Snippets from 2011
In order to deal with a backlog of finished but unreviewed books, as well as some I didn’t finish (DNF), I’m going to do a first ever “snippet review” on Hardkover. Get ready, here they come!
The Betrayal: A Novel on John Calvin
by Douglas Bond. 383 p. Published by P&R Publishing in June 2009. Received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★☆☆☆
This is one of my DNFs – I got half way through and was uninterested and unimpressed. This historical fiction about John Calvin is told through the eyes of his frenemy, Jean-Louis Mourin. I don’t know if it was the forced feeling of the “old English” style of speaking (which doesn’t make much sense, given that the story is set in France), the slow plot, or the heavy-handed characterization of the narrator (I felt constantly bludgeoned with foreshadowing) – this book was not for me. I liked the concept, as my favorite way to read about historical people is through historical fiction (I find them much more engaging than biographies). I saw many good reviews for it on Amazon, so give it a try if you find it interesting. Just wasn’t my cup of tea.
Debt: The First 5,000 Years
by David Graeber. 544 p. Published by Melville House Publishing in July 2011. Received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
This is my other DNF. I got about one-third through this monster – it was actually a very interesting and fascinating read. It’s only downfall was that it felt like one of those books where you get the gist after the first couple chapters and the rest are just repeats with different examples (I could be wrong . . . but I guess I’ll never know!). Graeber’s discussion on our concept of debt is definitely worth reading – and if you’re really into anthropology, sociology, or economics, you might make it to the end! (And if you want someone to blame for the “Occupy Wall Street” Movement, Graeber just might be your man.)
Long Trail Home (#3 in the Texas Trail Series)
by Vickie McDonough. 304 p. Published by Moody Publishers November 2011. Received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Picked this one off NetGalley because I liked the first two in the series, Lone Star Trail and Captive Trail. It was as good as the first two and I’m looking forward to the remaining three. This book featured the story of a young man who went off to fight in the Civil War and came home to find his parents dead and his fiancée married to someone else; the female protagonist is an abandoned child who managed to survive by pretending to be blind (so she could stay at an orphanage for the blind). As was true with the first two books, the interesting historical setting was my favorite part about the story. The romance was a little predictable, but its hard to escape that in this genre.
The Winters in Bloom
by Lisa Tucker. 288 p. Published by Atria Books September 2011. Received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★★☆☆
Half mystery, half drama – this reminded me in ways of Diane Chamberlain’s The Midwife’s Confession in genre and style. A couple’s only child goes missing and each one thinks that it is someone in his/her past that is to blame. The story flashbacks to previous relationships and how the couple met to explain their fears and eventually introduce the kidnapper. This book has decent character development (although I didn’t think the characters were quite as realistic as in The Midwife’s Confession) and a good plot – I found myself fairly hooked all the way through. However, I thought it petered out at the end; the denouement was very anti-climatic and you don’t get the satisfaction of participating in the inevitable reunion.
The Promised One: Seeing Jesus in Genesis
by Nancy Guthrie. 288 p. Published by Crossway Books July 2011. Received through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★★★★
This was a FANTASTIC bible study! I love the format – each chapter begins with a list of questions and scriptures to read and contemplate before Guthrie “lectures” in the teaching section. The chapter concludes with a pointed description of how that chapter’s topic points to Jesus and discussion questions for facilitating a group study. The chapters highlighted primarily Creation, Fall of Man, Noah, Babel, Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph. I used this book for my own personal devotion time and found it very enriching. I liked it so much that I’ve talked my small group into using it for our next study! Highly recommended.
Rules of Civility
by Amor Towles. 352 p. Published by Viking Adult Books July 2011. Checked out from my local library using my Kindle!
Verdict: ★★★★☆
I vacillated on whether to give this book 3 or 4 stars – when I think about the writing, I want to give it 4 and when I think about the plot I give it 3. Overall, the characters are pretty decent, so I think it deserves the higher rating. I wasn’t blown away by the plot of this book; however, when Amor Towles puts together words, he doesn’t just make a sentence — he makes magic! I found myself stopping to re-read parts aloud, just to see if they sounded as beautiful out loud as they did in my head. He manages to find that perfect balance of writing vivid prose without it being flowery or ridiculously over-the-top. The book itself is very Great Gatsby-ish – not only because it is set in Manhattan in the 1930s as people are struggling to recover from the Great Depression, but the writing has that older Fitzgerald style. I liked the female protagonist and thought she had an interesting narrative voice for this time period. If the plot had been more poignant, it would have ranked 5 stars. Definitely recommended.
The Princess Curse
by Merrie Haskell. 336 p. Published by HarperCollins September 2011. Checked out from my local library in old-fashioned hardback binding. Recommended by the BookSmugglers.
Verdict: ★★★☆☆
I loved the idea of this book – the tale of the Twelve Dancing Princess, with the heroine being an apothecary‘s apprentice who tries to lift the curse. The book just never quite lived up to its potential, however. The imaginary world Haskell created didn’t seem to materialize and charm me the way other fairy tale worlds have (I’m thinking of Ella Enchanted and The Princess Academy in particular). Perhaps that is why the plot felt a little choppy and the characters just a little too far from reach to join my cast of literary friends – it was hard to truly fall under the magic of living in another world and allowing them to be real. Although I don’t think this one will join Ella and The Princess Academy on my classics shelf, I would still give it to middle graders or young adults who like a good fairy tale.
Mine is the Night (sequel to Here Burns My Candle)
by Liz Curtis Higgs. 464 p. Published by WaterBrook Press March 2011. Checked out from my local library on my Kindle!
Verdict: ★★★★☆
This was the first book I’ve picked up in months that I simply could NOT put down! I’ve long owned and loved Higgs first Scottish trilogy beginning with A Thorn in My Heart, which is based on the biblical story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. Mine is the Night is the sequel to her second Scottish series, this time adapting the story of Ruth, Naomi, and Boaz in the setting of the Scottish Jacobite rebellion. Each one is well written, engrossing, and always pointing to underlying story of faith and redemption from the original biblical version. Not only is this a great time period to read about (Scotland! Rebels! Bonnie Prince Charlie!), but Higgs’ amazing depth and breadth of research combines with her clever writing to bring the heather hills and thick Scottish brogue alive. Highly recommended!
Captive Trail
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Susan Page Davis. 272 p. Published Sept 2011 by Moody Publishers. Advanced copy provided for review in electronic format, courtesy of the publishers (through NetGalley) in return for my honest opinion.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Inspirational Historical Fic
Short Bio (from Amazon):
The Captive Trail is second in a six-book series about four generations of the Morgan family living, fighting, and thriving amidst a turbulent Texas history spanning from 1845 to 1896. Although a series, each book can be read on its own.
Taabe Waipu has run away from her Comanche village and is fleeing south in Texas on a horse she stole from a dowry left outside her family’s teepee. The horse has an accident and she is left on foot, injured and exhausted. She staggers onto a road near Fort Chadbourne and collapses.
On one of the first runs through Texas, Butterfield Overland Mail Company driver Ned Bright carries two Ursuline nuns returning to their mission station. They come across a woman who is nearly dead from exposure and dehydration and take her to the mission.
With some detective work, Ned discovers Taabe Waipu identity. He plans to unite her with her family, but the Comanche have other ideas, and the two end up defending the mission station. Through Taabe and Ned we learn the true meaning of healing and restoration amid seemingly powerless situations.
Eyewitness Account:
I picked this up because I liked Lone Star Trail. The sequel is written by a different author, but had all the same elements I appreciated about the first – interesting historical setting (this time dealing with the Comanche, Texas settlers, and French nuns who had set up a “mission” and school for girls), decent plot, and empathetic characters. Many children were captured and raised among Native Americans during Westward Expansion, and this story is a compelling snapshot of what such a situation must have felt like to a captive.
Still loving this series, and would recommend it to anyone who likes historical fiction and interested in this era!
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? Reviews from the Heart, This That and the Other Thing, Sandra Ardoin
Rating:
★★★☆☆ Plot Development
★★★★☆ Characterization
★★★☆☆ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
The Book That Made Your World
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Vishal Mangalwadi. 464 p. Published May 2011 by Thomas Nelson. Advanced copy provided for review in electronic format by the publisher (through NetGalley) in exchange for my honest opinion.
Verdict: ★★★☆☆
Who Cares? Adult Non-Fiction (History, Christianity)
Short Bio:
Discover how the Bible became the West’s source of human rights, justice, heroism, optimism, compassion, capitalism, family, and morality.
In the 1960s many from the West went to the East in search of spiritual wisdom. The Book That Made Your World reverses the journey. Vishal Mangalwadi, an Indian philosopher, takes readers on a historical journey through the last millennium, exploring why and how the Bible reformed Europe and made the West a uniquely thinking civilization: technical and tolerant, scientific and free, just and prosperous. Readers will learn:
- Why an American president puts his hand on the Bible to take the oath of a secular office
- What forced British monarchs from Henry VIII to James I to submit to the Bible’s authority
- Why Bible translators Wycliffe, Luther, and Tyndale became history’s greatest revolutionaries
- How the Bible globalized western education
Eyewitness Account:
This book was a fairly interesting treatise on how the Bible has influenced all aspects of our civilization (for the better). You’d expect something like this to be written by a someone of Western Judeo-Christian background, but the author is actually a native Indian who writes the book as a response to a national Indian movement claiming that the Western Christian influence impacted India negatively rather than positively. Mangalwadi juxtaposes the kinds of behavior, motives, and priorities that result from the Christian faith with the mindset of those from Buddhist/Hindu faiths. He covers a rather diverse set of subjects to explore his theory that the best parts of all civilization are the result of Christian influence – the development of science and education, the protection of life and the rights of women, and the liberty and prosperity that characterize the West.
This is one of those books that you kind of get the gist of within the first couple chapters – I found it hard to keep my interest past the second half of the book. However, it is very well written and very thought-provoking. Mangalwadi includes some personal anecdotes to make his point about the effect that other worldviews have on a society that are very provocative; the most poignant is one in which a neighbor girl is not only neglected to the point of death, but her parents refuse to let Mangalwadi and his wife offer their free help and resources to nurse her back to health (as a result of a worldview that says life is suffering and everyone has the life they deserve).
If you like history and broad discussion of civilizations, you’ll probably love this book.
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
Notable Quotes:
“When a husband is forbidden extramarital affairs, taking a second wife, or divorcing a difficult wife; when he is not allowed to hate or be harsh with her; when he is required to love and honor his wife; then his wife is empowered. She has the security to seek her dignity and rights.”
“When we believe truth is unknowable, we rob it of any authority. What is left is brute power wielding arbitrary force. Whether a person or an ethnic minority is guilty or innocent becomes irrelevant. Their right to life depends exclusively on the whims of whoever has power. Any nation that refuses to live under truth condemns itself to live under sinful man.”
What are other people saying? Christianity Today, The Biblical Bookshelf, BreakPoint
Rating:
★★★☆☆ Writing Style
★★★☆☆ Organization
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★☆☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★☆☆
Lone Star Trail
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Darlene Franklin. 272 p. Published August 2011 by Moody Publishers. Advanced review copy provided in electronic format by the publisher in exchange for my honest review, courtesy of NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Historical/Inspirational Fiction
Short Bio:
The six-book series about four generations of the Morgan family living, fighting, and thriving amidst a turbulent Texas history spanning from 1845 to 1896 begins with Lone Star Trail. Judson (Jud) Morgan’s father died for Texas’ freedom during the war for independence. So when the Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas (the Verein) attempts to colonize a New Germany in his country, he takes a stand against them. After Wande Fleischers’ fiancée marries someone else, the young fraulein determines to make new life for herself in Texas. With the help of Jud’s sister Marion, Wande learns English and becomes a trusted friend to the entire Morgan family. As much as Jud dislikes the German invasion, he can’t help admiring Wande. She is sweet and cheerful as she serves the Lord and all those around her. Can the rancher put aside his prejudice to forge a new future? Through Jud and Wande, we learn the powerful lessons of forgiveness and reconciliation among a diverse community of believers.
Eyewitness Account:
The last four fiction novels I’ve read have not been page turners, so it was nice to finally pick something up that I didn’t want to put down! Not only did I love the setting (Texas settlers, both “American” and German, just after the state joined the U.S.), but I loved the characters and their own personal journeys. I felt like the relationship conflict was more realistic, with just the right amount of communication struggle vs attitude hang-ups (pride, anger, jealousy, insecurity, bitterness, etc.). Some books make relationship conflict all about a lack of communication, but the characters in Lone Star Trail acted much more like my own friends and family do. I admired the way Franklin perfectly wove in the themes of prejudice and forgiveness. I finished it the day I picked it up – very well done!
Other Books Read by This Author: None
What are other people saying? Reader’s Roundtable, Along the Way, Ausjenny
Rating:
★★★★☆ Plot Development
★★★★☆ Characterization
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★★ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
The Postmistress
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Sarah Blake. 336 p. Published 2010 by Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam. Listened to audiobook published by Penguin Audiobooks and narrated by Orlagh Cassidy.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Historical Fiction
Short Bio (from publisher):
Those who carry the truth sometimes bear a terrible weight…
It is 1940. France has fallen. Bombs are dropping on London. And President Roosevelt is promising he won’t send our boys to fight in “foreign wars.”
But American radio gal Frankie Bard, the first woman to report from the Blitz in London, wants nothing more than to bring the war home. Frankie’s radio dispatches crackle across the Atlantic ocean, imploring listeners to pay attention–as the Nazis bomb London nightly, and Jewish refugees stream across Europe. Frankie is convinced that if she can just get the right story, it will wake Americans to action and they will join the fight.
Meanwhile, in Franklin, Massachusetts, a small town on Cape Cod, Iris James hears Frankie’s broadcasts and knows that it is only a matter of time before the war arrives on Franklin’s shores. In charge of the town’s mail, Iris believes that her job is to deliver and keep people’s secrets, passing along the news that letters carry. And one secret she keeps are her feelings for Harry Vale, the town mechanic, who inspects the ocean daily, searching in vain for German U-boats he is certain will come. Two single people in midlife, Iris and Harry long ago gave up hope of ever being in love, yet they find themselves unexpectedly drawn toward each other.
Listening to Frankie as well are Will and Emma Fitch, the town’s doctor and his new wife, both trying to escape a fragile childhood and forge a brighter future. When Will follow’s Frankie’s siren call into the war, Emma’s worst fears are realized. Promising to return in six months, Will goes to London to offer his help, and the lives of the three women entwine.
Eyewitness Account:
Although this was simply the next book that appeared on my audiobooks hold list from the library, it is strikingly similar to the last book I read – the main characters are women, set during World War II, full of rich historical detail, narrated by Orlagh Cassidy . . . the titles are even similar, each the occupation of one of the main female characters. However, I was struck by the fact that where The Piano Teacher had a very strong plot with weak characterization, I felt like The Postmistress was the opposite with incredibly sympathetic characters and a slightly weaker plot (though still not bad!). The pages didn’t turn quite as easily for me this time as the story seemed to drag a bit. Overall, though, Blake’s writing style was more than eloquent and a pleasure to read (or listen to, as the case may be!).
I loved the three women who formed the core of the story, each one so vividly constructed with personality and strengths and struggles; they held the story together for me, because even when the plot seemed to drag and I wondered when Emma would ever get her deserved news, I held on because I cared about them. Perhaps I cared less about the plot because the overarching setting of Americans in pre-World War II is something I’ve read a lot about and didn’t give me something new like The Piano Teacher did. Those who don’t mind a slower moving plot if they get great characters in return, or who haven’t read a lot of WW II fiction, will probably enjoy this book.
Other Books Read by This Author: none
What are other people saying? New York Times, She is Too Fond of Books, Literary Corner Cafe
Rating:
★★★☆☆ Plot Development
★★★★★ Characterization
★★★★★ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★☆☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
Sweet Sanctuary
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Sheila Walsh and Cindy Martinusen-Coloma. 352 p. Published August 2011 by Thomas Nelson. Advanced review copy provided by the publisher in electronic format through their BookSneeze program in return for my honest review.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Contemporary Fiction
Short Bio (from the publisher):
“Without the storm, how would we know the sweetness of shelter?” -Ruth
Out of the clear blue, Wren’s Grandma Ruth arrives on her doorstep, dreaming of a grand party to celebrate her 95th birthday. Wren and her young son Charlie love the idea, but it quickly gets complicated: Ruth wants Wren’s estranged siblings to attend and she wants Wren to sing her all-time favorite song: “His Eye Is On The Sparrow.” It’s the very song Wren sang one fateful day during her childhood . . . and Wren hasn’t sung a note since.
Though she’s glad to have Grandma back in her life, Wren’s sleeping on the couch in her own house now . . . and worried about the expenses piling up. After all, her job at the community library is in jeopardy after budget cuts, and the fancy music program she wants for her son is getting farther and farther out of reach. What’s more, Paul—the guy she’s drawn to yet avoids—ends up being a major part of an important library project.
With family arriving and old wounds resurfacing, Wren’s about to fly when she discovers something special—a gift of grace beyond her wildest dreams.
Eyewitness Account:
Sweet Sanctuary is the story of a single-mom who fights all the usual battles – bringing home the bacon for her little family of two, delving into the ultra-emotional question of what role her ex-husband should have in their lives, moving beyond the relational failures of the past for new dating opportunities, and carrying the great burdens of parenthood alone. Because no (wo)man is an island, Wren faces all of this on top of the emotional scars of her childhood. The family tragedy of long ago not only created deep psychological wounds, but has left Wren without the support and presence of her mother and siblings.
Wren’s story is engaging and real, relatable even to those who aren’t in her particular situation. She’s easy to empathize with, partly because she makes the same mistakes that we probably would. I liked that her struggles were the usual daily life ones of figuring out how to help her son when he has trouble with his friends, how to handle the difficult family relationships in her life, and how to make life-changing decisions like where to live and what job to take. I also liked that her journey of faith was authentic – there were times when she remembered to turn to God in faith and times when she didn’t. Wren’s story emphasized the importance of having faithful friends to remind us to look toward God in all things instead of worrying.
I really loved the writing style throughout (see the excerpt below!) but the plot development at the end felt a little heavy-handed and was followed by a tidy wrap-up. However, the characters and topics covered made it a worthwhile book to read. This book had the definite plus of not being a solely “romance” novel – although Wren has a love interest, her potential relationship with a guy is not the crux of the story and blends in much more realistically than many contemporary fiction novels. I’d recommend this anyone who likes contemporary Christian fiction.
Sweet Sanctuary was not an incredibly original, fantastic, or mind-bending book – but it was definitely an enjoyable escape and a good reminder that God is into the fixing-up-our-messed-up-lives business.
Notable Quotes:
(Excerpt)
Working in a library was similar to bartending or sitting in the confessional box. She’d see library patrons at the Friday film nights or around town and many treated her as if she knew all their secrets, based on the books they read, the ones they hated and the ones they loved.
Wren especially enjoyed when a child carried off a new library card, holding his or her head high as if some rite of passage had just occurred, which was exactly how she saw it. The books the patrons borrowed told their stories for them. Wren wondered how the changing of the library would change the people who came searching for books.
In one year at the Cottage Cove Public Library, she had fallen in love with the community like they were the family she longed for.
There were layers here, stories alive in the patrons who visited the library and stories through the characters of the books. The books breathed love, places, stories, cultures, mysteries, evils, beauty, the divine, the humble . . . everything of life was found here.
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? Small Kucing, Christian Fiction Addiction, Maria’s Handmade Love,
Rating:
★★★☆☆ Plot Development
★★★★☆ Characterization
★★★★★ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
The Ninth Wife
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Amy Stolls. 488 p. Published May 2011 by HarperCollins. Advanced review copy provided courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Contemporary Romance
Short Bio: Bess relies on the vigor of her karate class and the antics of her gay neighbor, Cricket, to keep her 35-years-old-and-single life interesting until she’s talked in to throwing a big singles bash for her birthday. There, she meets Rory – a hunky Irishman with a secretive past. As their relationship gets serious, Rory confesses to Bess that he’s had eight previous wives. As Bess attempts to navigate her emotional turmoil from hearing this news, she determines to contact Rory’s ex-wives to see if she can’t find some reason to either accept or reject Rory’s marriage proposal.
Eyewitness Account: I was surprised at how much I loved this book – it’s not very impressive at the beginning (the writing is a little awkward, as it’s written mostly in present tense. “Bess goes to the fridge and takes out a glass of milk.”), but once I got about a third of the way through, the characters hooked me. Every single one of them, from Cricket to Bess’s bickering grandparents to Rory’s past wives, somehow managed to rise above the general stereotypes that you tend to see in supporting characters and made for very believable people. Although a little slow at first, the plot really picks up momentum about halfway through and I couldn’t put it down!
My favorite part about the book is the personal journey that Bess goes through. At the beginning of the story, she is a somewhat content, independent women who generally plays it safe – even the 10-year-old kids at her karate studio aren’t afraid of her because she lacks the bold confidence of someone who takes risks. She yearns for the satisfaction and security that marriage is supposed to provide, but is then challenged by the notion that marriage can really give that – by her bickering, unhappy grandparents and by the revelation that her boyfriend had been eight previous marriages. It is this challenge that finally provokes her to take some risks – to seek out Rory’s past wives and try to figure out what her own decision should be. I really liked the conclusion of Bess’s search and thought it exceptionally fitting for her story. The author explores the intricacies of relationships, the expectations of marriage, and a the sometimes plaguing question, “How much of my past defines me?”
My advice – push through the first half, it’s worth it!
Notable Quotes:
Gaia is that perfect skimming stone one searches for at the edge of a lake, smooth and shapely, unadorned and peaceful among the other stones but capable of soaring out across the surface as if defying the laws of nature. She is beautiful, but then maybe all new mothers are beautiful, or all onlookers in the immediate aftermath of birth see a kind of beauty they didn’t see before.
How does one wrap one’s mind around eight wives? It could have been worse, he could have murdered someone, her interior voice whispered. If he were a murderer, she answered, she certainly wouldn’t be sticking around. But isn’t that the response she should have to a serial spouse? To run fast in the other direction?
“Whatever I could say, I’d say, Bess. Whatever I could do, I’d do. I love you. Maybe I’m a hopeless romantic, but I do. I want to be with you.” “You’ve said that now eight, no—nine times.” “Not exactly, but yes, that’s too many times, I agree, and I’ll be paying for it for the rest of my life, but can you honestly tell me that’s worse than not saying it enough? I never lied, Bess. My crime is that I love with too much hope.”
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? My Books My Life, Reading Through Life, Book Club Classics
Rating:
★★★★★ Plot Development
★★★★☆ Characterization
★★★☆☆ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
The Art of Romance
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Kaye Dacus. 320 p. Published May 2011 by Barbour. Advanced copy provided in electronic format courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Inspirational Romance
Short Bio: The matchmaking grandmothers are at it again – and this time they have their eyes on english lit professor Caylor and artist/professor Dylan. Caylor and Dylan must survive the loving meddling of their grandmothers, Sassy and Perky, as well as regret from past mistakes that could cloud both of their futures.
Eyewitness Account: Since the last several books I’ve read have been either deep theology or bizarre speculative fiction, I decided it was time for something light-hearted and fun – and this book did not disappoint! I haven’t read the first Matchmakers novel, Love Remains, but it didn’t take long to catch up with the characters and get pulled into a good story of two people learning to move forward after making poor choices in the past. Dacus developed a fairly complicated plot that, while comfortably predictable, did not depend on conflict caused by uncommunicative characters making rash assumptions (as so many romance stories do). The love story conflict was developed realistically, which helped me overlook some rather hefty plot contrivances (I thought the past connection between the two main characters a bit of a stretch). One of the best parts about the novel is that Caylor is an author who uses her daily interactions as inspiration - reading about her idea gathering and writing habits was like getting a sneak peek into an author’s brain and made me wonder if most authors have a similar creative process.
This lovely novel would make a great summer read for anyone who enjoys inspirational romance!
Notable Quotes:
Caylor perched on the edge of the credenza. “Look, I know you mean well, but I really don’t need my grandmother acting as a matchmaker for me. I don’t have time in my life right now for a man.”
“You would if you met one you wanted to spend time with. Love is something you wait for.” Sassy stood. “Now, I know you’re supposed to be getting ready to go out with the girls, so I won’t keep you any longer. But just think about what I said, and try to enter this house remodel with an open mind.”
“Open mind about the house or about the people coming in to rip it apart and rebuild it?”
“Both.” Sassy waggled her finger at Caylor, raising it above her head so it was the last thing Caylor saw as she disappeared down the stairs.
Other Books Read by This Author:
What are other people saying? No Ordinary Moments, Heidi Main, Writer, From Dawn ’til Dusk
Rating:
★★★★☆ Plot Development
★★★★☆ Characterization
★★★☆☆ Writing Style
★★★☆☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
Counterfeit Gospels
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Trevin Wax. 240 p. Published April 2011 by Moody Publishers. Advance review copy provided in electronic format courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Christian Theology
Not-so-Short Bio (from NetGalley): What if the biggest danger to the church of Jesus Christ is not blatant heresy, the moral failures of church leaders, persecution, the rise of Islam or the loss of our rights? What if the biggest threat is counterfeit gospels within the church, ways of thinking and speaking about the good news that lead to a gradual drift from the truth of Scripture?
The gospel is like a three-legged stool. There’s the Gospel Story – the grand narrative of Scripture (Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration). Within that overarching framework, we make the Gospel Announcement about Jesus Christ (His perfect life, substitutionary death, resurrection, exaltation). The gospel announcement then births the Gospel Community: God’s church – the embodiment of the gospel, the manifestation of God’s kingdom. A counterfeit gospel is like a colony of termites, eating away at one of the legs of this stool until the whole thing topples over. This book exposes six common counterfeits (Therapeutic, Judgmentless, Moralist, Quietist, Activist, and Churchless) that would get us off track.
The goal of Counterfeit Gospels is to so deepen our love for the unchanging gospel of Jesus Christ that we would easily see through the many counterfeits that leave us impoverished. So come, love the gospel, recognize and overcome the counterfeits, and be empowered for ministry!
Eyewitness Account: The title of this book intrigued me – and I was not disappointed! Wax and Chandler break out their definition of “the gospel” (mainly the three pieces mentioned above, Story – Announcement – Community) and how many of the “gospels” being taught/preached in churches today change one of those pieces. I was impressed not only with the content of this book, but also with how the authors organized it; after each ”counterfeit” is defined and explained with examples, the authors describe why we fall for it (what elements of truth are still in it) and what dangers result from holding to that counterfeit. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in what the core beliefs of Christianity are and how Christians and the Church can most accurately reflect those beliefs. Counterfeit Gospels is a very thoughtful and well-written response to the increasing number of Christian churches who have succumbed to off-target or incorrect doctrine.
Notable Quotes:
“But in most cases, counterfeit gospels represent either a dilution of the truth or a truth that is out of proportion. There may still be enough of a saving message to reconcile us to God, but the watered-down version never satisfies our longings. Nor will it empower us for service, or embolden our witness before a watching world.”
“. . . true happiness does not line up with the world’s definition. True joy is much deeper and richer than that offered by the various versions of the therapeutic gospel, because true joy is found in God Himself, not just in His gifts. The god of the therapeutic gospel is too small. We think that because God is love, we will be delivered from trials and discomfort. But God loves us too much to only give us comfort and prosperity. God is not interested in our self-actualization; he’s interested in our Spirit-actualization. He is forming us into the image of Hs Son. And if we are to look more like Jesus, the Suffering Servant, surely we will pass through times of suffering.”
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? Mere Orthodoxy, Covenant of Love, Blogging Theologically
Rating:
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★★ Organization
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
Something Rotten: A Thursday Next Novel
Reviewed by Nick
Just the Facts: Something Rotten: A Thursday Next Novel. Jasper Fforde. 2005. Penguin Publishers. Kindle Edition.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Young Adult/Action Adventure/Fantasy
Short Bio: Thursday Next is back, and she’s fed up with the Book World! Deciding that she’s overdue to take a vacation from Jurisficiton, She rejoins SO-27, only to be faced with more problems than she left behind. Yorrick Kaine, a bookrunner, threatens world domination, Goliath is rising to new heights of manipulation when they decide to become a religion, and Landen is still eradicated. Jurisfiction has refused to accept her resignation, her father has stopped time again to tell her that the world will soon come to and end unless she helps the Swindon Mallets win Supper-Hoop 88, and there is family trouble with literary and historical figures at home. Can Thursday manage to stop Kaine and Goliath, advise Jurisfiction, keep Bismark away from her mom, untangle the Merry Wives of Elisnore, tame Pickwick’s son Alan, reactualize her husband, manage the Super-Hoop team, save Danish literature from disappearing altogether, and prevent the end of the world, all in time to come home and keep her mom from finding out that a gorilla is babysitting Friday?
Eyewitness Account: So this is not a prepublication review, as is most of the books that we review; this is more a guilty pleasure review on my part! This fourth installation of the Thursday Next series holds to the expectations brought on by the previous books. Fforde’s humor resonates throughout the book, much in the same way as in it’s predecessors. I appreciate how Fforde finds new and refreshing ways to make the reader laugh. It hardly feels like he recycles his jokes or punchlines at all. The beginning of this book did move a little slow, and the pre-chapter blurbs were perhaps not as brilliant as in previous books; perhaps starting to see Fforde slightly loosing creative steam for this series. He did leave quite a few ends untied, so I am still looking forward to First Among Sequels.
Other Books Read by This Author: The Eyre Affair: A Thursday Next Novel; Lost in a Good Book: A Thursday Next Novel; The Well of Lost Plots: A Thursday Next Novel.
Rating:
★★★★☆ Plot Development
★★★★★ Characterization
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
Genius Files – Mission Unstoppable
Reviewed by Cathy Peterson
Just the Facts:By Dan Gutman 1-2011 Harper Collins
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Junior mystery and adventure readers
Short Bio: For twelve-year-old Coke McDonald and his twin sister Pep, this summer’s family cross-country RV vacation is nothing toget excited about…until Coke and Pep are chased off a cliff, locked in a burning school, and start receiving mysterious messages in codes and ciphers. Mom and Dad are lovably kooky and hilariously clueless, but Coke and Pep are more than up to the task. From California to Wisconsin, it’s a race against time to find out who’s after them, who’s leaving the notes…and just what being a part of The Genius Files entails!
Eyewitness Account:This book was tons of fun to read. Who knew our country had so many fun things to see. Coke and Pep are a little “cute” but considering the danger they are in every chapter, a light attitude may be exactly what is called for. These two use their brains and solve the toughest of problems with MacGyver-like utensils. The best part of this book is that the reader can get online and follow the road trip taken as he reads each chapter.
Notable Quotes:
Other Books Read by This Author:
What are other people saying?
Rating:
★★★★☆ Plot Development
★★★★☆ Characterization
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
Smuggled
Reviewed by Cathy Peterson
Just the Facts: By Christina Shea 7-2011 Grove Atlantic Inc
Ver
dict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Fiction, historical fiction,
Short Bio: When five-year-old Eva is trafficked from Hungary to Romania at the end of the war, she arrives in the fictional border town of Crisu, a pocket of relative safety, where she is given the name Anca Balaj by her aunt and uncle, and instructed never to speak another word of Hungarian again. “Eva is dead,” she is told. As the years pass, Anca proves an unquenchable spirit, full of passion and imagination, with a lust for life even when a backdrop of communist oppression threatens to derail her at every turn. Time is layered in this quest for self, culminating in the end of the Iron Curtain and Anca’s reclaiming of the name her mother gave her. When she returns to Hungary in 1990, the country is changing as fast as the price of bread, and Eva meets Martin, an American teacher who rents the apartment opposite hers and cultivates a flock of pigeons on his balcony. As Eva and Martin’s cross-cultural relationship deepens through their endeavor to rescue the boy downstairs from his abusive mother, Eva’s lifelong search for family and identity comes full circle.
Eyewitness Account:This book connects the reader with Eva with a very strong cord of excellent writing. The reader immediately sees the dichotomy between left-handed, free-spirit, Eva and right-handed, submissive Anca. As her life develops, with Anca’s crushed hand symbolizing the death Eva, one must read on to see if these two ladies will merge or if one must die for the survival of the other. I was very impressed with the creativity of this plot, albeit, a bit disappointed that the solution to all problems turned out to be American?
Notable Quotes: The best thing about Americans is they are not Germans.
Other Books Read by This Author:none
What are other people saying?
Rating:
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★☆☆ Organization
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
All Different Kinds of Free
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Jessica McCann. 274 p. Published April 2011 by Bell Bridge Books. Advanced review copy provided in electronic format courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult / Historical Fiction
Short Bio: Jessica McCann weaves the untold story of Margaret Morgan and her family – a free black woman who, with her children, was abducted in Pennsylvania by a bounty hunter from Maryland – with the famous Supreme Court case that resulted from her kidnapping. Prigg v Pennsylvania became a case which highlighted the growing tension between the Northern and Southern states about the issues of states rights regarding slavery. This book focuses on Margaret’s story - the incredible injustice offered her and how she fought for her family and her freedom.
Eyewitness Account: I cannot for the life of me remember this particular court case from either my high school history and government classes, nor my college constitutional law class – so the events of the case, the Supreme Court verdict, and Margaret’s fate all kept me turning the pages of this horrific, yet inspiring story. Although it is at times a little difficult to keep track of the secondary characters, McCann brings Margaret to life in such a vivid way that I couldn’t help but relate to both the tragedies and triumphs she experienced. The author’s note at the back makes it clear that the details of Margaret’s story are sparse, so her personal account is mostly fictionalized. Given that, it was obviously true to the times and more than plausible – McCann definitely did her research! I highly recommend this story for anyone interested in the pre-Civil War era, abolition, and stories of individuals who fought for their families and freedom.
Note: Although I’d rate the age-level of readability for this book at 5th/6th grade, the content is definitely NC-17.
Notable Quotes:
“Oh, I know the place probably don’t seem like much of anything to the average passerby, not that we get many of those way out here. But our tiny home is so much more than its four ramshackle walls and lopsided roof would have you believe. Inside, it’s big, full of love. It’s a hospital where my babies can be born. It’s a schoolhouse where my children can learn. It’s a mansion where my husband and I can enjoy the riches of our life together.”
“Living my whole life in freedom in Mill Green and then in York, I often marveled at how there can be all different kinds of free. And yet, after hearing news of Mrs. Ashmore’s recent kindness to you and after living here at the plantation, I suppose now I’ve learned there are all different kinds of bondage, too.”
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? Write For Me, Reads4Pleasure, Uniflame Creates
Rating:
★★★★☆ Plot Development
★★★☆☆ Characterization
★★★★★ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★★ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
God’s Answers 4 UR Life
Reviewed by Nick
Just the Facts:
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Young Adults
Short Bio:
Teenagers face many different pressures, stresses and questions about life. Where should they get their answers? Author Steve Russo compiles many different hot topics in the realm of ethics, from drug and alcohol abuse to loneliness, from suicidal tendencies to cults, from family to prayer, from heaven to the nature of God. He addresses each topic alphabetically with a brief explanation of experiences of his or his friends pasts or observations about live in general and then he presents scripture references that address the issue at hand.
Eyewitness Account:
This encyclopedic collection of inspirational answers to problems that most everyone face is useful to not only believing teenagers but also to people in general that want to know more about what the Bible says about life issues and problems. One thing I really appreciated about Russo’s design is that there is one page for a description of what the issue or question that needs to be answered really is and the opposing page is totally dedicated to scriptures that provide an answer to that issue or question. His issues, I’d say, are for the most part applicable to every teenager sometime in life. Russo does have a slight tendency to use more New Testament references than old and he tends to favor Meaning-Based Translations such as NIV, ESV, AMP, etc, and paraphrases like MSG, over more Inference-Based translations such as the NASB, RSV, etc. This particular book is not meant to be a page turner, so I took that consideration out of the ratings.
Rating:
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★★ Organization
★★★☆☆ Original Idea
Overall ★★★★☆
The City in the Lake
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Rachel Neumeier. 294 p.Published 2008 by Alfred A. Knopf.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? YA Fantasy
Short Bio (from Booklist): The City in the Lake is a robust, prosperous kingdom until Prince Cassiel vanishes. Beloved by all, the prince represents the kingdom’s heart, and after his disappearance, life withers throughout the land. In a remote village, 17-year-old Timou’s father, a mage, departs for the city to search for the source of the kingdom’s malaise, and when he doesn’t return, Timou sets off after him. Her journey requires her, for the first time, to draw heavily on her own mage training, and as she circles closer to the kingdom’s mysteries, she finds shocking personal connections and, ultimately, love.
Eyewitness Account: I picked this up because The Book Smugglers both rated this a “9 – Damn near perfection.” Its got a great title (the City IN the Lake?), beautiful cover, and intriguing plot summary. Maybe my expectations were a little too high – I thought it was good, but would have given it a 7 or 8 on the Book Smuggler’s rating scale. Neumeier’s writing is purely beautiful; I had written down 5 different quotes before I even got to chapter 3! The story is engaging, full of interesting characters and a plot that isn’t wholly predictable. However, I finished it with a slight sense of disappointment – the story didn’t feel fully developed. The idea of a single City “anchoring” a multitude of other Cities was a brilliant idea that wasn’t fully fleshed out. Neumeier had some AMAZING content that I think could have been more perfectly and satisfactorily relayed in a longer book (or perhaps expanded into a series). Overall, worth reading for her writing style alone! As this was Neumeier’s first book, I’d imagine her later writings are definitely worth picking up.
Notable Quotes:
“So Timou learned how to catch fire and the memory of fire in glass, how to contain the quick fire in a coal and how to let it loose again, how to find the fire that waited to spring eagerly forth from the heart of dry wood. And how to try again and again to find such fire when at first she could see nothing but wood, trusting that, because her father said it was there, eventually she would find the heart of it that wanted to burn.”
“She loved these books … she loved their heft in the hand, which so contrasted with the brittle fragility of their pages. She loved the graceful or angled or tightly looping scripts that filled those pages.”
“I am not afraid to have this darkness lie before every step I take, because once I saw into darkness and it was glorious. Grieve for your father because you lost him, it’s right we should grieve for those we lose, but don’t grieve for him because he’s here, Timou!”
Other Books Read by This Author: None! Will definitely try “The Floating Islands” next, though.
What are other people saying? The Book Smugglers, Wands and Worlds, The Well-Read Child
Rating:
★★★★☆ Plot Development
★★★☆☆ Characterization
★★★★★ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
Ember and Ash
Just the Facts: by Pamela Freeman. 528 p. To be published May 1, 2011 by Orbit (Hachette Books Group). Advanced copy provided in electronic copy, courtesy of the publisher through NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? YA / Adult Fantasy
Short Bio: Fire has unexpectedly shown Himself – and demanded a dangerous task of Ember, daughter of warlord Arvid. Together with small group of Arvid’s trusted family and soldiers, Ember embarks on a journey to bring fire back to her people before they perish from winter. Along the way, she and her traveling mates are confronted with the Great Powers that had, until now, remained aloof from the “new blooded” descendents of Acton. At the end of her journey, she faces an impossible choice – a future for herself with the one she loves, or a future of peace and prosperity for her people.
Eyewitness Account: Pamela Freeman can definitely spin a tale! Fantasy can be hit or miss – it’s usually either very clever or a cheap knockoff of some other popular idea. Ember and Ash was definitely in the former category. It was a little slow to get into at first, but that’s probably because I hadn’t read her Castings Trilogy, which precedes Ember and Ash and appears to cover events about 20 years prior to it.
I loved Ember – someone who not only had flaws, but also didn’t know her own mind half of the time! Her journey to the Fire Mountain is also her own personal journey to finding out who she is and what her place/purpose in the Eleven Domains is. I loved how she found herself out of her element at times, how she depended on her companions for their expertise, and how she boldly stepped up to take the consequences of tough decisions that she had to make. Ember makes some very wise observations through her journey – one of my favorite was the distinction between lust/desire and love. Most of all, I loved that the decision she made at the end of the book seemed true to who she was.
I also appreciated the way Freeman wove together so many people’s stories in with Ember’s – Ash, finding his own purpose and identity, Arvid and Martine dealing with the breach in their marriage, and Nyr looking for a better life for his people. I found that even the secondary characters who didn’t get much stage time were full of personality – of dreams, aspirations, emotions, and complicated motives. Lastly, the story of the Powers themselves was purely delightful – not at all predictable, and very clever.
Themes of unity, identity, and honesty are well-developed throughout the story. One of my favorite passages is listed below, as it talks about how we have a tendency to reject change – but that the growth that change brings is well worth it. It’s a book I’d love to give to teenagers, except for the overly graphic love scene at the end. Well done, Ms. Freeman!
Notable Quotes:
“Heavy, inimical, a brooding presence envious of and hating everything the braid contained: life, love, warmth, fellowship. Difference. She . . . understood what it was He wanted, could feel His desire for the unchanged, unchangeable permanence of Ice. For ice which never melted, for form which stayed, immutable. For an eternity of sameness, safe and solid and forever.
She knew that feeling. Every mother knew the feeling of wanting time to stop, wanting the child to stay a baby, wanting the youth to stay a child, wanting the moment when the little arms came around your neck to last forever. Every human knew that feeling, of wanting tomorrow to be the same as today, so that you could just go on being who you were, without the pains that age brought.
But as a mother, as a human, she knew the stupidity of that. Knew that the child could give more joy than the baby, as well as more grief; knew that age had its compensations; knew that growth always hurt.”
“. . .all he had was himself, the center of himself, which was, after all, just a single arrow in flight.”
Other Books Read by This Author: None, but I might eventually pick up Blood Ties (first in The Castings Trilogy), as I enjoyed Ms. Freeman’s writing so much.
What are other people saying? Thoughts of a Scot, Aurealis Xpress
Rating:
★★★★★ Plot Development
★★★★☆ Characterization
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
The Promises She Keeps
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Erin Healy. 352 p. Published by Thomas Nelson, February 2011. Electronic review copy provided courtesy of the publisher, through NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Contemporary/Inspirational Fiction
Short Bio: Promise has made it her life goal to become famous as a singer, before cystic fibrosis finally claims her life and she is forgotten forever. A series of “accidents” and the suggestion of a local gallery owner lead her to believe that she might have the power to evade death within herself. She discovers the truth through an unlikely source – the powerful and self-sacrificing love of an autistic man. Read the first three chapters here.
Eyewitness Account: I’ll ‘fess up, I picked this book out because of the cover. I just loved the moment it captured – and unlike many covers, this moment plays a huge part in the book! There are three reasons why this book deserves some loud props and a hearty recommendation:
1) Healy developed very good characterization through multiple storylines that all managed to support and enhance her main theme. She easily balanced about 5 main characters and several additional supporting characters without sending me back through previously read pages for “who is that person again?” Not bad for a 350 page novel!
2) I can’t stick this book in a genre! It has elements of many – coming of age, the supernatural, suspense/thriller, mystery, romance – without any one dominating in my mind. Better yet, it was a story that, although defying the normal and natural, felt completely believable to me.
3) I fell whole-heartedly in love with Chase, the autistic guy. I loved his thinking process and his narrative voice in the book, and of course the message of truth he brings to Promise. He’s going down in my book of favorite non-real people (right under Fred & George Weasley)!
Healy definitely knows her way around a story, and I’m looking forward to seeing what else she publishes!
Notable Quotes:
“A longing fulfilled is a tree of life. Draw the longing, for time is short. Fill the heart, for days are full. All he could see were words, and then the meaning of the words disappeared and all he could see were strokes. He saw the movement of a man’s hand gripping a grease pencil and forming each symbol, the sweeping and swooping of lines, the tight angels, the free flowing tails. This was his father’s handwriting.”
“Can there be any greater accomplishment than saving a life? And maybe it doesn’t look like what we think it looks like — keeping the heart beating, keeping the brain alive. I’m talking about the intangible stuff. The reasons why a person gets up in the morning. Because she wants to sing for the people she loves. Or go to Paris with a friend. Or take care of someone.”
“The promises of love are the promises you keep. The promises of liars are worthless. Throw those promises away.”
Other Books Read by This Author: This is my first book by Healy – she’s written a few with Ted Dekker, and another on her own titled Never Let You Go.
What are other people saying? 5 Minutes for Books, Thoughts From a Princess, Beyond the Bookshelf
Rating:
★★★★☆ Plot Development
★★★★☆ Characterization
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★★★ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
Heidegger’s Glasses
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Thaisa Frank. 320 p. Published October 2010 by Counterpoint.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Historical Fiction
Short Bio: The luckiest of Hitler’s hunted are those who knew other languages – they are pulled from the long lines of people destined for shooting ranges or concentration camps and designated “Scribes”. Due to a peculiar paranoia of Hitler’s, they are tasked with responding to the numerous unanswered letters throughout the Third Reich that are mailed, but never delivered, to those that disappear. The Scribes live in an abandoned mine shaft that has been renovated to look like an underground city – complete with a sun that rises and sets on pulleys. The Compound is largely ignored until the Scribes are tasked with answering a letter written to someone who is not dead, but alive.
Eyewitness Account: Not gonna lie – I thought this was going to be another WWII tear-jerker. Don’t get me wrong, they have their place, but they are so common that you need a great plot and great characters to make your story something exceptional. Much to my great delight, Heidegger’s Glasses stood out right away, with the author doing some daring things like not using quotation marks (which did not, surprisingly, drive this OCD reader crazy) and using BEAUTIFUL prose. Toward the end, I started to realize this book wasn’t just another “here’s how horrible WWII was”, it was a book about how we handle personal grief and guilt and WWII just happened to be the setting that Frank chose as the context.
The premise of the book is entirely fictional (except that a philosopher named Martin Heidegger did exist) – it is not based on historical evidence that Hitler really believed the dead might upset the living if their letters were not answered and that such a compound of Scribes existed. What kind of author comes up with this stuff – I can TOTALLY believe that Hitler would fall for something so superstitious!
There are two amazing parts about this book that could be easily overlooked: the first is the scattering of letters that seem to interrupt the plot at random intervals, and the second is the author’s manipulation of the copy format. The letters puzzled me at first (Who is writing them?), then astonished me (How could someone in a concentration camp write THAT?), and finally, after abruptly changing tone mid-book, devastated me (see letter below in “Notable Quotes”). The letters alone tell a powerful story that is almost overlooked if you don’t pay attention to them (they’re tempting to skim over – DON’T DO IT!).
The format is unusual; I already mentioned that Frank does not use quotation marks (making it unclear sometimes what is spoken and what is merely thought) – she also puts a line space between every paragraph – which means that in a running dialogue, sentences don’t appear connected, but isolated and detached from context. You wouldn’t think this would be such a big deal, but I found that it had a profound effect on me. These unusual formats in tandem created a sense of surreal disconnect from reality – the lack of quotes felt like a lack of boundaries, and the isolated sentences felt disjointed and taken out of their native context. How brilliantly Frank connects her reader with the world of the Scribes, not by overused prose, but through copy text! I have several theories on exactly what purpose these changes serve, but I’ll let you read and decide for yourself.
Overall, this story was not astounding because of an amazing plot or vivid characters (I wasn’t quite as impressed by them as I was by the other aspects of the book) – it is the clever writing and slow crescendo to a poignant ending that make it a solid 4-star book.
Notable Quotes:
“We always walk on paths that lead us back to getting lost.”
“Everything seemed tilted in the light, as though it were cast in sepia and framed by the sheer certainty of having happened.”
“. . .Letters from the time before the time that mattered; a time when no one ever thought about writing to make false records; a time when the dead didn’t need letters to stop the world from falling apart; a time when people didn’t depend on knowing languages to save their lives; a time when letters brought the living together, sentenced no one to live below the earth, and weren’t used as weapons to rewrite history.”
“Alain,
Sometimes I imagine you. You are never doing anything remarkable–just going to the refrigerator for milk, or letting in the cat–yet I find these memories precious just because you are yourself. I do not know if I’ll see you again.
Love,
Sylvie”
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? Diary of an Eccentric, Books & Movies , The Divining Wand
Rating:
★★★☆☆ Plot Development
★★★☆☆ Characterization
★★★★★ Writing Style
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
The Hunchback of Neiman Marcus
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Sonya Sones. 432 p. To be published by Harper Paperbacks in April 2011. ARC provided courtesy of NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Poetry / Adult Contemporary
Short Bio: Holly feels caught in “the sandwich generation” – sending her daughter off to college while simultaneously dealing with her mother’s ill health, not to mention the other sundry effects of being a 50-year old woman (dealing with menopause, re-negotiating marriage relationship as kid leaves, etc.).
Eyewitness Account: Being, myself, a young newlywed with no kids makes the setting of this story something that I can’t easily relate to – and yet, the poems that fill this book are so exquisitely written and full of the just the right balance of information to progress the plot and emotional expression to pull me in, that I found myself incredibly sympathetic to Holly and fully enjoying her journey.
I loved the narrator’s voice and style of expression, often alternating among wit, nostalgia, and raw emotion with ease. I loved the characterization, which gave each person in the story a personality without overly stereotyping. And I liked the plot, which had just enough tension and conflict to stay interesting without being so overblown that it felt artificially constructed. Most of all, I really enjoyed the last few poems at the end that set the whole story in context and provided a very positive and hopeful response to what could be seen as a depressing set of circumstances.
Note: Even though this book is technically a composite of “poems”, it reads more like lyrical prose. I may not have picked the book up if I had known it was a series of poems, so I’m glad that I didn’t know that to begin with. If that genre makes you wary – read the first couple poems before making up your mind.
Other Books Read by This Author: None.
What are other people saying? Esmerelda’s Book Thing, Holly Weiss, Lets Eat Grandpa
Rating:
★★★★★ Plot Development
★★★★☆ Characterization
★★★★★ Writing Style
★★★★>☆ Original Idea
★★★★☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
Pearl in the Sand
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Christian Historical Fiction/Romance
Short Bio: Rahab hears of a holy and compassionate God moving his people across the country and directly to hers. Will she and her family be destroyed? Could it be this God cares about her more than the blood thirsty ones she knows or more than her family who sold her into prostitution? Will all she risks be enough to save them and then what? Where will she live and how will she continue after the city falls?
Rahab is a savvy and beautiful businesswoman. When she meets Salmone, she has no hope that such a distinguished man of integrity would find her of interest. Her only hope of fitting in with these strange new people is to study and win the approval of this wonderful God. After Salmone is wounded in battle, neither of them is sure what God’s future for either of them will be. Rahab is sure that her past can never be put behind her and she will be unworthy for the rest of her life. How will these two be able to find a life together?
Eyewitness Account: This was the most delightful account of a story I have known since the age of 6. Not many people have taken on the hard questions this story brings. Why would Rahab betray her own city? How could a prostitute just join the Israel nation and end up a matriarch of the line of Christ? How does she reclaim her purity enough to have a normal married relationship?
Tessa tells the sweetest story of God calling and wooing a woman to himself. I loved every page of this, a true love story.
Other Books Read by This Author: As far as I know, this is Tessa’s first novel
Rating:
★★★★★ Plot Development
★★★★★ Characterization
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★☆☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
The Inheritance of Beauty
Reviewed by Brittney
Just the Facts: by Nicole Seitz. 320 p. Published Feb 2011 by Thomas Nelson. Read as an advanced review copy, courtesy of NetGalley.
Verdict: ★★★★☆
Who Cares? Adult Contemporary / Historical Fiction
Short Bio: “The Inheritance of Beauty” is an engaging story told from the perspective of a couple, George and Magnolia, who are aging in a retirement home somewhere in the South. As Magnolia’s present-day mind withers from dementia/Alzheimer’s, her memories of her childhood tell the story of scarring childhood events that were shared by her brother and her, now husband, friend George. A series of “providential” occurrences bring closure on the past, not only for them, but also for the gentle caretaker who looks after them at the nursing home.
Eyewitness Account: The plot summary hardly does justice to the deep themes that run through this book – themes of childhood, aging, guilt, blessing, curses, and forgiveness. I’ve never read such an interesting tale of how our actions affect the generations after us – the biblical idea of our sins cursing our children and grandchildren. Yet, the author deftly weaves in the parallel biblical truth: that it takes only one person to redeem the generational line back for blessing.
The author absolutely excelled at telling the story through the eyes of different characters – through the insecure and frail George, the mute and sheltered Magnolia, the faithful caretaker, Annie, and the lonely prodigy, Joe. Each voice was distinctly different, and contributed well to the development of both the characters and the plot.
I also loved the element of magic/the supernatural that Seitz brought into the story – like all of the other plot elements, I found it interesting while still being believable (something difficult to pull off!). My only critique is that it was a book that read slowly – probably due to the constant switching between the present and the past. It worked exceptionally well for the characterization, but bogged down the flow of the plot a bit.
I would definitely recommend this for those who like their literary meals with substance and leftovers to think about later!
Other Books Read by This Author: none
What are other people saying? Thoughts From a Princess, Faithful Reader, Musings by Lynn
Rating:
★★★★☆ Plot Development
★★★★☆ Characterization
★★★★☆ Writing Style
★★★★★ Original Idea
★★★☆☆ Page Turner
Overall ★★★★☆
brittneykp
chaticath
Nick
