Results tagged “Book Review”

Yesterday I finished the third of Kathy Herman's Seaport Series. The title of this book is All Things Hidden and it is another winner! Each of Kathy's books always address events that can affect our spiritual life and growth. This book centers on how the past can come back to haunt you, even if you are now saved and a Christian. In this book, the main family that the series follows, the Jones family, is dealing with problems on two fronts.

Owen, the son was a real rabble rouser, but now has settled down, married, gotten a great job and has an adorable son. But even though God forgives us of our sins, we reap what we sow and Owen's past comes back to play a major role in his present.

Owen's mom, Ellen, learns that her aging and estranged father is suffering from Alzheimer's, one of the worst diseases people experience in my opinion. This disease is bad enough in the best of circumstances, but in this case, Ellen and her father are estranged and Ellen struggles with this and her father's nasty attitude throughout the book.

And if that wasn't enough...Ellen's father is witness to a murder...and until the murder is solved, no one in the Jones family is safe...

Kathy continues to exhibit her amazing ability to craft a well written story with characters you will care about and to provide spiritual encouragement at the same time.

Now I am off to read the conclusion of the Seaport Series...I can't wait to see what's going to happen next!

Well, I just finished reading the second book in Kathy Herman's Seaport Series. Not only did I enjoy finding out what was going on with the characters I became aquainted with in A Shred of Evidence, but Kathy introduced me to new and interesting characters.

Kathy tackled the tough issue of prejudice in this book and of how people make assumptions about others based on appearance and perceived social status instead of taking the time to get to know the person. To explore this issue, she used the very current and real concern of terrorist attacks.

When I first started reading this book, I found myself wanting to say that people don't really think like this...people are smarter than this....people don't pigeonhole all people based on their religion....but Kathy has a knack for forcing us to be honest with ourselves. One of the things I like most about Kathy's writing is the way she portrays the good and bad in people. She delves into the fact that we all do things or think things that our Creator would not be proud of. She creates characters that are real people who don't have it all figured out, but who are trying, day by day to be better neighbors, better people.

It requires more work to get to know someone and to reach out to people who we may be nervous about. However, Kathy does a great job of showing in the reader that the effort is often repaid a hundredfold.

If you enjoy suspense, real characters in real situations, and an inspirational message, you will love this book! I look forward to reading number three in the series. And remember, keep an eye out....a surprise is coming the last week of July in relation to these books...you are going to be glad you hung around!

I give this book 5 stars.

I am delighted to be reading another series by Kathy Herman. This is the first out of four in her Seaport Suspense Series.

This book is 333 pages long. I began reading it last night and finished it this afternoon (and we were out today for a few hours). That alone speaks volumes as to how good this book was. From the moment I picked it up and started reading, I was hooked.

This book is chock full of intriguing story lines, likeable and interesting characters, and more suspects than you can shake a stick at. I kept turning pages because I really cared about the characters and wanted to know how everything was going to turn out. A prime theme in this book is how we often jump to conclusions with just the littlest bit of evidence. For instance, you see a neighbor out at a restaurant with someone other than her hubby and suddenly you become convinced she is having an affair. Or you overhear part of a conversation and you not only believe the worst of a person, but you run off and share your new found information with others.

Sinus infections are glorious things. They make me fell like moving and I tend to get lots of reading done while I am laying on the sofa trying to breathe! So even though I just finished The Welkening and reviewed it two days ago, now I have finished the second in the Three Dimensional Tales series and want to share my thoughts on Guardian of the Veil.

I enjoyed this second book. The first book ended in such a way that that could have ended it. But endings are often merely beginnings and as we find in Guardian of the Veil, the teen misfits really only began to find themselves in The Welkening. The Guardian of the Veil introduces new surprises, new characters and new relationships. The teens begin to grow in their new found strength, much as a Christian grows after taking the first step in committment to Christ. We like to think that by making that acceptance, everything becomes right immediately, but it does not. It takes time, we have to grow. We have to learn and in reality will spend the rest of our lives growing to be better people. The Guardian of the Veil is all about that growth. About how we often take a step forward and a step backward. But, I don't want you to think it is a preachy tale. I didn't find it to be so. I found it to be an intruiguing fantasy story that pulled me in and made me think. It had me rooting for the characters and empathisizing with them.

I have greatly enjoyed these two books. I am not sure if there will be a third in the series, but I hope so. In the meantime, I would like to share these two books with one lucky reader:) Yep, I did mention giveaway and I know it has been awhile.

So, here's what you do...I don't care where you live...you are eligible for this giveaway. That's right, if you live on a remote island in the South Pacific, as long as you can get mail delivery, I will mail these two books to you if you win. So, just leave a comment below, and I would love to know why you would like to win (are you a fantasy buff? Have my reviews intrigues you? Do you want to give these books as a gift to someone?) I will hold a random drawing next Wednesday evening (July 16), sometime after 6 pm EST.

BTW, these books are in good condition. The first in the series is an advance uncorrected proof that I received in a giveaway and was not available for sale. The cover got bent a little on it...just today. Sorry abou that. The other book is in great condition. Both are paperback.

So, what are you waiting for? COMMENT!!!! And tell your friends too! If you do blog about it, come by and leave me another comment so I will know you blogged about it and I will give you a second chance in the random drawing!

Back in the late summer, early fall, I won a copy of a book called Guardian of the Veil by Gregory Spencer. I put it on a shelf to be read and as I won books, bought books at sales and was given books to read, it got lost in the pile. Have I ever mentioned to you how much I love books?

Anyway.... I brought it with me to read in Bloomington. Alas, I discovered it was the second in a series. I started reading it anyway, but decided I really wanted to read the first book, so I ordered it from Amazon.

The Welkening: A Three Dimensional Tale - is an amazing book! And has the complexities that endear us to other similar tales such as Tolkien's Lord of the Rings books, Donaldson's Thomas Covenant series, Brooks, Magic Kingdom Series, and The Chronicle of Narnia series. All of these books create other worlds that are on the other side of our own. They are full of flawed characters who rise to the occasion and end up doing amazing things.

The Welkening is a tale of four teen misfits. It is a tale of overlapping worlds that are all related. I was drawn into this tale. I related to aspects of the characters (especially Lizbeth), and I was suprised to learn who the villian of the story was. If you enjoy epic fantasy tales, I believe you will enjoy this book. I give this book four out of five stars. Why not five? Well, if I give everything five stars, you will begin to doubt me! BTW, on the back cover, this book has an enjoyment guarantee. If you are not totally satisfied with the book, you can return it (with original receipt, note as to why you didn't like it, name, address, and you must do it within 60 days of purchase). You don't see those kinds of offers very often!

I am getting ready now to start on the second book in the series. Keep an eye out...book giveaways are on the horizon...

I recently read and reviewed Never Look Back by Kathy Herman.

Because I wanted to see what happened to this family and these characters, I ordered the follow-up book, The Grand Scheme. Kathy has an amazing way of writing an inspirational book that isn't preachy yet gives the reader wonderful examples about how to live the life of a Christ follower. She addresses tough issues in this book - envy and anger being the two top ones. And as if it wasn't enough for her to write a story that will inspire you in your Christian walk, she writes a story that includes mystery, suspense and real world issues. And she creates characters that you really care about and will have emotional responses to.

I recommend you checking out Kathy Herman's Phantom Hollow Series. I believe you will really enjoy it. And, if you find yourself liking her style of writing, don't stop there, Kathy has written several other books...in fact, I am eyeing the Seaport series to enjoy next!

Happy reading!

I won this book a couple of months ago and now that summer is here, I am getting caught up on some of my reading. I have two shelves of books that I need to read... but I digress.

I have a hard time giving book reviews. I don't want to give away all of the story. I prefer to just tell you what I thought of the book. Here's what the dust jacket cover says:

"Lizzy Mitchell was raised fromt he age of two by her uncle, a Catholic priest. She has never understood why she was taken from him and sent away to boarding school at age nine, and she believes the reasons were later buried along with her uncle. Now thirty years old and trying to save a failing marriage, Lizzy nearly dies in a traffic accident. In the haze of recovery in the hospital she hears the voice of her beloved uncle, Father Mike, and sets out to find the truth about him and about her past.

Her search and what she discovers completely shatters her understanding of herself, her closest friends and the ties that bind.

This thoroughly engrossing novel about belief and deception, love and acceptance will defy your expectations and reward you with its revelations."

I won this book in a contest over at Laura Williams' Musings a couple of months ago. Now that it is summer and I am catching up on my reading, I got a chance to read it.

This book is the second in a series. I wish I had read the first, though the book certainly can stand on its own. For the most part I liked this book. Though I wasn't very far into the book when I had figured out who was the bad guy. And during another prominent scene, when someone suddenly 'turns cold', I figured out what was going on there too, immediately. I don't like that. I prefer to have a story a little more challenging to read in that way.

However, having said that, I over all liked the book. The characters were believable and interesting. The book was engrossing, I read most of it in a few hours. And the book portrayed some very real problems that Christians face.

Such as we say we accept God's forgiveness, but we don't forgive ourselves.

We don't feel like we are good enough to be loved by God.

We feel like God is punishing us for past mistakes.

We forget to forgive others as we have been forgiven.

We take appearances and past records at face value and judge accordingly.

For all of those reasons, I recommend this book as a good read. I will be looking for more books by Kathy Herman.

I was recently granted the opportunity to do a review of Jane Kirkpatrick's Change and Cherish Historical Series ahead of the impending release of A Mending at the Edge which is the third and final book in the series.

I love historical fiction. I love reading a fine story that is woven from the threads of history. It helps me to get a better feel for the period of history being written about. Much better than just dry history texts. I was tickled to get the opportunity not just to read the third book, but I was also sent the first and second books in the series.

Jane Kirkpatrick first learned of fiesty Emma Giesy from a quilting book. She became intrigued and her research of this woman pioneer led to three stories that spanned the life of a woman who wanted to be different and wanted to leave her mark on the world.

In A Clearing in the Wild, we meet the players of this historical saga. We learn about the communal society they live in, its principles, and a bit about its inner workers. Emma is 16 and eager to be married and begin her life. The object of her devotion is much older than she is and he is instrumental to the colony in bringing in new recruits to join their communal living. He is also being groomed to be the next leader of the colony. But all things change and life so seldom goes in the direction we are expecting. Emma becomes the first and only woman of the Bethel colony to head with a group of scounts out West. The railroad is coming and Keil (the leader of the community) wants them to move to a more isolated area where their communal ways won't be questioned or intruded upon. Following these scouts across the country, being with them as they went through their hardships, watching as Emma grew and learned and began their family...Jane Kirpatrick had me right there with them every step of the way. I could sense the tension, smell the evergreens and hear the stillness that only comes when one is deep inside of a forest.

Book: Do Hard Things

Author: Alex and Brett Harris

Dates: April 15 - 18

Summary:

With over 10 million hits to their website TheRebelution.com, Alex and Brett Harris are leading the charge in a growing movement of Christian young people who are rebelling against the low expectations of their culture by choosing to “do hard things” for the glory of God.
Written when they were 18 years old, Do Hard Things is the Harris twins’ revolutionary message in its purest and most compelling form, giving readers a tangible glimpse of what is possible for teens who actively resist cultural lies that limit their potential. Combating the idea of adolescence as a vacation from responsibility, the authors weave together biblical insights, history, and modern examples to redefine the teen years as the launching pad of life and map a clear trajectory for long-term fulfillment and eternal impact.
Written by teens for teens, Do Hard Things is packed with humorous personal anecdotes, practical examples, and stories of real-life rebelutionaries in action. This rallying cry from the heart of revolution already in progress challenges the next generation to lay claim to a brighter future, starting today.

Author Bio:

Alex and Brett Harris founded TheRebelution.com in August 2005 and today at age 19 are the most popular Christian teen writers on the Web. The twins are frequent contributors to Focus on the Family’s Boundless webzine, serve as the main speakers for the Rebelution Tour conferences, and have been featured in WORLD magazine, Breakaway, The Old Schoolhouse, and the New York Daily News. Sons of homeschool pioneer Gregg Harris and younger brothers of best-selling author Joshua Harris (I Kissed Dating Goodbye), Alex and Brett live near Portland, Oregon.

My Comments:

This book will change everything and it gives me great hope! I was so tired of hearing from my teens and from others around me how it was okay for teens to be disrespectful, lazy, off just doing kid things. I didn't grow up that way and I was a teenager once. My parents didn't beat me. If anything my mother, who had been overworked as a youngster, wanted me to not have a lot of responsibilities at home. But on my own, I chose to do things for her because I loved her. She worked hard all week, I didn't want her coming home and spending her Saturday working cleaning the house. I think that because we give children excuses that we are robbing them of their future productivity.

Does this book sound good to you? Well, then, why don't you leave a comment below? I have one copy to give away! Sorry, this giveaway is for U.S. addresses only. Just leave a comment and I will have a random drawing on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 6 p.m. Good luck!

If you can't wait to see if you will win Do Hard Things, go ahead and purchase it from Amazon.com now. Heck, why not purchase extra copies for the parents and teens in your life!

No More Yawning! written by Paeony Lewis and illustrated by Brita Granstrom was the other book that Katrina received for her birthday. Paeony is another favorite author of Katrina's and she enjoyed the previous Florence and Arnold story she had read, No More Cookies! so she was excited to find there was another Florence and Arnold tale to read.

Florence and Arnold are on their way to bed, but they keep getting sidetracked during their attempts. We enjoyed reading the various ideas to try to help a youngster go to sleep and we all sat around seeing how big we could yawn while we read through the book. (Mommy can yawn pretty big!) Paeony ends the book with more ways to help youngsters go to sleep and with suggestions on how to keep a journal of dreams.

Katrina says: The book is lots of fun! And I count sheep sometimes too!

One of the books that Katrina got for her 8th birthday was The Fat Stock Stampede at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. This book is written by Dotti Enderle and illustrated by Chuck Galey. Dotti lives in Texas and she loves writing about the state she calls home. This is the second book where Dotti has dealt with a chaotic event arising from a seemingly innocent activity by a young man named Jake. You can read my review about the previous book, The Cotton Candy Catastrophe at the Texas State Fair.

Jake is walking through the stockyard sweeping his hand across the corrals that the livestock are hanging out in. He doesn't realize that while he is trailing his hand along the fence, he is unlocking the pens. The livestock escapes and chaos ensues. It is only through Jake's ingenious disguise that all is made right again. One thing my kids really liked about it was the fact that 4-H was mentioned. We joined a 4-H Homeschool Club this year. We are a service club, not a livestock club, but it still gave them a sense of familiarity.

Katrina says: I wanted to read this one because I had read The Cotton Candy Catastrophe at the Texas State Fair. I enjoyed the book, the terrific illustrations and Jake's ingenuity. I think it's funny that Jake keeps doing things that aren't mean to cause problems, but the problems that result are huge. I also like that he is able to solve the problems in the end!