. I know if I was placed in the Lena’s shoes I would have done the exact same thing. As a mother, we want the best for our children and will do anything for them.

The story M Leighton gives us in The Empty Jar is one that will stay with me for a very long time and I will never look at an empty mason jar the same. There are endless possibilities and it’s our duty to ensure we fill it will all we can. Thank you M Leighton for giving us such a life changing story. Words can be just letters on a page or they can be orchestrated in such a way they touch your soul and this is exactly what they did for me. This is the reason why I read, for stories like this. After I finished reading I immediately messaged Ms Leighton and told her after today, life as I know it will be ‘AEJ’, after The Empty Jar. I will not be the same. <3 10 plus huge stars.
...more

2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 20, 2016 Julie rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arc

Everyone deserves to find the love of a lifetime. That one person that completes you in every way. A love that is greater throughout the years. Someone that you plan on growing old with. The ‘forever’ kind of love that so few people manage to discover. For Nate and Lena - this love of a lifetime exists. It surrounds them in a cocoon. Making each day and every memory more precious than the next. A love so pure that is transcends all others. Theirs is a love story for the ages. ……

Wow!! What can I Everyone deserves to find the love of a lifetime. That one person that completes you in every way. A love that is greater throughout the years. Someone that you plan on growing old with. The ‘forever’ kind of love that so few people manage to discover. For Nate and Lena - this love of a lifetime exists. It surrounds them in a cocoon. Making each day and every memory more precious than the next. A love so pure that is transcends all others. Theirs is a love story for the ages. ……

Wow!! What can I say about this book to do it justice? This was by far, one of the more difficult review to write. Why?? Well - this novel is so pure, raw, and full of emotion. Making is difficult to put into words that will translate just how detailed and devoted this story really is. M Leighton has gone about and beyond with this story of romance, the beauty is things around us, and finding that once in a lifetime love.

The LOVE that is captured in The Empty Jar can only be experienced. It’s a compliment on so many levels the way this story ‘changes’ you. There is beauty found in each and every chapter. It comes in the smallest ways….the simplest profession. Yet - this is no ordinary romance. In fact - I can promise you will cry, swoon, laugh, and FEEL throughout every single chapter. Something that will leave you thinking long after that final sentence is read upon the page.

Lena and Nate will take you on a journey of dedication to the one you love. Their moments will teach you to enjoy everything that life has to offer you. Enjoy the little things that we tend to overlook in relationships. It’s about surviving the rocky road that life leads you down during those years. It makes you realize the true meaning of devotion. A glimpse back in time to days when we experience other loves in life….we just don’t always realize it in that moment.

This story is about the little things that show us that love is all around us. You just need to stop and appreciate it for more than you have in the past. Never accept that your life is missing ‘something’. We all hold a jar that is ANYTHING but empty. Fill your jar and savor the moments where you realize it was never empty…..it was waiting for you all along!! ...more

Like · see review