Shari's Book Notes

The Scroll by Dr Grant R Jeffrey and Alton L. Gansky

2012-01-28T18:01:00.000-08:00

I received this book for free as a digital download from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Dr David Chambers is a Biblical archeologist working in the land of Israel. For many years his own personal faith had sustained him as he made important discoveries and helped to prove that the stories in the Bible were true. But now his faith in God is gone, his love for Biblical archeology has waned and he has lost the love of his life because of these other two losses. He is at a crossroads in his life when he gets an important phone call from an old mentor with a request that he can’t refuse.

Grant Jeffrey and Alton Gansky have written a book steeped in history, a mystery of Biblical proportions all wrapped up in a love story. The love story is the simple part, God’s love for us, for the nation of Israel and the love of two people navigating the deep waters of faith and doubt. The history is the history of the land of Israel, its ancient history and current political landscape. The mystery, well, that’s the part I can’t tell you about. But it’s a good one. They do a good job of keeping the suspense going. The novel is well written with equal parts of action and suspense. I sometimes found the archeological/historical references a bit tedious and thought they interfered with the story telling but I suppose the background is necessary for readers to understand the point of the mystery.

If you enjoy mysteries and especially if you are interested in the land of Israel and the part she plays in the story of Christianity and in the future then you will be particularly interested in this book.

The Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens

2012-01-15T13:27:00.000-08:00

In 1836 Dickens was asked to write some captions for a story about a Sporting club that would be mainly told in pictures by a famous artist. Dickens grumbled about the theme wanting it to be a travel and investigation club instead. This became a serial called the Pickwick Papers. The first seven installments were completed and then the artist committed suicide. The widow of the artist charged that it was her husband and not Dickens that had written the story. Dickens was incensed by this charge and laboured hard and long to prove it false.

The Pickwick Papers are about the adventures of Samuel Pickwick. Mr. Pickwick and his 3 friends form the Pickwickian club, whose sole purpose is to travel around London and the surrounding countryside, meeting people and reporting on their adventures. It’s good to keep in mind that this was written as a monthly serial so each chapter is a story unto itself although there is continuity to some of the stories.

I was interested to note that Dickens employed the cliff hanger ending to many of his stories; obviously as an enticement to readers to anticipate and buy the next installment. I found it hard to get into the stories but eventually was able to enjoy them for what they were; illustrations of the life and times of an elderly gentleman in the mid 1800’s. There’s romance, duels and much eating and drinking and interspersed among the travel adventures is the occasional ghost story.

I’ve read many of Dickens novels over the years but had never read the Pickwick Papers. I confess that at times I found it a bit tedious but overall enjoyed the adventures and characters in this book. One of the things that Dickens is famous for is his ability to create memorable characters and this book was early evidence of that.

While he was finishing up the Pickwick Papers he was also beginning to write Oliver Twist. That will be my next novel to read.

The Beginning of the 2012 Dickens Challenge

2012-01-08T18:58:00.000-08:00

Before I begin my reviews I just want to mention that I found 2 great biographies to use as references on Charles Dickens. The first is by GK Chesterton called simply Charles Dickens. While not exactly a contemporary of Dickens, Chesterton lived a few years after him and completely understands the life and times in which Dickens wrote. Chesterton also has an interesting take on the faith of Dickens that we will explore a bit as we go along. The second book is by a modern day biographer named Jane Smiley, a Pulitzer Prize winning American novelist. Her book is called Charles Dickens: A Life. She explores Dickens from a more modern perspective and examines his works with a more modern day literary approach. Both authors bring different perspectives to Dickens life and works and I’m enjoying reading them. I’ll do reviews of these books when I’ve finished them.

Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812. Early on he showed talent for acting and writing and his father often made him perform for guests. He was born into a moderately wealthy home and enjoyed some of the finer things in life. His Father lost his fortune and Charles was sent to the factory to work. He hated it. I found this an interesting fact about Dickens as it gave him context to be able to write authoritatively in either an aristocratic voice or in the voice of poverty as he had experienced both.

I’m about half way through The Pickwick Papers and will do my best to have a review of that book along with some more information about Dickens before the end of January. Stay tuned.

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett

2011-12-28T15:42:00.000-08:00

Penguin Books sent me a copy of Ken Follett’s Fall of Giants back in the summer. It’s taken this long to finally get it read. But you shouldn’t let that scare you. I’m not really a fan of historical fiction so it sat for a while before I picked it up. What might scare you is the size of the book. At 985 pages it’s a big book. I think that might end up being a detriment to some people as you literally have to sit with the book in your lap as it’s too heavy to hold up.

But he does need that many pages and more to tell the story. This is book one of the Century Trilogy so there is a hundred years of storytelling to be done between this and the next two books. This book covers 1911-1924. The story spans 2 continents, a world war, 5 families and politics at every level. He follows the families as they are impacted by the war and the politicking that accompanies the war. The families represent both the poor and the aristocracy. Several real historical characters are featured such as Lenin and Woodrow Wilson but these aren’t the main characters.

I enjoyed this book even though it took me awhile to get into it. If you like historical fiction and aren’t intimidated by the size of the book I think you will really like this book. His characters are engaging and even though it’s fiction it reads like these events could have happened. He stays true to the feel of the time and place.

When I started the book I wasn’t that interested in finishing it. However, now that I’m done I am interested enough to want to read the sequel, on my kindle. And that I think is the true test of a good novel, it leaves you wanting more.

Reading Challenge for 2012

2011-12-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

February 7, 2012 is the 200th birthday of Charles Dickens. In celebration and as a challenge to myself I've decided to read and review all his major works in publication order. Since English was my major in University I have already read a number of his books. But I thought it would be fun to start at the beginning. Along the way I will insert some of his life and times as it relates to the book I'm currently reading and reviewing.

Here's the list

The Pickwick Papers - 1836
Oliver Twist - 1837
Nicholas Nickleby - 1838
The Old Curiosity Shop - 1840
Barnaby Rudge - 1841
Martin Chuzzlewit - 1843
Dombey and Son - 1846
David Copperfield - 1849
Bleak House - 1852
Hard Times - 1854
Little Dorrit - 1855
A Tale of Two Cities - 1859
Great Expectations - 1860
Our Mutual Friend - 1864
The Mystery of Edwin Drood - 1870

He also wrote some short stories and 5 Christmas stories, including a Christmas Carol. I'll reserve the right to leave these out of the list for now and decide later if I'm going to include them.

I'm looking for a good biography of Charles Dickens that I can use as a reference so I'll include a review of that as well. Should any of you readers of my blog (I know you're there even though you are very quiet) would like to join me in this reading adventure I'd be happy to have you come along. First up, The Pickwick Papers.

Reading Slump

2011-12-01T09:00:00.000-08:00

I've been in a bit of a reading slump this past month. I’m bored with the books I’m reading. My favourite authors all have new books coming out in the next month but there’s nothing I’m really interested in reading right now; which is too bad because we’ve hit the season of reruns on TV and Christmas movies. I’m not a big fan of Christmas movies so I’ve actually got the time to read. As I’ve been writing this the thought occurred to me that I should maybe try re-reading some of the books I’ve enjoyed. I tend not to do that but I think the cure for any slump is to just keep on doing it until the enjoyment comes back. This works for exercise so maybe it would work for hobbies as well. Or maybe I could start my 2012 reading challenge early.

So how do you overcome slumps in your life? Are you reading anything right now that you would recommend?

A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin

2011-11-16T12:36:00.000-08:00

I don’t know how other reviewers operate but I have to finish a book before I can review it. This makes it much slower for me to produce reviews, especially since I tend to like big books. So I've been reading this book for a while and have only just finished it.

A Game of Thrones is the first novel in a fantasy series published in the mid 1990’s. This year an HBO series was launched based on the book so I guess that’s why they’ve become popular again.

I found this book a bit complicated at first but enjoyed the story very much. There are 3 plot lines and within each storyline a particular character is featured. It’s not a first person novel though but is told in a third person point of view. The story continues on with each change in point of view but it does mean you have to pay attention when advancing to the next chapter to understand which plot is being featured. The stories of three families are told, the Starks, the Lannisters and the Targaryens.

Although it’s a fantasy novel I didn’t find it overly so. I think people who aren’t necessarily fans of fantasy would enjoy the story telling and action through this novel. A Clash of Kings is next in the series.

The Snow Angel by Glenn Beck

2011-11-12T19:31:00.000-08:00

The Snow Angel is a heart-warming story punctuated by heart wrenching scenes of family violence, unhappy children and forgotten seniors. Glenn Beck touches all the emotions in this story of a family that’s lost its way.

It’s told from the perspective of the father and the daughter. The story begins on Christmas Eve and ends on the same day. In between the tale is told of a family that struggled with alcoholism, abuse and how that pattern continued through the daughter’s marriage. It’s also a tale of friendship, love and the importance of community. It’s a story of hope and ultimately forgiveness.

This is well-written with endearing characters. I can enthusiastically recommend this book for your Christmas reading or gift giving.

I read more than one book in October!

2011-11-04T11:03:00.000-07:00

If you go by my posting of reviews it looks like I hardly read at all anymore. That's certainly not true. But I have been bogged down in a couple of books that are taking some time to get through. And I read some books just for fun and decided not to review them all.

The books with reviews coming are Ken Follet's Fall of Giants and George R.R. Martin's A Game of Thrones.

So keep checking back and I'm working on a fun challenge for 2012 that I will tell you about soon.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2011-10-22T19:08:00.000-07:00

I don’t like books about racism. I’ve avoided reading this one because I thought I didn’t need to hear again about the racial conflict in the 1960’s. It makes me angry and sad to read about how white people have treated other people of different races and colours. And so, I have ignored all the hype about this book and steadfastly refused to read it.

Until I went on my vacation and my sister insisted that I would love this book. I broke down and bought it and was mesmerized by the first words. This book made me laugh and cry. It’s the type of book that people who see you reading it want to talk to you about. I talked to a guy in the elevator whose girlfriend was reading the book and loved it. It’s the kind of book that you can talk to about with a black hotel receptionist who grew up in Alabama and hadn’t read the book but had seen the movie. I encouraged her to read the book; I wish I could talk to her once she’s read it.

The story is told in the voice of the black women who work as servants and in the voice of the white woman who is writing the story. It was a bit difficult for me to adjust to each chapter being told in a different voice as the story was so mesmerizing that I was sometimes slow to realize that now someone else was talking. But that is really the only criticism I have of an other- wise flawlessly written novel.

This is a debut novel for Kathryn Stockett and I surely hope that she has a sequel in the works. If you’re like me and have avoided this book, please go out and buy it. It’s worth the read and worthy of the discussions you will have about it.

New York to Dallas by JD Robb

2011-09-24T15:39:00.000-07:00

As you can tell from my other reviews I’m a long-time fan of this series by JD Robb. This 33drd book in the series does not disappoint and the author does a great job of bringing Eve Dallas’ past and present together in a riveting thriller.

All the books in the series have been leading up to this story. As more and more of Eve’s past has become known it’s been apparent that at some point she would have to confront it and in this book she comes face to face with her childhood nightmares. As always there is a generous helping of humour and romance in this story which helps to temper some of the ugliness of the crimes being committed.

Although I enjoy a good first person story, the beauty of a 3rd person narrative is that you get to hear what all the characters are thinking, not just the main one. That’s important in this kind of book where the plot is driven by the dialogue and not necessarily the action. As Eve spends more and more time trying to profile her suspect and target where she will capture him we get variety and insight by getting to hear what the suspect is thinking and feeling.

I’m surprised that this series hasn’t hit TV or the movies yet. It would make a great crime/drama/sci-fi series with the right casting and scripts.
I can see far ahead in this series. In fact it could now be called In Life instead of In Death and focus on things like Eve and Roake’s children which I’m sure will be showing up sooner rather than later and even delving into the futuristic aspect that so far has only been a setting for the stories rather than a plot line. This series still has a long way to go and JD Robb shows no signs of stopping for which I’m glad.

Ghost Story by Jim Butcher

2011-09-11T19:04:00.000-07:00

Penguin Publishers sent me a copy of this to review. It is the next book in the series called The Dresden Files. I’m both glad and sad that they sent me the book. Glad because it was a great book; sad because it’s the first time I’d read anything in the Dresden files and now I know the end but haven’t read anything that came before.

However, if you happen to be a Dresden fan then I have to believe that this novel would be a satisfying and compelling continuation of the story.

Harry Dresden is a wizard who has an unfortunate condition; he’s dead. But he can’t continue on into the afterlife until he finds out who murders him. His ghost is commissioned to find the murderer, save his friends who are in danger and probably save the world at the same time; all without benefit of his body or his magic.

This is an entertaining read. The plot while fantasy is still believable and the characters are well written. Not having read any other books in the series I’m not sure if Harry is normally a thoughtful guy but in this book he spends a lot of time ruminating on his life and how he got to be the way he was. He was a sarcastic, confident and caring person in life and his ghost also has those qualities. The dialogue is great and I’m sure would be even more entertaining for those who have read the series and are used to the way Butcher writes.

This is like a Harry Potter book for adults. But with more adult type of angst and moral dilemmas (yes even for a ghost). If you’re a Dresden fan, you have to read this book. If you’re not and think you might like to be, start with Storm Front the first in the series and work your way up to this book. It’ll be worth the wait.

The Paradise Prophecy by Robert Browne

2011-08-29T08:38:00.000-07:00

This novel was sent to me by Penguin Publishers for a review.

Robert Browne’s novel is based on the story of John Milton’s Paradise Lost. To refresh your memory, Paradise Lost is Milton’s epic poem about the final war in Heaven when God casts Satan and his followers out of heaven.

Browne’s version focuses on Satan’s followers and their attempt to turn earth into a hell for Satan to come back and rule. With current events as a backdrop and ancient secrets as the momentum this story is a fast-paced fantasy-thriller.

This book is definitely not written with a Christian world-view in mind so it’s best not to try and figure it out theologically. He did a great job of keeping me guessing whether or not good would actually win over evil.

I don’t usually give the synopsis from the book jacket but it’s the best way to give you an idea of what the book is about. So here it is.

The Myth
When God cast the archangel Satan into Hell, ending the War in Heaven, peace prevailed on Earth. Until the fallen angels took revenge in the Garden of Eden. Ever since, mankind has been in a struggle between good and evil, paradise and apocalypse: the fall of Rome, The Crusades, World Wars, nuclear proliferation, the Middle East Crisis... The War in Heaven never really ended-it just changed venues. For millennia, God's angels have been fighting Satan's demons on Earth, all in hopes of bringing about Satan's greatest ambition, the Apocalypse.
The Reality
Satan has never been closer to his goal than right now.
Agent Bernadette Callahan is a talented investigator at a shadowy government organization known only as Section, on the trail of a serial killer with nearly supernatural abilities. Sebastian "Batty" LaLaurie is a religious historian who knows far too much about the other side- and that hard-earned knowledge is exactly what Callahan needs. This unlikely duo pair up for a race across the globe, decoding clues left in ancient texts from the Bible to Paradise Lost and beyond. In the process they stumble upon a vast conspiracy-one beyond the scope of mankind's darkest imagination.

I enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the sequel. If you like paranormal/fantasy type writing and can remember that this is a story and not a theological essay then you will also enjoy this book.

Books and Technology

2011-08-25T13:28:00.000-07:00

It occurred to me today that I’m reading 3 different books in 3 different ways. Currently I’m listening to Catherine Coulter’s FBI thriller, Blow-Out on my IPod while I walk on the treadmill. I’m also reading the Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin (doesn’t that make you wonder what the R.R. stands for?) on my Kindle and I’ve just started the Paradise Prophecy by Robert Browne which is an actual book sent to me by Penguin Publishing for review.

Ever since I was little, I’ve had a book in my hands. I remember doing dishes with a book propped up on the window sill; sitting in a corner reading at Christmas time when everyone else was talking or playing games and of course reading in every room of the house including the bathroom. There were times when I couldn’t read though, for instance in a car on a long trip. Instant car sickness. I still get motion sickness if I’m not driving, but now I can listen to books on my IPod. The Game of Thrones is a series 4 big paperbacks which would be bulky to take on a trip; now I can take them on my Kindle along with a bunch of other books.

Book snobs say that the only way to read a book is to have a physical copy in your hands. I have to respectfully disagree. Technology hasn’t weakened the reading world but strengthened it. What do you think? Are you embracing the new reality of books and technology?

The Ideal Man by Julia Garwood

2011-08-21T10:15:00.000-07:00

I arrived home from work last week to find a box of books from Penguin Publishing Company for review.

The Ideal Man has one of the best opening paragraphs I’ve ever read. After the first couple of lines I was afraid I wasn’t going to like the book but I’m glad I kept reading as there was a surprise at the beginning of the next paragraph. No I’m not going to tell you what it is; you’ll have to read it for yourself.

Dr. Ellie Sullivan is a trauma surgeon. After a long weekend of surgeries she decides to take a break by going for a run; and runs smack into an FBI takedown in which shots are fired and people are hurt. While taking care of the injured she meets Max Daniels and her world changes forever.

This is an entertaining mystery/romance. There is lots of suspense, humour and snappy dialogue. It was an easy read; I finished it in a couple of days. A great book for a lazy summer (or winter) weekend.

Red Right Return by John H. Cunningham

2011-08-17T20:55:00.000-07:00

Red Right Return is set in Key West Florida and is the beginning of a new series. The main character is Buck Reilly. He is a treasure-hunter, pilot and bankrupt. He hides away in Key West after his company files for bankruptcy among some rumours and allegations of wrong-doing. During the investigation, he loses his parents and his only brother is estranged. He goes to Key West to lose himself and eke out a living as a charter pilot/salvage operator.

This is a fast-paced adventure story. It reminded me a bit of Clive Cussler and his character Dirk Pitt in the pace of the story. It’s definitely a page-turner. The timing is good and if the plot seemed a bit over the top sometimes that might just be the nature of adventure stories.
Buck Reilly is a flawed character who is beginning to figure out his flaws. He is a bit more introspective than most action heroes and I think that it will be interesting to watch him develop in future stories.

This is John H Cunningham’s first novel and it’s a very good one. I should mention that I hope he cleans up the language a bit in the next books although it was appropriate for the setting. I should also mention that it's only available as an ebook. But if you’re looking for a fun adventure story to read then buy this book, you won’t be disappointed.

Time of Death by J.D. Robb

2011-08-06T19:41:00.000-07:00

I received a review copy of Time of Death from the Penguin Group. This is an anthology of 3 novellas published by JD Robb, Eternity in Death, Ritual in Death and Missing in Death. Although these are reprints and not new books this is a good packaging/marketing tool. I like it when publishers use anthologies especially in long running series. It’s a good way to get a taste of the series and decide if you like it enough to invest in other books without first spending a lot on new books.

In each of these books we discover a bit more about the main character Eve Dallas. In Missing in Death, her husband says of her “it takes more than skill and duty to make a good cop…it takes an unfailing sense of right and wrong.” In each of these books Dallas doesn’t just solve the crime, she wrestles with the motives and the feelings that each criminal brings to the crime.

These are books where the murders happen relatively early in the story. The balance of the story is the deduction of who did it and why it was done. Along the way we find out more about what makes Eve Dallas tick and why she is a good cop.

This book is a good introduction to the series. You will want to go back and catch up on the story, find out about her childhood, how she met her husband, why she doesn’t like his butler. But you don’t need to know all that to enjoy this anthology.

Silent in the Sanctuary by Deanna Raybourn

2011-07-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

Silent in the Sanctuary is the sequel to Silent in the Grave, reviewed here
http://sharisbooknotes.blogspot.com/2010/08/silent-in-grave-by-deanna-raybourn.html
Once again we meet Lady Julia Grey who has been recuperating in Italy. Her Father Lord March has summoned her and her siblings home for Christmas and she returns to England to celebrate Christmas with her family. When she arrives she finds the rest of her family along with some additional guests invited by her father. One of them is none other than Brisbane, the detective that she had met and assisted in a murder investigation that led her to needing to recuperate in Italy. She hasn't heard from him since she's been away and is suprised and pleased to see him again, until she is introduced to his fiance. This is a murder mystery so there is eventually a body to find, there are ghosts afoot and family intrigue.

The March family is unconventional. Even though the story is set in Victorian England Julia Grey is a very modern thinking and acting heroine. The detailed descriptions and well-written characters make this an interesting and entertaining story to read.

Repurposing

2011-07-20T08:32:00.000-07:00

To repurpose something means to adapt for use in a different format or product.

I rented a condo in Harrison Hot springs this past weekend and while we were picking up the key we noticed that the desk they were using was an old piano frame. I asked them about it and it turns out that the piano belonged to his mother, now deceased. Neither of them were musical but they wanted to keep the piano and I guess being practical people decided to hollow out the middle and the strings and create a desk out of the rest of it.

At the time it seemed charming to me but the more I think about it the more it upsets me. A piano is supposed to be used. Even old pianos properly tuned can produce beautiful music (stay with me, this will ultimately be a post about books). Even when not being used, a piano has the promise of beautiful music but once the musical part of the piano is removed there’s nothing left but an empty shell.

Books are meant to be read. Often people will use books as a decorating tool or horror of horrors a hiding place for valuables after they’ve created a hollow in the book. An unread book holds the promise of entertainment, information or both. A book that’s been read holds the promise that it can be re-read at any time and provide even more hours of enjoyment. So, if your books are gathering dust or propping doors open please consider reading them or giving them away to others to enjoy. Some things aren't meant to be repurposed.

Split Second by Catherine Coulter

2011-07-10T19:52:00.000-07:00

Catherine Coulter’s FBI thriller series has long been a favourite of mine. In this book, FBI agents and married couple, Dillon Savich and Lacey Sherlock are once again on the hunt for a killer. This time it’s a serial killer with ties to another famous serial killer, long dead. There are two new agents who have been added to the story, Lucy and Cooper. Along with the story line of the killer is another story that involves Lucy and her family and a ring that Lucy has fallen heir to.

This is a great story with lots of action scenes. There is also a lot of dialogue and often a narrative assist in knowing what the killer is thinking at certain times which means that you get to hear the story from all angles.

I basically read this story straight through to the neglect of many other things this weekend. If you’re going on vacation and need a book to read I’d highly recommend this one.

Spiritual Rhythm by Mark Buchanan

2011-07-05T22:15:00.000-07:00

Mark Buchanan is a Canadian pastor on Vancouver Island. This is his 6th book. I’ve read several of his books and have also heard him speak a couple of times. He’s my favourite kind of communicator, direct, real and honest.

In this book he is comparing spiritual growth to Seasons, not to the seasons of life i.e. youth, adult, senior etc. but the actual seasons of Winter, Spring Summer and Fall. He begins with a statement that generally characterizes spiritual growth, busyness = maturity, the more you do for Jesus the more spiritual you are. Recognizing the fallacy in that he adds another component, busyness+commitment=fruit. But that doesn’t seem right either. Finally (and I’m obviously paraphrasing a chapter here) he realizes that the better model of spiritual growth is Seasons. “Fruit grows in seasons and all seasons are necessary for growing it” (pg18). Each season we go through has a purpose for making us more like Christ.

Then he goes on to describe the seasons. Winter is the absence of light, of God of friends, winter is death. A stark description but true I think of many people who have at times felt far from God either because of depression or circumstances or any number of reasons. Spring is hope, renewal, new beginnings. Summer is vitality, a foretaste of heaven, a time for joy and warmth and fruitfulness. Fall is harvest; a time to reap what we’ve sown in the other seasons. Each season has its purpose and he also describes various activities that can help bring clarity to your life as you experience each season. This is a book that he has lived. There are lots of personal examples and stories.

Part 2 of the book discusses the rhythm of the seasons, and how we can join in with the rhythm of each season. Often spiritual growth is discussed in terms of balance but he says we need more than balance. He says that while staying in the boat requires balance, getting anywhere in the boat requires rhythm. “We crave balance but we need rhythm”. (pg 198) Finding the rhythm of the season that you’re in will help to propel you through that season and on to the next. Of course he ends up with some spiritual disciplines like worship, reading the Bible, prayer and community. These are watchwords of any spiritual growth discussion. But in this book these disciplines are the well of water that sustain us through each season

This is a long review but I really wanted to give you a taste of what the book is like. I found this book to be very helpful in understanding the season that I’m in and in finding value in that season. I know that you will find it valuable as well.

The Body in the Gazebo by Katherine Hall Page

2011-06-26T15:59:00.000-07:00

Faith Fairchild is a caterer/minister’s wife/amateur detective. I just realized that a lot of mysteries I’ve been reading lately have been set in church settings. I’m sure there’s a blog post in there somewhere that I will have to explore later, lol.

The Body in the Gazebo is the 19th book in this series. In this story, mysteries from the past and present are explored. Faith’s minister husband has been accused of stealing money from the church and while Faith works to clear her husband she is also involved in hearing the tale of the body in the Gazebo. Her best friend’s elderly mother is ill and needs to confide in someone. She chooses Faith and in a series of flashback stories tells about the murder of her brother. Meanwhile Faith’s best friend is encountering her own past as she attends her son’s wedding.
There are a lot of story lines in this book. It’s not confusing but it is a little bit dull sometimes as the narrative seems to drag a bit. All of the action happens in the last few chapters. An interesting twist is how social media is used in the story to help with the mysteries.

You don’t need to read the whole series to enjoy this book. Each story is a standalone story but if you want to start at the beginning you will have 19 books to read and a chance to get to know the Fairchild family and the town they live in.

Tell Me Your Secret by Deirdre Purcell

2011-06-12T14:51:00.000-07:00

The story begins in Ireland in 1944 and spans 60 years. It’s a tale of a family with secrets, terrible secrets formed by misplaced ideas of discipline and justice.

The Shine family lived in the “Big House” in their Irish village. Violet Shine is a beautiful 16 year old who has fallen in love with a village boy who would be deemed very unsuitable by her family. So they have been meeting secretly. Naturally, her father discovers them and the story unfolds from there. The punishment meted out to her is truly unimaginable for she is imprisoned in an attic in their house for nearly 35 years!

Despite that last sentence this is not a story of revenge or even hate. It’s a beautifully told story of love and forgiveness. The story is told in many voices, starting with Violet’s. Claudine is the modern voice of the story, the real estate agent who is interested in the old house in the village now in disrepair but still worth a lot of money. She begins to investigate its ownership and discovers a startling connection to her own story about family.

The story is told in the first person by a variety of speakers and it’s easy to be completely taken in by the tale, indeed it was hard for me to put the book down. This is the first book I’ve read by Deirdre Purcell but I can tell it won’t be my last.

One of our Thursdays is Missing by Jasper FForde

2011-05-28T10:47:00.000-07:00

This is a pure fantasy novel so if that’s not your genre you won’t enjoy the book. However, if you have a great imagination and love books and have always wondered what happens really inside a book when the reader stops reading then this series is for you.

This is the 6th book in this long running series. The main premise of the series is that there is a book world that exists alongside the real world. Thursday Next is a literary detective who can jump between the real world and the book world to solve problems. We first met her in The Eyre Affair where she was instrumental in stopping a criminal who was kidnapping book characters and holding them for ransom. Over the years, she’s gotten married, had children (named Tuesday and Friday of course) and continued to bridge the gap between the real world and the book world.

While I was writing this I decided that it’s impossible to give the plot line for this novel. If you haven’t read the series you won’t have a clue what’s going on; so if you’re interested start with the first book The Eyre Affair. Having said that, this is a great continuation of the series. It’s funny, very imaginative and totally believable in an odd fantasy sort of way. There are actually a few pictures in the book, art that adds to the written text in helping you to imagine what the settings look like.

I hope I’ve piqued your interest enough to give this series a try. It's definitely worth reading.

In Plain Sight by Lorena McCourtney

2011-05-23T10:11:00.000-07:00

This is the second in the Ivy Malone series. I enjoyed this book even more than the first one. Ivy Malone is a feisty senior with wit and wisdom. This book made me laugh out loud several times as she again encounters murder and mayhem.

Finding her home town a bit dangerous as a crime family is now targeting her (read the first book Invisible to find out more about that story) Ivy decides to go away for a while and ends up in another small town looking after her teenage great-niece. Ivy quickly becomes involved with her neighbours, takes on a second job and, oh yes, finds another body. All this while looking over her shoulder wondering if any of the bad guys have caught up with her yet.

If you haven’t read the first book you can certainly still enjoy this one. There’s enough of the back story to know why she is getting out of town and who is after her. But I think this is a series that you will want to start at the beginning.

Labels

2011-05-19T14:24:00.000-07:00

I was thinking recently that it would be hard to find a specific review if someone was looking for it on my blog. So I've embraced the world of labels. I've organized most of my reviews by genre. If I've reviewed a specific author more than once they get their own label. And since The Guernsey Literary Peel and Pie Society is currently my favourite book and in a class all its own, it also gets its own label. If you have any other suggestions as to how this blog could best be organized feel free to share your comments. And by the way, I haven't said thanks for reading lately, so thanks for reading my blog, I hope you enjoy it and the books I review.

The Principle of the Path by Andy Stanley

2011-05-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

The Principle of the Path is not rocket science or even a brilliant new way of looking at the Will of God. What it is though, is a very readable and thoughtful book about choosing the right paths in life. If you have a high school or college or grad in your family this year, this is the book I would suggest getting for them to read.

He talks about how good intentions aren’t the fuel that’s needed to reach the destinations we choose. His premise is that the path determines the outcome. For example if you’re on a path that is leading to an unhealthy lifestyle, that’s the destination you will reach no matter how much you may want to be healthy. You need to choose another path, i.e. a healthy lifestyle to get the desired destination.

The rest of the book fleshes out that premise. There are plenty of biblical stories and illustrations that help to prove his point. One part that particularly resonated with me was his statement that “Divine direction begins with unconditional submission. Not information” (pg.88). I think most of us would prefer the information first but that’s not always how it works.

Ultimately there’s nothing new in this book especially if you’ve been a Christian for a long time and have done a lot of reading on finding the will of God. However, what makes this book worth picking up is its readability and common sense approach. There’s something here for everyone who needs help in finding the right path.

One was a Soldier by Julia Spencer-Fleming

2011-05-08T15:19:00.000-07:00

This is the latest installment in the Rev. Clare Fergusson/Russ Van Alstyne series. Clare has just returned from a tour of duty in Iraq as a helicopter pilot. She resumes her pastoral duties and relationship with the Chief of Police. Despite telling everyone that she is “just fine” she’s not fine. She joins a therapy group specializing in war vets and helping them reintegrate back into their regular lives. The therapy group might have been successful if the participants weren’t so invested in making sure everyone knew they were “fine”. Of course all this stuffing of real feelings eventually begins to seep out and they all start to unravel in their own ways.

As is usual in this series there is a good mixture of the sacred and secular. Clare’s faith is a very real one and her failures are very real ones as well. The characters in this series are flawed and in this book the flaws are visible to everyone but the character. The plot centers around a very good mystery but the sub plots are about dealing with transition and loss.

The author uses a strategy that I’m seeing more in more in novels which is to tell the story moving back and forth in time. I find it a bit disconcerting to start with until I’ve figured out the sequence of events. On a Kindle it’s not so easy to flip pages back and forth and I wish I’d remembered that the table of contents was organized by dates; that might have helped me orient myself in the beginning. But after a while the story is good enough to not be distracted by the style.

This is a solid entry in this series and the ending suggests that series will continue which makes me happy.

Invisible by Lorena McCourtney

2011-04-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

Ivy Malone is an elderly widow who lives along and goes to church. She lives in a comfortable neighbourhood with life- long friends surrounding her. Life is good if a little dull until her best friend passes away and she finds herself involved in a couple of mysteries.

Mystery #1 involves vandalism in the cemetery where her friend is buried and Ivy decides to do some midnight reconnaissance to see if she can find out what’s happening.

Mystery #2 involves her friend’s renter Kendra who disappears. Eventually as in all good stories the two mysteries appear to be related and Ivy is hot on the trail of would be killers, thieves and vandals. Her faith in God is a strong part of the story and the ensuing discussions about faith are very natural.

This is a good story. Think Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple with an evangelical bent. It’s the type of book where you don’t have to worry about the language or inappropriate scenes. This is Book #1 in the Ivy Malone series and I’ve already downloaded Book #2.

PUJOLS MORE THAN THE GAME BY SCOTT LAMB AND TIM ELLSWORTH

2011-04-07T21:08:00.000-07:00

I’m not a sports fan; nor am I a fan of biographies. So it was a little strange to me that I chose to review the book about Albert Pujols. If you’re a baseball fan you know who he is. If you’re not then you might be forgiven for not knowing that he is said to be on his way to being one of greatest baseball players ever. In just over 10 seasons of playing he has hit more home runs than Babe Ruth and has more RBI’s than Hank Aaron and more hits than Pete Rose did at the same age. He is 31 years old.

Besides being a great baseball player, Albert Pujols is also a Christian. And that’s why I wanted to read the book. Professional athletes with a good reputation are getting harder to find so when someone like Pujols comes around he is worth reading and writing about.

This is definitely a book about baseball. It’s a chronicle of his years playing with the St Louis Cardinals. It is heavy on stats; but people who like sports love stats! Woven among the baseball stats are stories about Albert’s life and faith. He is a strong believer who is actively sharing his faith, even to the point of witnessing to players who stand on first base with him.

The book portrays the good and bad. It doesn’t sugar coat his moodiness and ability to annoy people. It does give us a glimpse into a life lived in a fish bowl. It addresses the steroids issue going so far as devoting a whole chapter as a defense of Pujols and insisting that he is clean.

One quote attributed to Albert shows the kind of player he is. He said “This is my job, I get paid a lot of money to play this game, and I know the people expect a lot from me” (pg. 187) Another quote shows the kind of Christian he is. He says, “I don’t want to be remembered as the best baseball player ever. I want to be remembered as a great guy who loved the Lord, loved to serve the community and who gave back.” (pg.189)

I really wanted to like this book but I did find it a little dull. I think if you are a true sports fan and like all the stats and rehashing of games played then you will enjoy this book.

A River in the Sky by Elizabeth Peters

2011-04-06T12:49:00.000-07:00

Elizabeth Peters is a prolific author who is at her best when writing archaeological mysteries. She has several series of books but my favourite is the series that stars Amelia Emerson and her family.

Generally the books are set in Egypt and over the years the family has had many adventures while excavating different archaeological sites. This book is in a different setting, Jerusalem.

Early in the 1900’s, Amelia’s husband is asked by the British Government to go to Israel and stop someone who is attempting to locate the Ark of the Covenant. The Government is afraid that a sloppy excavation could cause an unstable political situation to become worse and the Emersons are asked to use their considerable knowledge and skill to prevent any trouble.

Never ones to travel lightly, the whole family and some extras are brought along for the adventure. As is typical of the Emersons murder, kidnappings and general mayhem quickly ensue.

It was nice to have a change of setting. One of the things I enjoy about these novels is the bit of historical facts that are included. The Biblical setting and ensuing discussions were also an interesting addition to this novel. This was an enjoyable addition to the Ameila Peabody Series.

The Shadows in the Street by Susan Hill

2011-03-21T20:29:00.000-07:00

This novel was my first experience of reading on my new Kindle. For the most part I really enjoyed the experience of reading on the Kindle. The only thing I really missed was being able to tell how much of the book I had left. There is a tracker device at the bottom that tells the percentage of the book read but I like being able to see the pages. Other than that, reading on a Kindle is actually somewhat better than having a book in your hands. For instance when you click on the book to read you are taken to the exact same spot you ended the last time; no more fumbling around trying to remember which page you’re on. (that’s usually what happens to me because I tend to lose bookmarks).

Now onto reviewing the actual story. Susan Hill is one of the many authors whose new books I wait for eagerly. I’m enjoying her Simon Serrailler series of which this is the latest one. Even though Simon is the main character it is definitely an ensemble cast and each player is given a story line which mingles with the others to create a rich and full bodied tale.

This book is set in a small British town where Simon is a detective on the police force. Someone is murdering the town’s prostitutes and he is called back from holiday to help out with the investigation. The first characters we are introduced to are a couple of the “working women” who will be some of the main characters of the novel. We are a given a glimpse into their less than ideal lives but we are also given a glimpse into the efforts they are making to clean up their lives and become “normal”.

Juxtaposed on that scene is another setting which is the Anglican church of the town. There are shadows here as well. Light and dark are definite themes in this novel. But the lightness and darkness often show up in unexpected places

Loss and how people deal with loss is another main theme of the novel. Many of the characters are dealing wth the loss of loved ones, others are dealing with the loss of what they thought would be their normal lives.

As a main character in the series, Simon seems to play a smaller part in this book. He’s a bit moody and introspective and I’m interested to see how Susan Hill develops his character in subsequent stories as he seems a bit stalled now.

The ending is unexpected, I hadn’t figured out ‘who did it” by the end. But I thoroughly enjoyed following the clues and getting to know the characters better. I’m looking forward to her next book.

Kindle Review

2011-03-10T12:13:00.000-08:00

My kind and generous sister got me a Kindle for Christmas. Because they were oversold in Canada it wasn’t available at Christmas time so I just received it a couple of weeks ago when she was in town for a visit.

So far I love almost everything about it. I like that it’s lighter than most paperbacks I read so carrying it around with me is easy. I also like that I don’t have to wait for a favourite author to be published in paperback before I can read a book (I tend not to buy hard cover books very often). It came with a cool cover that has a built in light. It’s easy to read and navigate. One feature I really like is that the Kindle store provides free samples of books so you can read several pages to see if it’s one you really want. You can make notes and highlight just like in a “real” book. And another bonus to the e-reading world is that you also see which sections other readers have highlighted.

Another feature I discovered that I haven’t tried yet is that you can download mp3 files and listen to music while you read! How cool is that?

There are only a couple of things that I’m not happy with at the moment. One is the battery life. It doesn’t seem to stay charged as long as the information says it will. And although there is a battery icon it doesn’t seem to move much so I’m getting critical battery failures without any warning. And it was a surprise to me (although I guess it shouldn’t have been )that the books are charged in US dollars. Which could be a problem when the dollar goes down again. However there is a good selection of free and .99 cent books so I don’t really like I will ever be without reading material.

All in all I’m really enjoying it and will just have to remember to charge it up more often. Thanks, Maureen, it is a great gift!

Fatal Judgment by Irene Hannon

2011-03-05T14:26:00.000-08:00

Jake Taylor is a US Marshall back from a tour of duty in Iraq. Just as he is settling in to his new job he is assigned to protect a Federal Judge whose sister has just been murdered. It turns out that he has history with this Judge and he is not looking forward to meeting up with her again. It also turns out that his previous opinion of her may be based on faulty information.

This story is Christian fiction at its best. It’s a conspiracy theory based mystery with more than hint of romance and a lot of suspense. It bodes well for the series called Guardians of Justice.

If you like Christian fiction then you will want to check out this book.

Wrestling with Angels by Carolyn Arends

2011-02-27T19:34:00.000-08:00

Carolyn Arends is a Christian music artist who also writes books. I don’t listen to much Christian music but I was able to attend a concert of her at Christmas time and while I enjoyed her music what I enjoyed more was her story telling. She is a natural story teller which also comes out in the songs that she writes.

The book is about faith and doubt. It’s a personal story but with universal application and appeal. The stories revolve around her questions and sometimes the answers that she arrives at during her questioning. There’s a lot of biography in it and some of my favourite stories were ones that included Rich Mullins a friend of hers and a favourite musician of mine.

Carolyn’s wrestling with questions that I think we all have. One of the final paragraphs in her book will give you a clue as to the kind of writing you will encounter if you pick this book up to read. Speaking of Pascal’s “God-shaped vacuum” quote she says, “calling this vacuum God –shaped may seem like a leap, unless of course you encounter a God whom you cannot prove exists, but nonetheless fits the hole in your soul like a key in a lock.”(pg. 232). I like that.

A space invasion, but not the alien kind!

2011-02-18T08:41:00.000-08:00

I've been quiet for a couple of weeks due to a break-in where my computer (among other things) was stolen!! I did notice that during those weeks I got more reading done. I finished Flash Forward which was ok but way too much scientific technical stuff for me so it made the story move more slowly than I like. And I finished a book by Francine Rivers called Her Mother's Hope. It was a good story and an easy read.

Fortunately I had insurance and things are slowly getting replaced. of course the computer was the first thing to be replaced. Even though my space was invaded I'm grateful that the only damage was to the door and there was no other vandalism. I'm also grateful that I wasn't home at the time. I'm still not feeling quite safe there yet but I will eventually get a new a stronger lock (I eliminated the ideas of an alarm and a dog!)

I'm starting on Humans the sequel to Hominids and I'm reading Three Cups of Tea so there will eventually be some more reviews coming.

Hominids by Robert Sawyer

2011-02-02T12:11:00.000-08:00

My favourite types of science fiction books always involve time travel or alternative universes. In Hominids, a scientific experiment has caused a breach between parallel universes. In one universe, humankind has evolved from the neanderthals. The second universe is our current one. The accident causes a neanderthal to be transported to our world and the adventure begins.

Yes, I know it sounds silly especially if you're not into science fiction (if not you should probably stop reading here, lol). However it turns out to be a good mystery as well as a fascinating anthropological look at scientific thought and how communities develope and there is even a little bit of romance.

Robert Sawyer(he also wrote Flash Forward which I'm just about finished reading) has an active and interesting imagination. I'm ordering the sequel called Humans from the library and look forward to reading it.

The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie

2011-01-23T17:56:00.000-08:00

This first novel by Canadian Alan Bradley is about 11 year old Flavia de Luce. She lives with her Father and 2 sisters in an old English mansion and the story is set in the summer of 1950. Flavia is a budding chemist with a particular interest in poison. She doesn’t have just a child’s chemistry set though, no she has a working lab where she mixes concoctions and tests them on her unwitting sisters.

Flavia literally stumbles upon a body in the garden one night after overhearing an argument between her Father and a stranger. Thus begins Flavia’s quest to discover the murderer. This will use all of her considerable mind and powers of persuasion. During this quest she will learn about herself and her family.

This book is a kind of Anne of Green Gables meets Nancy Drew. Flavia is bright and articulate endowed with an active imagination. She is also curious and prone to getting in trouble. All in all this is a delightful book and hints at a series in which Flavia encounters more crimes to solve. Although the main character is a child this really isn’t a children’s book although I think teenagers would enjoy it. Oh yes, the mystery does indeed involve pie.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold

2011-01-16T12:07:00.000-08:00

The story is told from the viewpoint of 14 year old Susie Salmon who has been raped and murdered and is now in heaven watching her family implode and her killer go free. If that sounds a bit gruesome it really isn’t. It’s a beautifully written book about violent death and how a community copes. The unique part is that along with the first person voice we also have access to the thoughts and feelings of the people on the earth as they go about their daily lives. This allows Susie to comment on what’s happening as well.

That’s the good part about the book. The more difficult part is that as it moves along you begin to really wish they would just let go; both the family and the dead girl. Perhaps that was the author’s intent because that’s what the book is about, letting go. There are a couple of disturbing scenes to me that I wish could have been left out but the conclusion is an amazing one and worth getting to.

I’ve avoided reading this book because I didn’t like the title but in the end the lovely bones are not what you think they are going to be and she does describe what she means by it. So I highly recommend this book with the caution that it could be upsetting and disturbing to some people.

Mere Churchianity by Michael Spencer

2011-01-13T21:13:00.000-08:00

I often buy a book just because I like the title, and I liked this title. In this case though, I actually knew who Michael Spencer was and that was enough to make me want to pick up this book when I saw the title. Most of my friends know that I am an avid reader of blogs. A couple of years ago, I came across Michael’s blog called The Internet Monk. He was an ex-pastor with a Master’s Degree in Theology. I enjoyed his blog for its honest and often humorous look at Christians and the church. Michael passed away after a brief battle with Cancer, in early 2010. This book had just been finished and was in the process of being published when he died.

Mere Churchianity is written to people who are leaving the church. Michael assumes that these are sincere Christians who love God but who are finding that the church has disconnected somehow from Jesus. The first few chapters describe these types of churches. In this book he’s talking against the churches that have become institutions unto themselves; ones for whom the program is more important than the message. He says these are churches interested more in numbers than individuals and budgets than helping the poor.

As a former church staff person there is much that I agreed with. As a former church staff person responsible for discipleship and leadership training there is much that I disagreed with as I read this book. To read his book you would think that there were no churches all that were worth attending. I happen to know that’s not true. I know there are sincere people on church staffs who want nothing more than for people to know Jesus and to mentor them in their faith. One of my favourite quotes from the books is “You have a mission from your King. The church is called to serve and resource you as you live the Jesus –filled life in the world. (pg. 158) I think that would be a great mission statement for a church, simple and to the point.

While he seems to be applauding people who leave the church to make their own spiritual path he does insist that this must be done in some sort of community. He is not at all insisting that people try to follow Jesus all on their own. He says that a Jesus-shaped Spirituality is both personal and communal.

If you’re easily offended, you might not like this book, but you should probably read it anyway. This book will challenge you and your assumptions about church and Christianity.

100 Books in 2010 Reading Challenge-

2011-01-13T21:06:00.000-08:00

44. The Christmas Gift by Cecilia Ahearn
43. I shall not Want by Julia S;pencere-Fleming
42. The Laughter of Dead Kings by Elizabeth Peters
41. Painted Laides by Robert Parker
40. Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi
39. Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb
38. Chasing the Night by iris Johansen
37. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows
36. 8 Days to Live by Iris Johansen
35. This Body of Death by Elizabeth George
34. Chapter and Hearse by Lorna Barrett
33. True Blue by David Baldacci
32. Bury your Dead by Louise Penny
31. Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle
30. The Last Colony by John Scalzi
29. The Tomb of the Golden Bird by Elizabeth Peters
28. A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton
27. The Grilling Season
26. Silent on the Moor by Deanna Raybourn
25. Host by Peter James
24. Deadlock by Iris Johansen
23. Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn
22. The Brutal Telling by Louise Penny
21. U is for Undertow by Sue Grafton
20. Broken on the back row by Sandi Patty
19. The Girl who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larrson
18. The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews
17. The Girl who played with fire by Stieg Larsson
16. Acts of Malice by Piers Shaugnessy (audioA)
15. Switch by Grant Mckenzie
14. Killer Smile by Lisa Scottoline
13. The Me I want to be by John Ortberg
12. Necessary as Blood by Debroah Crombie
11. Big Jack by J.D. Robb
10. Away by Jane Urquhart
9. To Close to Home by Linwood Barclay
8. Healing Waters by Nancy Rue
7. Bad Guys by Linwood Barclay
6. Healing Stones
5. The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles
4. The Last Days by Joel C Rosenberg
3. Death at Wentwater Court by Carola Dunn
2. Bad Move by Linwood Barclay
1. A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny

Happy New Year!

2011-01-13T08:27:00.001-08:00

Hope you all had a great Christmas and New Year. I had a terrific time on my vacation.

I will be posting more reviews soon. I didn't get as much reading done over the holidays as I'd hoped and have a few books on the go. First up will be a review on the book Mere Churchianity by Michael Spencer. So look for that sometime this weekend. It's an interesting and challenging book.

And to all, a good night...

2010-12-14T11:44:00.000-08:00

This will probably be my last post for 2010 as I’m away on vacation until the end of the year.

This has been a great year for reading. However as you can tell from the sidebar I didn’t come anywhere close to reading 100 books ins 2010! But it was fun trying. My favourite books read this year were The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews and the Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Many people on my list will be getting these books for Christmas.

I’m taking 3 books on vacation with me and I’m a little worried that it’s not enough books to bring along. But since I don’t have an e-reader yet it will have to do.

I’ll be back in 2011 reading and reviewing books. Until then, have a very Merry Christmas and may many good books be under your tree waiting to be read.

Painted Ladies by Robert Parker

2010-12-02T20:55:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Penguin books, I received a copy of Robert Parker’s Painted Ladies to review.

Spenser is hired to protect an art historian. A painting has been stolen and the ransom is being paid. Spenser is to protect the historian as he makes the trade. Unfortunately for the historian, Spenser is not able to do this and a bomb blows up the art and the professor. This doesn’t sit well with Spenser who takes his job seriously and he now is on the hunt to find out who killed Dr. Prince and why.

This is vintage Robert Parker. There is a lot of dialogue. In fact the book is mostly dialogue. There’s very little description or introspection. It almost reads like a script without the stage directions. Which makes me wonder if it will end up as a TV movie of the week? At times I got a little tired of the short, snappy dialogue that often lacked pronouns or adjectives. But Spenser is witty, lovable, and intelligent often surprising people with his literary quotes. His love interest is a psychologist and this allows Parker to provide ongoing insights into the psyche of the various characters, including Spenser. This is an entertaining read and worth adding to your collection.

Sadly Robert Parker passed away in January at the age of 77. He was a prolific writer, writing both crime and western novels. I’ve enjoyed reading both the Spenser and Jesse Stone series. He will be missed.

The pleasure of being read to

2010-12-01T18:50:00.000-08:00

I was just reading on another blog about a mother’s experience in reading the Harry Potter series to her child. And I got a funny nostalgic feeling about that. I don’t have kids of my own but I have read many a book to my friends’ children. One of my favourite memories of my soon to be married niece is her 4 year old skepticism that I would know the words of the book her mother gave me to read to her.

But I think what made me nostalgic is thinking about being read to; someone taking the time to sit down and read me a story. I don’t have a lot of childhood memories but one that does stick out is that my elementary school teacher used to read to us after lunch, probably in a vain attempt to calm us down. I don’t remember this but my mom says she finally had to stop reading the 3 Little Pigs book to me as I got so upset every time the wolf showed up.

As adults we don’t really get read to. I suppose the closest thing would be books on tape but somehow that doesn’t seem to have the same warm, fuzzy feeling.

So in this busy month coming up if someone says to you “read me a story”, my advice is to stop what you’re doing, read and create some memories.

Agent to the Stars by John Scalzi

2010-11-22T12:42:00.000-08:00

In the Author’s Note at the beginning of the book, John Scalzi calls Agent to the Stars, his practice novel. The novel he wrote just to see if he could write. He can.

The premise of the book is that an alien race wants to make first contact with earth. They’ve been hovering over the planet for years observing life on the planet through the TV shows beamed into outer space. The Yherajk (for that is their name) have an image problem. They are smart and funny but ugly. Fearing that their outer appearance will make them unwelcome they have decided that the best way to introduce themselves to the human race is to hire a Hollywood agent.

This book is funny. The premise is fun, the banter is witty and the story is both heart-warming and silly. The only thing I didn’t really care for was the way the ending was presented. The actual conclusion is brilliant but it’s almost as if the writer decided it was time to shorten the story and he uses newspaper headliners to make the leap over the concluding months. I could have easily read the extra 100-150 pages it would have taken to flesh out the rest of the conclusion. And I sincerely hope there is a sequel in the works.

If you are a science-fiction fan and you like your aliens witty, intelligent and friendly then you will like this book.

Indulgence in Death by J.D. Robb

2010-11-21T14:26:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Penguin Books I received a copy of J.D. Robb’s latest book Indulgence in Death to review.

Eve Dallas is a New York City police lieutenant who is known as the top murder cop in the city. She is married to a wealthy man who is also considered to be the best in his line of work. Together, they are the quintessential power couple.
There is a game afoot and it involves murder. It’s Eve’s job to find out who is killing people who have become the best in their line of work. The murders involve exotic weapons, places and people. It’s a world that Eve can navigate because of her position as well as her marriage.

J.D. Robb always tells a good story. The story is in the investigation and the conversation. This is a very verbal book. There is lots of banter and discussion. As with her other books, the reader knows early on who the killers are. It’s the reasoning and interplay between the characters that makes the book interesting.
Along with the murders, the other themes are familiar ones. Friendship and family are key concepts in this series. Eve is learning to accept friendship and family and to allow herself to be loved. To find out why this is difficult for her you will need to start at the beginning of the series and find out about her background. Indulgence in Death is another great look into the criminal mind and the minds of those who serve and protect.

Chasing the Night by Iris Johansen

2010-11-11T20:19:00.000-08:00

Chasing the Night is Iris Johansen’s latest Eve Duncan book. Eve Duncan is a forensic sculptor who can take pieces of a skull and flesh it out so that a recognizable face appears. Her particular expertise is children’s faces. She is called on when bones are found to help identify them and her work has led to many criminals being put behind bars. But the work is personal for Eve. She lost her own daughter to murder and the body has never been found. That sorrow and desire for justice for her daughter gives her a special connection with the children whose faces she is trying to recreate.

I’ve enjoyed many of Iris Johansen’s books over the years but I think this is her best one yet. A child has been taken from his mother when he was a baby and brought up by a murderous criminal. This criminal has been taunting the mother, an FBI agent for years and the mother has finally decided to launch an all-out effort to find her son. To do this she needs Eve Duncan’s help.

The themes in this novel are about family ties and love and how true evil distorts everything. Iris Johansen knows how to tell a good story. This book was hard to put down and the ending is truly satisfying. If you have never read a book by Johansen this is a good one to start with. If you have read her books then this one will be an entertaining addition to your collection. Chasing the Night is a 10 out of 10.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

2010-11-05T12:42:00.000-07:00

Read this book. In fact, go out and buy it, don’t even get it from the library. This is the type of book that you could read during a crappy day or week and feel better instantly. Sadly the author died just as the book was being published so I don’t think there will be a sequel although her niece (an author in her on right) did help with editing and finishing the book.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society is a book club filled wtih quirky, funny and endearing people. The setting is the Island of Guernsey just after the end of World War 2,

The main character is a writer, Julia who is finishing up a book tour. She receives a letter from a man on Guernsey who has come upon a secondhand book of hers with her name and address in the front. He writes asking for the name of the bookstore and address where she bought the book because he wants to read some more. With that a corresopndence begins and Julia’s life is changed forever.

The story is told in letter form. Notes back and forth between all the characters. It’s a charming way of telling a story and makes you feel a bit like you’re reading someone else’s diary. There is much about how the book club came into existence and how each of the characters endured the occupation of Guernsey by the Germans.

This is one of the best books I’ve read this year. The story is poignant and the characters are a delight to get to know. I’ll leave you with one of my favourite quotes from the book “Reading good books ruins you for enjoying bad ones”. I highly recommend that you read and enjoy this book.

8 Days to Live by Iris Johansen

2010-11-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

I’ve been asked to do a review on Iris Johansen’s new book Chasing the Night. While I was waiting for the book to arrive I thought I’d better catch up on her books as I haven’t read one in awhile. So I bought 8 days to Live.

This novel’s main character is Jane,. She is an artist who has run afoul of an evil cult loosely based on Judas Iscariot, Jesus’s betrayer. The cult has earmarked her for death on April 1.
The action involves her attempts to discover who is behind the cult, and who has been murdering those close to her.

This is a good thriller with definite themes of good vs evil and love vs hate. Johansen gets a bit more graphic in her descriptions of murder scenes than I would like but I appear to be one of the few people who doesn’t enjoy CSI-type investigations. If you like that sort of thing then you will enjoy this book.

This Body of Death by Elizabeth George

2010-10-30T16:12:00.000-07:00

I've read all of Elizabeth George's novels and have mostly enjoyed them. The last couple she has been focusing on child abuse which is an area that I do not enjoy reading about. I'd forgotten that this book was about that before I started to read it. What I like about her books is that the characters are continued and they have mostly shown growth and depth as the books have progressed.

I had trouble with this one from the start mostly because of the style. She uses the flashback method to tell one of the story lines. But where the method was intriguing and engaging in Louise Penny's book,Bury your Dead, in this book it was intrusive and annoying, at least at first. This is because the flashbook story is being told in the form of a report. I suspect it's partly to lessen the horror of the story. And the story is horrific even told in the bland, reporting way of a psychologist's report.

The other story line is good. I'm not sure I like where she's going with a couple of the main characters. it will be interesting to see how they develop in later books.

If you are a staunch Elizabeth George fan then you will want to read this book if only to keep up with Detective Lynley and Barbara Havers. Otherwise I would recommend reading her earlier books as there is more story telling and less background stuff to wade through.

Bookaholism

2010-10-14T15:05:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Shari, and I’m a book-aholic.

How do I know this? You might think it’s because I have a lot of books, and you’d be right. If you’re my mother you know this because you’ve packed umpteen books whenever I’ve moved.

How I know this though is because I have 3 books that I’m reading right now. And someone just gave me another that I’ve been wanting to read and I’m trying to figure out how I can fit that into my reading schedule without dropping any of other books I’m reading.

Hello, my name is Shari and I’m a bookaholic. Please tell me I’m not the only one. Maybe we can start a support group.

True Blue by David Baldacci

2010-10-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

True Blue is a police crime thriller involving two sisters; one who is chief of police and one who has just gotten out of prison for a crime she was framed for.

This is a solid, action-packed novel. As you know by now if you've read my blog for very long, I prefer books with in depth character development. This is definitely not one of those but still entertaining in a shoot em up; good vs evil type of way. And there is plenty of bad guys to be had. Baldacci has some interesting theories on how far the US gov't will go to combat terrorism. This is a modern tale with modern bad guys and strong women who can hold their own against anything that comes their way. This one won't tax your brain very much but will get your heart pumping a few times as you follow the action.

Bury your Dead by Louise Penny

2010-10-03T15:45:00.000-07:00

In most jobs you can make a mistake and nobody dies. But in some jobs; air traffic controllers, fire fighters, and police detectives mistakes can be deadly. These jobs have a built in terror factor; the terror that if you fail people may die.

It’s this terror that Louise Penny uses to create suspense and plot development in her latest book, Bury your Dead. Once again we meet Inspector Gamache. He’s in Quebec city recovering from a deadly mistake. While there he becomes involved in a murder mystery and a historical mystery. And if that wasn’t enough mystery, the fact that he may have made a mistake in the Three Pines case (The Brutal Telling) begins to haunt him.

While he is going about the city looking for clues to the murder, we are given access to his thoughts as he plays back his most recent mistake; the one that resulted in a leave of absence from his job. If this hadn’t been handled properly it could have become very confusing for the reader but instead the transitions between real time and his thoughts are smoothly done and the reader is caught up in the story playing in Gamache’s head as much as the one playing out around him. Gamache’s side-kick, Inspector Beauvior reopens the Three Pines case, giving us yet another narrative to follow in this complex but entertaining novel.

This is also a book about history, specifically Quebec’s history. In fact it’s possible to think of Quebec, it’s history, it’s present and it’s politics as another character in the novel. Penny’s love for the province she lives in is very evident throughout all her novels. But the descriptions of the places and people in this one made me want to book my next vacation there.

You could read this book as a stand alone; there’s enough information about the people of Three Pines and the previous murder case to go on. However, the real pleasure in reading Louise Penny’s books is getting to know the characters and their surroundings. She was a journalist before writing fiction and has the journalistic eye for detail and commentary.

Bury Your Dead is a compelling, complex book that examines history and portrays the present through excellent story telling and interesting characters. Buy the book, read the series, you will be glad you did.

Homicide in Hardcover by Kate Carlisle

2010-09-21T20:14:00.000-07:00

Homicide in Hardcover is the first in a new mystery series called The Bibliophile’s Mystery series. The main character is Brooklyn Wainwright. She’s a bookbinder specializing in restoring rare books. She’s single, quirky, and reminds me a bit of a Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone of the Alphabet murders. Unlike Kinsey who is an orphan, Brooklyn has 5 brothers and sisters and parents who live on a commune.

A prominent book binder and Brooklyn’s mentor is murdered while he was working on restoring a valuable copy of Faust. Brooklyn is asked to continue the restoration and also gets involved in trying to find out who killed her mentor. Also included are good looking detectives, more quirky friends and lots of new age lingo.

There are lots of literary references and it was interesting to read about how books are restored. The series has the potential to be a good one although it took me a while to warm up to the characters. But the book is entertaining and has nice touches of humour and romance. I think this will be a fun series to follow.

The Last Colony by John Scalzi

2010-09-16T20:36:00.000-07:00

This is the third book in a series by new Science Fiction witer John Scalzi. It continues the adventures of John and Jane Perry. We first met John in the Old Man’s War. This book introduced the concept of elderly humans offering themselves as soldiers in Earth’s foray into outer space. In return for their minds, the soldiers are given new and improved bodies with all the “super hero” type abilities you would expect in SF novel along with the ability to live much longer lives, assuming they aren’t killed in battle etc.

In the Lost Colony, John and his wife Jane are recruited to head up a group of people being sent out to colonize a new planet. All is not as it seems and the colonists quickly find out that they have been manipulated and lied to by the governments of their home worlds. The colony is actually a lure, set up to flush out an alien group that is trying to muscle in on this part of space.
The characters have wit and wisdom and I often found myself laughing out loud at some of the comments and activities going on. If you like science fiction this series will intrigue you.

Church Shopping

2010-09-09T08:32:00.000-07:00

No, it’s not the title of a book I’m reading although I may write one about it one day. I’ve decided to do the occasional post about something other than books and today it’s about my quest to find a new church.

Some background. I grew up in the church. I was a Preacher’s Kid and generally was in church every Sunday, often 3 times a day especially when we lived on the Prairies. As an adult I’ve always been involved in church, I’ve done everything from leading a girls club to teaching Sunday School.

Almost 20 years ago I began attending a new church plant that was about 6 months old at the time. I got thoroughly involved and spent many years on the leadership team, I was treasurer and then the small group coordinator. As the church grew I eventually was on staff, part time as the Director of Adult Ministries. This role included small groups and working with newcomers. 7 years of working both a full time job and the church’s part time job finally took its toll and I quit the church job 2 years ago. At the time, I thought I would continue to attend that church but found it difficult to go back to being a “regular attender’ after being so involved in the leadership. That along with a move to a new city in March of this year has brought me to my current dilemma.

I need a new church.

This shouldn’t be that hard, right? Churches are basically the same; generally a group of people who love God and want to see their neighbors come to love Him as well. Trust me, this is the mission statement of every church I’ve visited. True they may have different methods and ways of accomplishing this in their neighborhoods but finding one that meshes with what I believe and want to see accomplished shouldn’t be that hard.

6 months of church shopping and I’m beginning to wonder if I will ever find it. I think I want the kind of love at first sight experience that I had 20 years ago with the small church plant. But like, marriage, I’m not sure that happens twice in a life time. Sitting by myself in a completely empty pew a couple of weeks ago with families all around me made wonder if I should call New Hope Church in Oahu my new church as I seem to enjoy being part of that worship service over the internet more than actually sitting in a church alone.

But I know that God calls us to community of real people, not an internet community. And I miss going to church every Sunday and I miss being involved in leadership. So I will keep looking. For the next few weeks I will visit a very large church in this area with a lot of opportunities for small groups and Bible Studies and see if I can get to know some people there.

Are you a church goer? Have you ever had to look for a new church? If you have some strategies to share please leave a comment..

Books I won't Read

2010-08-27T08:01:00.001-07:00

I thought it might be interesting to list some of the books I won't read and why. Generally I have a very open mind and am willing to try most things. But I also have a very active imagination. When I read the Lord of the Rings Triology I dreamed about walking and talking trees for weeks. I found Mary Shelley's Frankenstein too scary to read late at night. And don't get me started on vampires or Ted Dekker.

So, some of the things I don't read are anything violent or with graphic language. Generally I don't read true crime. I don't read anything about or involving child abuse, it just makes me angry.

And I also don't read a lot of romance. As a single, christian female it brings up thoughts and feelings that I have no outlet for and seems more trouble than it's worth so generally I avoid most romances. Although a romance with a good murder in it seems to balance out the emotions!

So are there any types or styles of books you won't read?

The Grilling Season by Diane Mott Davidson

2010-08-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

Goldy Schultz is a caterer who has a knack of finding bodes and then getting embroiled in the catching of the killer.

I read the Diane Mott Davidson’s books at lunch times when I was already eating. If I read it at any other time of day I always want a snack while I read. The plot always involves a catering gig and Goldy spends as much time cooking in the book as she does solving the mystery. The descriptions of the dishes are always appetizing and the recipes are even included in the book. I’ve never tried one as they are mostly gourmet type and out of my league as a cook, but a real foodie would have fun replicating the menus I’m sure.

The theme of the Grilling Season is revenge. The murder happens early on in the book and the rest of the story is about how Goldy works out who the killer is. The back story is just as interesting as Goldy deals with an abusive ex-husband, a teen age son and her new second husband. You can read this as a stand alone as there is enough background in it but if you can find the earlier books in the series I would encourage you to read those first. The Grilling Season is highly recommended.

Coming Up...

2010-08-20T13:08:00.000-07:00

As you can tell from the list at the side I'm not reviewing every single book I read. So if you want to know what I think of a book that I haven't reviewed, feel free to leave a comment.

The last two books are ones I wouldn't necessarily recommend but were interestingfor me to read. Deadlocked was about a sort of female Indiana Jones who goes into Afghanistan to retrieve some priceless artifacts and gets captured, runs amok of the bad guys and is rescued by a tall, dark stranger who becomes, of course, the love of her life. It's a good summer beach read.

Host was completely different. A thriller about a scientist involved in cryogenics (freezing of people to be brought to life in the future) and aritifcial life forms and the very scary combining of the two. It was scary but definitely not to everyone's taste.

Coming up will be reviews on the Grilling Season. If you like the Food Network and mysteries you will love this series about a caterer/sleuth and the trouble she gets into. For something compltely different, I'm reading Spook. This is a non fiction book where the scientist is exploring the afterlife and doing it in a very humorous way. It proves to be an interesting read although again, perhaps not to everyone's taste. And I'm reading the Book of Negroes. I'm finding this award winning book a bit difficult to get through mostly because of the descriptions of the treatment of the black slaves but I will finish it eventually and review it.

So that's what's coming up.

Silent in the Grave by Deanna Raybourn

2010-08-09T08:56:00.000-07:00

Silent in the Grave is a debut novel by Deanna Raybourn. It’s a mystery set in Victorian England. The main character is Julia Grey. Her husband Edward has just been murdered and she sets off to find out who did it. Of course, being in Victorian England there are many cultural taboos to overcome and her handsome side kick, Nicholas Brisbane brings a touch of romance to the story.

I was a little surprised to find out that Deanna Raybourn is a 6th generation Texan. It seems like she might have been better suited for writing about America at the turn of the century. However she has done a beautiful job on the Victorian atmosphere. The heroine is constantly kicking against the pricks of society and shows a modern bent in her thinking and actions. It’s fun and horrifying to imagine what life was like for women back then.

The mystery is good, the ending is surprising and I’m looking forward to reading the second in the series, Silent on the Moor. If you enjoy Victorian mystery/love stories you will enjoy this series; go to your library and get started on it.

Anne Rice Quits Christianity

2010-07-30T15:07:00.000-07:00

I am not a fan of Anne Rice as I’ve never been into the vampire book genre. 10 years ago she gave up atheism and embraced a new found faith in Christ. After that she wrote a fairly well received fictionalized book series on the life of Christ. Again, I’ve never read it although I keep meaning to. Now that I’ve rediscovered my local library I will have to see if it has those books.

But today, it’s being reported that Anne Rice has quit Christianity. You can google the story for yourself to see what she has to say in her own words. I agree with a lot of what she says but she has generalized it too much I think. Yes, some Christians give Christianity a bad name but every group has people that they wish would go join some other group.

Christians aren’t perfect, churches aren’t perfect but in God’s wisdom and grace He has chosen the church to be the Bride of Christ. I think that concept is not taught enough in churches today. I also think that if we behaved more as brides; someone who is looking forward to seeing her bridegroom and is preparing for the best day of her life, more people would be attracted to Christ.

Anne says she’s not giving up on her faith; just on Christianity. I think that eternity could be a very long time for her if she has to live with all of us and hasn’t learned to get along. (that last part was said tongue in cheek) Because like it or not all those who have believed in Christ as their Saviour will be living with us in heaven, even if we didn’t get along on earth.

U is for Undertow, By Sue Grafton

2010-07-27T15:34:00.000-07:00

Sue Grafton has been creating alphabet mysteries since 1982! starting with A is for Alibi she has continued through each letter using the same female private investigator and thoroughly entertaining me with her stories.

Kinsey Milhone is a divorced 30 something private investigator. She lives on her own in a converted garage apartment; eats pickle and peanut butter sandwiches for dinner and runs for exercise. She is an orphan and in the last few novels Grafton has gradually been revealing more of Kinsey’s background. In this book, the mystery she is solving and the issues that Kinsey is having with her newly found family are almost parallel. The story moves back and forth between the case she is working on and the personal discoveries she is making about her own life.

As I’ve said before I enjoy reading series but often, especially in a long one like this, the characters become tired and the stories seem to be repetitive. I’ve not found that with this series and each book reveals something new about the main character.

This mystery revolves around a cold case that involves a child kidnapping. Someone comes to Kinsey with new clues and she becomes personally invested in trying to figure out what happened almost 20 years ago.

This is not an action packed thriller kind of book. The mystery is solved through solid investigative work. At some point the reader is aware of what happened before the investigator is but that doesn’t seem to spoil the ending.

With only 5 letters of the alphabet left, it will be interesting to see what V, W, X, Y and Z will stand for. The Alphabet series is highly recommended.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Stieg Larrson

2010-07-19T12:48:00.001-07:00

This is the final book in the trilogy that started with the Girl with the Dragon Tatoo.

Again this is a big book and it's one of the few times that I will say that all the length might not have been necessary. I got bogged down in a lot of the detail and since much of it concerned Swedish policing and politics I'm not sure it was that necessary to the unfolding of the story. There is also alot of detail on the solving of the mystery and subsequent planning for the trial that happens at the end of the book. But the ending is a satisfactory conclusion of the story although I suspect that had the author lived, he may have had a few more books in mind for the series. I for one would have liked a prequel that delves into the back story of Lisbeth Salander's life as I think one of the things lacking in this series is really good character development.

So I wouldn't rate this highly as the first two but it was a good ending and you can do as I did and skip a lot of the stuff you aren't interested in!

And the winner is

2010-07-11T09:27:00.000-07:00

Congratulations Sheila, (sorry Tracy). If you didn't comment (and you know who you are) I still encourage you to buy the book. It's definitely worth reading.

My First Give Away - The Heart Mender

2010-07-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

The kind folks at Thomas Nelson gave me a second copy of the Heart Mender to give away.

Please leave a comment on this post or the last one with your email address and I will do a random draw at the end of this week. If you win the copy I will be happy to mail it to you wherever you are. And if you don't win, please consider buying the book, it's definitely worth reading and sharing with other people.

The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews

2010-07-04T16:11:00.000-07:00

Andy Andrews had just discovered a mystery in his back yard. While digging up a dead tree he uncovers a silver button, an Iron Cross and some pictures. He’s curious and sensing there might be a story he begins to do some research. Internet searches lead to interviews and soon he has the beginning of a fascinating and mostly true account that he shares with us in the Heart Mender, A story of Second Chances.

This is a beautifully written book The transition from present day to 1942 back to present day is almost seamless. The story itself is compelling. In the Author’s note at the beginning he says “don’t read ahead”. I’m glad I followed that advice although I was sorely tempted to read the back of the book. Don’t do it, let the story move you along and you will be left gasping at the end of it.

The theme of the book is forgiveness. He has some of the most powerful words to say about forgiveness and relationships that I’ve ever read. At point one of the characters is trying to explain the concept of forgive and forget. He says “you may remember the wrong, but by choosing to forgive, you have disarmed it. Then it can no longer determine what you think, what you say, or what you do”(pg 120)

This book is easily read in an afternoon but I assure you that the concepts in it and the story told will linger in your mind for much longer.

A Duty to the Dead by Charles Todd

2010-07-01T14:26:00.001-07:00

Charles Todd is a mother/son writing team who have written a bunch of mysteries with a male detective. This novel begins a new series for them with a new main character, a female nurse. It's set in World War 1 and Bess Crawford has volunteered for duty serving in the nursing corps. Bess is injured when the ship she is on is fired on by a submarine and sinks. She's sent home to recover. While at home recovering she attempts to make good on a promise she made to a young officer who died in her care.

This story is driven along by the concept of the duty to the dead. She is determined to not only carry out his last wishes but to also understand them. For this she must travel to his home, live with his family and become involved in their very intricate relationships.

This is a great period novel. The atmosphere is just right, the setting and characters are spot on and the mystery is engaging. I really enjoyed this novel and will be looking to read more of this series.

Summer Reading

2010-06-25T07:56:00.001-07:00

My life is undergoing somewhat of a lull moment right now. Nothing major planned on the horizon, work is humming along all right and the schedule has emptied out somewhat. So I'm looking forward to making my way through all the books I have to read. Some are listed in the currently reading section. Some more are on my bookcase; like The Book of Negroes and Greg Morgenstern's Three Cups of Tea.

Also in my neighborhood are two used book stores as well as a library that I may actually try to remember how to use! So if you wonder what I'm doing this summer; I'm readng! (Of course my family would say that is nothing new!)

What are you reading this summer?

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Stieg Larsson

2010-06-20T11:20:00.001-07:00

This is the sequel to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Stieg Larsson is a masterful storyteller. All the characters we met in the first book are again part of the story. He has a way of drawing out the suspense that made me want to jump to the end of the book just to find out what happens. I'm glad I didn't yield to the temptation though as the ending is surprising and the lead in to the final book of the series.

In this story, Lisbeth Salander is being sought as a suspect in a double, soon to be triple murder. Her friend Mikal Blomkvist is part of the investigation and one of the few people who believe she may be innocent of the charges. This story gives us much of Lisbeth's background and we slowly begin to understand what makes her tick.

Larsson has some unique techniques for creating suspense and drama. During part of the investigation when Lisbeth is missing, she is also missing from the story. Chapters are written about everyone else and their part in the investigation until you begin to wonder if she is going to show up in the story again. Finally she does and the action takes off again.

You don't need to read the first book before this one but I think it would help in the understanding the main characters. These are books that are worth all the hype about them. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to see the movie, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; typically movies based on books I love disappoint me. However, if you do see the movie without reading the book first; do yourself a favour and get the book, you'll be glad you did!

Switch by Grant McKenzie

2010-06-09T13:02:00.000-07:00

I’ve said before that I really enjoy reading first novels and it adds to the enjoyment when the author is a Canadian. Switch is Grant McKenzie’s first novel and it will be published in Canada in August. I was given a copy by Penguin books to do a review.

Two men are being terrorized by someone who has kidnapped their families. Sam is an out-of-work actor employed as a security guard and Zack is a plastic surgeon. Their lives collide when Sam’s house is blown up and Zack thinks it’s his family that was killed. The rest of the book is their attempt to identify the person who is holding their families while carrying out the instructions forcing them to become criminals themselves.

The first few chapters are brutal. There is more swearing than I like in the book but it isn’t gratuitous; it does fit the scenario and adds to the atmosphere. The chapters are short which adds to the frantic pace of the action. At times I felt like I needed to stop reading just to catch my breath. The characters are likeable and the story behind the action is great.

This is story about families and what people will do to keep their family safe. It’s a story about relationships; some twisted, some beautiful. It’s a story about brutality and a story about love.

Look for this book when it comes out in August. And block off some time to read it because once you start you won’t be able to put it down.

The Me I want to Be by John Ortberg

2010-06-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

I've read a lot of books about spiritual growth over the years, alot of them have been by John Ortberg. He is one of my favourite authors and speakers. Some of his other titles are "Everybody's normal till you get to know them", "If you want to walk on water you've got to get out of the boat" and "The Life you've always wanted" to name just three of them. His writing is clear, entertaining and thought provoking. And I generally find lots that I can apply to my life. So, because I've read so many of his books I did wonder if he would have anything new or different to say to me.

I was hooked in the first chapter. He introduces his book by saying that only God knows my full potential and that He is guiding me toward the best version of myself all the time. My uniqueness is designed by God and my spiritual growth is best accomplished when I keep that in mind.

Chapter 4 was my favourite. Find out how you grow. He says that God does not do "one size fits all". What works for one person may not work for me. This made me feel better about not having devotions in the morning. I'm not a morning person, I don't want to talk to anyone in the morning, even God! So normally I will read my Bible and pray in the evening and I enjoy it much more. And God is ok with this. Ortberg says "sustainable spiritual growth happens when I actually want to do what I ought to do (pg.53).

The rest of the book is about finding those things that you want to do that will help you mature and grow in the spiritual life. He talks about temperament; he talks about finding those things that block your growth; he talks about relationships and prayer. His suggestions are practical and filled with grace.

If other spiritual growth books have left you feeling guilty or lazy or both then you owe it to yourself to read this one.

100 Books Update

2010-05-27T15:15:00.001-07:00

13 books in 6 months tells me that I'm never going to meet this goal! I'm hoping the summer will bring some more reading time but I have to stop reading books with over 1,000 pages if I'm going to get even into the 20's before the end of the year!!
Oh well, it's good to have goals right?

Big Jack by J.D. Robb

2010-04-30T12:52:00.000-07:00

J.D. Robb is the alter ego of author Nora Roberts. Nora Roberts books tend to be romance oriented. J.D. Robb writes futuristic mystery novels based on the character Eve Dallas.

This has long been one of my favourite series to follow. There's the inevitable mystery, futuristic police procedures and a nice little romance between the main character Eve Dallas, a New York city police officer and her uber-wealthy, ex-thief turned honest husband.

Big Jack is the continuation of the story started in Nora Roberts book, Hot Rocks. It's based on the story of the descendants of some thieves involved in a diamond heist. Eve's continual battle is against the idea that the sins of the fathers are visited upon the children. Or can people from horrible and evil families change. This is a theme in most of the books of the series and mirrors Eve's own struggles with her family's lack of moral fiber

I highly recommend looking for these books in used books stores and starting in on the series if you enjoy mysteries with a hint of romance and humour.

Away by Jane Urquhart

2010-04-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

This is not my normal kind of reading. I prefer to read multi-layered mysteries with complex and interesting characters. But if you’ve read a few of my previous reviews you will have noticed a theme of evil and mayhem and I decided I really needed a change of pace for a few books.

My sister gave me this for Christmas and it took me a long time to really get into the book. No murder and mayhem but there are complex and interesting characters. It’s a very lyrical almost poetic book. It’s a romance but not just a romance between men and women but between people and their land. The conversations are as taciturn as the people. This story is not driven by dialogue.

It’s a story about a woman in Ireland who falls in love with an injured sailor who washes up on her beach and dies in her arms. The experience changes something in her mind and she becomes “away”. When someone is away they are both here and not here. Her family eventually moves to Canada and the ability to be "away" moves along with them so that future generations are affected by this. As settlers in a new land they face hardship and dangers and even find love.

The writing is beautiful. One of my favourite chapter beginnings is "When summer was finished the family was visited by a series of overstated seasons". You just know that the Fall and Winter are going to be devasting ones by a simple turn of the phrase.

This is a book that should be read on long, lazy afternoons as the story needs to take hold in your mind. It's hard to read in small chunks as the story can become confusing. It's worth reading though so save it for a vacation and spend the day lost in another world that will make you feel as if you've been away.

The Devil's Punchbowl by Greg Iles

2010-03-18T11:31:00.000-07:00

Somehow in the midst of all my packing I’ve managed to read another big book. The Devil’s Punchbowl is a continuation of the Penn Cage series by Greg Iles. At 736 pages it had to be good to keep my attention with everything else that’s going on in my life.

The plot centers around the evil that has come to Penn’s small town where he is now the Mayor. It involves gambling, prostitution and illegal dog fights. There is a bit of a sordid quality about some of the scenes but it is entirely appropriate as much of what he is describing is horrific.

The evil engulfs Penn and his family and most of the book is about the way he deals with it all. The characters are well developed and it’s definitely a page turner. This book won’t appeal to everyone as the subject matter is not the best but the way it’s written and the outcome makes it worth the read.

Contemplating a Kindle

2010-03-12T10:59:00.001-08:00

Amazon's Kindle is finally available in Canada. As I mentioned in my last post I'm in the midst of moving and there are a lot of boxes of books! I love being surrounded by books and like being able to hold one in my hands but I've been seriously considering buying a Kindle for the ease of storage and carrying around. I always have a book in my purse and sometimes they are heavy!

So readers of my blog, do you have a Kindle? Do you like it? Is it worth the $300.00 or so that Amazon is currently charging for it? I'd love to hear from any of you that use one.

Or how about a Sony e-reader?

Reading Pause

2010-02-24T08:27:00.000-08:00

I thought I'd better stop by and say hi. Reading has paused for a couple of very good reasons. 1. I've finally bought my first home and am moving at the end of March. This means that boxes are piling up, some books have been packed and that lots more needs to be done! and 2. The Olympics are here in Vancouver! I've never been a sports fan, I don't watch sports of any kind but I am mesmerized by these Olympic games. I've been glued to my tv set and have learned fun new words like, Twizzle (a one footed, multi-rotational spin in Ice Dancing). I'm fascinated by the fact that each sport has it's own language.

I did buy the next two books in the Healing series by Nancy Rue so will eventually post reviews on those and the Last Days by Joel Rosenberg.

I've started getting requests to review books and will eventually have a policy about what books I will review and how to get them to me.

I'm not abandoning the 100 book challenge. I hope to catch up, eventually.

Inside the Revolution by Joel C. Rosenberg

2010-02-10T18:53:00.000-08:00

This isn’t my usual kind of reading material. But my book club wanted to read it and so I embarked on a 3 month reading of this book. It took a long time to go through it; partly because there is so much to digest and partly because it is so big. But I finally finished it last week and now I’m glad that I put in the time and effort to read it.

Joel C. Rosenberg is an author of several fiction books about the Muslim world. His bio says that he is a writer and communications strategist and has worked for some world leaders including Benjamin Netanyahu and Steve Forbes. He is considered an expert on the Middle East.

This is very comprehensive and easy to read. He gives a great deal of information about Iraq, Iran and Islam. The book is divided into three parts. The first part describes the Radicals and their belief that Islam is the answer and Jihad is the way. That was the hardest part to read as you discover more and more about their theology and beliefs behind some of their practices. The second part is about the Reformers; people who still believe that Islam is the answer but that jihad is not the way. These people are working towards reforming Islam and cooperating with the non-Muslim world. The Third part was the most encouraging to read. It’s about the Revivalists who believe that Jesus is the answer to the problems in the Middle East. It was amazing to read the stories about how God is working in this troubled part of the world. If you want to read this book and find the whole thing daunting then start with the end. Read the last few chapters and feeling encouraged, you will be able to cope with the information at the start of the book.

This book will give you hope that God is indeed working in the Middle East. It will also challenge you to do your part in helping Muslim people come to know that Jesus is the answer.

A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny

2010-01-17T19:51:00.000-08:00

Louise Penny is a Canadian author and fast becoming one of my favourites of all times. I’ve read all the books so far in her village series and each is better than the last.

In A Rule against Murder we meet once again the main characters from the previous novels. This time the Chief Detective and his wife are on vacation at a luxurious Inn outside the village of Three Pines (the scene of her previous novels). Unfortunately some of the other guests are members of an obnoxious family that are attending a family reunion. Immediately we encounter the layers of story that Penny excels at. There are secrets within secrets and in no time at all, a murder is committed.

Even though this is a murder mystery, the murder is almost a secondary plot line. The story is developed around each character and their secrets. Her writing is poetic. In fact the Detective is often quoting poetry and using it to help solve his crime.

If you haven’t read any of her books before start with the first one, Still Life and continue on. While the stories aren’t continuous the characters are and it’s like getting to know some new friends if you start at the beginning.

I can’t recommend her books highly enough. If you enjoy mysteries and good writing you will like A Rule Against Murder as much as I did.

Healing Sands by Nancy Rue and Stephen Arterburn

2010-01-03T14:55:00.000-08:00

Healing Sands was a pleasure to read and hard to put down. I’m trying to read more Christian Fiction and I’m pleasantly surprised at how well written it has become.

Ryan Coe is a photo journalist home from a year in Africa. She moves to New Mexico to be near her sons who are living with her ex-husband. The story opens with her trying to get acclimatized to a new home, new job and new relationship with her children. Things go wrong from the beginning when her 15 year old son is accused of trying to kill his friend Miguel. Ryan needs to find out the true story and along the way confronts her fears, her anger and her failures. As the story progresses she learns to face her fears, control her anger and accept her failures. She’s helped with this by another of the main characters, Sullivan Crisp.

Although the story is about uncontrollable anger and violence there is gentleness in the overall tone. Part of this is achieved by listening in on her therapy sessions. I’ve never been to a counsellor but if I did I would hope it would be one like Sullivan Crisp with a sense of humor and a down to earth attitude about life. The overall treatment of Christian psychology in this book is very positive.

The mystery is good but the pleasure in reading this story comes from the development of the characters. By the end they are no where near perfect but you can see how they’ve grown and the lessons learned along the way are applicable to the real life of the reader.

The book comes with a reading/discussion guide and would make a great book club pick.

100 book challenge in 2010

2009-12-18T14:13:00.000-08:00

http://j-kaye-book-blog.blogspot.com/2009/11/new-2010-reading-challenge-100-reading.html
I've just joined a read 100 books in 2010 challenge. I read a lot but 100 books in a year will definitely be a challenge. I'll keep you posted on how I do.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larrson

2009-12-17T20:29:00.000-08:00

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is Stieg Larrson’s first novel. It was published in Sweden and translated into English. At more than 850 pages The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a big book. Often a book at this length will get mired down either in characters that are too introspective or pages of descriptive prose that’s pretty but pointless to the story. This book does not have either of these issues. The writing is crisp, the story is engaging and the characters are believable.

The story opens with the main character, a journalist standing trial for libel and defamation of character. He is convicted but convinced that he published the truth. The notoriety of the trial brings him to the attention of Henrik Vangar who has a family mystery that he needs to have solved. The mystery is almost 40 years old and involves a missing person who was presumed dead. The murder involves an island and a specific number of people who were there at the time; all family members. Mikael Blomkvist is offered the assignment which involves writing the family history and trying to solve the murder. The Vangar family story and his own troubles eventually merge and he becomes involved in the story he is writing.

Lisbeth, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the eventual sidekick of the journalist. She is a computer hacker and has developed some highly questionable coping mechanisms to deal with a dysfunctional past and family of her own. One of the underlying themes of the story is the treatment of women in Sweden and the prevalent abuse of women in that society. (Growing up I was fond of Pippi Longstocking books which were set in Sweden and Lisbeth is apparently based on Pippi which is mentioned a few times in the story.)

There is no danger of being bored with this book. It was hard to put down and the ending is truly shocking. Stieg Larrson died in 2004 shortly after finishing this book and its two companion novels. I look forward to reading them.

Favourite book of 2009?

2009-12-07T09:57:00.001-08:00

What's the best book you've read this year? If you leave me a comment and let me know your favourite book of 2009 I will compile a list and post it for everyone to read and maybe get some new books to read for 2010.

For fiction, mine would be the Thirteenth Tale and the one I'm currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo (review to be posted soon) In non fiction it would be Fearless by Max Lucado.

Best Practices for Reading #1

2009-12-03T10:51:00.000-08:00

Tis the season for shopping and cleaning and writing christmas cards and celebrating the birth of Christ. It seems that reading will fall by the wayside this month. I've joined Curves and have been going there at lunch so I don't even get to read on my lunch hours very often anymore. But I'm reading some really good books right now and I still try and squeeze in some time during the week.

One thing I try to do is have a night that I don't turn on the TV and just sit and read for a couple of hours (sometimes this works; sometimes it results in a nice nap before I go to bed!) Of course being single helps immensely, if you have a family this might be a harder thing to accomplish!

So how do you try and squeeze reading time into your day? What are you reading now?

May there time be in your month this December to read.

Hide by Lisa Gardner

2009-11-11T15:46:00.000-08:00

Lisa Gardner writes great mysteries. This is a story about a family who goes into hiding because the father is protecting his little girl from a serial kiiller. It always amazes me that some writers seem to understand evil so well. This is a fast moving, intense thriller that keeps you guessing to the very end. About two thirds of the way through I thought I had it figured out but in true Agatha Christie style the killer is, well I can't tell you that can I? The little girl grows up never knowing her true identity and never knowing why she is always paranoid. She does have a dog which is a nice touch making her seem less aloof and alone. She thinks she is finally safe and then, well I can't tell you that either.

Besides the mystery it is a moving tale of a father's love for his family and the lengths he will go to keep them safe. As much as the evil is palpable in the book so is the love. And because love always wins out the book is a great read.

Green by Ted Dekker

2009-11-02T17:39:00.000-08:00

I specifically chose this book because of the author’s assertion that Green begins the series and ends the series. I assumed that meant that I could read and understand it without knowing what was in the other books. Unfortunately this just isn’t the case. The cast of characters is confusing and the symbolism often seems contrived or unclear and the story was hard to follow. This was disappointing because, despite this, the writing is superb. The depictions of good and evil in physical form are beyond amazing. But because I was so confused I could never really connect with the characters.

I really wanted to like this book. I love fantasy novels with big apocalyptic themes and high drama. I like time travel and I watch the Space Channel so I have no problem with imaginative story lines and mythical creatures. I’ve played Myst and Riven so I even understand about linking books and writing into books to change history. All these things I understand and really like. What I don’t understand and didn’t like at all was Ted Dekker’s novel Green as the beginning and the end of the Circle Trilogy. As a beginning it was lacking in information and I wonder how satisfying it really was as an ending for those who’ve read the other books? So that’s the best I can do for a review, I can’t really tell you the story because I’m sure I would tell it wrong. This is one case where each reader will have to make their own decision about how good or bad the book is. Don’t rely just on reviews; read the book for yourself and decide.

Review Teasers

2009-10-22T11:07:00.001-07:00

Since I hate checking blogs and not seeing any new content I thought I'd let you know that I'm trying to finish a few books right now and I haven't been able to get as much reading done as I'd like. So here's a couple of comments on the books I'm reading and you can look forward to the reviews soon.

The Blue Parakeet - not my favourite book, having trouble getting through it, will explain why in the review

Inside the Revolution - reading it because my book club picked it! Interesting information but takes time to read it carefully

Green - worst Ted Dekker book I've ever read, might be because I've not read the rest of the series but he said this book could be the beginning or the end. I disagree.

So that's what's coming down the pike. Now if I could only read for a living we would be farther ahead.

Find your Strongest Life by Marcus Buckingham

2009-10-05T07:54:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered if you can or should “have it all”? Does life feel seriously out of whack? Is a balanced life really attainable? These are questions that Marcus Buckingham confronts in his new book, Find your Strongest Life. The tag line is What the happiest and most successful women do differently. He says that a strong life isn’t about what you do but what you feel and he defines success as “feeling effective and capable.” Find Your Strongest Life is positive, affirming and challenging. It acknowledges the complicated lives women lead and offers help in finding focus and clarity. It’s the next best thing to having a personal life coach

I found this book to be very helpful. If you’re worried about a man writing a book like this for women, don’t be. He has a lot of experience in counseling and coaching and really seems to understand women. In fact reading the book felt like being in a coaching session with lots of good advice and information to help you move forward in your life. In addition, the book is full of stories from women who are moving forward and finding their strongest life. He’s formulated nine life roles that he says identifies women’s character. He’s developed a test to help the reader discover lead and supporting roles. There is a detailed description of each role and suggestions on how to make the most of your role.

I recently had a few friends over for dinner and we ended up spending part of the evening talking about the book. Everyone took the online test and we read the descriptions and discussed how right on most of them were for us. That made me realize that one of the best uses of this book might be in small group discussions. Read if for yourself first and then join with other women to discuss and really make the most of what you’ve read.

Bookstores I have known and loved

2009-09-24T18:42:00.000-07:00

I’ve said I love books so it’s no surprise I’m sure to hear that I love bookstores and libraries; mostly bookstores though since I get to keep the books! People are always asking me where I get books so I thought I’d share some of my favourite bookstores.

Hemingway Books in Abbotsford is my new favourite used bookstore. It’s very well laid out and has a great selection of new and used books. One of the things I really liked is that the books are shelved horizontally making it much easier to scan the titles and choose books. There are usually several copies of the more popular books and they are the cleanest used books I’ve ever seen.

Black Bond Books has warehouses in Langley and Surrey where you can get new books at a reduced price.

Of course there’s Wendell’s’ Bookstore in Fort Langley where you can buy a book and then have lunch in the adjoining café.

My most unique bookstore experience so far is in Sidney, BC where they have a Book Town. This consists of several bookstores scattered about a 2 or 3 block radius. The stores sell both new and used books and some stores have themes like military or history.

The key to a good bookstore experience is the staff. They need to be friendly and knowledgeable about their stock. I love getting recommendations from them and finding out what they are currently reading.

There’s nothing like a good visit to a bookstore but I have to also admit that I love ordering books from Amazon. I like being able to read the reviews before I buy and I like being able to get a list of everything an author has done in order of publication date.

So where do you like to shop for books and why?

Fearless by Max Lucado

2009-09-08T07:34:00.000-07:00

“Imagine your life without fear” and “What if faith, not fear, was your default reaction to threats?” These two phrases alone would be worth the price of the book. But it gets better. This is a great book, one for our uncertain and fear-filled times. Max Lucado fans won’t need a reason to buy this book, but this is a book that everyone else should read as well.

The chapters describe different types of fear and how trust in God allays those fears. Some of the titles include, fear of not mattering, fear of not protecting my kids (every parent should read that chapter), fear of worst case scenarios etc. Each chapter is filled with personal illustrations and stories of people overcoming their fears. He also gives practical advice, for instance 8 worry-stoppers is a list worth pinning up on the bulletin board and taking to heart.

Max is a great writer; the man knows how to turn a phrase and make it sing. Often I would find myself re-reading passages not just because the content was great but because it was so well put together. But even if you don’t appreciate good prose you will appreciate the content and what he has to say about fear and trusting God.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

2009-09-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

In Crazy Love, Francis Chan attempts to mobilize a sleeping, lukewarm church into action. The first chapter is entitled, Stop Praying. By which he means we should stand before God in awe and silence, drinking in who He is and what He’s done for us. The first three chapters describe the greatness of God in creation, in what He did for us and is doing for us. The rest of the book talks about how we should live our lives in light of the fact that God loves us so much.

Chan is passionate about this subject. He really wants us to get it. So much so that he often comes across in his writing as an angry or maybe disappointed parent wishing his children would understand what he’s trying to teach them. He has some harsh things to say about lukewarm Christians and whether or not you can really be lukewarm and a Christian. One of the things he does in the book is to keep directing us back to the website and videos he’s done on the subject... The videos are good but it distracted me from reading the book.

Ultimately though, despite the tone and distractions this is a challenging book. It will challenge you to really think about God and the place He has in your life. It will challenge you to live your life as if you really do believe that the God of the universe does love and care for you. And because of that, it’s worth reading.

Tsar by Ted Bell

2009-08-31T20:36:00.000-07:00

Tsar by Ted Bell

There’s a quote on the book that says “a hero to rival Bond by an author to rival Cussler”. I enjoy a good Bond movie and have read a couple of Cussler books so I felt prepared for the type of book that this would be. In fact, I just about put it down after the first couple of chapters, not really enjoying the slow start and all the introduction of characters that was necessary to set the stage. But soon enough I was drawn into the action and mesmerized by the plot which doesn’t seem so far-fetched in this computer-driven day and age.

The action spans the globe and has Hawke in various locations always rushing to the save world from the Russian threat. There’s murder and violence and just enough romance to keep things from being completely brutal. But there is also intrigue and political theories and enough espionage to sink a battle ship, I think there’s one of those as well.

It’s an intricately woven story with a plot that somehow seems plausible and I finished the book sincerely hoping that it would never be prophetic.

Let Go by Sheila Walsh

2009-08-26T20:15:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make. I’ve never read a Shelia Walsh book before, nor have I heard very much of her music. I tend not to listen to Christian music much and as a single woman I find that I don’t usually relate to most women’s books with their family and marriage illustrations. So it was with some trepidation that I opened Let Go.

Happily, I enjoyed the book and found much in it that I will need to think about and continue to apply to my own life. I found her to be an easy writer to read. Her style is warm and comfortable, almost like a conversation over a cup of coffee. Her topic is not always warm and comfortable. There are things to make you think and concepts to wrestle with and these apply whether you are a single or married woman.

What I liked most about the book is that she doesn’t try to give easy answers. This isn’t a how-to book. I think it’s more of a theology of freedom and deliverance. From it we learn what God can do, how He accomplished it in the life of the writer and her family and how He will continue to accomplish it until the day of Christ Jesus (Phil. 1:6).

If you are a woman burdened by life this book will give you the tools to find freedom in Christ and let go.

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield

2009-08-11T15:04:00.000-07:00

I really like reading debut novels. Especially if they’re great books because there is a promise of more great books to come. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield is a great debut novel. I read it one weekend when I was home sick and I literally could not put the book down.

It’s a story about families, mostly dysfunctional ones. It’s a story about stories. It’s about people trying to discover their story and how that story fits into their family’s story.

The story opens in a bookshop where the main character, Margaret works with her father. She has received an invitation to write the biography of a reclusive well-loved author with a mysterious background; a story that others have always wanted to hear. Margaret accepts the invitation and sets out to find a tale that will also help her tell her own story.

One of the more intriguing themes that run through the book is the theme of twins and their twinness. Another theme is childhood cruelty; this is not always an easy book to read. But the twists and turns of the mystery keep the reader coming back to the book for a thoroughly satisfying ending. I hope Diane Setterfield is well on her way to publishing another book; I for one will buy it.

Thanks for the Memories by Cecilia Ahern

2009-08-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

A blood transfusion leads to an encounter with stranger which leads to well, if I tell you any more than I will give away the plot. This is a creative and imaginative book with a really good story

I've just started to read Cecelia Ahern, this is the second book of hers that I've read and I'm hooked. Normally I'm not a fan of romance novels but Ms Ahern's imagination and skill with prose has made me a fan. If you are a literal thinker with little imagination you might be slightly confused by the twists and turns and downright unbelievable story line. But if you can let your imagination engage with this book you are in for a treat.

Quaker Summer by Lisa Samson

2009-08-03T10:11:00.000-07:00

The book opens with Heather coming face to face with a past that she has tried to bury. Her life as a young wife and mother living in a mansion on a lake seems perfect. So what if she has a shopping addiction, doesn't everyone? So what if her relationship with her church and God seems hollow, it's just a busy stage of life, right? She knows she has "issues" and some problems but life is just too busy to deal with all of this now. She'll do it later. Then she confronts her past and her present starts to crumble.

It's interesting (to me at least) that my first review is a Christian novel. Traditionally I've had low expectations of Christian Fiction as a genre finding it to be mostly shallow and preachy. My views are slowly changing with authors like Ted Dekker and now Lisa Samson (whose book is nothing like Ted Dekker's just to be clear!)

What I loved about this book is that the life questions are confronted head on and there are no easy, pat answers. Heather has to completely redefine her life and her walk with God to start down a path that ulitmately makes sense to her. The characters are well written and likeable. There is action and angst. There is humor. There is a christianity that is messy but believable and desirable. God comes through in these pages for Heather.

This book will make you laugh and cry but mostly it will make you think and for me that is the sign of a great book. Enjoy!