Julie Mars
I thought this was an okay book. The main character was interesting enough however the plot didn't grab my interest and keep it. I think the story was just a little too contrived for my taste. I am not sad I read it, but it is definitely not worth the trouble it took to find it since it is not available on kindle. I won't spoil the ending but it was weird. The more I think about it, this just wasn't that good of a book. None of the characters were developed in a way that made you fall in love with them and want to really know their stories. I am an easy to please reader so I certainly didn't hate it, but I am an easy to please reader and I also didn't love it.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Heaven is for Real
Todd Burpo with Lynn Vincent
This was another book club pick. I was a little nervous to read and discuss because we typically have a "no Jesus book" clause. This sounds a little silly as we are a group of Christian women, but we didn't want to get bogged down in feeling chained only to Christian works and let's be honest most Christian fiction is a whipping. We did read the Red Tent and it was great, well worth breaking the rules for. I have to say this book was just okay. I thought it was a sweet story and a very easy read, I finished it in an afternoon. The little boy seems like a sweet kid and I loved the way he described heaven, it would be more than great with me if that is how it is. I think he positively impacted many lives and that is awesome! Can you tell I feel weird talking negatively about a Jesus book? Another reason not to chose them, it's too hard to be honest. I think it is a sweet story. I think it is weird that he had an out of body go to heaven experience when he never died, normally people that tell these stories actually died. I also think it isn't a coincidence that he is the son of a small town preacher. My uncle was small town preacher for years and my cousin did go with him to visit people in the nursing home and hospital, or drive the joy bus on Sunday mornings. I think these experiences are hugely shaping in all the best ways, but probably greatly affect the experience written about. No matter what I am glad that this little boy is okay today, making a positive impact in people's lives for Christ, and most importantly I am so glad there is a heaven for us to go see for ourselves someday!
This was another book club pick. I was a little nervous to read and discuss because we typically have a "no Jesus book" clause. This sounds a little silly as we are a group of Christian women, but we didn't want to get bogged down in feeling chained only to Christian works and let's be honest most Christian fiction is a whipping. We did read the Red Tent and it was great, well worth breaking the rules for. I have to say this book was just okay. I thought it was a sweet story and a very easy read, I finished it in an afternoon. The little boy seems like a sweet kid and I loved the way he described heaven, it would be more than great with me if that is how it is. I think he positively impacted many lives and that is awesome! Can you tell I feel weird talking negatively about a Jesus book? Another reason not to chose them, it's too hard to be honest. I think it is a sweet story. I think it is weird that he had an out of body go to heaven experience when he never died, normally people that tell these stories actually died. I also think it isn't a coincidence that he is the son of a small town preacher. My uncle was small town preacher for years and my cousin did go with him to visit people in the nursing home and hospital, or drive the joy bus on Sunday mornings. I think these experiences are hugely shaping in all the best ways, but probably greatly affect the experience written about. No matter what I am glad that this little boy is okay today, making a positive impact in people's lives for Christ, and most importantly I am so glad there is a heaven for us to go see for ourselves someday!
Monday, March 14, 2011
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
Laura Hillenbrand
Wow, what an interesting read. This was definitely tough to get through at times. I am a little embarrassed to admit I almost never think of anything other than the persecuted Jewish people when I think of World War II. While they absolutely deserve our respect and remembrance, there are so many other people who suffered miserably for our freedoms and fought valiantly for them. I thought this was a very interesting picture of a soldier's life on the Japanese side of the story. I really like that the author portrayed Louie as he was lovable at times, and very unlovable at others. I think she did a great job of letting us learn to love and respect him on our own. I did think the acknowledgements were interesting when she mentioned some of his fellow soldiers. Because Louie was famous for being a great runner he was automatically a great and well know soldier, I wonder if it was even harder to be an outstanding soldier and who gets lost in the shuffle because you weren't famous before hand. A very interesting read. Well worth the time it took, but you may have to step away occasionally it is pretty heavy. I am once again finding myself so very thankful for my charmed life!
Wow, what an interesting read. This was definitely tough to get through at times. I am a little embarrassed to admit I almost never think of anything other than the persecuted Jewish people when I think of World War II. While they absolutely deserve our respect and remembrance, there are so many other people who suffered miserably for our freedoms and fought valiantly for them. I thought this was a very interesting picture of a soldier's life on the Japanese side of the story. I really like that the author portrayed Louie as he was lovable at times, and very unlovable at others. I think she did a great job of letting us learn to love and respect him on our own. I did think the acknowledgements were interesting when she mentioned some of his fellow soldiers. Because Louie was famous for being a great runner he was automatically a great and well know soldier, I wonder if it was even harder to be an outstanding soldier and who gets lost in the shuffle because you weren't famous before hand. A very interesting read. Well worth the time it took, but you may have to step away occasionally it is pretty heavy. I am once again finding myself so very thankful for my charmed life!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Love and Logic Magic for Early Childhood
Jim Fay & Charles Fay, Ph. D.
As I mentioned on my regular blog Avery has been getting into some trouble at preschool. While we now think he is only a piece of the puzzle, we still decided this was a good time to have a little more method to our madness.
Love and Logic was far and away the most recommended resource from our pediatrician to friends to the preschool newsletter.
I really liked this book. I liked that it was short and sweet, but thoughtful. I liked that it had lots of examples. I like that so far it is working. A lot of it is not all the different from what we were already doing, but it gives us ways to do it better or lets us know we were already on the right track. I of course do not agree with every single thing they say, but I would highly recommend putting this on your list if you are looking for some help with parenting. I think I am going to read the extended version as well and then take a break for awhile. I would love it if we could go to a workshop where we can ask questions, too. I wonder if there is a version for preschool teachers I could give as a gift. :)
As I mentioned on my regular blog Avery has been getting into some trouble at preschool. While we now think he is only a piece of the puzzle, we still decided this was a good time to have a little more method to our madness.
Love and Logic was far and away the most recommended resource from our pediatrician to friends to the preschool newsletter.
I really liked this book. I liked that it was short and sweet, but thoughtful. I liked that it had lots of examples. I like that so far it is working. A lot of it is not all the different from what we were already doing, but it gives us ways to do it better or lets us know we were already on the right track. I of course do not agree with every single thing they say, but I would highly recommend putting this on your list if you are looking for some help with parenting. I think I am going to read the extended version as well and then take a break for awhile. I would love it if we could go to a workshop where we can ask questions, too. I wonder if there is a version for preschool teachers I could give as a gift. :)
A Vintage Affair: A Novel
Isabel Wolff
So cute! I thought this was a very fun read. While it was definitely a chick flick it had some decent substance. I have always loved reading because a good book makes you forget you are reading while you picture the movie in your head. I LOVED picturing all the cool clothes and scenes in my head, and was so glad the author could get me there without long, flowery descriptions. I think this is a perfect spring break read!
So cute! I thought this was a very fun read. While it was definitely a chick flick it had some decent substance. I have always loved reading because a good book makes you forget you are reading while you picture the movie in your head. I LOVED picturing all the cool clothes and scenes in my head, and was so glad the author could get me there without long, flowery descriptions. I think this is a perfect spring break read!
Monday, February 21, 2011
For Men Only
Shaunti Feldhahn & Jeff Feldhahn
We are in counseling. We are fine, good actually. But, for a long time I have liked my sister's philosophy that you get a check up for your physical health every so often why not your marriage? Then Michael's parents shared with us that they are getting a divorce and that pretty much pushed us into finding someone to help us handle this in a Godly way. We looked, but there are no guide books for when your parents give up on 34 years... but I digress and get less Godly. Anyway, our counselor reccommended this and For Women Only which is next on my list. I liked it. I thought a lot of it was really true. I thought it was an easy read and I think both of us reading both of these will make us a better couple. The lessons were not rocket science to me, but I think will be revealing to my husband. I laughed out loud at the section about why men can't follow women's conversations that jump all over everywhere. My dad always gets frustrated with my mom, sister and I for that. Jeff explained it perfectly! I would definitely reccommend this quick read for you and your spouse. (Ladies you read this first, men you do the opposite, then switch!)
We are in counseling. We are fine, good actually. But, for a long time I have liked my sister's philosophy that you get a check up for your physical health every so often why not your marriage? Then Michael's parents shared with us that they are getting a divorce and that pretty much pushed us into finding someone to help us handle this in a Godly way. We looked, but there are no guide books for when your parents give up on 34 years... but I digress and get less Godly. Anyway, our counselor reccommended this and For Women Only which is next on my list. I liked it. I thought a lot of it was really true. I thought it was an easy read and I think both of us reading both of these will make us a better couple. The lessons were not rocket science to me, but I think will be revealing to my husband. I laughed out loud at the section about why men can't follow women's conversations that jump all over everywhere. My dad always gets frustrated with my mom, sister and I for that. Jeff explained it perfectly! I would definitely reccommend this quick read for you and your spouse. (Ladies you read this first, men you do the opposite, then switch!)
The Red Garden
Alice Hoffman
I liked this book. I thought it was a good collection of short stories more than a novel. The setting remained the same and occasionally involved ancestors from a previous story, but it didn't flow as well as I thought a novel should. Just when I was getting into a story it would change and we would be dealing with their great grand children's lives. I do wonder if this would have bothered me less if I had read it in fewer sittings rather than here and there over the past few weeks. A good book, not a great book.
I liked this book. I thought it was a good collection of short stories more than a novel. The setting remained the same and occasionally involved ancestors from a previous story, but it didn't flow as well as I thought a novel should. Just when I was getting into a story it would change and we would be dealing with their great grand children's lives. I do wonder if this would have bothered me less if I had read it in fewer sittings rather than here and there over the past few weeks. A good book, not a great book.
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