Pure by Terra Elan McVoy

Tabitha and her 4 best friends all made a promise to each other when they were 12, to stay virgins until marriage and they all have purity rings to solidify their commitment. However, that was before high school and before boys. Now 15, the girls are still just as committed to each other and their vows. But when Tabitha gets a new boyfriend things start to change for the group. Morgan, Tab’s best friend is not supportive and secrets within the group begin to grow. When one of the girls does the unthinkable, Tabitha finds herself having to decide not only between her best friends but between what she thought was right and wrong.

Pure is a mixture of a lot of things. To begin, it is a light-hearted novel about struggles between best friends and standing up for what you believe in. It is about coming of age and finding yourself. It is also about beliefs and religion. While I do not typically like novels that have religion as a central feature as I often find them preachy, the religion aspect did not overpower the story.  The characters could have been a little bit more developed, and the plot was a little slow. However, I really enjoyed Tabitha’s struggle and found her to be a completely relatable character. It addressed real issues, and I appreciated the many viewpoints on premarital sex and an introduction to the idea of purity rings which is kind of popular right now. I am not sure how appealing this will be to a wide audience, but I enjoyed it.

You might like Pure if you enjoy books with: a light and uplifting feel, multiple main characters but with single person narration, a coming of age realistic feel.

Other books by Terra Elan McVoy: After the Kiss

If you enjoyed Pure you might also like:  The V Club by Kate Brian, Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson and Lost it by Kristen Tracy.

For more information on purity rings click here.

Rating: 3Q 3P MJ

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Photojojo

This book is unlike every other photography book I’ve read, and that’s why I like it.  It doesn’t attempt to teach you how to be a great photographer, and it certainly doesn’t waste any space showcasing the authors’ work.  It addresses a very different -and very real- need for photographers: a place to turn when you are feeling less than creative.  The authors don’t want you to sit down and read a book, they want you to get out, take and make photos.  Their job is to give you ideas that can easily be put into action.  …action that will inevitably spark some inspiration.

The book is divided into two parts.  1.) Crafty things to do with your photos, and 2.) ideas of what and how to shoot next.  Personally I enjoyed the second part much more than the first, but in light of the economy and the fast approaching Christmas season I will certainly be implementing some of their crafty ideas for my gifts this year.

No matter where you are in your photographic pursuits there are plenty of things in this book you can benefit from.  If you’re feeling stifled creatively then it would be well worth your time/money to pick up this book. …but only if you’ll actually DO some of the things they suggest.  =)

[Via http://stephenelliot.com]

Why the heck is Chetan Bagat a bestseller!

The past few hours, I have been awake, I have finished off Chetan Bagat’s lastest supposed to be bestseller – The Two States. I am pretty much amused that I have taken over one and half years to complete half of my PG Wodehouse collections, may be of the same size or a little bigger each, whereas I am finishing the almost same sized Indian Novel in hardly a day’s quarter. As I try to analyse why Chetans novels are so famous across India, I was pretty much amused with myself as to why I am so slow in progressing along the PGW books! Anyone in London’s biblio circle would definitely pay me a price to read them. Am I progressing slowly because they are of senseless British humour? (Sorry here, as I have just read a book with half of Punjabi humour), or slow because the fonts are slightly smaller, or because its of a foreign author, or a book of the bygone eras… and so on and so forth! However for once, for none of my essays for analysing arguments nor for any B School case studies, thought I would pick this one up. Why are Chetan Bagat’s novels a mega hit in India?

Chetan’s novel has graduated from Indian teens, students to working professionals. Although it has encompassed all aspects of their lives, his books have even covered the cultural sensitivity and ethnicity in India. Mostly his books have captured the active imagination of every youngster who reads it and probably imagines him or her to be in that situation as most of the people of the age group would go through similar stories. Of all his books, The Three Mistakes of my life, was slow and bad. I admit, I fell asleep and reading it was one of my life’s several mistakes.

Many argue, his books are in Bollywood filmy style. I disagree with that. It mostly is a piece of combination of the mazes of Indian culture. His first book was entirely based in an IIT and the happenings in an IIT! Indians dream to get into any institute with the Indian Institute/School of * tag. That made the masses who dream to read the book. It was well written and to some extent covered the life of IITians as desired by a non-IITian. It also mused over the teen life crises of an average Indian and well comparable to most of our lives. In the recent times, it was a great success by an Indian author and hats off to him for getting people back to reading books and taking time off the idiot box (at that time TV was still a box).

The next book One Night at a Call Center was just average according to my views. It largely concentrated on the sector providing employment to most of the youth of nowadays the BPO’s. Decently portrayed, the dreams of individuals, their aim to achieve them, coming out of their middle class blues, love, lust all the Indian audience wanted was just perfect. But a bit over-bored (No, I am not making a spelling mistake for overboard here), for me. The book was made into a movie and was a disaster in the box office, proving that his movies are not of Bollywood ishtyle.

The third book, took a direct dig at the situation in Gujrath at that time, it was the most boring of the three, portrayed on the life of a guy who desires to be the next Anil Ambani starting a cricket gear shop. Nice idea may be an inspiration to some, but has portrayed a negative image on Gujrath due to the riots. Just a decent book, probably signaling that Bagath was moving down south, from Delhi to Gujrath and next further down.

Yesterday, I got a copy of the Two States. Well I presume as my previous paragraph hinted, Bagat had moved south and way south to Chennai! The book has direct references to the North South divide in India, but in the end, portrays in a much better fashion that we are united however divided we are across our 30 odd states (I remember there were 26 or 27 when I studied, have lost touch now). The book again starts of with a dream of everyone joining India’s most prestigious management institute, the IIMA. Then on moves along the IIM dorms, portraying the love that got North and South together. Further down, it proves that anyone can survive in Chennai, which I still doubt and even covers the protagonist of the story working for Citibank, a dream of every MBA, to work in the finance sector. No matter what, it also proves that people do MBA without plans and re-emphasises the cultural difference and thoughts across India. At the, end the couple have a happy ending and Punjab shakes hands with TamilNadu. To me its the best book of the four and may inspire more and more cross state weddings in India.

This again is not Bollywood style. This is what happens in India. The book re-defines modern careers and the aspect with which people choose their careers. Bollywood never does that or its unnoticed in most cases. The book has references to Madrasis, Black people, Dosa, Idli all over, well I think some things never change. Time for people to identify themselves as Indians. However at a time, when the whole of the country is fighting over languages, the book is most welcome, hope the hero was a Marathi and probably the story would have ended up uniting two states which have fought the most over their language!

As I head back to my other books, I mark this book as a must read for most of you as its good and for some moment may take you out of your Plasmas or LCDs. But please note, I still detest working in Chennai or Madras, not because of the people, language, culture or anything.  But because of the weather!

[Via http://amarharish.wordpress.com]

Dirty Little Angels

Reading Chris Tusa’s Dirty Little Angels is like delving into a story by Flannery O’ Connor–the characters are flawed and corrupt, their world is rotten with moral decay, and they are looking for God in all the wrong places.

Hailey, a tenth-grader with more to worry about than math tests, is caught in the midst of her family’s decline. Depression grips them all and there is nothing to be done about it. Her mother’s miscarriage, her father’s unemployment, and her brother’s delinquencies only add to Hailey’s sense that everything is falling apart, making the roaches buzzing in her head shred her mind to bits.

Looking for answers, Hailey finds her brother’s friend, Moses Watkins, an ex-con who wants to hand drive-thru salvation to the good people of New Orleans.

—

The story is gritty and dark. It’s not what I usually read, but I was intrigued by the summary when Mr. Tusa asked me to review the novel. I had read a few reviews that noted the frequent use of metaphors in the story; it can be distracting at times, but at times it adds to the reader’s understanding of Hailey’s confusion (the state of her decaying sense of self).

I would recommend it to someone interested in fiction about life’s hard knocks. I would not classify Dirty Little Angels as Street Lit, but it might also appeal to someone interested in this genre.

As I said, it is a dark novel–there is violence, poverty, and self-destruction. It can be hard to read and the characters are often hateful, making it hard to sympathize with their plight, but they are realistic in their flawed, emotionally impoverished state.

[Via http://things-she-read.org]

How to Win Friends and Influence People Review

It Begins: “On May 7, 1931, the most sensational manhunt New York City had ever known had come to its climax.”

And it Ends with: “Principle 9: Make the other person happy about doing the thing you suggest.”

It is 236 pages and it took me about 2 weeks.

I would recommend this book to any destined-to-be-successful guy. Plain and simple, if you would like to be successful in whatever you do, read this book. This will help you if you’re trying to get a new job, trying to rent a new apartment, trying to meet new people, or just having a few drinks with friends of your friends. If you already consider yourself successful, then the chances are that you already do some of the things in this book. Nonetheless, you will still learn something if you read this book. If you don’t, I’ll buy you a beer.

What I got out of this book is how to achieve what I want without being ambiguous or shady toward other people. I’ve never been the type of person to read ’self help’ books. Probably because I’m naive and don’t think that I need much help. And to tell you the truth the title of the book makes me feel a bit embarrassed. It makes me think that if other people see it on my bookshelf they will always think I’m trying to screw them over. However, this book was far from that. Using great real-life examples, it showed you how to get what you want and, in many situations, how to make what you want beneficial for everybody involved. It also showed me some simple ways that I can make an impact on people, especially in the business world. When I got done reading each chapter, I closed the book feeling like I could conquer the world and die a rich, successful, likable guy. It was great because I was actually able to start using some of the principles of the book immediately, and I noticed a difference in some of the things I was doing. I’m sure that I’ll browse through this book from time to time throughout the rest of my life. And this is definitely worthy of being in the man’s library.

[Via http://jakereads.com]

Holding Fast - To God

Author: Glenda Bixler
Source: ezinearticles.com

The, Find Email, Untold Story of the Mount Hood Tragedy, Holding Fast, encompasses many issues beyond sharing the background and events surrounding the loss of three mountain climbers during a major storm that was worse than had been seen in a decade. Written by Karen James, wife of mountain climber, Kelly James, it is both a tribute to her husband Kelly, as well as a significant documentary, Find Email, , Find Email, of actual events, which includes pictures that were taken by James during their climb.

For those who participate in mountain climbing activities, the pictures are beautiful illustrations, Find Email, of why someone chooses to climb. For Kelly James, he, Find Email, quickly would highlight that, for him, climbing onto mountain summits brought him closer to God than any other place. Karen shares how early in their relationship, she did go on a climbing trip. Indeed Kelly proposed marriage to Karen while they were high on a mountain! But after that, Karen normally chose to stay home while Kelly would travel with other climbers who had become close friends.

Holding Fast is also a fascinating, Find Email, tale of the search and rescue process. One telling point was after Karen and the family were already home. Karen called to wish, Find Email, the Sheriff who had led the rescue activities a merry Christmas. He had been feeling like he had failed the families because none of the climbers were rescued; however, Karen and everybody else were quite willing to gratefully compliment and thank all of those who worked long and hard, trying to find the three men.

But most, Find Email, of all, Holding Fast shares God’s love and attendance before, during, and after the “Mount Hood Tragedy.” Kelly James had been a guy’s guy, but he had no problem sharing his love and faith in God. During the rescue activities, his brother, who is a minister, was the spokesman, Find Email, for the families and was constantly leading everyone in prayer, including placing hands of prayer on the helicopters and praying for men who were, Find Email, doing the search.

Kelly had been Karen’s best friend. When he was gone, she, Find Email, found that instead of talking to Kelly about God, she started talking directly to Him and began a much more, Find Email, closer relationship than she had ever experienced before. Small heartwarming “incidents” occurred that would be little miracles of everlasting love and worked to heal Karen’s pain.

Karen also shares several poems and emails from Kelly to her and shares intimate thoughts and feelings as she reread these over and over and faced and worked through her personal grief as well as that of the family.

Holding Fast is a personal testimony of families who place their faith in God. There, Find Email, is still the pain, Find Email, of loss that all of us must go through. But when confronted with fear and frustration and the potential loss of loved ones, there was no question in anybody’s mind: God was a part of their daily lives and present as they waited and, finally, felt the pain of losing, Find Email, their loved ones…for a time.

Turn to this book when you, Find Email, need to see courage and faith in action. It will help you…hold fast… too! Thank you, Karen James, for giving us Holding Fast! ..Holding Fast: The Untold Story

By Karen James

Thomas Nelson

ISBN: 9781595551757

225 Pages

G. A. Bixler is co-owner of an online review site of Independent Professional Book Reviewers. She has over 40 years experience in educational administration and publishing. New or well-known, self-published, or small press authors are all welcomed! Compare our prices to other professional book review sites!

http://www.Bookreviewers.org

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Not Remembered, Never Forgotten - Written by Robert Hafetz

Author: Cy Hilterman
Source: ezinearticles.com

Many of those that have been adopted at any age in their life wonder just, Find Email, who their original mother and father were. How could my mother have given me up for adoption? How could she not want me enough to, Find Email, keep me, love me, and bring me through life as most mothers do with their child? Robert Hafetz was one such child that was placed by his mother for adoption and Robert had questioned those things most of his life. He finally decided to start the search for his family, not knowing if he would have any success in finding them or if they would still be alive. His search is very interesting and sent him on a long road in time and miles with much research through all the ways he could, Find Email, think of and those he learned, Find Email, along the way.

Robert knew when and where he was born which gave him a place to start. Fifty-two years was a long time ago. Would he be able to find enough family, Find Email,, Find Email, members to expand his search? What was his birth name? What medical conditions did his family have? The Internet was a great place to start. Once he found any connection he started writing, emailing, phoning, any way he might get some leads, Find Email, . He contacted Adoption Agencies in New Jersey, where he was born, hoping that they would have information for him.

Robert’s, Find Email, search was long and tedious but certainly not tiring when progress was, Find Email, made. His story tells of his many contacts and the information he did find that allowed him to continue, Find Email, further. He tells of those things along with the information he could not find and that which was not legally obtainable because of certain laws, especially the state of New Jersey’s laws that prohibited certain things to be released. While these laws helped privacy, they stopped cold the information available at certain stages.

Reader review by Cy Hilterman of a book supplied by the author

[Via http://searchemail.wordpress.com]

David A. Brensilver's "ExecTV"

David A. Brensilver’s “ExecTV” is a provocative social satire resurrecting public executions. Inspired by an attorney’s bombastic assertion that his death row client dictate his own method of execution, the brilliant but misunderstood (i.e., unemployed) documentary filmmaker Dov Montana concocts “ExecTV.”

Propelled by ego and severely lacking tact, Montana assembles his team. The principals feature Lerz Feingold, the stuttering ‘Tude Entertainment programming director; secretary-bimbo-turned-interviewer (but forever a bimbo) Serena who emits “like” with every breath; defense attorney and impromptu singer (he inserts relevant lyrics into classic tunes) Conrad Thistle III; and the refreshingly taciturn inmate Randall Snell, the notorious “Killer Castrator.”

With exaggerated reenactments, personal interviews, and a captivating finale, ExecTV is the ultimate reality TV program. Brensilver’s satire illustrates how “lensfaces” and “audiopaths” have distorted every form of media to dramatic dribble. His portrayal of humanity isn’t pretty, but the inherent greed is real.

[Via http://fujicanwrite.wordpress.com]

Review: The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver

The Lacuna tells the story of Harrison Shepherd, a young man who was born in the USA but then grows up in Mexico with his socialite mother. Shepherd first works as a cook and then as a typist for Diego Rivera and Frieda Kahlo, and their esteemed guest Lev Trotsky. The story then follows Shepherd as he writes novels and his relationship with his stenographer Violet Brown.

This was my first encounter with Kingsolver, and I enjoyed it a great deal. I loved the intergation of the ‘real’ characters, especially Frieda Kahlo. Obviously a lot of research went into the book, but not once did I feel that information was ‘dumped’ for the sake of it, it all fitted in with the story. The novel embraces the themes of art, Communism, writing and identity. As a minor criticism I found it a little slow in the third quarter, but it picked up again towards the end.

4 out of 5.
Edit/Delete Message

[Via http://michelleteasdale.wordpress.com]

THE STORY ONLY YOU CAN TELL - Final

 

"Damn this is good!"

PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS

 

      A.         Choosing and developing characters 

1. pick minimum characters to convey scene
2. use the questions from the characterization, Exercise 3

(subtext). What is going on underneath the text.  For example, if on the day your sister dies, you are buying a pair of gloves, the subtext of her death would greatly affect the way you felt, even if the action of buying gloves is ostensibly everyday.  A good autobiography is a mirror of the way human beings behave.  The writer’s job is to provide what is also underneath the behavior of human beings. 

1. give each a purpose in a scene
2. remember events trigger action, action leads to discovery
3. use narrative summary sparingly—it is a connector or a door into a scene, never the substance—see your life as a movie (dramatic scenes linked by narrative summary)

    B.         Dialogue “do’s and don’ts

                        Do

                        1.         point of view for each character (attitude)

                        2.         impression of natural speech

                        3.         use dramatic structure to shape the sequence of

                                    what is said

                        Don’t

                        1.         let characters make long speeches

                        2.         put in dead dialogue

                        3.         write dialogue in which nothing is left unspoken

                                    (no subtext)

     C.         Composite voice of autobiography (the person you are today versus the person you were then–both are critical)

     D.         Other techniques worth exploring through your reading of others

                        1.         foreshadowing

                        2.         incorporate external events

                        3.         stretching and condensing        

                        4.         composite characters/scenes

                        5.         changing vantage points

1. flashbacks (juxtaposition)
2. altering order to build drama 

 E. Disclaimers (to give you more freedom to tell the truth)

Some names and biographic details in this book have been altered.

                                                                            or

    This book is fiction though based upon events that really happened.

 EXERCISE 5

 Pick one of your scenes (initial or interim).  Choose a setting that reflects theme and one–like Getting Closer–in which they are physically doing something.  Who are the characters you will use in the scene?  What is the subtext?  What is each striving for? 

 EXERCISE 6

 Write the scene.  It helps if the people in it are involved is some kind of activity other than just talking (such as cooking in Getting Closer).  This is a first draft, it is more important to write continuously than “correctly” or artistically.  Write from your feelings, creating a scene that kindles them for you.  Be brutally honest.  You can go back later and polish the result, what you are after here is the raw energy and sharp detail that can’t be added when you edit. 

 TRUTH

             “If you tell the whole truth, the complete picture, if you include all sides of a person, the dark and the light, then it is possible to tell even ugly truths about someone without committing character assassination–if your motive is not to condemn but to understand.  It is not the objectivity of the reporter you should strive for, but a human treatment of the truth, a feeling for the vulnerability of human beings.

            “Autobiographic narrative is more than simply remembering on paper.  it is a second chance, a chance to get it right.  Not that you change events, not that you don’t write about helplessly watching your sister drown with all the pain and guilt you experienced, but that this time you are on your own side, even in pain and failure.  Now you can tell the story with insight and find the meaning of the single experience within the context of your whole life.  Remembering one’s suffering from the perspective of acquired wisdom is different from simply replaying it.

            “Autobiographic stories don’t require happy endings, but they do require a reason for being, a purpose, Knowing the end of the story means that even if a painful memory temporarily casts a pall over your present while you are writing it–and it well may–it is only a point in the story, not the entire story.”

                                                                                                –Tristine Rainer

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Book Review: 'Salem's Lot

Stephen King Paperback, 631 pages Simon & Schuster
Copyright 1975

 

 

I adore Stephen King but I’d always avoided ‘Salem’s Lot due to the subject matter.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m fascinated by vampires and obsessed with reading about them, but I prefer them to be the protagonists of the story rather than horrific monsters that must be staked in order to save the townspeople.

But a few months ago a friend lent it to me and I finally decided to give it a try in October.  I figured that it was fitting since Halloween was coming up.

‘Salem’s Lot (short for Jerusalem’s Lot) is a sleepy, quiet town on the East coast that’s filled with a cast of colorful characters and King introduces you to practically all of them.  The milk man, the town drunk, the Irish Catholic priest, the dysfunctional families, the high school English teacher and the list goes on.  The town itself is even a character and several chapters are told from its point of view. 

When writer Ben Mears, who grew up in the Lot, returns to battle a horrific childhood experience in the Marsten House, where the previous occupant hanged himself in the upstairs bedroom, he discovers that the house has been sold to two strange outsiders.  Determined to confront his demons, he takes up residence in the local boarding house and throws himself into writing his new novel, which is centered around the looming, dilapidated structure that hangs over the town like Shirley Jackson’s Hill House. 

Soon after Ben settles in and begins reacquainting himself with the town, strange things begin to happen.  The milk man’s dog is found hanging upside down from the cemetary gates, a young boy disappears in the woods and his brother stumbles home, dazed, with no memory of what occurred.  More people go missing or die mysteriously and Ben joins up with some of the townies, including Father Callahan, a classmate of the missing boy, Mark Petrie, English teacher Matt Burke, and Susan Norton, the girl he’d met shortly after arriving and had been instantly drawn to.  All evidence points to the new owners of the Marsten House, Straker and Barlow, and the group sets out to discover just what  secrets the newcomers are hiding. 

After more attacks and people behaving bizarrely, they soon find out what they’re up against and realize that to fight the evil that had infiltrated ‘Salem’s Lot they would have to face it head on, knowing they probably wouldn’t survive, before it was too late for the entire town. 

From the first chapter, I was sucked into the story and as I got to know the back stories of all the characters I found I could picture ‘Salem’s Lot with perfect clarity.  I didn’t feel as strong a connection to the characters that I usually do in King’s novels, maybe because the point of view jumps around so much, but I was entirely invested in them and desperately wanted them to succeed.  

Here’s an excerpt that stood out for me, from the child Mark’s point of view after facing a nightmare-come-true.  In it he remarks on the differences between a child’s fears and an adult’s:

“They were pallid compared to the fears every child lies cheek and jowl with in his dark bed, with no one to confess to in hope of perfect understanding but another child.  There is no group therapy or psychiatry or community services for the child who must cope with the thing under the bed or in the cellar every night, the thing which leers and capers and threatens just beyond the point where vision will reach.  The same lonely battle must be fought night after night  and the only cure is the eventual ossification of the imaginary faculties, and this is called adulthood.” 

Occasionally I got bogged down with a few too many gossipy details about the town’s residents but overall the story unfolded in a suspense-building pace until the final conflict between the survivors and the evil they sought to snuff out.  And my fears about how the vampires would be portrayed were pretty accurate.  Aside from the master vampire Barlow, who was cunning and sophisticated, the rest were described as little more than brainless sacks of flesh.  There weren’t that many parts where Barlow made an appearance and I wished that a few more chapters could have featured him, or even been written from his point of view.  But that’s just my biased pro-vampire attitude talking.  It wouldn’t have been in line with the story.

Here’s one Barlow quote that I loved:

“Look and see me, puny man.  Look upon Barlow, who has passed the centuries as you have passed hours before a fireplace with a book.  Look and see the great creature of the night whom you would slay with your miserable little stick.  Look upon me, scribbler.  I have written in human lives, and blood has been my ink.  Look upon me and despair!”

Awesome.

To me the story wasn’t so much about the townspeople becoming vampires, as how they reacted to the unbelievable events that gripped the town.  Who would turn tail and flee?  Who would rise to defend the town?  Who would sacrifice themselves to save the ones they loved?  It makes you think about what you and your friends and neighbors would do in the face of such a nightmare.  The answer might not be one that you like.

I would recommend ‘Salem’s Lot to anyone looking for a dark, chilling tale of good versus evil. 

[Via http://fictionfanatic.wordpress.com]

Broken Angel by Sigmund Brouwer (a book review)

Summary (from the back of the book): 

Her birth was shrouded in mystery and tragedy.  Her destiny is beyond comprehension.  Her pursuers long to see her broken.  She fights to soar. 

In the rough, shadowy hills of Appalachia, a nation carved from the United States following years of government infighting, Caitlyn and her companions are the prey in a terrifying hunt.  They must outwit the relentless bounty hunters, skirt an oppressive, ever-watchful society, and find passage over the walls of Appalachia to reveal the dark secrets behind Caitlyn’s existence–and understand her father’s betrayal.  In this engrossing, lightning-paced story with a post-apocalyptic edge, best-selling author Sigmund Brouwer weaves a heroic, harrowing journey through the path of a treacherous culture a few steps removed from our own. 

 

 

The Good: 

There are only a few authors who have such a profound effect on me, and Sigmund Brouwer is one of them.  I loved his other books.  The stories are strong and captivating.  Likewise, Broken Angel is a well written, action packed book.  I kept turning the page burning to know why Caitlyn’s pursuers were wanting her death.  The ending of the story will blow your mind.  It is unexpected and yet foreshadowed. 

 

The Bad: 

The storyline pummeled forward like a freight train.  You will fall in love with the characters, weep for them, and want to help them, but you are torn because while Appalachia is legalistic; the Outside is equally horrible the other way.  Brouwer does not seem to have any gray.  He said in this book (as spoken by another character) how he disagreed with religion becoming political.  Immediately, the hairs on the back of my neck bristled.  Obviously, I do not agree with him.  Political is not the right word and to give this good author his due, perhaps it needed more explanation or to be left out entirely? 

 

The Ugly: 

The book left me teetering on the edge of a cliff.  It felt unfinished.  I wanted to find out what Caitlyn is going to do on The Outside.  I went to his website and scanned through his list of books, but a sequel does not seem to exist.  It is begging for Sigmund to finish Caitlyn’s story.  Her companions are also begging for sequels.  Life on the Outside is as bad as life in Appalachia.  Also, will Caitlyn’s reluctant male companion fall in love?

 

The book was a prize given to me by Waterbrook Press.  I am grateful and thankful to have a chance to read one of his books.  They asked me to do a review.  I am a loyal reader of Brouwer in spite of our disagreement in principle.  He is a good writer.  He knows how to spin a story and relay Biblical principles in the story without getting preachy.  However, I have to say that ultimately this wasn’t his best work.  It needed something more to it. 

Revelation 1:1-8, good to great, and the resurrection of Jesus

Just finished reading yet another article on church planting and Jim Collins book Good to Great. I’ve read the book and found it interesting, but I have a hard time imagining Jesus opening it with his disciples to prepare them for the incredible missionary movement recorded in the book of Acts.

Was it vision, leadership, or communication skills that caused the Good News to spread like wildfire and Christian communities to multiply across the Mediterranean world? Or was it something far more powerful?

• What would cause fishermen, tax collectors, and women to go against the religious establishment and conventional religious teaching?
• What would enable Jews, Greeks, and Romans to eat together in a society deeply entrenched in religious, racial, and class division?
• What would drive men and women to lose their lands, money, families, and lives?
• What would inspire men and women to give to the point that it hurts in order to care for the needs of others and spread their message?

Something earth shattering must have really happened. They must have believed something unbelievable.

That something was the resurrection of Jesus.  What else could account for their behavior? If Jesus really rose from the dead, then this changes everything.

Regardless of economic, cultural, or political opposition, Christian communities will multiply and grow when people are confronted with the reality of the resurrection. Where does that fit into our church growth strategies?

This week is Christ the King Sunday – the last Sunday in the Christian year. On Easter we celebrate the resurrection, but this week we celebrate Christ is Lord.  We’ll be looking at Revelation 1:1-8, which begins a book that was meant to inspire and guide Christian communities that were facing dangerous opposition. It’s a revelation of Jesus, ‘the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.’

Good to Great is fine. But nothing beats a vision of Jesus.

Literary Review's "Bad Sex in Fiction" Shortlist Announced: Roth, Oz, Theroux Face Stiff Competition

“The story of the seduction of a lesbian by an ageing stage actor, which includes an eye-watering scene with a green dildo, has won Philip Roth the dubious honour of a place on the shortlist for the Literary Review’s bad sex in fiction award.

“Roth can comfort himself with the fact that a roll call of literary fiction’s great and good, from Booker winner John Banville to acclaimed Israeli novelist Amos Oz, Goncourt winner Jonathan Littell and Whitbread winner Paul Theroux, have made it into the line-up for this year’s bad sex prize, set up by Auberon Waugh to ‘draw attention to the crude, tasteless, often perfunctory use of redundant passages of sexual description in the modern novel, and to discourage it.’” (cont’d @ Guardian)

Book Review: The Graveyard Book By Neil Gaiman.

ABOUT: It starts off with a murder mystery of a man and a knife who kills a family all, but one …

REVIEW: From beginning to end the story completely engulfed me and would not let me go. I followed Bod’s adventures as he took me through his home full of its own mysteries of histories: Along the way you’ll meet The Hounds of God, Ghouls, A Witch, Go to a dance of sorts, and meet Bod’s other friends and family. Bod will also take you to other worlds far below and so much, much more!

You will feel as if your apart of Bods family or a special small circle of friends.

Not only does Bod have a mystery of his own he must discover, but there are many throughout the graveyard which all come together for one big exciting adventure!

As I finished my book my thoughts were not sad that I was actually completing it, but because of the way it ended. I literally did not have a dry eye.

I hate to think that ANYTHING could beat out or knock down my beloved Coraline, but now I am afraid it has with The Graveyard Book.

Not only has it become my favorite Neil Gaiman (and as much as I love his adult works I love his children books even more now!) book it has topped the best book of the year (for me at least)!

So pick up The Graveyard Book and follow Bods many mysterious adventures!

The illustrations are by the amazing Dave McKean. Simple, but lovely and fit the book so perfectly. My favorites were of Miss Lupescu or The Witch and Bod, Bod Reading, and the very end pages of the lady on her grey stallion.

BOOK DISCUSSION SPOILERS: PLEASE READ THE BOOK I IMPLORE YOU BEFORE READING ANY FURTHER OR JOINING IN THE BOOK DISCUSSION. THESE ARE JUST SOME THOUGHTS AND QUESTIONS I HAVE AND WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS WITH THOSE WHO HAVE READ THE BOOK ALREADY. I TRY FOR THE MOST PART TO NOT FULLY GIVE THE PLOT AWAY DURING SPOILERS, BUT YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED. PLEASE READ THE BOOK I DO NOT WANT TO SPOIL OR RUIN IT FOR YOU – YOU CAN ALWAYS COME BACK IN JOIN IN! (Was that enough of a spoiler warning?)

———-

Just to make sure I do not spoil highlight with your mouse over the empty space below to see my thoughts or any questions I might have and feel free to join in and comment below!

• Favorite Character(s): Silas of course followed by Bod and then Miss Lupescu. I somewhat felt that Silas was more of a parent then The Owenses at times or maybe even more like a big brother? I also love the idea of Wolves (Werewolves?) working with or for God or at His side. I want to say I’ve read this idea before in another Gaiman book, but I do not recall. At least I believe it was Gaiman.
• Again with the lovely Owenses I felt it odd we did not learn much else or get a few more stories with them. Maybe not important enough? What do you think?
• I was thrilled when Scarlett came back, but angry with her fear of Bod. I tried to understand why she might fear him. I have a feeling they will meet again.
• I was giddy when I caught onto Jack Frost … icy grin – was fab! Little disappointed in the villains, but was happy how they were hmmm extinguished.
• The Ending: Was reminiscent of the movie Heart and Souls w/Robert Downey Jr. Which is funny I did not cry or even tear up watching the movie like I did reading the end scenes. Maybe it was because in the movie the character had found a love of his own and Bod was all alone in the world. The way they “faded” out just reminded me of the movie a bit.
  Side Wish: I had hoped he’d go into the world, but could come back to visit his family or be a medium of sorts and help others. (I did see the ending coming, but this is just what I had wished for
• I do have one more thought. Go figure. In Coraline they mistook her name for Caroline and in The Graveyard Book they mistake Bod for Bob.

———-

I hope we have more adventures with Bod in the future! If not I will for sure be reading this book over and over again!

RATING: 5 Stars.

Neil Gaiman’s Official Site.

Mousecircus.

The Graveyard Book.

Book Review: Movie Therapy For Law Students (and pre-law, paralegal, and related majors)

Buck, Sonia J., Movie Therapy for Law Students (And Pre-Law, Paralegal and Related Majors).  Bloomington, IN, AuthorHouse, 2009, soft bound, 194p. 

Book Review by Christine I. Hepler, Associate  Director, Garbrecht Law Library, University of Maine School of Law

 Movie Therapy for Law Students is an excellent resource that should be included in every academic law library.  I say this for two reasons.  First, the faculty could use this book to facilitate classroom discussion.  Learning the law is often done through the use of hypotheticals.  This book provides law professors with interesting hypotheticals that keep the students engaged in the class and the material being taught.  Second, this is a great resource for students who want to review the concepts they are learning in the classroom.  As suggested by the author, law students can now turn their movie watching into a guilt free review session.  Furthermore, I suggest that law professors get to work developing new hypotheticals for their classes.  Pop some popcorn and enjoy the movies!

I was drawn to Movie Therapy for Law Students, written by Sonia Buck, for a two reasons.  First, the author is a graduate of the University of Maine School of Law where I am the Associate Director of the Garbrecht Law Library, as well as a proud alum (Class of 1996).  Sonia Buck was a 1L when I returned to work at the University of Maine School of Law after a seven year stint in Southern California.  I remember Sonia and the other members of the Class of 2005 fondly.  They were a fun class filled with very smart, but more importantly, genuinely nice people.  Second, I came across this title after I had just returned from the American Association of Law Libraries Annual Meeting.  At the annual meeting I attended a session on teaching techniques used to keep students engaged during the class.  Part of that session included the use of scenes from the movie Fracture to teach some concepts in legal research.  Sitting at this session reminded me of when I was a law student.  Like most law students, I found it very difficult to watch any television programs or movies that involved some aspect of the legal system without putting my new found knowledge to use.  My constant refrain was “They can’t do that,” whether it was L.A. Law, Law & Order , The Firm, or Twelve Angry Men.  I was instantly curious about the lessons I could learn from the movies included in this book and wondered how I might be able to use them in the classes I teach.

In Movie Therapy for Law Students, Ms. Buck compiles an interesting mix of movies to discuss, including classics like 12 Angry Men and To Kill A Mockingbird, as well as current favorites like Erin Brockovich, My Cousin Vinny, and The Firm, covering legal concepts in several areas of law, such as business law, criminal law, criminal procedure, civil procedure, contracts, evidence, torts, family law, intellectual property, and ethics.  Each entry in the book provides the reader with a brief description of the movie’s plot, and a detailed analysis of the legal issues involved in the movie.  The author provides clear headings at the beginning of each new issue she discusses, making it easy to switch gears with each new issue.  Furthermore, the author provides ample citation to applicable rules and case law to support the assertions she makes.  After discussing the issues, she then provides the reader with applicable “Exam Tips,” for either law school exams or the bar exam.  I often found myself wishing I had these tips when I was in law school!

In addition, Ms. Buck made this librarian proud with the finding aids she included in her book.  In addition to a Table of Content, Ms. Buck included a list of the movies by subject matter, and an alphabetical listing of the movies discussed in her book.  Law professors and law students are busy people, without a great deal of time to waste.  These two features make it easy to jump through the book to find all of the movies on a particular legal topic.  This makes it easier for professors to find movies that discuss the issues in which they are interested and law students are provided with a movie guide from which they can choose only the movies that discuss the issues they need to review. 

We live in a society that loves to go to the movies.  Movie Therapy for Law Students has renewed my interest in legal movies and there are many movies discussed in Ms. Buck’s book that I cannot wait to watch.  As professors, the ultimate goal is to find methods to better convey the concepts we wish to teach.  Using movies to teach them legal concepts and strategies will keep the students interested in the discussion topics and they will learn more.  Maybe I will come across some issues about legal research that I can convey in a more interesting fashion, rather than by just standing in the front of the room lecturing the students.   I better get to work developing my new hypotheticals.  See you at the movies!

Christine Hepler is associate director at the University of Maine School of Law Donald L. Garbrecht Law Library in Portland.

a wrinkle in time by madeleine l'engle

Publisher: Dell Publishing

Copyright: 1962

Genre: Sci-fi and Young Adult

Recommended: Yes, but with qualifications

Imagine a cosmos with singing centaurs, disembodied brains, crystal balls, other-worldly creatures who can morph into whatever, super-boy geniuses, and of course tesseracts.  It would be a crazy cosmos, would it not?  But I guess ours is not so different.  For at root A Wrinkle in Time is all about evil, love, and the human spirit.  What does that mean J-Dub?  I’ll explain below.

Madeleine L’Engle takes us on an adventure into the outer regions of our imagination through the point of view of a pre-teen, stubborn, and nerdy girl named Margaret or Meg Murry.  She has a five year old brother, who happens to be quite the little brother as we find out, two older and average brothers, a mother who is both beautiful and a Doctor in microbiology, and a missing Father who is a Doctor in physics working for the government of the United States.  These characters are then joined by Calvin, a basketball player with latent intellectual curiosities and the stand-in for Meg’s potential beau, three magical creatures that go by the names of Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which, and finally we are met with IT.

I’d rather not give too much away about the story, so I will commence to speak in generalities.

Madeleine’s writing is simple (Young Adult genre), fast-moving, and quite silly at times.  This makes her book an easy read as well as an enjoyably entertaining read.  Every now and then she throws in some scripture from the Bible (Romans 8.28, 30; 1 Corinthians 1.25-28; and Isaiah 42.10-12).  She also talks about the power of darkness and the heroes who have fought it like: Jesus, Ghandi, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Bach, Shakespeare, Bhudda, Beethoven, St. Francis, Euclid, Copernicus, Schweitzer, Rembrandt, “And Pasteur and Madame Curie and Einstein!”

What a list, what a list, what an odd, odd list.  But you see this is what happens when a progressive “Christian,” detached from the written word of God, writes a novel.

Eventually the reader finds out what the book is really about: the power of love, the love that is God, love is God.  If you know me or if you have read my post on Spurgeon’s “Grace is God” mistake then you know where this is headed, if not then enjoy the ride.  I’ll try to keep it short, but entertaining.

Love is not God!  Get over it already!  Jesus Christ is GOD!  Not some mystical, disembodied, depersonalized, mis-defined characteristic called “love!”  Whenever love is made God we mis-define both love and God.  That is a HUGE mistake and it destroys lives.  It destroys lives.  And her attempt to enthrone love actually destroys both love and God.  Jesus Christ is no longer God, but only a man.  She emasculates God.  He loses His God-hood.

I cannot stand it when people make our God into a pathetic creature.  It sucks the air right out of my lungs: “You didn’t just do that, I know you didn’t just disfigure our God.  There’s no way, not if you knew who our God is.  There’s no way you would’ve done that.”

But she does and she did.  She falls for the bad news, which does not save.

Our God is an awesome God.  He is a jealous God.  He is a God of love.  He is a God who is just.  And so much more.  He is also: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  He longs to be glorified because He is the source of love, beauty, and truth.  And therefore He is the only source of absolute, eternal, and all-satisfying joy.

And Madeleine L’Engle sweeps it all away.  She takes her broom and swipes the real God under the rug.  Though this book was an enjoyable and entertaining read, it was not a soul-edifying read, except perhaps indirectly.  She shows us at least one mistake not to make: never, never, never dethrone Jesus Christ as God and put something or someone else on the throne.

“Thanks for the rant J-Dub!  I really needed that, thanks a lot!”

Sure, no problemo.  :)

Author Bio: Madeleine L’Engle was born in New York, NY in 1918 and died in 2007.  She wrote four sequels to A Wrinkle in Time including: A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters, and An Acceptable Time.  (Thanks Wikipedia)

my sister's keeper

My Sister’s Keeper.
by Jodi Picoult

Yes, it is also a movie starring Cameron Diaz (love her). No, I haven’t seen the movie. Somehow, like most books I read that get turned into a movie, the book seems to get lost in translation (think Memoirs of a Geisha). So I imagine this one will too. Although I admit I probably won’t be able to resist and watch it when it is out on DVD. The book is deep in emotion. It’s about the choices we make for others, in this case our children, thinking it is the right thing to do when we could be really, really wrong. Beautifully written. The topic of the book is heavy and the ending I never saw coming…so have the tissue nearby.

PS It’s snowing here again in Denver. 8.5 inches so far on my back porch. Thank goodness it’s Sunday and me and the girls can hangout in our pjs all day! Alex woke up with a low-grade fever…just great!

Parker is getting creative holding her sucker between her toes!

Book Review: Taming American Power

(Note: this book review is an excerpt of an essay written by myself for the PSCI281 course at UW)

In Taming American Power, Stephen Walt has written what is effectively a guide for understanding how other states view and deal with American primacy and an attempt to prescribe what he sees as the ideal foreign policy that maximizes harmony and minimizes threats to American interests.  He refers to this as an “offshore balancing” (12) strategy.  He begins by describing how America became so powerful and why other states may view the situation as unfavorable.  He then outlines the many strategies that states use to deal with American primacy.  Concluding with essentially a to-do-list, he describes how he thinks the U.S. should conduct itself to preserve its national interest.

One of the main purposes of his book is to inform Americans, particularly of outside views of the United States and of the consequences of previous foreign policy decisions that presumably do not get much attention in the mainstream media.  He explains why American power is a problem to an audience that may not realize it or have thought about much, and why it is important to study how other countries view the United States.  He writes, “The more we know about the ways that others view U.S. power, and the more we understand about the strategies they are using to deal with it, the better equipped we will be to fashion a foreign policy that will maximize global support and minimize opposition” (18).  This understanding of strategies is what Walt devotes two chapters to.

He makes a very convincing, albeit understandably pro-American argument for the future of U.S. foreign policy.  However, it’s unlikely he has convinced any neo-conservatives to change their mind.  His moderate views are hard to find fault with since they are neither strongly conservative nor liberal, but some of his biases do show in his writing.  For example, he is a sharp critic of the war in Iraq, which he references throughout the book, as well as the U.S. position on Israel.  Regardless, his examples of the different strategies in use were plentiful and informative, and it was very easy to agree with his conclusions because they were straightforward, logical, and seemed like common sense.

Fire: Tales of Elemental Spirits

Authors: Robin McKinley and Peter Dickinson
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Genre: YA Fantasy – Short stories
Pages: 304
Call number: Y McKinley (forthcoming)

I have a special love for books of short stories: I’m a huge fan of the form, but I’m sometimes daunted by the sheer number of stories in many of the thematic and “best of” collections. Somehow reading 26 short stories in one book feels longer then reading a novel of the same length. So, I enjoy collections like this one, where there are only five stories to read and they’re all by the same author (or, in this case, two authors).

This is the follow-up to McKinley’s and Dickinson’s first collaborative collection, Water: Tales of Elemental Spirits (Y McKinley). Dickinson’s three stories – “Phoenix”; “Fireworm”; and “Salamander Man” – are written with a storyteller’s rhythm, giving them the feel of legends. The word “old-fashioned” keeps coming to mind, but it isn’t really the right one – maybe “timeless” is better because it doesn’t have the negative connotations. As a nice contrast, McKinley’s stories – “Hellhound” and “First Flight” – are modern and humorous; they don’t feel weighty, like Dickinson’s, but they’re not frivolous. “Hellhound” takes place in the present day, so a modern-sounding narrator makes sense, but even the narrator in the pure fantasy story “First Flight” has a more every day, contemporary voice. I think this is why I liked McKinley’s stories so much better then Dickinson’s, even though all the stories are well-written; it’s all about tone.

“Phoenix” is about the mythical Egyptian bird-god of legend and how it survived – and found new believers – in a snowy, wooded conservation area. The narrator, a boy named Dave, tells the story to young Ellie when she visits the woods, about how he found the god in a fire at the age of 100 and, after rescuing it, has been living backward ever since. It’s an interesting concept but I got bored reading the story – there’s no action, and the story is mostly internal reflection, as the boy recounts his past with nostalgia and a kind of bittersweet acceptance of the passage of time.

I liked “Fireworm” and “Salamandar Man” better. In “Fireworm”, Tandin finally finds his place in his primitive community when he learns he has the power to destroy his people’s ancient enemy, the fireworm, but in the process he comes to identify with the fireworm more then with the humans he lives with. Killing the fireworm in this context is more tragedy then triumph. This notion of looking outside ourselves to recognize commonalities in an alien species – to empathize – is what made this story my favorite. It’s a hero fantasy with a hero who realizes that, seen another way, he’s also a villain.

In “Salamander Man,” the slave boy Tib also finds his destiny — to become the giant Salamander Man long enough to free 27 salamanders from corrupt magicians who are using them for their power. In doing this, he essentially strips the entire town of magic. Even though I just said I liked this story better then “Phoenix”, I don’t remember it well. Just that it was kind of strange but very well-written.

I really did like McKinley’s stories a lot. In “Hellhound,” Miri, who lives on a farm and works primarily with horses, adopts an unusual dog from the pound with burning red eyes. She names him Flame, and he proves to be much smarter than the average dog. Freakishly so. Others are wary around this creature, but Miri trusts him and he proves to be a blessing when her brother falls prey to an evil spirit residing in the nearby graveyard. Miri is instantly likable in her comfortable relationship with her family, her love for animals, and her willingness to look beyond Flame’s frightening appearance.

McKinley’s stand-out concluding novella, “First Flight,” follows Ern, a humble boy who wishes secretly to be a healer, despite the fact that healers are basically shunned as the lowest of the low in society (no one admits to going to a healer when ill or injured, because no one is supposed to admit to being ill or injured – a nice change to the way healers are usually portrayed). Ern has an uncanny skill with herb medicine and healing, but he’s spent so much of his life playing down his abilities that he can’t recognize the large amount of good he does for everyone around him. Ern’s brother, Dag, is going to Dragon Academy to be a dragon rider, but the dragon he’s paired with is injured and unable to make the First Flight (when the new rider and the dragon enter Firespace together for the first time). Despite the fact that everyone knows his dragon can’t do it, Dag will be forced to try and fail in front of everyone. Ern accompanies him to Dragon Academy as moral support, bringing along his strange pet foogit (who has a large, hilarious role to play in this story), but in his unassuming, nigh-invisible way, he manages to do something everyone thought was impossible. This story is one of the best I’ve read and is worth the price of the book alone. Ern’s witty, understated sense of humor and keen observations make his narrative a joy to read, and he’s about as large-hearted a character as one could find. I would like her to continue this story.

Michigan Represents at National Book Awards

On Wednesday the National Book Foundation will announce the 2009 winners of the National Book Award at a celebration in New York. According to the site, “The mission of the National Book Foundation and the National Book Awards is to celebrate the best of American literature, to expand its audience, and to enhance the cultural value of good writing in America.”

With an impressive showing, two Michigan authors will be on hand this year to “represent” with Bonnie Jo Campbell’s short story collection American Salvage and graphic artist and novelist David Small’s Stitches. Both were shortlisted for this year’s award. Making the nonfiction list and also pertaining to our fine state is author Greg Grandin’s Fordlandia, the fascinating account of Henry Ford’s attempt of establishing a “rubber kingdom” in Brazil.

In its fourth year, one of the biggie events is the “5 Under 35” which “…is a celebration of emerging talent and the perfect way to kick off National Book Awards Week,” as stated by Harold Augenbraum, the executive director of the foundation.

Stay tuned and best of luck to our Michigan authors as we continue to prove ourselves as a state of fine culture and talent!

-Post by Megan Shaffer

Review: Hate List

Title: Hate List

Author: Jennifer Brown

Genre: YA, fiction

Summary: Five months ago, Valerie Leftman’s boyfriend, Nick, opened fire on their school cafeteria. Shot trying to stop him, Valerie inadvertently saved the life of a classmate, but was implicated in the shootings because of the list she helped create. A list of people and things she and Nick hated. The list he used to pick his targets.

Now, after a summer of seclusion, Val is forced to confront her guilt as she returns to school to complete her senior year. Haunted by the memory of the boyfriend she still loves and navigating rocky relationships with her family, former friends and the girl whose life she saved, Val must come to grips with the tragedy that took place and her role in it, in order to make amends and move on with her life.

Pretty Good

This was a very emotional read, and the testimonies of other students through newspaper articles, as well as flashbacks from Val’s point of view leading up to the incident, the reader gets a pretty well-rounded perspective on the incident. All that we are missing is Nick’s POV.

Some things were left open, such as the relevance of Nick’s secrets and new friendships, and later, Frankie’s reaction to Val’s behavior came out of left field. I would like to know more about Nick and have some insight into Frankie but even without, this book packs a powerful punch on a controversial subject.

Well worth a read to bring forth a horrifying reality in today’s high school culture.

Encouraging Your Kids to Write

By: Delana S

Whether your kids love to write or hate to write here is an activity that is easy to grade and can sound fun.  My kids never liked the sound of book reports, but once they saw a book review written by a young boy named Nigel Andreola who writes reviews from time to time for CBD, it encouraged them to try their hands at writing one themselves.

 

Every time your child finishes a book, s/he should be encouraged or required to do a book review.  For young kids this can be very simple.  Points are given for certain requirements, and based on those points a grade or reward can be given.  Here are some suggestions for required elements.

 

All age students should write:

1. The title, printed neatly on the top line (5pts).
2. The date, printed in the upper right hand corner (2.5pts).
3. The author’s name, printed on the third line (5 pts.).
4. The page numbers, also printed on the third line (2.5pts).
5. Neat handwriting—either in cursive or print, teacher’s choice—with finger or pencil space between words (15 pts).  {Or typed, if you are trying to encourage typing lessons.}
6. One sentence at the end of the book report stating the reader’s personal opinion of the book (10 pts.).
7. Summary sentences of the story including major characters and events occurring in the story. (points vary by school grade)

6th grade                                  5th grade                                  4th grade

10 sentences= 60pts                9 sentences= 60pts                  8 sentences= 60pts

9 sentences= 55pts                8 sentences= 55pts                  7 sentences= 55pts

8 sentences= 45pts                7 sentences= 45pts                  6 sentences= 45pts

7 sentences= 35pts                6 sentences= 35pts                  5 sentences= 35pts

 

Follow this same descending pattern for 1st – 3rd graders.  If you want to challenge your 6th graders to use compound sentences with conjunctions or semicolons, then let them know that certain compound sentences would count as two sentences (if used correctly).

Happy Writing!

Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: Flight of the Phoenix (a review)

On September 5, 1928 ten-year-old Nathaniel Fludd’s parents are declared lost at sea. Alone in the world with no other close relatives and a governess eager to abscond with her Tidy Sum from the Fludd estate, Nathaniel is sent to live with Phil A. Fludd–a mysterious cousin Nate has never met, let alone heard of in Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. LaFevers with illustrations by Kelly Murphy.

It turns out an eccentric cousin is the first of many things his parents never told him. The Fludds come from a long line of Beastologists: explorers who travel the world documenting and protecting rare beasts the world has long forgotten, including one rather unique bird that resides with Nate’s eccentric cousin.

When Nate is whisked off with his Beastologist kin, he finds himself in a world of adventure traveling to Arabia to ensure the safe hatching of the world’s only Phoenix.

But no one said being a Beastologist was easy. When trouble strikes Nate is once again all alone faced with the daunting tasks of protecting the Phoenix egg (and his secret pet Gremlin) while hatching a clever plot to rescue his guardian from the Bedouin.

The book comes equipped with a glossary of real (and imagined) terms to help readers better make sense of the Steampunk world of Beastologists and the era of 1928 which create a unique

Flight of the Phoenix is a brilliant story. LaFevers’ writing is charming. She evokes Nathaniel’s world with wit and humor that is complemented well by Murphy’s endearing illustrations. Together the two provide a strong opening to what I hope will be a long series of books.

Possible Pairings: Leviathan by Scott Westerfeld

One Family's Christmas by Mary Jean Kelso

Experience the joy of a prized possession rediscovered in One Family’s Christmas by Mary Jean Kelso. The sequel to Kelso’s The Christmas Angel, this story finds ten-year-old Jessamyn and her three-year-old brother Derrick journeying up to the attic with their father to find ornaments for the Christmas tree. 

Derrick isn’t too fond of the attic, or Santa Claus for that matter, but after the family rediscovers the Christmas angel that had once traveled The Oregon Trail, Derrick decides Christmas and that guy in the red suit aren’t too scary; and he and Jessamyn vow to protect the Christmas angel from harm, just like their great-great-grandmother once did on The Oregon Trail.

There is so much to love about One Family’s Christmas. I didn’t know until today that this was a sequel to The Christmas Angel, and now I want to read the first book to find out how the angel traveled from Philadelphia to Oregon by wagon.  This is a wonderful, moving story about family, ancestry, and cherishing the past. Many young children can relate to Derrick’s fears about the dark, noisy attic and how imposing it can be to greet a large man in a bright red suit with most of his face covered by white hair, who has a hearty laugh.

The illustrations provided by award-winning artist K.C. Snider are outstanding. She also worked with Kelso on The Christmas Angel, and this pairing should continue, as they bring forth charming stories for young readers through their words and pictures. My favorite illustration has to be the one of the family driving in their red car through the neighborhood with a Christmas tree tied to the roof. The trees are bare and the snow is falling, and I just want to walk right into that picture and be a part of it.

Also included is information on genealogy, including helpful links, a pedigree chart and a family history sheet.  All these turn this book into an oppportunity to teach your child about their family and its ancestors.

A heartwarming tale that could lead to projects to keep the kids busy over the long winter breaks, One Family’s Christmas is the perfect holiday story.

Rating: 

• Publisher:  Guardian Angel Publishing
• eBook ISBN: 978-1-933090-32-0
• PRINT ISBN: 978-1-933090-58-0
• DVD ISBN 13: 978-1-935137-30-6
• SRP: $11.95 for PRINT, other prices available on the Guardian Angel website.

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You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas by Augusten Burroughs

 

I’ve been in love with Augusten Burroughs for a long, long time.  It started off innocently enough; his first book Running with Scissors kept flirting with me by winking at me every time I passed it in Borders.  I kept reading fantastic reviews of it and I knew it was going to be a book I’d love.  I suppose you can judge a book by its cover.  I also knew that someday Running with Scissors was going to turn into a movie, and therefore, I couldn’t read the book until the movie came out.  [Side note: Since I'm also a huge movie fan, I can never read a book first, as the movie is always spoiled for me.  This is why I can't read any of the Harry Potter books until I see the last movie.  I know this sounds weird, but it works for me, because we all know that the book is almost always better than the movie.  For instance, consider The Godfather.]  After a long wait the movie came out and I could finally read the book, and when I finally did about three years ago, I fell hard for Augusten.  Not just because he was funny and could somehow make me laugh while describing his horrible and painful childhood, or that he was a great writer; I simply fell in love with him because he is a fellow dysfunctional family survivor.  If you’ve never read Augusten, then you need to do so right away, because he is downright fabulous.

 St. Martin’s Press.  Cover Art by Phil Mazzone.

Augusten Burroughs has once again delivered with his latest book “You Better Not Cry: Stories for Christmas.”  I loved it so much I read it in one sitting the same day it came in the mail.  [Thank you St. Martin's Press for answering my prayers and sending me this book to review!]  I believe that everyone who has ever suffered through a terrible holiday will certainly appreciate and adore this book.  Augusten’s favorite holiday is Christmas and he shares seven Christmas stories from different periods in his lifetime, some sad, some tragic, and some downright awful.  I suspect even those who have managed to have “perfect” holidays [Just who are you people, and more importantly, what was it like?] year after year will likely find themselves in tears from laughing so hard after they finish this book.  Who can resist reading a story about Augusten waking up in horror besides a naked Frenchman dressed as Santa Claus inside the famous Waldorf Astoria?  Augusten has that rare ability to make us laugh while he is writing about the most horrible events imaginable.  He is one of the rare modern-day authors who is more addictive than chocolate.   

Augusten, Me, and Haven Kimmel, 2009

You will be thrilled to hear that not one, but two other writers are mentioned in this book, and I myself couldn’t be happier to see their names in print.  I’m not saying who, but for those true fans of his, I’m sure you can guess!

When you grow up in a home of severe dysfunction like I have, you become more aware of other people who are suffering, or who have suffered in their lifetime.  Something in the way they carry themselves, something different in the eyes, and something in the face that gives it away.  I can spot a child of dysfunction a mile away, and many adult survivors as well.  Breaks my heart every time, because I know dysfunction is something that never leaves you, something you can never forget, and something you can’t ever fully recover from.  All of you other children of dysfunction, this song is for you!  I jogged to this song every other day in sixth grade gym class, and with each step I took, it made me feel strong and allowed me to count down the last years left living my nightmare.  I knew there would be an end, and that was how I survived it.  I have survived horrible things, and Augusten has survived much worse than I have, and we are still alive and kicking.  Get out, and start living life.  Just start by putting even one foot forward.  And if you can’t even make it that far, just go to the bookstore and BUY THIS BOOK!

Dairy Queen

  Originally, when I heard people talk about the book Dairy Queen, I thought: Why is this so interesting? Yes, ice cream cones dipped in fudge are delicious, but I wouldn’t want to read an entire book about them. Well, I finally found out that this story is not about a food chain. It’s about a girl who lives in Red Bend Wisconsin.

Fifteen-year-old D.J. Schwenk thinks she is a cow. Not that she has four stomachs and an issue with methane, but that she acts, and is treated, like a cow. For years, she was okay with doing most of the work on her dairy farm without being thanked, but then Brian (quarter back for the competing high school football team) came along and told her that she was just like the cows she milked, doing everything she was told with no thought of how hard it was or of what she could be doing. To make herself out to be less of a stock animal and more of a human, D.J. tries out for the male football team at school, even though her family isn’t so supportive. Her home is overshadowed with secrets and always seems to be one day away from falling apart.  While dealing with her family trait of not saying things that should be said, D.J. must also face her growing crush on a guy who may never reciprocate.

    Now, when I found out that the author, Catherine Gilbert Murdock, is not from Wisconsin, I thought: Oh great, another book about how Wisconsinites love cheese and we all have cows grazing in our back yards. But once I started reading, I found the book to be surprisingly realistic in its depiction of a small, rural community. There are farms and pickup trucks, but there are also suburbs. Even if I had not experienced some form of farm life, I would still love D.J.’s character. When she realizes something new about herself, that she’s like a cow, she dwells on it like any normal person would, but she also does something about it. By trying out for the football team, she chooses to face her problem and do things her own way!  

    What makes this book special is D.J.’s hilarious, self-deprecating humor. She’s blunt about how she sees herself, to the point of awkwardness. And, she brings with her all of the ridiculous drama that plays out in the mind of a teenager. Don’t attempt to read this book in public if you can’t handle the stares of strangers. Generally, People stare when they see someone laughing alone.

    As D.J.’s life continues in a sequel called The Off Season, she must take up even more responsibility and finally open the door on some of those family secrets. And then, in the newly-released closing book of the series, Front and Center, D.J. will have to realize that she is so much more than a cow, and there are people that see her as confident, beautiful, and ultimately, a person they want to know.   

   

  

Dingley Falls

 Malone, Michael. Dingley Falls. New York: Harcourt, Brace & Jovanovich, 1980.

I chose Dingley Falls in honor of National Author’s Day being in November. Nothing more random than that.

Even if you didn’t know anything about Michael Malone you would swear his novel, Dingley Falls, is supposed to be a script, or at least the backdrop, to a titillating, slightly scandalous soap opera. The town of Dingley Falls, fictitiously located somewhere in Connecticut, is teeming with odd characters with even more bizarre stories to tell. It is as if the entire community has digested some mild altering hallucinogenic that causes everyone to come unglued. To give a few examples, mild-mannered Mrs. Abernathy suddenly ends up under a tree in the pouring rain having wild sex with a poet she has just met; post mistress Mrs. Haig is forced to retire because of a bad heart. It’s not the job that is stressing her out, it’s a snapping, snarling dog who chases her home five nights a week; Headmaster Mr. Saar has trouble controlling his sexual appetite and will wind up handcuffed to a bed in a seedy motel in New York City, naked and dead, if he isn’t careful. Mrs. Ransom tries masturbation for the very first time only to have some stranger catch her in the act.
The list of characters goes on and on, so much so that Malone needed to list his crazy community individual by individual at the start of his book.

When you discover Michael Malone has years and year of experience as the senior writer for One Life to Live then Dingley Falls begins to make sense. The heightened drama, the outrageous characters, the never-ending bizarre situations in Dingley Falls suddenly become par for the course…just a little more graphic with the sex scenes and violence, the things you can’t show as vividly on daytime television.

Favorite lines: “The elderly shut-in bought a new car every year – each racier than the last – as if she thought she could outdrag death if she only had the horsepower” (p 94). “‘Did you know that until I drink this cup of coffee, anything you know is knowing too much?’” (p 145). “He drank in order to pose count; not like Walter Saar, to get in touch with who he was, but to stay out of touch with who he might have been” (p 157).

BookLust Twist: In Book Lust and More Book Lust. This is a popular book in Pearl’s world. First, from Book Lust in the chapter called, “Southern Fiction” (p 222). From More Book Lust in the chapter called, “Michael Malone: Too Good To Miss” (p 160).

It never rains...

This week has been awful. But at the end of it, I dropped my chemistry class, so maybe the rest of the semester will be less awful. Ironically, although I’ve been busy, I seem to have made it through a suprising amount of media works. There’s nothing that I particularly want to promote, or have the energy to write a full review of, so I’ll just give quick reviews here.

Jeff Lemire – The Complete Essex County

Essex County is a stark story expressed in stark style with stark technique. Interestingly, if I had to pick a single phrase to describe it, it would be “a Canadian 100 Years of Solitude comic book.” I don’t want to discuss the story for fear of spoiling it, but the graphic novel spends a lot of time showing what extended periods of lonlieness and solitude do to people emotionally and relating that to the geography and culture of rural Canada.

All of this is rendered in Lemire’s rough, monochromatic ink style, which perfectly illustrates the empty isolation in which most of his characters live. One powerful sequence shows the seasonal transitions on the farm, and we see that nothing changes, whether it is snow as far as the eye can see, corn rows as far as the eye can see, bare furrows…

Another aspect of the comic that I found interesting was the way in which it resembled Southern Gothic literature. This is not a perfect parallel; there is no Canadian analogue to the Civil War and race relations are much different there, yet as in Faulkner the rural isolation, long history, and buried secrets made me feel like I was missing something in every panel I read. I felt like because I am not from Essex County, I couldn’t really understand what was going on. Fortunately Lemire is humane and exposes those relationships (in a very exciting way, no less).

I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but the story gives plenty to think about and some of the artwork is worth it on its own.

Ned Rorem – The Paris Diary

Ned Rorem was a young, beautiful, gay, American composer who ran around in Parisian expatriate and artistic circles in the mid-1950’s. In short, he was the person that I wish I could be at the time that I wish I could have been. I was surprised to find that he does not talk a whole lot about his work, but there are some personal insights into other composers of the time that I can’t imagine one could find anywhere else, and Rorem’s youthful, neurotic narration is entertaining and provoking in its own right.  I did find the untranslated use of French somewhat annoying (thanks, Babelfish!) and at times I felt like I was intruding into Rorem’s beautiful-people problems (“It’s much harder to maintain one’s reputation for being pretty than for being a talented composer”), but I’m just bitching so that this review doesn’t read as me drooling all over myself.

Arturo Perez-Reverte – The Club Dumas

As I was reading this, I was struck by how similar this book is to Matthew Pearl’s The Dante Club. Both involve clues embedded in the works of historical writers. Both involve brushes with the occult. But Dante is superior in every way to Dumas. It should be mentioned that Dumas was published a full decade before Pearl’s book, but in this case originality does not trump execution. Skip Dumas, read Dante.

Neal Stephenson – Quicksilver

This is my latest stop on my quest to read all of Stephenson’s works. Honestly, the book is just too long for me to feel comfortable reccomending it to anybody. It’s not that I don’t think it’s good (I do!), but at 900 pages (and don’t forget that it’s the first installment of a trilogy), I don’t want to be responsible for wasting anybody’s time. If you’ve liked anything by him before, you’ll probably like this.

The Big Sleep

It was weird watching this; I’ve seen so many neo-noir and parodies of the Bogart drawl, casual sexism and L.A. cool epitomized in this movie that I felt like I had seen it before. It seems to have scared me off of The Maltese Falcon, however. As one of the few people of my generation that has read quite a few of the classic pulp mystery novels, I can tell you that Bogart fits as Phillip Marlowe, but is completely wrong for Sam Spade.

The Exorcist

Meh. I was high and it wasn’t as scary.

Review: The Dust of 100 Dogs

Title: The Dust of 100 Dogs

Author: A. S. King

Genre: Fantasy, YA, historical fiction, and the odd how-to for training dogs

Summary: In the late seventeenth century, famed teenage pirate Emer Morrisey was on the cusp of escaping the pirate life with her one true love and unfathomable riches when she was slain and cursed with “the dust of one hundred dogs,” dooming her to one hundred lives as a dog before returning to a human body-with her memories intact.

Now she’s a contemporary American teenager and all she needs is a shovel and a ride to Jamaica.

 

Wow

This book is unlike any I have ever read. Part historical romance, part fantasy, part how to train a dog, with wonderful action and flashbacks, this book has it all. Emer is a fascinating character in all of her incarnations and her insight into the behavior of others and her anecdotes on dismembering those who bother her (very creatively) are entertaining and a constant reminder of her past self. We not only see her twentieth century self trying to regain her treasure and old life, but also how she became a pirate and the events that led to her curse and demise and somehow the ending still comes as a surprise.

I highly recommend this book to any teen wanting a little adventure and mystery. It also might be good for someone with a new puppy, too.

Review: Fire

Title: Fire

Author: Kristin Cashore

Genre: Fantasy, YA

Summary: She is the last of her kind…

It is not a peaceful time in the Dells. In King City, the young King Nash is clinging to the throne, while rebel lords in the north and south build armies to unseat him. War is coming. And the mountains and forest are filled with spies and thieves. This is where Fire lives, a girl whose beauty is impossibly irresistible and who can control the minds of everyone around her.

 

Thumbs Up

The companion to Graceling, Fire was an entirely different take on the world Cashore created and it took a long time for me to get used to the vast differences. However, once I did, I found myself loving the book just as much as the first. Fire is another strong heroine and while it got a bit irritating reading just how beautiful she was and how beautiful the monsters were (lots of beautiful things), the action and characters made up for it. Her search for identity and friendship woven into political intrigue made for a strong plot and led to much character growth.

As I said, it takes a bit to get used to the vast changes in atmosphere of this book but once you have it’s worth it.

There is talk of a sequel, Bitterblue, and I will be looking for that when it comes out.

 

Companion book to Graceling.

The Millenium Trilogy

In this week’s Economist magazine there is a very good review of The Millenium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson.   I read the first book in the trilogy some time ago.  The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. 

Then I was keen to read the 2nd book.  The Girl Who Played with Fire. 

 

 I could hardly wait for the 3rd and concluding volume.  The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest. 

 

I had to wait about 6 months but it finally appeared on October 1st.  It was in the bookshop at Dublin Airport after I checked in for my flight to Boston.  It was one of those airport editions – very big and heavy and awkward to hold or carry.  I couldn’t resist even though I already had enough reading material already with me.  Never mind.  I succumbed and read the first bit on my flight.  I didn’t get very far and I was so busy during my week in New England that I didn’t have time to get any further.  I put it aside, put it in my suitcase, and waited for a more suitable stretch of time.  That finally happened a week or so ago and I was gripped.  A wonderful book.  And a wonderful trilogy.  But do try to read them when you have a stretch of time and won’t be interrupted.

 

Book Review: <em>The Surgeon's Mate</em> by Patrick O'Brian

Author: Patrick O’Brian
Title: The Surgeon’s Mate
Publication Info: Blackstone Audiobooks (2005), Edition: Unabridged, Audio CD
ISBN: 0786177845

Summary/Review:

The Aubrey/Maturin series picks up where The Fortune of War left off, and the surgeon’s mate of the title is not Stephen Maturin’s surgical assistant but his on again/off again romantic interest Diana Villiers. I’m always turned of by the Villiers storylines because she is a dull and disagreeable character.  Fortunately the Maturin-Villiers story is balance by some seafaring adventure and battles, spying and intrigue, and even our lead characters locked in a French prison.  I’m a bit thrown by the timeline as it seems this book takes place 4 years prior to The Fortune of War but it’s a rollicking good tale all the same.

Rating: **1/2

BOOK REVIEW: "A Case for Amillennialism" by Kim Riddlebarger

Heretics!  Deceived by Satan!  Heathens!  Catholic dogs! Well, I made that last one up.  A Jehovah’s Witness called me that once and I’ve been dying to use it for years.   But wow…when you do a search on amillennialism, you certainly get strong opinions!

I’ll be the first to admit that prior to reading “A Case for Amillennialism” by Kim Riddlebarger, I really didn’t know anything about the view.  It’s fairly easy to encounter people in the pre/post mill camps, and both will readily inform you that you need not look at “that amillennialist” view as it was only for liberals, heretics and weak Christians who have handed the pink slip of their souls to the Whore of Babylon.

This book will kill those arguments.

Before I continue on, I should mention ( again ) that I personally am not an Amillennialist.   My eschatological views fall somewhere within a “Pre-Wrath” framework, but I am also not a dispensationalist either.  Pre-tribulationism in my humble view, is a total fantasy. That having been said, I was simply amazed how this book completely decimated the popular notion that the amillennialist view is somehow a liberal non-literalist interpretation.  On the contrary, I found that Kim Riddlebarger was able to share his views in a very Biblical manner and is probably the most articulate writer regarding end-times study that I perhaps have ever read.

The idea that we are currently living in the “millennium” as described in Revelation 20 was a curious thing to hear and I was quite eager to see what the case for such a view would be.  Suffice to say, the case is one that deserves to be heard.  What I learned quickly is that this view suffers from one thing in particular…bad press.  Perhaps some of it deserved, much of it not.   Ironically, the most aggressive criticism comes from the likes of Hal Lindsay and Jack Van Impe…individuals who should be the LAST people anyone should get advise from regarding prophecy!

The author comes from the view of a former pre-millennialist, and readily admits his difficulty in switching gears.  Much of the book debates against current pre and postmillenial viewpoints which is understandable considering their popularity.   What is refreshing to read is the authors ability to refute opposing arguments without ad-hominem attacks and circular reasoning so prevalent in the current popular views.

To go into exhaustive details of the book would take too much time to do, and I would instead advise going out and getting a copy.  It doesn’t matter if you subscribe to this view or not…you owe it to yourself to learn what it is about simply to make yourself more informed.  Because in all honesty, many have dismissed this view without even having a clue what it has to say for itself.

So did this book convince me?  No…and yes. Let’s just say that it certainly has given me something to think about in certain areas.  For that reason alone it was worth the cover price.  What it did convince me of is that Amillennialism deserves to be at the table of prophecy discussion.  Perhaps as much as anyone.  Certainly more than most.

5 Feathers out of 5.

Reading update

I have been devouring books again. My family has even noticed it enough to actually comment. Anyway, here’s a round-up of the books that have left the biggest impressions on me lately:

I spent a while trying to get a “six degrees of separation” going with these books, as they all seemed to be fitting together, but I couldn’t make the two streams jive. Maybe someone else can:
(1st stream)

• Street Gang: The Complete History of Sesame Street by Michael Davis. He mentions at one point that the meal served at the dinner where the people behind SS start putting the idea together is directly from
• Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which leads, this summer anyway, to
• Jule & Julia, Julie Powell’s book about her experience cooking her way through the book above.

Disclaimer: These thoughts occurred to me, but I still haven’t managed to get my hands on to a copy of the last book, or see the movie.

(2nd stream)

• The Invention of Hugo Cabret: a novel in words and pictures by Brian Selznick was a great read. I went through it much quicker than I expected, and I’d love to get my hands on it again, and take the time to really enjoy the mixture of the words and pictures, which I think was really well done. Without giving too much away, it links to
• Georges Méliès’ motion picture Le voyage dans la lune, or, A trip to the Moon, made in 1902. The making of this film was depicted in the 12th part of
• From the Earth to the Moon, the HBO miniseries produced by Tom Hanks about the Apollo space program. The miniseries was based primarily on the book
• A Man on the Moon: the voyages of the Apollo astronauts by Andrew Chaikin. I’ve long been interested in space and space travel (yes, I was even a member of the Space Club (?) in grade Six, and did a project about Mars during lunch hours because I thought it was fun), and this book was the perfect mix of layman science (hey, I said I was interested, not that I understood the complexities of it!), history, and just good storytelling.

I’ve been contemplating those two streams for a while, trying to figure out if I could link them… I think the most likely link is probably between Sesame Street and Hugo Cabret, but I don’t know what it would be. As you can see, however, I’m not staying explicitly with written materials, (or, I’ve added extra steps that aren’t written materials), so if you think of something, please let me know!

On other reading, I’ve been kind of fixated on the murder mystery/thriller genre. I’ve been a fan of mysteries ever since i picked up my first Agatha Christie back in about 1994 (or thereabouts, I’m really not sure). Most recently, I’ve been reading the In Death series by J.D. Robb, starring NYPSD lieutenant Eve Dallas. I’ve enjoyed Nora Roberts’ other works in general fiction and romance, and this series is not disappointing me at all. I’ve read most of the nooks in the series, but for the most part have read them out of order. This isn’t really a problem, as the story has been pretty easy to follow/pick up on/fill in gaps when necessary, but I think it would be interesting to go back and read them all in order sometime. The one suggestion I have for anyone who is thinking of picking them up would be to definitely start with the first couple of books in the series (Naked in Death is the first), as they set the foundation, and then pick it up wherever you feel like it.

I’ve also started (very slowly) reading Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. this one I am trying to read in order, and so I’ve been having to wait for holds to come in at the library, and I’m up to waiting for the fourth one, Four to Score.

While I can understand why NoveList (to which I have access from the lovely Winnipeg Public Library) doesn’t list them as read-alikes (Robb’s works are darker and more serious, and her settings of future-NYC much different than Evanovich’s Trenton, NJ Burg and laugh-out-loud funny writing), I find them both appealing. They both showcase strong female characters who make no apologies for who they are, and a cast of quirky secondary characters.

I’ve read all sorts of other books in the last little while, but these are the ones that have made the strongest impression.

Review of "The Gathering Storm" by Robert Jordan & Brandon Sanderson

I have been waiting anxiously for The Gathering Storm for four years and I wasn’t disappointed. Though Brandon Sanderson was the primary author on this book, the story fits seamlessly into Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time epic.

The Gathering Storm is the 12th book in the Wheel of Time series. The Tarmon Gai’don, the last battle, is quickly approaching. The forces of Light fear that the Dragon Reborn, Rand al’Thor, is not ready to fight it, let alone win.

Rand is working hard to unite the nations under his banner so he will have his army to fight the Dark One. However, he is quickly becoming a hardened leader except for the signs of insanity that seem to appear. The Seanchan now are the largest force he is facing. He is trying to bring them under his banner and still keep all of the other nations allied.

 Egwene al’Vere, the Amyrlin Seat of the rebel Aes Sedai, is facing a similar challenge. She is still captive in the White Tower, but rather than plot her escape, she is seeking ways to rejoin her rebels with the Aes Sedai in the White Town. She know the Seachan will attack the White Tower and if it is still split, the Seanchan will certainly be the victor.

The Gathering Storm is a great book and I’m already waiting anxiously for the next one.

Review: In A Perfect World by Laura Kasischke

It’s the end of the world as we know it… and I feel fine.. that song kept running through my head as I was reading this book..

In a Perfect World by Laura Kasischke is a story set in the near future.  It’s a dystopian family drama, with a growing sense of doom extending right through to the very end.

Jiselle is a busy flight attendant who, at 32 years of age, has been a bridesmaid six times. After one particularly difficult evening at work (seven hours in a plane full of passengers that never left the runway) she is sitting in an airport bar, sipping a glass of wine, when a gorgeous pilot, Captain Mark Dorn, takes notice of her.  Three months later, after a whirlwind courtship, they become engaged.

It’s on the afternoon of Mark and Jiselle’s engagement that they see the white balloons for the first time.  One balloon for every victim of the Phoenix flu.  Groups in every major American city are releasing white balloons.  Are they a compassionate expression of concern, or a political statement and condemnation of the current administration in the White House?  The media can’t decide.

And when Mark and Jiselle go out of the country for their honeymoon, they are warned that people aren’t renting rooms to Americans.  Taxi drivers won’t drive Americans. Jiselle and Mark view it all as a minor inconvenience rather than any kind of true threat. The Phoenix flu, reminiscent of swine flu or bird flu, is spreading across America and beyond. Fear and panic are taking hold throughout the world and Americans are being shunned wherever they go.  But Mark and Jiselle are in love *cue the angels* so they don’t focus on that.

Before Jiselle knows what hit her she is living in Mark’s log cabin and stepmom to his three children.  Everything is picture-perfect.  Unfortunately, Mark’s daughters hate her and make no effort to hide it, but Mark’s little boy Sam is a sweetie and they form a bond.

The new family has some adjustment issues.  Jiselle quits her job to take care of the kids, and Mark, due to his flight schedule, is frequently absent.  The older girls are horrible to Jiselle but she remains kind to them.  The family situation reaches a crisis level and their marriage is put to the test when Mark, after a flight to Germany, is quarantined for months in that country. Even though the kids and Jiselle are still getting to know one another, they must rely on each other as the flu becomes a pandemic and the outlook is dire.  Will the family survive?

This isn’t an easy review to write because the book has a bit of an identity crisis.  Is it a ripped-from-the-headlines tale about a flu epidemic?  Yes.  Is it a romance?  Sort of.  A family drama? Sure.  Just when I thought the story would go down one path, it went down another.  I was most drawn into the story line about the pandemic.  I’ve got the swine flu symptoms memorized and my kids never leave the house without hand sanitizer, so I read that part with fascination and dread.  The fact that something like this could happen (is happening) makes it scary.  The author included plenty of information surrounding the flu and the spread of disease to make it timely and realistic.

But the reading experience wasn’t intense.  I wasn’t on the edge of my seat.  I thought Jiselle was a little silly, worrying more about her relationship (‘he hasn’t called.. what does it mean?’) when there were much bigger things to worry about, like how they would survive.  I was less interested in the romance and subsequent family drama than about the pandemic, and when Jiselle would blather on about how handsome Mark was, it was all I could do not to skim and skip ahead to get back to the sections about the flu.  It felt like two separate stories, with the one being much more compelling than the other.

I liked this book for the beautiful writing.  It was a quick read that I didn’t put down until I had finished it.  But I didn’t care for the ending.  I don’t need a perfect ending but I do like to have something of a clue as to what happens.  It’s all left up to speculation, which would probably make it an excellent choice for a book club.  They could debate what happens to this family. They could give opinions on what, if anything, Jiselle heard at the end.

In a Perfect World isn’t perfect, however I would recommend this book to anyone interested in the subject matter.  It’s a thought provoking read and one I won’t soon forget.

For other opinions of the book, check out the rest of Laura Kasischke’s virtual book tour:

Monday, October 12th – Starting Fresh

Wednesday, October 14th – BookNAround

Thursday, October 15th – Book Club Classics!

Monday, October 19th – A Reader’s Respite

Friday, October 23rd – The Book Nest

Monday, October 26th – Galleysmith

Thursday, October 29th – A High and Hidden Place

Monday, November 2nd – Word Lily

Tuesday, November 3rd – Books on the Brain

Thursday, November 5th – Write Meg

Many thanks to Trish for including me on this TLC Book Tour.