July 29, 2011

Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman


Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman tells the story of a small town just outside of Chicago that is beginning to see a rise in crime as the coal mine industry swells with new employees and orphaned kids begin to rule the streets.

Livy is a young and beautiful girl, helping out at the local orphanage on a mission to find and bring the street kids in to safety.  She has a real soft spot for the street kids, being that she used to be one herself.  She knew how to pick pocket like a pro, could open any locked door and had a reputation... until Mrs. Brooks took her in and introduced her to Jesus.  Her life had been changed and she became devoted to helping other street kids, like herself, find hope and a future.

Jake is the new deputy in town.  He didn't always have a desire to go into law enforcement, but after he lost his father in a mining accident, he just couldn't go back underground.  Jake is determined to see the streets of Chestnut cleaned up and orderly.  He wants the riff raff street kids out of the way and back in Chicago, where they belong.  It wasn't until he met and fell in love with Livy that his heart became turned towards the true realities of the lives of the children.  Then he would do anything and risk everything to save them.

Gibbons just wants to be respected by his father.  His family had a reputation to uphold as some of the best crooks in all of Chicago.  But Chestnut was the perfect place for Gibbons to venture on his own and show them once and for all that he was capable of being just as ruthless as the rest of them.  And since no one cared for the street kids anyway, why not use them to their fullest potential?

Luke, a street kid from Chicago, is trying his best just to survive.  When a ring of roberies occurs in town, everyone suspects him... but all he wants to do is eat, stay warm, and find his kid brother who's been taken and is being held captive.

Ok, I know that was long... sorry.  I can not contain myself.  I LOVED this book.  It was such a good, fast, inspiring, romantic, sentimental, adventurous read.  This is a book you DO NOT want to judge by it's cover or title (both are kinda ehhh).  The book is written from the perspective of those 4 above characters, which really gives you the chance to know every angle of the story.

Yes, it's a Christian book... but I did not find it to be pushy or preachy at all.  I thought that it portrayed the message well without over doing it.  And, being that it's the mid-west in the late 1800's, it's appropriate.  I feel like sometimes Christian books feel the need to rosy up the message or add 100 "God's" into it just because it's "Christian".  And I AM a Christian... I still don't like it.  Not the case with this book... it was perfect.

Seriously, go get it... now.  Unfortunately, it's currently only available in e-book format, BUT for now it's FREE on Amazon.  Woohoo!

5 stars

This book was given to me free of charge for the purpose of this review.  This is my honest and unbiased opinion.


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Reviewed by Nicole at 3:24 PM 0 comments
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July 20, 2011

The Screaming Stone by J.P. Osterman

The Screaming Stone is a YA adventure/mystery novel that follows main characters Marcie and her cousin Robbie as they search for truth and treasure.

It all begins when visiting the cemetery after old Uncle Charlie dies.  Marcie follows Robbie around the graves and notices that he's trying to break into one!  In their ancestors gravestone, they find a special gold locket and a scroll with a guide to the family's secrets, past and possibly hidden fortune.  This leads the pair on an adventure through cold and creepy cellars and down long and dark caverns, with Marcie's kid brother Frankie in tow.  They are fueled by mysterious Irish folktales and the desire to save their family's farm and will go to great lengths to find whatever treasures await them.

Basically, that's the straight synopsis.  But, aside from that storyline, there are other themes taking place here.  For one, Marcie's mom is saddened by an old loss and copes by being an irresponsible and in-compassionate mother.  Her uncle, Finn, has been outcasted from the family for over 15 years due to something that happend while he was a teenager.  Marcie is afraid of him, but doesn't know all the details.  Her grandparents are from Ireland and are constantly telling them tales from the old country that make their imaginations run wild and give them a strong belief in mysticism and magic.  Robbie has some sort of disability, and although it's never named in the book, it seems to be some sort of Autism or Asburgers.

In my personal opinion, I felt like their were too many themes and situations kept coming up instead of wrapping up.  One second they're talking about Irish kings and the next about the Civil War and even dinosaurs.  It was all just a little far fetched.  Marcie is a 13 year old, but at times behaves stubbornly and childish... not in a teenager way, but more like a 10 year old.  Even Frankie, who's supposed to be 8, at one point needs to go down for a nap... more like a 5 year old.   The writing at times felt a little sporadic.  Some things went into great detail, and then at other times she skimmed through time so fast that it didn't lead to any kind of emotional push or pull.

The book is labeled as YA, but it feels a little younger than that even... maybe more appropriate for 4-7th graders... I do not think high schoolers will enjoy this read.  Although I personally enjoyed the action scenes, I felt that it was too jumpy overall.

3 stars.

This book was provided to me for the purpose of this review.  This is my honest and unbiased opinion.

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Reviewed by Nicole at 3:10 PM 0 comments
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July 18, 2011

Reternity by Neal Wooten

I've been worried about myself lately, worried I may have lost my capacity for wonder. I rarely watch movies anymore because they all seem so desperate to shock, surprise, and enthrall that they've essentially reached the limits for such things and are becoming repetitive. Books aren't as bad because I don't read thrillers, but I'm willing to bet Clive Cussler and his ilk are running out of ways to imperil Earth. But this book has either proven I can still be amazed, or it's added another layer to my cognitive callous. Either way, I am, at the moment, thoroughly amazed.

Reternity is the story of a young man named Max who has lived a very sheltered life as a pastor's son in a small Mayberry-esque town. As he graduates from high school and begins studying at a nearby university, his parents fear that his newfound interest in physics will test his faith. Their fears are calmed somewhat when they learn that his professor hosts weekly Bible studies, but their worries mount as his involvement in a science project quickly evolves into an obsession. On Max's part, he struggles with the idea that his discoveries could cause harm that would far outweigh any recognition he'd receive for it. His investigations take him, his professor, and the reader on an incredible journey that will bend the mind and enliven the senses.

I have only two complaints about this book. First, the writing in the first few chapters is very shaky. It's supposed to be set currently, but the beginning reads more like something from the 50's. In fact a lot of the language and portrayal of female characters reminded me of my mom and her ways of speaking. Second, the female characters -with a single exception- are two-dimensional. The reader gets the impression that Wooten must either fear women or acknowledge his ignorance of them, as he seems to tiptoe around their characterization. For these reasons, especially the writing in the beginning, I can't in good conscience award a full five stars.

However, this is truly an incredible book. It's uncommon to find others that share the belief that Science and God are compatible, and that's not the only difficult topic covered in this book (that particular issue is mainly tackled in the Forward). The Bible studies described shed light on things I hadn't realized had left me in the dark previously. Some of it may be upsetting to some readers, but I hope most will be open to discovering the truth for themselves.

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Reviewed by Memarie Lane at 5:18 PM 2 comments
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Unsaid


Unsaid by Neil Abramson Coming in August 2011


I must say I am really shocked at how much I truly enjoyed this book. Why am I shocked? Because I am a "happy-ending" sort of girl. I like to use books, movies, and television as mini escapes from the drama, tragedy, and conflict that often surround real life. So when I opened the book and the first line read, "Everything living dies. There's no stopping it." I thought, "I'm going to hate this book."


Let me introduce you to our main characters: David and Helena: Husband and wife duo who are a sort of yin and yang. David is a high-power attorney and Helena a gentle veterinarian. She keeps an array of animals at their farm house that David has little to do with since he spends so much time at work.


The story is narrated by a now deceased Helena. She is struggling to let go of some of her mistakes, and she lingers around the people and animals she loved trying to find closure. She chronicles the shattered lives of the husband, animals, and friends she left behind.


Throughout the story we see grief, shame, forgiveness, redemption, and most of all love. Rather than the depression and hopelessness that I expected to feel as I turned these pages I felt a great sense of peace. I'll be totally honest, I did cry, but only once! I would highly recommend this book to anyone!

*I received an uncorrected proof copy of this book for review purposes. However, I have not been compensated for my review and my opinions are 100% my own.

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Reviewed by Nom de Plume at 11:09 AM 0 comments
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July 14, 2011

Flesh & Bones, by Paul Levine

I was excited to read Flesh and Bones for a couple reasons: I always like starting new books (duh!) and it was the first book I would read on my brand new Nook e-reader.

This new novel is seventh in the Jake Lassiter series, chronicling a former NFL player turned attorney in Miami. I’m always a fan of a good series but I don’t know that I’d put this at the top of my all-time favorites.
Plot: We meet Jake in a bar catching up with an old friend. A woman walks in and shoots her father before fainting in Jake’s lap. Chrissy becomes Jake’s newest client and the reader follows him as he tries to clear Chrissy of what, on first glance, appears to be a fairly black and white crime.

For me, the plot was a bit predictable and there were points throughout the novel where I questioned actions the characters took, or perhaps didn't take. However, when Chrissy’s trial came up, I enjoyed the depth of legal knowledge and description that the author brings to his books. As a lawyer, he has an expertise that really comes through and makes the courtroom scenes shine in the novel. I also appreciated the final pages where the truth comes out. It wasn't entirely predictable and helped everything fall into place.

 Characters: I think this is where the book fell short for me. I just couldn’t get down with the main characters. There were times when I thought Jake was the noble lawyer and other times when I felt he was lazy and ever so slightly smarmy. I can’t exactly pinpoint what it was about him, but for whatever reason he wasn’t 100% endearing.

I also couldn’t figure out whether I wanted to root for Chrissy or not. Sure she killed her father, but you soon learn there's more to the story. But that "more to the story" didn't become clear until the end, so I spent much of the book being skeptical of her. The author may have intended this because Jake spends most of the novel trying to figure out the same thing as he delves into the private life of his client. Chrissy would seem like the victim one minute and then shady three pages later. It was hard to root for someone who I just couldn't figure out.
Structure: The book is a breezy read, easy to get into and easy to follow.
Overall a fine read, but not a lot of depth for me aside from the quality courtroom drama. 3 stars.

 Disclaimer: I received a free copy for review purposes, but my comments are my own!

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Reviewed by A Super Girl at 9:07 PM 0 comments
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Money Can't Buy Love, by Connie Briscoe

Money Can't Buy Love is the newest novel from bestselling author Connie Briscoe. The book was released in June and is currently on blog tour this week. Sadly, the tour was supposed to stop here on Monday, but I was a little behind in my reading, so we’re doing a delayed tour appearance.

But! Have no fear. To make up for it, if the book really interests you, head to Facebook to chat with the author on Monday at 8 p.m. Just search her name to pull up her fan page.

Plot: Lenora’s life isn’t what she expected. She’s got bills to pay, a less than interested boyfriend, and a boss that just won’t let up. Then she wins the lottery and suddenly her dreams are coming true -- but she soon learns it’s not all cracked up to be. The novel follows Lenora as she sees the true colors of her friends, her family, the man of her present, and the man of her future.

I enjoyed the plot. Typical “chick-lit” it was light, but entertaining. And the author offered a couple twists to keep the reader guessing.

Characters: Lenora is very likable. There were definitely times I wanted to smack her upside the head when she didn’t stand up to her man or squandered away her winnings, but that’s because we’re the all-knowing reader. In reality, anyone could find themselves in Lenora’s shoes both before and after her big win. I hated her boyfriend and loved the potential new love interest and I enjoyed where the author took the men by the end.

Structure: The chapters are short and sweet, which really kept the book moving. I kept telling myself I could read just one more, and then I’d finally put the book down five chapters -- and well past my bed time -- later.

Another good summer read if you’re into the “chick-lit” genre and/or love African American literature. 4 stars.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy for review purposes, but my comments are my own!

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Reviewed by A Super Girl at 9:03 PM 0 comments

July 13, 2011

Larkspur Cove by Lisa Wingate

Larkspur Cove is a story about a woman, Andrea, who moves home to the beautiful town of Moses Lake, Texas with her teenage son after a shocking divorce. Rather than wallow in self-pity, Andrea quickly gets a job as a counselor and moves on with her life as she jumps head first into the lives of those around her including trying to solve the "mystery" surrounding the town recluse being seen with a little girl.

The back of the book sold this to me as a mystery/thriller but other than about ten pages, there wasn't anything mysterious about this book. And to me, there wasn't anything very interesting about this book either. Even with the slight twist in the ending I was bored with how easily it all worked out. I did, however, like the strong-willed characters and feel like I was part of the lake community reading the book, but it just didn't do it for me. So while it's not bad, there is just nothing special about it.

*I received a free copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers for the purpose of this review.


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Reviewed by Playful Professional at 12:00 AM 0 comments
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July 12, 2011

The Red Pyramid (Kane Chronicles Book One) by Rick Riordan

First I must admit that I have been a longtime fan of Rick Riordan and his Heroes of Olympus series is fantastic. I was excited to read his new series and had very high expectations. And Mr. Riordan - you did not disappoint!

I love Egypt and have ever since I was a kid. I think the whole civilization is fascinating and went into this book hoping I would get a healthy does of Egyptian lore and myths. Oh I did - and it was awesome.

The book follows the quest of Sadie and Carter Kane to rescue their father from a very angry Egyptian god. They have to navigate new magical abilities, commune with other gods, and fight demons of all kinds. There are twists and turns and shockers galore all cramed in with great action sequences and terrific dialouge. The only part of the book I have any negative comment on - and its not even really negative - is that the chapters switch back and forth between the two kids and in the beginning was slightly confusing. Once I got used to the characters, though, it was a lot easier to follow and I truly began enjoying the different viewpoints and sibling banter.

This is a fantasic addition to the YA genre and a great read for adventure lovers of all ages. 5 stars!

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Reviewed by Lisa at 4:26 PM 0 comments
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July 8, 2011

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

You've probably heard of this book, maybe you've even seen the author and his son interviewed on TV. In case you haven't, it's the biographical account of a boy who claims to have visited heaven during an operation. As someone that struggles with doubt I was eager to read it. Not eager enough to spend money on it, but certainly eager enough to put it on hold at the library.

Todd Burpo is a Wesleyan pastor in a small Midwestern town. The first part of the book paints a picture of his family's life there, and the events that preceded his three year old son Colton's emergency surgery for a burst appendix. A few months after the surgery Colton startled his family by making comments about sitting in Jesus' lap and hearing the angels sing to him during the operation. He said he'd left his body and could see what his mother and father were doing in other rooms, things they'd thought they'd done in private.

In the time after he made those comments, the Burpos attempted to gently extract more information from their son about his miraculous visit, finding themselves astounded over and over as Colton described things outlined in scripture he hadn't yet been exposed to. He also claimed to have met a sister that had been miscarried (he hadn't been told about the miscarriage) and a grandfather. When shown different portraits of Jesus he said none of them were accurate until coming across the one by Akiane Kramarik, a girl from an atheist family who paints from dreams and visions of heaven she claims to experience.

I wanted this book to inspire me and to erase doubts from my mind, but unfortunately I can't say that happened. Maybe I'm overly skeptical, but some of the things Colton describes just seem too trite, like he's just describing cartoon scenes from a flannel board in Sunday School. The wounds he described on Jesus' hands and feet were not accurate as Science demands. The way he described the Trinity was not the complex mystery we try to wrap our minds around, but rather the actual division that compels Muslims to accuse us of polytheism.

At the same time, I've always felt that Heaven is likely a subjective experience. Maybe Colton saw things that way because that was how he understood them. Maybe an adult would see things different, more complex and less Nickelodeon. We can't really know, can we?

As a skeptic I also have to wonder how much of this was truly Colton's original experience and how much of it was generated by a desire to please or get attention. In his interviews he seems very bored with the whole thing, just muttering the answers he knows are expected of him, certainly understandable after having an experience like this dominate his childhood. Throughout the book Burpo recalls that he was very careful not to plant ideas or ask leading questions when discussing this with his son, but then went on to do exactly that more than once, and those are just the times he wrote about. I do believe there is a large core of truth, I'm just not so sure how much of it has been re-interpreted or overplayed as it has been extracted from the mind of a small child via his parents.

Who would I recommend this to? I would hesitate to recommend it to a non-believer because I'd be afraid it would come across as more cheesy than revolutionary. At the same time, it could very well open up a closed mind to new possibilities, I guess it depends on the mind. Here is a short interview with the Burpos.



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Reviewed by Memarie Lane at 3:16 PM 2 comments
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July 7, 2011

The Future Perfect by Kirk Mustard

My dad introduced me to Douglas Adams as a kid, and I've always loved his stuff because it's funny. I learned about Kurt Vonnegut in college, and appreciated his skill at demonstrating the absurdities of the human condition. Kirk Mustard has taken elements of both of these writers, put them in a blender with Aldous Huxley, and served the result in a tall frosty glass with a little umbrella and a few chunks of fruit.

The Future Perfect (an abbreviated title by the way) is the story of Earth somewhere between now and the society portrayed in Wall-e. Consumerism has... well, consumed the planet, science has taken over everything, even the afterlife, and nature has been all but eradicated by society's paranoia of germs.

Weighty topics are skillfully explored through a fascinating assortment of Adams-esque characters. There's Zenith, a loud colorful ad executive who must constantly churn out new products to a ravenous public, at one point even conceiving of and publishing a book during a short commercial break. His good friend is Monty, a witty self-proclaimed Luddite who longs for simpler times yet panics at the sight of a roasted chicken. Apex Caliente is the unwitting catalyst to the truth behind Nophy, a computer generated afterlife.

One thing I really enjoyed about this book was the detail of technological advances of the future. The synthesized food was disgusting, but probable. The voting system, which uses television ratings to determine what people really want subconsciously, was very creative. My favorite thing, which I really hope to see one day, is the flexy-screen, basically a screen the size and nature of a piece of paper, and used as such.

There are only two negatives to this book. First, there are a lot of grammatical and typographical errors. But overall the writing was good enough and the story interesting enough that it was easy to overlook. Second, the style of writing is a bit uneven. There's a lot of fantastic material between the beginning and the end, but it starts out choppy and ends suddenly. If the errors were fixed and the beginning and end rewritten, this would be a five star book.

I received a copy of this book for the purpose of review.


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Reviewed by Memarie Lane at 3:08 PM 0 comments
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July 6, 2011

The 39 Clues by Various Authors (Books 1-10)








I just finished reading (well listening to as they were audiobooks) numbers 1-10 of The 39 Clues series. There are more coming (book 11 - Vespers Rising - came out in April) but book 10 ends at a very good stopping point before starting the next phase of the story. The books follow the quest of the 11 year old Dan and 14 year old Amy Cahill around the world as they try to piece together the clues that form the basis of their families power. What power? Well, in the books, the Cahills are an extremely influencial family that has four branches. Famous people like Benjamin Franklin, Mozart, Shakespeare, and others are all included in the families geneology. Dan and Amy must follow clues and hints left behind througout the generations to find the ultimate prize - the power to rule the world.

These books are extremely well written. Each book features a new author - including big YA names like Riordan, Korman, and Haddix. And while that may seem like it would make the series choppy and disconnected, it doesn't. Rather, it gives an exciting and ever-changing quality to the books that fits in nicely with Dan and Amy's constant traveling and hunting. The characters are extremely well developed and I grew to care about Dan and Amy and their plight more and more with every book. The series has well thought out plot twists and the historical aspects are really engaging and highly believeable.

I must say also that the audiobooks, narrated by David Pittu, are some of the best recordings I have ever heard. He gives unique and distinctive voices to all of the characters. Check it out.

I would recommend these for all ages. 5 stars!


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Reviewed by Lisa at 6:00 PM 0 comments
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July 5, 2011

God and Stephen Hawking: Whose Design is it Anyway? by John C. Lennox

I was interested in this book for a number of reasons - the main one being that I have read a few things from Stephen Hawking and while I found his writing engaging and informative, I have always wondered - Where's God? All kinds of scientific theories are put out into the world but God seems to still be a very taboo subject for scientists and academics. So it was interesting to read something that responded to a very openly atheist scientific work from a Christian point of view.

Lennox does a great job of making some rather complicated ideas understandable. It is a short book but definatly full of thought-provoking questions. The beginning of God and Stephen Hawking opens with an argument against Hawking's controversial statement that "Philosophy is dead". Lennox asks if the questions Hawing debates in his book - Where did we come from? How did we get here? - are not themselves philosophical questions. The book follows this same pattern of taking an argument, disecting it, and refuting each point.

Overall, I learned a few things and have kept it in my personal library for future reference. Worth a read if for nothing else than it makes you think about your personal views and where the current scientific trends fit into them.

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Reviewed by Lisa at 11:52 PM 1 comments
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Possession by Elana Johnson

If you have become obsessed with the dystopian genre (i.e. Hunger Games, Matched, The Giver, etc.) as I have, there is a new book by a debut author that you must read. Elana Johnson just released her book Possession and it is fabulous. The main characters are compelling and the story is fast paced. I personally fell in love with the main character, Vi, and can't seem to stop thinking about the book. I am now trying to figure out how to convince my husband to name a future child Jag...is that weird? Now, you are probably wondering what the book is about, below is a synopsis.

Vi knows the Rule: Girls don’t walk with boys, and they never even think about kissing them. But no one makes Vi want to break the Rules more than Zenn…and since the Thinkers have chosen him as Vi’s future match, how much trouble can one kiss cause? The Thinkers may have brainwashed the rest of the population, but Vi is determined to think for herself.

But the Thinkers are unusually persuasive, and they’re set on convincing Vi to become one of them….starting by brainwashed Zenn. Vi can’t leave Zenn in the Thinkers’ hands, but she’s wary of joining the rebellion, especially since that means teaming up with Jag. Jag is egotistical, charismatic, and dangerous: everything Zenn’s not. Vi can’t quite trust Jag and can’t quite resist him, but she also can’t give up on Zenn.

This is a game of control or be controlled. And Vi has no choice but to play.

I loved the book and I highly recommend it. Go order a copy!

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Reviewed by Kaylyn at 3:33 PM 1 comments
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Kings of Colorado by David E. Hilton

How many times do you look back at times in your life and ask what if?

William Sheppard stabbed his father in the chest when he was thirteen. What happens after is a series of incidents that beg for the age old question, what if? After stabbing his father, Will is sent to the Swope Ranch Boy's Reformatory, a prison disguised as a ranch known for breaking wild horses. Set in the middle of the Colorado mountains, no one thinks of escaping Swope, just of surviving. It takes Will just a few months before he find the best kind of friends, ones that stick with you forever. Together, these four teenage boys try to find a way to make it out of Swope in one piece in the midst of violence-happy guards, teenage gang leaders, and wild horses.

I won't tell you anything else about what happens other than to say this book was fantastic. Like Hunger Games, this is a story about boys fighting for survival, a story that while heart-breaking and a little disturbing, I just couldn't stop reading. The sense of friendship and brotherhood that David Hilton develops is almost tangible and one that I'll definitely remember. My only complaint would be that since this book is set in a boy's reformatory, there is a lot of language and violence, actually too much language in my opinion that could have been done without. Other than the language, this is an incredible read and one I thoroughly enjoyed. 4 stars (lost one star for the language).

*I received a free copy of this book to review. The review is my honest opinion of the book.


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Reviewed by Playful Professional at 10:40 AM 1 comments
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The Secret History of MI-6 by Keith Jeffery

Britain's Secret Intelligence Service (also commonly known as MI6) was born a century ago amid fears of the rising power of other countries, especially Germany. The next forty years saw MI6 taking an increasingly important-and, until now, largely hidden-role in shaping the history of Europe and the world. This thorough, fascinating, and revelatory account draws on a wealth of archival materials never before seen by any outsider to unveil the inner workings of the world's first spy agency.

Some fun tidbits from the book:

-- Spy writers. Somerset Maugham, Malcolm Muggeridge, and Graham Greene were all M)-6 operatives (as this book reveals for the first time).

-- James Bond: true and false. Ian Fleming's fictional MI-6 agent is likely based on actual agent Wilfred "Biffy" Dunderdale, a friend of Fleming's. Unlike in the Bond novels and films, no MI-6 agent has a "license to kill".. However, Q, the gadget-making super-scientist of the Bond series, is based on reality.

-- In 1941, a British spy was arrested in Madrid dressed "down to a brassiere" as a woman. Unsure whether he was a spy or simply a cross-dresser, Spanish police soon released him. He was transferred to Cairo where he had "a brilliant career in deception."

-- In 1949, MI-6 seriously considered peddling confiscated opium in Asia to raise funds.

-- Friends in high places. Arthur Ransome, another writer/spy, worked in the Soviet Union and had as his mistress Leon Trotsky's secretary.

-- In 1941, an MI-6 operative infiltrated a posh casino on the Dutch coast from the sea - wearing a tuxedo underneath his wetsuit.

-- In the late 1940s, MI-6 operatives blew up ships in Italian ports to stop Jewish refugees from sailing to Palestine.

-- MI-6 was famous for running the British code-breaking program during World War II, but few appreciate its other innovations from that decade, such as knockout drops, silent weapons, and exploding file cabinets.
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Reviewed by Kaylyn at 10:09 AM 0 comments
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July 4, 2011

The Poisonwood Bible, by Barbara Kingsolver

Every once in awhile, I get it in my head to take a little trip back in time and pick up a book that I never seemed to get around to when it was in its heyday.

That sort of spirit, combined with a month free from book club and any review requests, led me to finally pick up The Poisonwood Bible. Perhaps most of you have already read this bestseller/Oprah pick, or perhaps you're like me and just haven't gotten around to it yet.

Plot: The Poisonwood Bible spans 30 years in the lives of the Price family. As missionaries from Georgia, they step foot in the Congo in 1959, when the country is on the cusp of political turmoil. Dumped in a tiny mission town in the jungle, the fire and brimstone father believes he has been placed there by God himself to baptize the heathens. His wife and four daughters are forced along for the ride.

The Prices quickly learn that this mission work isn't as easy as they thought and their father's refusal to listen to anyone but his own divine inspiration sets them up for trouble. The novel chronicles the lives of the Price women as they attempt to survive and understand the God they were always told to believe in.

Characters: The book is a character-heavy novel, told by Orleanna Price and her three daughters. With each chapter comes a different voice and the women are worlds apart. From an eldest daughter who cares more about taking care of her blonde hair than her family, to the youngest child who befriends the local children through a simple game of Mother May I, the characters in this novel provide a good look at life in the Congo -- and the politics that break the Congo's back.

Structure: The book is divided into books of the bible, beginning with Genesis and ending with Exodus, with sections told by each of the Price women. At nearly 600 pages, the book is hefty, but the characters keep it moving.

Not knowing the details of the Congo in the 1960s and reading the back of the book, I was expecting much more drama and suspense than what actually happened in the novel. However, I think Kingsolver did a wonderful job at conveying what everyday Congolese families might have experienced as their country was in turmoil.

It's a novel that will keep you thinking about it for a few days and a novel that begs to be discussed. If you're like me and have somehow avoided it since it was published in 1998, I'd encourage you to give it a whirl. 4 stars.

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Reviewed by A Super Girl at 5:00 PM 3 comments
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Son of Hamas by Mosab Hassan Yousef

Son of Hamas tells the true story of the life of Mosab Hassan Yousef, son to one of the most influential and powerful Hamas leaders.

This account tells of the struggles in the Middle East between the Israelis and the Palestinians.  Mosab's father, Sheikh Hassan Yousef, is a devout follower of the Qu'ran and Allah and became one of the top organizers and leaders of Hamas.  Hamas is an organization that, in short, supports terrorism in order to support the Palestinians goals of land domination and control.  Being the son of this influential leader, Mosab had access to top secret information concerning suicide bombers, terrorists and other attacks.

Mosab was imprissoned as a young man, and later was recruited to be a secret spy for the Israeli government's Shin Bet.  As an insider with easy access to the Palestinians plotting, he became invaluable to the Shin Bet and helped stop or put to justice many terrorist activities.  Along the way, he also withdrew from his religious culture and became a follower of Jesus!  As he learned more and more about God and Jesus' teachings of forgiveness, mercy and grace, his moral compass began shifting and he found himself loving the very people his father's religion had taught him to hate.

This book was incredibly interesting... especially if you are a political guru.  Unfortunately, I am not.  I am too young to truly know the ins and outs of what happened during the 90's in the Middle East.  If I had known more about that, I'm sure this book would have been eye opening and revealing.  Even with my ignorance, it was still a great read.

I was fascinated by this glimpse into a culture that is so consumed with hatred.  And I loved how Mosab's heart begins to soften and change as he becomes a Christian.

I read this on my Kindle... which may have been a mistake.  Throughout the book, I was utterly confused with the sheer number of people named.  It was so hard to keep track of who was who... and their names were all so similar!  Also, he makes references to organizations and societies, and uses abbreviations that became confusing as well.

But, as I said, since I read it on my Kindle, I didn't realize that there was a list of people, a glossary and a time-line at the end!!! Uh, that would have been helpful!  So, if you do get it as an e-book, remember to bookmark the last 3 chapters.

3 Stars


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Reviewed by Nicole at 1:34 PM 2 comments
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July 3, 2011

Princess Academy by Shannon Hale

Princess Academy is a book I've heard about a lot, maybe because it's a Newberry Honor Book. My little sister read it and loved it, and I've been meaning to pick it up for a while. When I heard the author Shannon Hale talking about how she came up with the characters and how she wrote the book at the National Book Festival a year ago my fate was sealed, I had to read this book.

It took me all of three hours sitting by the pool to finish the book. It's a very quick and fun read. The basic storyline is that the king's priests have determined that the next princess lives in a small town high up in the mountains. All of the girls ages 12-17 are forced to go to a Princess Academy for a year to prepare for a ball where the prince will choose his princess from one of those girls.

Like Hunger Games, this book has just the right amount of fantasy, romance, competition, and action. I loved the main character, Miri, as well as the other girls trying to become the next princess. And unlike a lot of other young adult lit I've read, the end actually surprised and delighted me. Definitely worth reading. 5 stars.

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Reviewed by Playful Professional at 12:00 AM 1 comments
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July 1, 2011

The Playful and Powerful Warrior Within You by GJ Reynolds

The Playful and Powerful Warrior Within You is written by a man who has been to the rock bottom and back. He's been on the brink of suicide and crawled his way back to the top. This book shares his inspiring story as he found a way to find the playful and powerful warrior inside of himself as well as how you can find that warrior in yourself as well.

I chose to read this book because the title caught my eye. I've seen, read, and reviewed numerous self-help books but this was one of the first that put an emphasis on being playful in your lives. If you hadn't noticed already, my blogging name is Playful Professional and my personal blog is talenttoplay.blogspot.com. If it isn't obvious enough, I like to play. And being your best self by adding playfulness back into your life intrigued me because I 100% agree with that idea.

While I agree with the idea and think that the book had a lot of potential as a concept, I feel it fell flat in the structure. Each of the chapters focuses on one specific element to find the warrior within you - things like being authentic, forgiving yourself, and having fun and enjoying the journey along the way. All great ideas that I'm sure would be very helpful but the chapters were filled with so much text that rather than enjoying the journey, I got bored.

Pictures, quotes, practical applications would go a long way to help this book be not only more enjoyable to read but more useful for real life. Being given reasons for why you should be authentic are great but I want to know ideas and ways to be authentic rather than the false version of me that everyone expects. I will say that at the end of the chapter the author includes a couple of practical applications for each idea but because of that and the heavy amounts of text only in each chapter, I found myself wanting to skip to the end of each chapter.

So overall this was an okay book that could have been great. Great idea, poor execution. 3 stars.

I received a free copy of this book to review.

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Reviewed by Playful Professional at 7:53 PM 0 comments
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