Bookworm Kristen

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

2012-02-01T12:42:00.000-08:00

This is the third and final book of the Hunger Games trilogy. Rebellion against the power of the Capitol. As I was reading, I thought back to where this all began and you just can't believe where these books have taken you. They are a powerful statement of the sinful nature of humanity, while still drawing out what is good. I highly recommend this series to adults and young adults alike. Fantastic!

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

2012-02-01T12:40:00.000-08:00

This is the second of the Hunger Games Trilogy. It opens with a withdrawn Katniss Everdeen. She has been affected by the Hunger Games and is feeling lost at home. Her relationship with Peeta is strained. Her relationship with her best friend Gale has changed. As she approaches and begins her time of touring for the Capitol, she finds herself in deeper than she ever expected. She knows that she has defied the Capitol, the only question is what retaliation will they take upon her.
This book is simply fantastic. I could not put it down. Just when you think you know what's happening, the book takes a turn you weren't expecting. It's highly readable, highly entertaining. I jumped right into it from the first book and from this one into the third. Fantastic reading.

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

2012-01-27T18:51:00.000-08:00

I read very few Young Adult books anymore. If I do pick one up, it is likely because it has gained such popularity in youth culture that I was to familiarize myself with what my students are reading. The last YA series I read was Twilight, which I found well written but disappointing after all of the hype. The description of the Hunger Games didn't appeal to me at all. Set in the future in what used to be known as North America the main character Katniss volunteers to take part in the Hunger Games as a stand in for her younger sister. The idea behind the Hunger Games is that 2 young people (a boy and a girl) from each of the 12 districts are pitted against each other in a fight to the death. The winner gets to live and brings riches home. This does not sound like my kind of book. In fact after the disappointment of Twilight, I was reluctant to even consider reading this book. It was only because an old college friend of mine raved about these books. She couldn't put them down. Generally, we agree on choices of fiction. And I wouldn't have thought her to enjoy these books by their description. So I put a request in at the library and got the call this past week.
Well, I couldn't have been more wrong about a book. This book is fantastic! Very engaging. So much so, that I wish I hadn't just requested the first book from the library, but instead picked up the series for my own library. I'm hoping to get the next two books when I'm out running errands tomorrow. There have been only two other series of books that I wanted to read consecutively with urgency like this, the first being the Mark of the Lion Series by Francine Rivers and the second being the Girl With the Dragon Tattoo series by Stieg Larsson. Absolutely well written, riveting fiction. I'm very glad that my students are reading these books too!
Thank you S.K.!

March by Geraldine Brooks

2012-01-27T18:40:00.000-08:00

March was recommended to me by my old college roommate, Ang. Ang is someone I trust in book recommendations (though we don't always agree completely, we do enjoy letting each other know about good books we have found and think the other would like - love Good Reads for that!).
If Ang hadn't recommended I pick this one up, I may never have heard about it. Once I did, I have to admit that I was skeptical. March is the untold story of the absent father from Little Women, gone to war in 1861. I'll begin by saying I don't like classics being touched. It's the same reason I haven't read Scarlett, although Gone With the Wind is one of my all time favorites. If a story is meant to be told, the author will tell it themselves. However much we love these characters they are the babies of the author who kindly shares them with us.
That being said, March is the exception to the rule.
March is an amazing book and Brooks is an incredibly gifted writer. This is not someone who just happened to enjoy Little Women and decided to write about it on a whim. This is someone who loved Little Women and researched Alcott's life. Most know that Alcott based the March family on her own family. Jo representing Alcott herself. Brooks took it upon herself to research Alcott's father, Amos Bronson Alcott. He was a teacher and abolitionist. The story bases itself on his life beliefs, though Brooks' character of March is his own man.
March leaves his Concord home at the beginning of the US Civil war. He is a Chaplain for the Army with great sympathies for the slaves of the south.
This book is very, very good - no other words for it. It was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2006. It is a very adult story with frank depictions of war and slavery, so I would not recommend it for a child or teen reading Little Women, but as an adult, it's marvelous.
Thank you Ang, for this one!

Learning by Karen Kingsbury

2012-01-27T18:19:00.000-08:00

This is the second of the Bailey Flanigan series by Kingsbury. It picks up right where Leaving left off. Bailey is set to go onstage on Broadway. Cody is working through his first teaching/coaching job at a small town high school. Like Leaving, this book bounces back and forth between the two stories. As both characters begin to develop friendships and intense feelings for other people, you have to wonder where Kingsbury is going with all of this. I have to admit that there were parts of this book that had me cringe and hope that Kingsbury was going to set right. Kingsbury's books are Christian fiction and sometimes I find a piece that just doesn't sit right with me (even though I am a Christian myself). I don't know if it's the idea of Christian characters playing into Christian stereotypes that I don't like or what, I can't seem to put my finger on it. There was one part* in this book that redeemed a lot of that for me and gave me hope that Kingsbury can be a good ambassador for Christ through her books.
Like Kingsbury's other fiction, I find these books to be fairly quick, enjoyable reads and look forward to the next 2 books in the series.
(*Bailey's attempt to lead a Bible study with her co-workers)

Leaving by Karen Kingsbury

2012-01-27T18:12:00.000-08:00

Leaving is book 1 of the Bailey Flanigan series by Karen Kingsbury. Those familiar with Kingsbury's work will know Bailey from the various Baxter series. I believe that this is the 5th series of books that are set in Bloomington, Indiana. Bailey Flanigan is now a young adult, a college student intent on pursuing her dream of acting on Broadway. Intertwined with Bailey's story is that of Cody Coleman, a young man who spent part of his teenage years living with the Flanigans. He and Bailey have a romantic past, but Cody has done his best to distance himself from her in order not to hurt her. He is an Iraq war vet, a college student finishing his teaching degree, wishing to coach high school football and mentor those the way he was mentored by Bailey's father.
I think if you are to really read and enjoy Kingsbury's books I would go right back to the first series set in Bloomington and work my way through them from there. Because the characters are so closely related, I think it's much more enjoyable to start at the beginning and read all of their stories, not just pick up and try to fill in gaps as you go along. I'm sure this series would be fine to read on it's own as well, but I prefer it the other way around.

FYI - Kingsbury's Books set in Bloomington in order:

Redemption Series (Baxter series #1)
Redemption
Remember
Return
Rejoice
Reunion

Firstborn Series (Baxter series #2)
Fame
Forgiven
Found
Family
Forever

Sunrise Series (Baxter series #3)
Sunrise
Summer
Someday
Sunset

Above the Line Series
Take One
Take Two
Take Three
Take Four

Bailey Flanigan Series
Leaving
Learning
Longing
Loving (March 2012)

Anchored in Love, A Tribute to June Carter Cash by John Carter Cash

2012-01-27T16:02:00.000-08:00

June Carter Cash seems like such a fascinating woman to me. She grew up in poverty until her family found success recording and performing in the late 1930's/early 1940's at the age of 10. She performed throughout the rest of her life. She was known as a comedienne and performer. She was a singer and a songwriter. She discovered and encouraged new talents in the music scene. She performed with some of the greats of the 20th century. She was married 3 times in her life, twice divorced in an age when divorce was a very shameful thing. She was a mother. For all of her grand accomplishments in her own right, she is most famously remembered as the love of Johnny Cash's life.
I was looking for a book that would help me to know her story. This is the one I was drawn to. It is written by her son, John Carter Cash. It reads like a family memoir, drawing upon his own memories and those of others who knew her best. Some is in her own words. A very fascinating, intimate look at a great woman.

A Secret Kept by Tatiana de Rosnay

2012-01-04T08:59:00.000-08:00

I jumped right into this one after finishing Sarah's Key by the same author. My expectations were up as I really enjoyed the last book. I feel pretty let down by this one. It was okay. I kept waiting for it to go somewhere that it just never really got to. There were some plot points that seemed pretty irrelevant to the story at hand that would have made great stories in themselves, but it was pretty all over the place and kinda depressing really.
This is the story of Antoine Rey, a Parisian divorcee who decides to take his sister away to their childhood vacation spot for her 40th birthday. It starts off well enough, but the big family secret that they discover doesn't seem so big and matter so much in 2012 (though it would have in 1974 when the story flashes back to). It wavers from there. I wouldn't recommend reading this one. Okay for a rainy afternoon if you have nothing better to do.

Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay

2012-01-01T19:04:00.000-08:00

Early November? Really, it's been that long since I posted on here? Come to think of it, I've been re-reading a lot of older books, so yeah, I guess it has been that long. So my first book of 2012 is Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay. I have to say, I feel completely out of the book world to have missed this one. You know when the book already has a movie out, that's on DVD, you've missed the boat. But nonetheless, here's my take.
I picked up this book yesterday with some Christmas money purely because it looked interesting. I hadn't heard about it before, kind of. Something about it looked familiar and I found out why later on in the day. I was chatting with my mom briefly and asked if she'd read it. She reminded me that I bought it for her for Christmas. It was one of the books on her Amazon wish list. Right, I felt a little sheepish there. I remembered getting her the book set in Russia (Peter the Great by Robert K. Massie) but forgot the other book I had picked off the list. She had had Sarah's Key recommended to her by a new friend in Toronto.
About the book. For those who, like myself and my mother are just discovering it for the first time. This is the story of Sarah, a little French girl taken in the 1942 Paris roundups of Jewish families, who were later sent to die at Auschwitz. Just as Sarah is about to be taken with her parents, she hides her little brother in a cupboard, locking it and promising to return for him. As she faces atrocity after atrocity it is her determination to free her little brother that keeps her going.
Intertwined with Sarah's story is the story of Julia, an American turned Parisian reporter uncovering the story of the Paris roundups for the 60th Anniversary Commemoration.
I know it is going to sound trite, but this book really is a page turner. It's a haunting tale that keeps you wondering what is going to happen next? What happened to Sarah? Will she make it? If you have a good chunk of time it is the kind of book that you can read in a day (or over an evening and a morning like I did). I just flew threw it. Sarah's story is one that will stay with me. Tatiana de Rosnay's writing is so lifelike, that you feel you are part of Sarah's life, and Julia's as well. At the end, I had to remind myself that they were just fictional characters. Though, Sarah's story is one that needed telling. It's a sad, sad reminder of a part of history that has mostly been ignored, swept away because it is from a shameful era. Thank goodness that de Rosnay has opened up the light onto those who suffered and died in France during the Second World War. May they no longer be forgotten.
I highly recommend this book to you. There is a book club guide at the end and it is a novel definitely worth reading and discussing. I'll be looking for the movie this week, I hope it holds up in comparison.

Heartwood by Belva Plain

2011-11-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

Belva Plain was a fantastic writer. Her first novel Evergreen (published in 1978) is an amazing saga that is one of the few books that I can read and re-read without being bored. Her career continued to produce highly readable, highly enjoyable works of fiction. They are the kind of books that you can get swept away in on a rainy afternoon. I was saddened when I heard of Plain's death in 2010. At the age of 95, she had lived a long, successful life. I had figured that her novel, Crossroads (published in 2004) was her last. That's why I was delightfully surprised to find Heartwood on the shelf of my local library this past week.
Heartwood was published posthumously in 2011. It is the last of the Werner family books (the saga that began in Evergreen). This novel focuses mostly on Iris and Theo Stern and their daughter Laura. Really, it is Laura's story that is being told here.
This book was surprisingly short for me (used to Plain's deliciously long satisfying reads). Some of the book seemed choppy. It was as though the book may have been pieced together without actually being fully completed (though a complete story lays in its covers). I wonder if Plain meant for this book to be published. Perhaps it is a tale she began, but hadn't completely worked into its fullness. There seemed to be a need for some filling in. Then again, it could be just that she would have wrote it in her 90's which is a great accomplishment in itself.
Whatever the reason for the difference, this book does bring a conclusion to the Evergreen tale first began so many years ago. I did enjoy it and I'm grateful for this last surprise offering from a beloved author.

*If you are new to Plain's work I highly reccomend the Werner saga to you. The correct reading order for these books are:

Evergreen (1978)
Golden Cup (1986)
Tapestry (1988)
Harvest (1990)
Heartwood (2011)

**Crescent City (1984) is loosely related to this saga as a pre-saga novel. I believe there may be another book that is loosely connected but I can't remember which one right now.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest by Steig Larsson

2011-09-12T16:17:00.000-07:00

I finished it! And I couldn't stop reading it. Yes, I have joined the countless others who became so engrossed in the story of Lisbeth Salander, that I really hope that the legal battle involving Larsson's unfinished manuscripts are resolved so that his partner Eva Gabrielsson can complete and publish them. Once again, I say read these books, but read them in order, they don't make sense otherwise. This is the conclusion of the trilogy. Where Lisbeth's story is completed and her trial takes place. I think it was well written and enjoyable reading.

The Girl Who Played With Fire by Steig Larsson

2011-09-10T04:05:00.000-07:00

This is the second of the Millennium trilogy by Steig Larsson and the book where Lisbeth Salander really gets to you. In the way of, I need to keep reading this series and finds out what will happen to her. So much so that I immediately jumped into the third book of the series (The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest) and now that I'm reflecting on the second book, I want to make sure I don't mix up the story with the third. The continue on to each other quite nicely. Again, I feel as I must state that these books are graphic so if that turns your stomach, skip these books. But you are really missing out. These are great books. In this, the second book, you start to find out Lisbeth's past. Why was she placed into a psychiatric hospital at a young age? Why is she placed under guardianship, even though she is of age? The answers will shock you. The scope of the mystery widens in ways completely unexpected. And as for Mikel Bloomkvist? He's back too. And she doesn't want to have anything to do with him. That doesn't mean that he doesn't want to have anything to do with her. Of course none of this would make any sense if you haven't read the first book, so make sure you read them in order. And have the next one handy as you will want to keep reading.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

2011-08-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

Check 2 for books that have been out for a while that I haven't yet read conquered. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is the first of the Millennium Trilogy. It is a crime thriller. At first I was wondering what all they hype was about, then at about the 4th chapter, I couldn't put it down. The main character Mikael Blomkvist is a journalist hired by Henrik Vanger to solve the 40 year old mystery of his niece's disappearance. Interspersed in the story is the character of Lisbeth Salander, a genius hacker whose footsteps will lead her to assist Mikael in his journey. What at first seems like an impossible cold case, twists and turns into unexpected places. It's highly addictive reading and I look forward to the next 2 books in the series. I also would love to watch the movies that have been made from these books, both the Swedish versions (already released) and Hollywood (coming this Christmas). One word of warning with this book is that there is scenes of graphic violence which I wasn't expecting going into the book.

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

2011-08-23T06:28:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I'm late on the draw with this one. You know you are behind on your reading when the book you are reading already has a movie version out. I beat the movie by about 2 weeks. For those of you like me who haven't yet read this book and have just been hearing murmurs about it, here's a breakdown for you. The Help is set in the early 1960's and features 3 main characters. 2 are black maids and one is part of the society that they serve in the southern US. It is the story of unlikely friendship and a look into life from the Help's point of view. I fall into the category of readers that just loved this book and cheered right along with the characters. I was so hooked on it that I bought my mom a copy of the book for herself. I look forward to watching it on the big screen, hopefully soon :)

The Flying Troutmans by Miriam Toews

2011-07-05T11:38:00.000-07:00

This book made me glad I read A Complicated Kindness, purely because it led me to here. I enjoyed this book so much more than A Complicated Kindness. It was darkly funny. The characters were well developed. The story was interesting. The subject matter is heavy, but it isn't heavy to read. It is written in such a way that you can find humour without making light of the topics. It also has prompted me to dig out my copy of Little Miss Sunshine to watch again. If you enjoyed that movie, you will like this book.
This is the story of Hattie, 28, who returns home to Manitoba from Paris to help out her sister Min, (who is spiraling in depression) and her kids. Hattie has just broken up with her French boyfriend and feeling a little lost herself. Her fly by the seat of her pants plan starts with checking her sister into the psychiatric ward of the hospital and packing up the kids to search out their long lost father. Thebes (12) is pretty much running the home. She is trying to cling to any sort of order she can in her world. She is a fantastic character, one I won't soon forget. Her brother Logan (15) has his own share of teen angst that makes sense as the story unfolds.
I'm pleasantly surprised by this book and would recommend it to others.

A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews

2011-06-29T06:38:00.000-07:00

This book has been jumping off the shelves at me for the past 5 years at least. Every time I'm in a bookstore or at the library, it calls to me - read me Kris! I've picked it up, looked it over and thought, really another Canadian book on the prairies? Nope, not for me. And put it back down again. And then there it was again and again, flaunting it's Governor General award winner badge at me. So finally I gave in. Because I had such low expectations of this book (I really thought I wouldn't like it at all) I was surprised to find myself engrossed in the story. I have since read reader reviews of the book and it seems to me that people either love it or get so bored with it they don't finish it. I don't fit into either category. I think the writing was good, but I really couldn't call it much of a plot lined story. There was lots of missing pieces of information that you wanted to have and I still don't have them at the end of the book. There's a lot of filling in the blanks to do.
This is the story of Nomi Nickel, a teenager growing up in a Mennonite small town community in rural Manitoba? (I had envisioned Saskatchewan until reading the author was from Manitoba). You learn early on that Nomi lives with her father Ray. Her mother and sister left separately 3 years before - though you don't learn the whys of those departures until much later in the book. The community of East Village is controlled by Nomi's uncle nicknamed The Mouth. The Mouth takes his religious doctrine to the extreme, quashing any notions of worldly influence. This isn't too far fetched. The story is set in 1982. I, myself grew up in a community with a large Mennonite population and had friends who had certain restrictions regarding movies, music and dance. The Mouth takes it too the extreme however and you learn that shunnings are commonplace. Being a Christian myself (and a pastor's wife) I can see the bent theology clearly here and it is no wonder that Nomi's sister Tash, becomes disenchanted with the church, looking to atheism.
The story is told through Nomi's eyes, a 16 year old stuck in depression really with no way out. She kind of watches life, looking to her boyfriend, drugs and nostalgia for pleasure.
The gem of this book for me is her relationship with her father, Ray. Ray is a solid fellow who is lost in his own unrealized bewilderment of where life has taken him.
This is the kind of book I would be interested in discussing with other readers, particularly those who were raised Mennonite, or in a small town community. You do at times wonder if the book's accolades are merely a reflection of our society's need to discount religion, or, if it really is a deep, meaningful book?

Elizabeth I by Margaret George

2011-06-22T07:02:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love a new Margaret George book. I've been waiting with eager anticipation for this one to come out. What sets Margaret George apart from a lot of historical authors is her incredible research combined with fantastic writing skills. The result is a historically accurate and highly readable novel. Don't let the size of her books scare you off (this one is close to 700 pages). What is inside is interesting reading.
This book begins in the later part of Elizabeth I's reign. It is the time of the first Spanish Armada and continues until the end of her life. The story of Lettice Knollys (a cousin and enemy of the Queen) is intertwined in juxtaposition. This book is a departure from many recent writings of Queen Elizabeth. George keeps her as the true Virgin Queen (where many others maintain that she was no virgin). It shows her as a strong woman, a symbol of a time remembered as the Golden Age of England. The secondary characters read as a who's who of the time (William Shakespeare, Francis Bacon, William Cecil, and even Guy Fawkes making an appearance among others). I completely enjoyed this book and found it to be a good installment for her books of the era. She previously authored tales of King Henry VIII (my favorite of her works) and Mary, Queen of Scots (also a fantastic read). I look forward to her next offering and wonder which historical figure she will tackle next.

Riven by Jerry B. Jenkins

2011-06-13T18:41:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine gave me a Facebook shout out when she finished this book a couple of weeks back. She thought I would love it. She was right. This is a highly readable, interesting book. The middle does get a bit depressing, but press on and finish it, it's worth it.
The story flips back and forth between Thomas, a pastor, and Brady, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks. You know their paths will cross at some point, but it takes a good three quarters of the book to get there. The good thing with Jenkins' writing is that you don't feel disoriented with the 2 stories being told simultaneously. It's easy to follow both and you do care about both characters (which makes the book difficult to put down). I don't want to say too much about the plot as I don't want to give anything away. This one is definitely worth your time.

Madame Tussaud by Michelle Moran

2011-05-28T07:35:00.000-07:00

Michelle Moran is an author whose work I have become a fan of during the past few years. She is an author who I admire. Her books are well researched and very well written. (My husband asked what was wrong with me the other night and I told him that it was tough to transition from the middle of the French Revolution to The Big Bang Theory). That's what is good about Moran's writing. She brings you into history. You feel as though you are there, part of what is happening. That being said, this book should come with a warning - pay attention to the second part of this book's title "A Novel of the French Revolution". The French Revolution was a particularly horrific, bloody time in history and this book does not spare the reader of the realism of that time period. I was convinced I was going to have nightmares at one point, yet I was unable to put the book down. That is saying a lot for me. I don't like graphic violence so to be able to stay hooked in this one tells a lot about the writing of the book.
A great part of that was the main character Madame Tussaud herself. She is a character I knew almost nothing about prior to reading. I hear the name and I think of the wax museum in London. Beyond that, nothing. She has a very interesting perspective on the time of the French Revolution because she lived on both sides of it. She was a commoner, friends with revolutionaries, and also tutored Princesse Elisabeth (sister of the King of France) in wax modelling. Her salon and museum was popular and constantly changing, reflecting the news of the day. Because she was so good at what she did, her work was in demand by the revolutionaries when it came time to make death masks of those they considered heroes and traitors to the cause.
If you can handle the violence of the period, I recommend this book to you. Madame Tussaud is a fascinating character of an unforgettable time in history.

If You Could See Me Now by Cecelia Ahearn

2011-05-13T09:58:00.000-07:00

My 3rd novel by Ahern and I am getting the picture that you really have to suspend reality when you read one of her books. This is the story of Elizabeth a control oriented person who is a care taker. She is the responsible one who looks after her alcoholic sister, her sister's son and her father. She runs her own business as well. Enter Ivan, a mysterious man who brings a little joy into her life. This book was okay. There were a lot of aspects to this book that would have make it more interesting to read.

SPOILERS BELOW - BE WARNED

Things I would have liked to have seen in this novel
1) The actual conversation between Elizabeth and her father filling in the mysteries of the past
2) Elizabeth being able to say 'no' to her sister - to realise that being a caretaker is not a healthy way to be.
3) As the book went on, to see Elizabeth connecting more with Luke (her sister's son) - to build that relationship up

The Sight of the Stars by Belva Plain

2011-05-06T10:40:00.000-07:00

This was Belva Plain's second to last book and exactly why I love reading her books. It is a sweeping tale of a young man who starts out with nothing and makes himself into a success. Throughout it all he remains humble. Adam Arnring is first introduced at the age of 13 at the beginning of the 20th century. He is the first son of the family. His mother is a mystery to him, only having been told by his father that she passed away. He lives with his father (a grocer), step-mother and 2 brothers. As Adam grows up and comes to make his own way in the world you get caught up in his story. The book spans his lifetime (though mostly focuses on the time from his early 20's to 40's). I enjoyed this book a lot and am glad to have found it.

Thanks for the Memories by Cecilia Ahern

2011-05-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

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This is the second novel I've read by Cecelia Ahern. The first was (of course) P.S. I Love You, which I can't get through without tearing up (nor the movie of the same name). I wasn't sure what to expect by this one. Was it to be another tear jerker? Some of it was. But the most of it wasn't. This story is about Joyce, who loses a baby to miscarriage at the beginning of the story. Her miscarriage leads her to have a blood transfusion. The events that follow are far-fetched and fairy-tale like. If you can get past the improbability of it all, it's a fairly decent time passer. It just depends if you like that kind of book or not. I thought it was okay. I'll try another one of her books in the future and give her another chance.

Crossroads by Belva Plain

2011-05-03T14:29:00.000-07:00

I usually love getting lost in a Belva Plain book. I read and re-read the Tapestry series several times (one of my favorites). This was her last book. She passed away this past October at the age of 95. This one was published in 2004. The amazing thing with Belva Plain's writing is that she wrote every novel in longhand. She didn't own a computer. This book wasn't her best, but it was still enjoyable. It follows 2 women from the same town in New England who are at 2 very different social levels. Gwen is the very plain adopted daughter of the woman who owns THE company (the Glassworks) of the company town (I apologise for the terrible sentence there). Jewel is a poor, but incredibly beautiful woman who works as a secretary of the Glassworks. Their lives keep crossing over. Both bear jealousies of the other. Gwen longs for the beauty and confidence that Jewel bears. Jewel wishes for the wealth and status of Gwen. It was a nice read for a rainy day.
*Edit update - there has since been a Belva Plain novel published posthumously, Heartwood. You can read my blog post on it here.

Jerk, California by Jonathan Friesen

2011-04-26T06:36:00.000-07:00

This one was recommended to me by a fellow teacher. This is the story of Sam, an older teenager with Tourette's syndrome. He is an introvert who has suffered at the hands of his abusive step-father. What follows is a true journey to discover where he really comes from and what potential he has to be released. Jonathan Friesen (the author) also has Tourette's which made this book particularly insightful. It is young adult fiction but a good read for young adults and adults alike.

Family Ties by Danielle Steel

2011-04-26T06:33:00.000-07:00

This one was more typical Steel style. It centres on Annie who in her 20's becomes guardian for her sister's 3 children. The kids grow up and Annie finds herself at a crossroads having 'given up' her youth to raise the kids. The kids are involved in different lifestyles and the problems that accompany them (abandonment issues, relationship abuse and cross-cultural issues). It is what it is. A time passer novel.

Big Girl by Danielle Steel

2011-04-26T06:30:00.000-07:00

I could see what Steel was doing with this one before I even opened the book. Look at the cover art - very chick lit. Her style was slightly different than normal for this one too. It's a very clever way to build a new, younger audience. This story centres on Victoria, a girl who never quite fit in with her perfect LA family. She was always just a little too big, a little too intelligent and chose a career path in teaching that she loves but her parents disapprove on. There is a journey of self-discover and healing for Victoria along the way, learning to love who she is separate from her family.
It was an okay read. I think if you want to read a really good book about a 'big girl' try Meg Cabot's Heather Wells books (Size 12 is Not Fat, Size 14 is Not Fat Either and Big Boned) or for true laughs read Jen Lancaster - she's fantastic!

Amazing Grace by Danielle Steel

2011-04-09T06:49:00.000-07:00

It's books like this that I keep coming back to Danielle Steel. Once in a while she writes one that I don't find to be so frivolous. This one focuses on many characters who are faced with the tragedy of a big earthquake in San Francisco and the year that follows.
I have to say it was a bit disconcerting in timing to read this book. I picked it up around the same time as the earthquake in Japan. For that reason I will put a disclaimer that the effect of the destruction in this book seems a bit small in comparison to what such a large earthquake would actually face.
I also think that there were aspects to the story that could have been developed more. I would have like to see a more natural progression in the relationship of Melanie and her mother Janet. I also didn't find the relationship between Everett and Maggie to be completely realistic (but then again, I usually drop my sense of realism when I pick up a Steel novel). I felt the ended wrapped up a bit too quickly.
The book overall kept my attention and was interesting to read. I liked the characters and didn't find them to be too over the top, which I really appreciated from Steel.

Matters of the Heart by Danielle Steel

2011-03-29T11:46:00.000-07:00

Okay guys I promise one more Danielle Steel after this one and I'll be back onto some more serious reading again. This one was a bit different than her usual fare. Sure it was still typical Steel writing (lots of repetitive writing, trademark phrases and impossibly good-looking, successful people...), but this had an element of serious horror to it. It also had me thinking that she had recently read Eat, Pray, Love and was using the popularity of that book as a jump off for this one.
This is the story of Hope. Hope is a successful photographer who is essentially alone. For once Steel does not reveal all of her main subject's past at the beginning of the story. It takes a few chapters before you know (although you suspect) what tragedies are in Hope's past.
Hope meets Finn, an author. She is swept up in a romance with him. But Finn has a dark side. A controlling side. You do start to wonder why she doesn't just leave him already. But then again, I have also known women who have lived in abusive relationships. I've seen how they are blinded by their abusers. I guess Hope is representative of that. I can't say I enjoyed this story. But it did keep me enthralled (I wanted to see if she would have a breaking point).

One Day at a Time by Danielle Steel

2011-03-27T13:00:00.000-07:00

I know, I know I'm on a Danielle Steel kick right now, catching up on her books I've missed the past few years. Here is another one in classic Steel style. You know the whole story pretty much before it happens. But it's good mindless reading. I enjoy this kind of book once in a while. This is the story of Coco, raised by a Hollywood Agent and a Romance Author, sister of a Movie Producer, living in a beach house in an extremely small beach community, making a living as a dog walker.
She meets Leslie, a big-time movie star and friend of her sisters. She is housesitting and he is escaping from a questionable ex-girlfriend. You can guess the rest of the story from there.

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

2011-03-24T11:25:00.000-07:00

Oh Jodi, what are you doing? This had all the markings of what could have been an interesting really good book. Unfortunately it was such a case of contradictions, choppy transitions and trying to do too much with one book. From the cover description, I thought I was going to read a book about a music therapist. That would have been a great book. In fact the best parts of this book were the music therapy parts.
What the cover doesn't tell you is the rest of what the book is about, it's pretty vague.
You don't know that it is also about struggles with pregnancy *warning* DO NOT READ THIS BOOK IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR TRYING TO BE PREGNANT - it will depress you and scare you* You do not know that this book is about a marriage falling apart (although that part is glossed over so much it really isn't). You do not know that this is a book about gay rights - which is funny because that is what most of the second half of the book focuses on.

Here are my problems with this book.
*SPOILERS BELOW - consider yourself warned*
1) the breakdown of Zoe and Max's marriage. There was so little time on this that you kinda go 'huh?' - this in itself , the infertility and the marriage difficulties would have been a good book. There was no mention of anything that really contributes to how it ended. Just one day he was frustrated and left, the next thing you know it's months later and they are divorcing. Come on, it's not that easy. This is a nine year marriage we are talking about.
2) The book makes such a point of you are born gay, yet, Zoe who was as straight as they come, only ever being involved with men and never having a same sex attraction before jumps into a same sex relationship and then decides to marry the woman 3 months later. That's a bit of a jump really. Why then does the book make a point of anyone who is ex-gay must be wrong. Why in the author's eyes is ex-gay not a possibility but ex-straight is? Shouldn't it be a possibility both ways?
3) This book also makes a point of fighting lesbian stereotypes (ie not all butch biker chicks) but the one male gay character is a stereotypical wedding planner? The Christian's are stereotypical gay-haters? Come on. If you are going to write a serious book that fights stereotypes then please fight all of them. Show an equal view on all sides.
4) How blatantly anti-Christian this book is. Dear Jodi Picoult: you have Christian readers in your fan-base. Why would you do this? The majority of Christians are not picketers and gay-bashers. They are not a brainwashed cult. Just as gays do not want a stereotype promoted, neither do the Christians. The Westboro Baptist Church though it labels itself as Christian, is NOT! Most Christian churches have denounced them and are not aligned with them. Why would you lump them in? Most pastors are not Southern larger than life in a big suit game show host types. Yet the only pastors you meet in this book are. I have never in my life heard a sermon like the one that was preached. I can not think of a single pastor (and I know many personally) that would publicly name anybody in a sermon and denounce them. Sunday morning services are a time of worship, to worship God. The purpose of a sermon is to expound upon the Word of the Lord. I have no idea where you would have gotten this idea. But it is just wrong and inaccurate at best. Also a new believer like Max would not be called upon like he was in this book to confront his ex-wife. That's just terrible plot right there. Standard pastoral practice would have counselled him along, not used him for any agenda.
5) The cutting the book back and forth from character to character did not work in this one. It was just to choppy. A more interesting book would have been just Zoe's perspective. Or maybe just Zoe and Max. It also made for poor character development.
6) Too many ideas in one book. This book could have been 5 really good books instead of just one mediocre one. Book One: Zoe and Max and their struggle in infertility and how it affected their marriage. Book Two: Zoe and her work as a music therapist - there is a book that hasn't been written yet that would be fascinating. Book Three: Zoe and Vanessa and their struggles as a lesbian couple in Rhode Island, a state that doesn't recognize gay marriage. Book Four: Max's alcoholism and recovery and how faith in Christ changed his life. Book Five: The court battles and legality regarding custody of frozen embryos.

All this being said, I have faith that Jodi Picoult can write a good book. She's done it before. My favorite of hers was 19 Minutes. That was excellent. I think what has happened is that she has become so well known that she is probably contractually obligated to produce a novel every year or so and her writing is suffering for it. I also think that because she is known to write on 'hot' topics she is trying to capture popular opinion instead of writing a really good book that takes all sides seriously. I hope her writing picks up again. She has talent, but it is being wasted with books that have so many problems like this one.

Rescue by Anita Shreve

2011-03-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

Rescue is Anita Shreve's latest offering and fortunately falls into the category of books I really like by her (it's why I keep coming back to this author, for every passive, boring-ish story is one like this). This is the story of Webster, a straight laced, small town medic in Vermont whose life is turned upside down by Sheila, an alcoholic he Rescues in a car accident one shift. They have a whirlwind courtship and marriage that leaves him raising their toddler daughter Rowan on his own. Fast forward 15 years and Rowan is a senior in high school, starting down her own dangerous path. In desperation, Webster wonders if her should find Sheila to have her help their daughter.
Well written and well worth reading.

Body Surfing by Anita Shreve

2011-03-24T10:43:00.000-07:00

I wondered how I had missed this book. I thought I had caught up on all of Anita Shreve's writing last year, but I was wrong. Oddly enough like Danielle Steel, I find Shreve writes 2 kinds of books. This one was the one I find a little boring. You feel like you are observing but there isn't a lot going on, just undercurrents that there is more to the story that what is presented.
This story is about Sydney, hired to assist Julie, the youngest child of Mark and Anna Edwards, who at 18 is really not very bright. Sydney is 29, a divorcee and a widow who lives from odd job to odd job. The Edward's have Sydney live with them at their beach house for the summer. It is the older 'children' the Jeff and Ben who have an affect of both Sydney and the family.
The most interesting part of this book to me is the house in which is takes place. The house is its own character, this book marking its 4th appearance (previously in The Pilot's Wife, Fortune's Rocks and Sea Glass).

Southern Lights by Danielle Steel

2011-03-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

I said in my previous post that Danielle Steel writes 2 kinds of book. The first is the breezy one, the second kind you get a sense she put a little more work and research into. This is the second kind. This one is set in current day New York and South Carolina. The lead character here is a DA working a conviction of a serial killer. When her daughter receives threatening letters she sends her off to live with her father in South Carolina, the last place in the world she wants to be.
Reading this book, I started to wonder a bit if someone in the US South really pissed Danielle Steel off at one point. Or, was that just the character's experience? Either way, I liked this one. It was interesting to read, with characters that were likable.

A Good Woman by Danielle Steel

2011-03-24T10:32:00.000-07:00

It's no secret that Danielle Steel novels are one mode of relaxation for myself. They are an easy, breezy read. I find her books come in 2 varieties. This one is of the predictable, repeats itself a lot kind. It's easy to get into, has a strong female lead character. You like her, you sympathize with her and you root for her. In this book that character is Annabelle Worthington. Born in the late 1800's she loses her father and brother in the sinking of the Titanic. It becomes up to her to care for her mother and make a good life for herself without the men in their lives to take care of them.

Daughter of York by Anne Easter Smith

2011-03-08T11:51:00.000-08:00

This is the 2nd offering from Anne Easter Smith (and my 3rd read of hers having read them out of order). It is my favorite one of the 3. Margaret of York is such a strong female historical figure that she makes for a fantastic story. I can only imagine the work that went into this to weave fiction into history.
Margaret of York is one of King Edward IV and Richard III's sisters. She became Duchess of Burgandy, marrying Charles the Bold at 22. She ruled most of the Duchy as Charles set about conquering land. She comes from an interesting (though bloody) time in history and is remembered as a great leader. Good character, good story.

Saving Women's Hearts Blog Tour

2011-03-04T07:49:00.000-08:00

*The following post appears on my shared parenting blog Clever Mamas - Because I feel this is such an important book, I'm sharing the contest over here as well*

As part of our partnership with Mom Central Canada, I get sent items from time to time to review and share with you. At the end of February I received a copy of "Saving Women's Hearts" a book written by women for women to raise awareness of heart disease in women. One of the authors is a cardiologist specializing in cardiology for women and the other is a pharmacist and fitness instructor, dedicated to promoting a healthy lifestyle.
So why this book? Why is it important? Heart disease is the number one killer of women in North America. It is also one of the least researched and published areas in medicine. Kinda scary in this day and age isn't it? Did you know that heart disease presents differently in women than in men? But until the 1990's most of the studies in heart disease were focused solely on men. So what you know about heart attacks most likely describe a male heart attack, not a female one.
The authors include a quiz on heart health at the beginning of the book. I was shocked and embarrassed about how little I actually know. Fortunately this book is written in language that is easy to follow and understand. Being a busy mom, I was worried about getting bogged down in some sort of scientific text. This wasn't the case. I could pick this one up and down as time permitted to gain a little bit more knowledge in this area. This is a great book for any woman to have on her shelf.
Thanks to Mom Central we are giving away a copy of this book to one of our readers! To enter, leave a comment telling why you would like to have a copy of this fabulous book. Please leave your email address as well so I can contact you if your name is drawn. The contest closes on Wednesday, March 9, 2011.

Disclosure - I am participating in the Saving Women’s Hearts program by Mom Central on behalf of Wiley Publishing. I received a copy of the book to review and gift card as a thank you for my participation. The opinions on this blog are my own.
*Because I feel this book is so important, I am running this contest concurrently on my shared parenting site http://clevermamas.blogspot.com - one winner will be drawn between both sites

Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda

2011-03-02T05:07:00.000-08:00

Once in a while I pick up a book and think, "This is what books should be like!" Well written, an interesting story, not patronizing, true to character and situation...this was one of those books. Seriously, one of the best books I've read recently. I had no pre-conceived notions about this book coming in. It was simply a book that looked interesting to me. The book centres around Asha, a girl given up for adoption secretly in India. She is adopted by a couple of doctors in America (the mother a Californian-American, the father and Indian immigrant whose family is still in India). The story is more than just Asha's. It is also Kavita's, her birth mother grieving her first born also a girl, taken from her at birth to infantcide. It is also about Jasu, her biological father who knows naught what happened to this daughter (he is under the impression that she died shortly after birth). It also tells Somer's story, Asha's adoptive mother who isn't quite happy with the way her life turned out. She doesn't connect to her husband's heritage and homeland. Krishan, Asha's adoptive father is torn between his love of living the American dream and his memories of his Indian upbringing.
The story is told in year clips, skipping 5 years here and there, so you get glimpses rather than a full unfolding. In the middle of all of this is Asha, wondering about her birth parents. Wanting to be more like her school peers and wanting to know her home culture. I highly recommend this book.

Winner of Michelle Moran's New Book - Madame Tussaud!

2011-02-23T11:25:00.000-08:00

The winner of Michelle Moran's New Book - randomly drawn this morning was:
#21 - Cindi!
Congratulations! Thanks to everyone who entered!

The King's Grace by Anne Easter Smith

2011-02-20T14:02:00.000-08:00

<p>&amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;gt;This</p> This is the second book I've read by Anne Easter Smith. I'm enjoying the era that she writes in. This book centres on Grace Plantaganet, the bastard daughter of Edward of York. It is right after Henry Tudor has come to the throne. Grace is brought to ex-queen Elizabeth's care to live with her and her daughters. The book spans over 10 years and shows how fragile the new Tudor reign was.
I enjoyed this one. It introduced a character that I had never heard about before. In fact the author found only one reference to her in her research. She notes that it gave her a chance to tell the story from a new angle. Because Grace is a non-important historical figure she gets a lot more artistic license with her. The other interesting part of the story centres on the mystery of the Princes in the Tower and what may or may not have happened to them.

Mini Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

2011-02-01T11:43:00.000-08:00

This is the 6th in the line of Shopaholic Books. The first one (Confessions of a Shopaholic) made me laugh out loud. This one had me smile at points but...I guess was hoping Becky would have matured a little. In a way Becky reminds me a bit of the Rachel character on Friends. The difference is is that Rachel grew up and evolved as a character as the show went on. Becky is still the same as she was in the first book.

The reason I laughed out loud with the first book is simple, it was fresh and funny. The idea was new. Now that we are on book 6, it's more of the same. It's fine for an afternoon of light reading. It falls into the category of what a friend of mine once described as a "nice, fluffy book".

Incidentally, Sophie Kinsella has set Becky up quite nicely for a book 7.

Kaffe Fassett's Country Garden Quilts

2011-01-27T14:04:00.000-08:00

I know this is a different selection for me. This past summer I purchased my first sewing machine and have been enjoying my creative side through little projects (see my crafty blog Crafty Kris here). The more interested I have become in sewing, the more I've been reading blogs and sites created by crafters and quilters. Inevitably, I've come to the conclusion that my next project will be my first real quilt (I did make a baby quilt using a quilting kit in the fall, but this will be one of my own creation). I know I need to know more about quilting to make it look good. The name Kaffe Fassett kept coming up over and over again in the fabric circles. He is a textile artist that creates beautiful fabric. This book features quilts inspired by his 2008 collection. The 20 quilts are beautifully photographed in a traditional English garden, complementing each other perfectly. This was a great book for me to pick up and read. Each quilt has a description by the artist that designed it. A number of the quilts were quilted twice in different fabrics. I really liked this. It shows how the same design can change depending on the mood of the fabrics. I don't think I'll attempt any of these at this point, but I like knowing I could. The patterns are well presented with templates at the back of the book and labeled accordingly to difficulty. One day I would like to think that I could create one similar to the Economy Blue Patch Quilt (Liza Prior Lucy, designer), but not yet.

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

2011-01-25T17:22:00.000-08:00

I had great hopes for this book. It was one of those books that "popped" out at me in the book store. It seemed to be highly rated and reviewed so I was glad to read it. It is set during the second world war and focuses on three women, Iris a small town postmistress, Emma a doctor's wife and Frankie a war correspondent. It was not what I was expecting at all. It just kept plodding along and plodding along. There were many parts that I enjoyed and thought were really well done and interesting, but they left me kinda wishing that that was the story, not just part of the story (Will's delivering of Maggie's baby, Frankie's interviewing across Europe...). It's one of those books where there's more going on than you see on the surface, but unfortunately in this book it translates to okay-ness as opposed to greatness. I'd recommend this to some people, but it's not for everyone.

Fall of Giants by Ken Follett

2011-01-21T05:24:00.000-08:00

I got this book from the library and was worried knowing I only had it for 3 weeks and I wouldn't be able to re-new it as it is an in demand book. It's very thick. I shouldn't have worried, it only took me 3 days to read. Probably because I couldn't put it down. I loved it. I think it is a highly readable tale. Don't be intimidated by the size of it and the large cast of characters, it's easy to follow. This is the first of a trilogy that will span the 20th Century. This one is set in the time before, during and slightly after the first world war. I have to admit that it had me brushing up on my knowledge of that war.
One thing I like about Ken Follett's writing is that it is believable. You would think he had actually been in a Welsh Coal Mine a the beginning of the century. He absolutely captures it. In the same way, he also able to capture high society London, lower class St. Petersburg and trench warfare.
He is also the first author whose writing of battle scenes I was able to read properly. Usually, I can't follow them and skim read those parts.
I made the mistake of looking at the Amazon reviews of this book before writing this post (a classic blogger mistake) . I was fully expecting to see a lot of 4-5 star reviews of this one. I was wrong. Amazon has it rated as a 3 star book. There aren't many 3 star ratings though, it's almost equally split between 5 star ratings and 1 star ratings. I think the problem Ken Follett has is that he has already published his masterpiece (Pillars of the Earth). Once you have published a book that good, that is what people will inevitably compare future works to. Pillars of the Earth is brilliant, there's no doubt about it. This book still has brilliant writing in it. It's just a different book. You have to go into it realizing that. It's a completely different era, completely different cast, completely different story. It's still very good. I look forward to the next 2 books in this trilogy.

Guest Post by Michelle Moran, author of the upcoming book: Madame Tussaud!

2011-01-20T14:13:00.000-08:00

I'm very excited to have Michelle Moran guest post for Bookworm Kristen! The following tells of her new book, Madame Tussaud, due out on February 15th. Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a copy of this fabulous new book! You can enter here.

________________________________________________________________________

MADAME TUSSAUD: The Woman

When most people hear the name Madame Tussaud, the first thing that comes to mind are the eerily lifelike waxworks which crowd her museums throughout the world. But who was the woman behind the name, and what was she like in the flesh?

Madame Tussaud’s story actually began in 18^th century Paris. While most people know her from her famous museum in London, it was in France, on the humble Boulevard du Temple, where Marie first got her start as an apprentice in her uncle’s wax museum, the Salon de Cire. At the time, the Boulevard du Temple was crowded with exhibits of every kind. For just a few sous a passerby might attend the opera, watch a puppet show, or visit Henri Charles’ mystifying exhibition The Invisible Girl. The Boulevard was a difficult place to distinguish yourself as an artist, but as Marie’s talent grew for both sculpting and public relations, the Salon de Cire became one of the most popular attractions around. Suddenly, no one could compete with Marie or her uncle for ingenious publicity stunts, and when the royal family supposedly visited their museum, this only solidified what most showmen in Paris already knew — the Salon was an exhibition to watch out for.

But as the Salon’s popularity grew, so did the unusual requests. Noblemen came asking for wax sculptures of their mistresses, women wanted models of their newborn infants, and – most importantly – the king’s sister herself wanted Marie to come to Versailles to be her wax tutor. While this was, in many ways, a dream come true for Marie, it was also a dangerous time to be associated with the royal family. Men like Robespierre, Marat, and Desmoulins were meeting at Marie’s house to discuss the future of the monarchy, and when the Revolution began, Marie found herself in a precarious position. Ultimately, she was given a choice by France’s new leaders: to preserve the famous victims of Madame Guillotine in wax, or be guillotined herself.

Madame Tussaud: A Novel of the French Revolution is the story of Marie’s life during one of the most tumultuous times in human history. Her survival was nothing less than astonishing, and how she survived makes for what I hope is a compelling read.

Visit MichelleMoran.com
Check out Michelle's blog at michellemoran.blogspot.com

Win Michelle Moran's New Book - Madame Tussaud!

2011-01-19T07:05:00.000-08:00

I'm so happy to team up once again with historical author Michelle Moran! Her new book Madame Tussaud debuts in mid-February and I'm happy to host a giveaway for this book. This is Michelle Moran's 4th offering and if it is anything like the first three it will be absolutely delightful to read!

I've found her writing to be both historically accurate and highly readable (a great combination). She has a great sense of story. Madame Tussaud is only familiar to me in terms of the wax museums. I would not have thought to look for the story there, but of course there is one. Here is the product description from Amazon:

The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin.

Smart and ambitious, Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, and even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, yet her greatest dream is to attract the attention of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; their stamp of approval on her work could catapult her and her museum to the fame and riches she desires. After months of anticipation, Marie learns that the royal family is willing to come and see their likenesses. When they finally arrive, the king’s sister is so impressed that she requests Marie’s presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. It is a request Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time away
from her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles.

As Marie gets to know her pupil, Princesse Élisabeth, she also becomes acquainted with the king and queen, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table.

Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution. . . . Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her
friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more important, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows?

Spanning five years, from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.

I'm intrigued! How about you? To win a signed hardcover copy of this book plus a bonus prize of pair of Marie Antoinette cupcake earrings all you need to do is leave a comment below. Couldn't be easier! I will be drawing a name at random on February, 22nd.
*Please leave an email address as a way to get in touch with you, should your name be drawn

A first?

2011-01-18T06:35:00.000-08:00

For the first time in recent memory I am quitting a book part-way through. The book is Furious Love, the story of Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. I really thought I'd enjoy this one. I usually love biographies. Unfortunately, this one is just not well written and edited. It's a jumble. The authors contradict themselves often and repeat information frequently. I would love to read this story if it was written well. There is a good story here. I much preferred Ginger Rogers biography that I read last year. That was a highly readable tale of someone living in the Golden Era of Hollywood. Maybe if one day, Elizabeth Taylor decides to tell her story as an autobiography it will be more readable. For now, I'm putting this one back on the shelves.

Beyond Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

2011-01-16T17:52:00.000-08:00

Honestly, the best book I've read by Karen Kingsbury. Forget the 'coincidence' that seems really unrealistic - this is fiction people, this is just a really good book to read. It sets itself 3 years after 9/11 - revisiting Jamie Bryan who we first met in One Tuesday Morning. A 9/11 widow, she devotes her time between caring for her daughter Sierra and volunteering at St. Paul's chapel, across from Ground Zero. This book really focuses on the healing process of grief. I think it was well written and have no problem recommending it.

Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert

2011-01-08T14:30:00.000-08:00

I know, I'm so late on the draw on this one, but the truth is, I had no interest in reading this whatsoever when it came out. I'm embarrassed to admit it was the movie previews last year that sparked my interest in it. Well, I won't be watching the movie. I should have stayed with my first feeling. At first, I thought, can I really be the only person who doesn't love this book? But I checked and sure enough the Amazon ratings are full of people who didn't love this book, so it's not just me.
Here's my take on it. I think of it like moving to Toronto was for me. Not something I ever thought I'd do. There are aspects of it that are enjoyable, but for the most part I prefer something else.
The book is divided into 3 parts. I wish her actual descriptions of life in Italy had started much sooner, because when she got into it, I enjoyed it. I could relate. It inspired me to think, I'd really like to go to Italy. She wrote interesting descriptions of the different cities, and the food! I particularly enjoyed her description of the beauty of Roman men and the attitude of Rome among other cities. If the whole of the book had been like this, she would have had me.
Unfortunately, it wasn't.
I found the second part when she was in India offensive to most religions. I think if you are going to write about religion then at least have some sort of understanding of them. Her theology is so self-centered it's irritating.
The third part about her life in Indonesia was mildly entertaining, but the ending was so opposite of her intent that it was laughable.
Overall I found so much of the book to be self-indulgent and self-serving. It was almost as if she is looking for validation in her selfishness. I don't get it. I know people who get it and love it, but I think there are so many better books out there that write about a year or a time of travel that I wouldn't recommend anyone waste their time on this one.

Minding Frankie by Maeve Binchy

2011-01-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

Here was one of my Christmas treats this year, courtesy of my brother. What better way to ring in the New Year than curling up on the couch with a new offering from Maeve Binchy. Sitting down with a Maeve Binchy book is like catching up with an old friend, full of gossip. Once I realised that this story was set on St. Jarlath's Crescent, it was like old home week. Most of the cast of characters have been seen in previous books, so you feel like you know them already. I particularly like reading about Maud and Simon, the twins, who we first met as children but are now full grown adults.
The story kind of meanders around baby Frankie, and who will care for her best. It deviates from this plot with little asides as you learn more about what is going on in this part of Dublin. An enjoyable read for those who have read her books in the past and are hungry for more.

Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers

2010-12-28T19:46:00.000-08:00

I couldn't wait to read this one. I read part one (Her Mother's Hope) this past summer and was waiting for an opportunity to purchase this one. I'm so glad I did. Francine Rivers is my favorite author. I love the way she writes, I love the way she tells the story, the way she puts you in the moment, the way she makes the characters so believable. This series is a bit different for her as it is a saga. The two books span 4 generations of women. As time goes on you can see how the sins of the father repeat on the next generations. Each woman does the best that she can with what she knows, but doesn't see how their actions harm the generation down. They each hope for better than they had. This book takes you further down, but then begins to find a place in healing. I wouldn't want you to read this book on its own. It is well worth it to start with the first one and read the two books one after the other. When it all comes together it makes sense.
I understand from the author's notes that this book was inspired by her own family history. It's not completely autobiographical, but there was an unresolved rift between her mother and grandmother that had her thinking. I think all families have secrets, past hurts that can haunt them. The characters in this series are completely believable. Being the audience you have the privilege of knowing everything, which gives you great insight and has you rooting for openness and resolution. Well worth reading.

One Tuesday Morning by Karen Kingsbury

2010-12-28T18:30:00.000-08:00

I was not expecting to read a book based on the events of September 11th at Christmastime. I had requested this book from the library way back in September, but it took this long for a copy of it to come through. So no, I didn't read it over Christmas, I waited a few days. I think Kingsbury did a good job on it. It was difficult to read, because the scenes she describes still feel like yesterday even though it's 9 years later. It's vivid, and it brings back your own memories of that day. I will look for Beyond Tuesday Morning, the sequel in the new year. I'm curious to see how she handles the healing process for these characters.

Fly Away Home by Jennifer Weiner

2010-12-28T18:16:00.000-08:00

Jennifer Weiner is one of those authors that I know I like before I even pick up a new book by her. That being said, I had no idea what this book was about when I got it. I didn't read the jacket cover, I just opened up the book. I have to say it was different than I was expecting by an author I like so much. It just felt a little off. I still enjoyed the book. It certainly is a timely topic. The premise focuses on Sylvie, a senator's wife and what scandal is like for those in the public eye. If you are new to Jennifer Weiner's writing, I wouldn't recommend you read this one first. She has so many better novels and stories out there to read.

A Rose for the Crown by Anne Easter Smith

2010-12-18T12:06:00.000-08:00

Unintentionally, I've found myself reading a number of books set in the time of the War of the Roses in England. It was a time period that I knew nothing about and if I'm honest found quite confusing with all of it's Richards, Johns, Edwards, Henrys, Margarets, Annes and Janes. I'm pretty sure I've got it figured out now.
This book was a neat journey in the 'what if' aspect of history. Richard of Glouster is known to have sired 2 illegitmate children, Katherine and John (and likely one more). No one knows who the mother of these children were, it was a well kept secret. Anne Easter Smith in her own research found note of a Katherine Haute who received a regular stipend from the Richard's household. She figures that this woman could have been the mother of his children. It is from there that this story is inspired.
I have to commend Easter Smith on a well written tale. She transitions from common language of the country people, to the more formal language of the courts quite fluently. It is a believable story and quite an enjoyable read. I look forward to reading more of her books and will look for them. This one was published in 2006 and I know there are 2 more she's written set in the same time period since.

Last Night at Chateau Marmont by Lauren Weisberger

2010-12-06T18:46:00.000-08:00

I've enjoyed Weisberger's novels in the past. She generally writes good chick lit. This one I found didn't live up to standard. It was a good premise for a story. Unfortunately, it was so jumpy and disjointed that it didn't play out as well as it could have. The premise of the story is this. Brooke is a nutritionist living in New York who has been supporting her husband, Julian, a musician. Julian becomes 'discovered' which throws their life into a whirlwind of stress and strain, pulling their marriage slowly apart. I wish it had been told better, it was entertaining at times.

Mistress of the Sun by Sandra Gulland

2010-11-30T08:13:00.000-08:00

I love good historical fiction. The kind where the author spends a lot of time in research to really bring the reader into the time period. Sandra Gulland is that kind of an author. I read her Josephine B. trilogy (based on the life of Josephine Bonaparte) a few years back and loved it. This newer selection, Mistress of the Sun, is based on the life of Louise de La Vallière who became the mistress of King Louis XIV of France (known as the Sun King). Gulland has the ability to write in such a way that you feel like you know exactly what life in 17th Century France would be like. She is detailed enough to be accurate, but not in such a way that it becomes tedious and boring. The story itself is interesting as Louise (better known as Petite) is a most unlikely mistress. She is born of low nobility, interested in more masculine pursuits (such as horses, dogs and hunting) and walks with a limp. She is an innocent, having been raised partially in a convent, and knows not very much of how the intregues of court life works. I commend Gulland on her research right up to the letter to readers at the end, explaining all the characters she left out that would have been relavant, but also would bog up the story with too many people. Great read.

Day After Night by Anita Diamant

2010-11-23T07:21:00.000-08:00

Anita Diamant doesn't write many novels. But when she does, they are very, very good. This one was no exception. It is the highly readable tale of 4 women, Jewish survivors of WWII. They have immigrated to the promised land in Palastine, only to discover a new kind of prison. They are being held at Atlit, a British prison for illegal immigrants. This is based on a real, historical story. It doesn't sound like a pleasant book to pick up (who wants to read about prisoners and the atrocities of war-time?) but it is much better than that. Trust me, this is worth reading. Fantastic!

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

2010-11-21T08:08:00.000-08:00

I had a rare opportunity to look through the shelves of Chapters last week, uninterrupted. If you have small children yourself you will know what a treat this is. I jotted down many titles that looked interesting to me and then filled a long request order through the library system. Meg Cabot's newest offering was the first to come in. This was a book picked on author merit, I have to admit, I didn't read the jacket beforehand. Once I started in, I just wanted to sigh and say, "Oh Meg, Vampires, really?" Is everyone jumping in on the vampire bandwagon? The funny thing is is that the main character in this book, Meena, thinks so too. So there is a little facetiousness going on here. Meena is a writer at a soap opera who can't believe that the powers that be want to start vampire story lines. It's the last thing in the world she has interest in writing about. Of course you know there's going to be more to this vampire thing than just that. And there is.
If you are on the vampire bandwagon, by all means read this one. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I thought it was okay. There are other books by Cabot that are so much better (Heather Wells series, Boy series...) and much more worth your time. But it wasn't a waste of time either. It was enjoyable in a, 'please don't take any of this seriously' kind of way.

The Builders by Maeve Binchy

2010-11-21T07:54:00.000-08:00

I was surprised and delighted to discover this little novella. I thought I had read all of Maeve Binchy's stories, and now here was one more. This little story was published as part of a series featuring Irish writers a few years back. It's has the characteristic charm of other short stories I've read by Maeve Binchy. Being a short story, it is a fairly quick read, but it's amazing how much can be found in so few pages. This is the story of Nan, a lady in her sixties with grown children who develops a friendship with Gerry, the builder working on the house next door. It's really so much more than that because if you know Ms. Binchy's style at all you know that what is on the surface is just the beginning.

Unlocked by Karen Kingsbury

2010-11-06T20:08:00.000-07:00

Unlocked is Karen Kingsbury's offering to shed light on the world of autism. The story centers on Holden Harris, a non-verbal autistic teenager. He becomes reunited with his childhood friend Ella. Ella is now a pretty, popular teenager. She does not remember Holden as her mother stopped their friendship once Holden slipped into autism. She does become interested in who he is now, especially once learning how close they were as small children. Ella is also musical. She is the lead in the school musical, which is how she and Holden become re-aquainted. He loves music, it's what he hears in his head all day long.
I loved that Kingsbury uses music as an integral part of her story. I've taught classroom music for several years. Reading this reminded me of a brother and sister I taught, both autistic, both captivated by music. For the sister, music class was the only part of her day where you wouldn't neccesarily be able to pick her out as being 'different' from her peers. For the brother, he was fixated on the piano. We let him use by piano outside of my teaching time. I was fortunate to hear him one day. This child who had no musical background (save class with me) was naturally composing and using arpeggios. It was from teaching these two that helped convince me that music therapy can be such an amazing tool for autistic people.
That being said, I did have a few beefs with this book. The first was Kingsbury's use of inferring that vaccines were the cause of Holden's autism. While that has certainly been a popular theory, it is also a well researched one. The medical field have disproved vaccines as a cause for autism. As more and more parents are opting out of vaccinating their children out of fear, more and more harmful diseases that were once considered rare are now popping up again. I do think that it was irresponsible of Kingsbury to perpetuate this theory further. I would love to read a book just once where the vaccine theory is not used as a possible cause of the character's autism.
My other beef was just how 'good' Ella is. Considering the family background that Kingsbury has given her and the peer situations around her, Ella is remarkably well-adjusted. I think this is an unrealistic portrayal of a teenage girl. It just seems too good. I find that a lot with Kingsbury's writing. The easy answer. The naturally good. I find her books are highly readable, but quick reads, with not as much meat on them as there could be. I'd love to see something a little deeper than this.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

2010-11-03T08:54:00.000-07:00

"Don't judge this book by the cover" is what my friend Krista said to me when she lent me her copy of this book about 10 years ago. The old cover was very Romance Novel looking. The new cover is much better I think. This is one of my favorite books. I had been missing my copy of it for quite some time (and still don't know who I lent it to). I found a copy in my church library and just thrilled at it once again. It is inspired by the story of Hosea and Gomer in the Old Testament. For those who don't know, the prophet Hosea was told by God to marry Gomer, a prostitute. She kept running away from him and betraying him, but each time he brought her home and continued to love her.
Francine Rivers sets this story in California during the gold rush of the 1850's. Michael Hosea is a farmer who falls in love with Angel, a prostitute who would have nothing to do with him if she could. This is a story that also shows the incredible love that God has for us. It is extremely well written and I just love it. Fantastic. *if any one of you has my copy of this, I'd love to have it back

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich

2010-10-14T10:31:00.000-07:00

I love the Stephanie Plum series. I read through the series in the spring/summer of 2008. Since then, I've been reading them as they have been published. They are sassy, crass and a lot of fun. For those unfamiliar with Stephanie Plum, she is a Jersey girl bounty hunter working for her cousin Vinnie's bail bond business. Each Plum book features a colorful cast of characters, some mayhem, usually a blown up car or building (or both) and 2 too good to be true love interest men. In this offering Vinnie has been kidnapped but due to some illegalities and past and present behaviour the only people who can rescue Vinnie is Stephanie, her sidekick Lula and her co-worker Connie. This book was pure Plum, a fun ride and enjoyable read. Loved it for an evening of entertainment.

The Red Queen by Philippa Gregory

2010-10-14T10:26:00.000-07:00

I was asked if I would read the Red Queen after being somewhat iffy in my opinion of The White Queen (the first in the Cousin's War series). I did get it. I did read it. And I did like it a whole lot better than the first book. This book features Margaret Beaufort, Mother of Henry VII (grandmother of Henry VIII). She is a fantastic character and I believe that Gregory wrote her very well. She is who she is. A devout Catholic. A devout Lancaster. A devout mother. She's ambitious for her son, cunning, and very smart. I really enjoyed this one.

The Brightest Star in the Sky by Marian Keyes

2010-09-23T16:19:00.000-07:00

What I love about Marian Keyes is this: you never know the whole story until close to the end and she can write! Once again I was engrossed in a book that kept me wondering what was going on, how are these pieces all tied together? But in a really good way. This book centres on the occupants of the 4 apartments at 66 Star Street in Dublin. They seem completely different, but their stories start to intertwine and unravel. Also along for the ride is a mysterious narrator that is watching what is going on. I really had no idea who this narrator was and was totally surprised at the end. A very enjoyable read!

Like Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury

2010-09-23T16:12:00.000-07:00

I can break this post down in 3 parts.
1. Why I picked this book up: I've been reading a bit of Karen Kingsbury this year and I read that this one was made into a movie that was released this fall.
2. Why I almost stopped reading it: It seemed very 'meh' to get going. Although I enjoy her writing for a quick read, I am not enjoying the steriotypes that some of her work has. I don't think life is as black and white as that. I don't like how the 'good guys' are always wealthy (monitarily) and the 'bad guys' are poor. That's not realistic to me. It also isn't a good standard to put out there. Money does not make you happy. Not having money does not mean that you are using drugs, in jail, abused, abusive, rude, crass etc.
3. Why I soldiered on. I wanted to know where she was going with it and if it would get better. Well, it just got really unrealistically dramatic. That's about it.
Oh yeah and the storyline. Couple adopts boy as an infant. Biological father is released from prison and then finds out the child exists. Biological father wants child and judge decides in favor of that happening. Adoptive parents desperate to keep child contemplate drastic measures.

Heart of the Matter by Emily Giffin

2010-09-09T19:05:00.000-07:00

This book was not at all what I was expecting. I was expecting something a little bit lighter, but I guess I should have read the book flap a little more carefully. This story centres on 2 women, Tessa and Valerie. They don't know each other, but you find out that they are connected as their stories intertwine. Giffin uses the technique of switching perspectives each chapter. One thing I found interesting is that all of Tessa's chapters were written in the first person, and all of Valeries in the 3rd person. I did find myself pulled into this story. I really like Giffin's writing. Although it was heavier than I anticipated, it was still a good read. It reminded me a bit of something Marian Keyes would write (which is a compliment, I love Marian Keyes).

The White Queen by Philippa Gregory

2010-09-08T07:01:00.000-07:00

I always expect to like Philippa Gregory's writing more than I do. I love historical fiction. I love well-researched authors. She should fit the bill. There are part of her books I really like. Her characters can be very interesting. She can tell a story. I think she can get bogged down in trying to tell the history (or her version of the history) that some of the elements of good storytelling gets lost. I enjoyed the first half of this book so much more than the last. The first half was interesting. The first half didn't stretch across so many years. The second half had a lot of finishing to do.
This is the story of Elizabeth Woodville, wife of King Edward IV and Queen of England for a time. She is a character in the era known as the War of the Roses, the battle between the Lancasters and Yorks for the crown of England. She is also mother to the Princes in the Tower, the princes whose fate still remains unknown to this day.
Because the history that Gregory writes about takes place so long ago there were a lot of gaps to fill in. Some of her story is based on historical account, other parts are pure fiction and supposition.
She also weaves Elizabeth's story with the legend of Melusina, a half woman/half fish character who Elizabeth considers to be her ancestor.
It's an interesting read at times and enjoyable at times, I just felt my attention drift away a bit at the end.

Been Blogging

2010-09-02T19:28:00.001-07:00

Ladies and Gentlemen, I'd like to introduce my newest blog: Crafty Kris. Please take a moment or two to check it out. It's where I'm being creative when I'm not chasing my kids, or in the kitchen, or reading...

The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner by Stephenie Meyer

2010-08-31T19:39:00.000-07:00

If you are a Twilight fan you've already read this book and probably love it and wish that Stephenie Meyer would just keep writing more stories based in her vampire world and then life would be perfect for you. I'm not one of those fanaticals so although I've long since read the Twilight series, I didn't pick up this book the moment it was released. In fact it didn't really cross my mind until a couple of weeks ago when I overheard a few of the moms in a playgroup I take my kids to chatting about it.
So here's my take. Stephenie Meyer is a good storyteller. When you read her books you feel like you are there. She is good at what she does which is why she has been so successful. This little novella takes a character who has a very small place inside the book Eclipse and give us a glimpse into her life. It tells what life as a newborn vampire would be like. If you've read Eclipse you already know the ending to the story. You do however get to have a little smile as you meet up with Carlisle and Esme near the end of the story, remembering characters that you already like. This was a good, easy read (yes, I read it in one sitting). I'm not a big vampire fan so it was a book that I could give or take. I think those who are into vampires and Twilight will love it (and probably already do).

The Above the Line Series by Karen Kingsbury

2010-08-29T19:15:00.000-07:00

I am a recent reader of Karen Kingsbury's work, having discovered her only this past year. I like that her books are a quick read for me. I pretty much flew through these 4 books which is why I'm grouping them together. The Above the Line series begins with the story of Keith and Chase. Two ex-overseas missionaries with a vision to create really well done, inspiring films. I have to admit that there was a big part of me that wished this to be true, that there are such visionaries out there who want to make quality films without foul language or gratuitous sex scenes, just good films that appeal to a wide audience.
As Keith and Chase begin filming their first movie, Kingsbury opens up a whole range of characters to us. She begins with Keith and Chase's families and continues on to families working on the film and families in and around the area of the film. In this manner she brings back the much loved Baxter family of her earlier novels and the Flanigans.
As the series continued, the stories became less about Keith and Chase and more about the Falnigans, Bailey in particular. Though Keith played prominently in all 4 books, Chase faded out of most of the last two. I would have like to have seen more of Chase's story and his wife Kelly's struggle with mindless eating and weight difficulties. I thought that there was a good, relatable story there that Kingsbury kind of took the easy way out of in wrapping up. I also would like to have seen more of Ben and Kendall's stories (a father/daughter team that got involved with Keith and Chase's production company), but they too left the stories after the first two books.
I think Kingsbury has a great vision but sometimes that range is too wide. There is too much going on so you lose some characters in the process. I also think that telling too many stories mean that you do get some easy endings.

*Warning - book spoilers below this point*

Here's what I found frustrating: Brandon's quick conversion. This would have been a good book all on it's own, telling Brandon's story. The fact that we didn't get to see much of him makes his conversion much too easy.
-Bailey and Tim's drawn out relationship - just break up already!
-Bailey and Cody's forever getting together/not getting together story line, stop dragging us along here!
-That Andi came back to her faith pretty quick. Again, I think this comes from trying to tell too much. A book just about Andi would have been great.
-That there was a lot left hanging at the end of the 4th book.

This series is not a complete story in and of itself. It could be called The Baxter's part 4, or at the very least Bloomington, Indiana part 4. I know from reading Karen Kingsbury's website that there will be a Bloomington, part 5 which will be Bailey's stories. And great, I'm looking forward to them. I enjoy Kingsbury's books for the sheer fact that they inspire me a bit in my own faith. I like revisiting old characters, they are a little like old friends. As far as Christian writers go, she's alright. She is light though. She does touch on some very relevant issues facing Christians today, which is great. And she is current (sometimes too much so as I think her books will become dated pretty quick). You pretty much know what you are going to get with Kingsbury's books if you've read a couple of them. A pretty decent Christian book. It will be heartwarming and enjoyable along the way.

House Rules by Jodi Picoult

2010-08-23T04:42:00.000-07:00

Say what you will about Jodi Picoult, she always does manage to find a current 'hot topic' and incorporate it into her books. This book focused on Aspergers syndrome, a high functioning type of autism. I really looked forward to reading this book as Aspergers is a topic that has interested me for some time. I have taught several children with Aspergers and have made it part of my continuing education as a teacher to learn about and try to understand how best to teach these kids. This is the story of Jacob. He is an 18 year old high school student with Aspergers. He is extremely interested in and focused on forensics. He then becomes a person of interest in a local murder case. The very traits of Aspergers, inability to look someone in the eye, taking things literally, stimming...make him look guilty. I have to admit that I was captivated by this novel. I really didn't know until the very end of the book the whole truth of the story (which isn't always the case in books). I would be very interested in what the Austism and Aspergers community think about this book. Personally, I found Jacob to be less an Aspie and more autistic.

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran

2010-08-23T04:35:00.000-07:00

So I've read Michelle Moran's books backwards. It didn't really matter. All the books were set in Ancient Egypt, but they weren't a series where you had to know what happened in one book to understand the next. This was Michelle Moran's first novel, based on the life of the Egyptian queen of the same name. It was again a very enjoyable, interesting book. I really enjoy her writing and look forward to her next offering, coming next year.

Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers

2010-08-10T06:08:00.000-07:00

Francine Rivers has been one of my favorite authors for a number of years now. I love how she has used her gift of writing to glorify Christ and His work in her life. I often find Christian fiction to be weak in writing and don't like a lot of it. She is one of the exceptions. She is a fantastic writer and would be successful even if she didn't write Christian fiction.
Her Mother's Hope is a bit of a departure for Rivers. It is part one of a saga and a very personal book. It came about as Rivers was looking into her own family history, trying to figure out what caused a rift between her own mother and grandmother. A number of the events in this book are related to her grandmother and mother, but it is not a biography of those women. They inspired the book, but the book is not necessarily their story.
That being said I became so engrossed in reading these women's lives. They are very different women. The first, Marta, we meet as a young Swiss girl determined to escape life under her father's abusive thumb. The journey begins at the beginning of the 20th Century. The second woman is Marta's daughter Hildemare, born after the second world war. She is a much quieter soul from Marta, determined to serve others. My description hardly gives credit to the fabulous stories inside this book. I very much look forward to Her Daughter's Dream, the second book in this saga that will tell the story of the next 2 generations in this family.

The Heretic Queen by Michelle Moran

2010-08-01T16:15:00.000-07:00

After reading Cleopatra's Daughter last year I fully intended on reading more of Michelle Moran's books, but I never did. This past week my husband was ordering some things on Amazon. He came up to me and said, do you want to pick out a book so we can get the free shipping? Um, yeah! So I finally got another Michelle Moran tale. I loved it. I absolutely love authors who can take a time in history and make it alive. When you read this book you get a sense of what life in Egypt would have been like.
This story is based on real life Queen Nefertari. Nefertari is one of the more well known queens of Ancient Egypt. Michelle Moran acknowledges that this book is a work of fiction, based on what could have been her life. She take an author's licence in tying together people and events. Some of the characters are based on real people, others are complete fiction.
I found the story to be very interesting and want to read Moran's first novel, Nerfertiti.

The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim

2010-07-17T18:51:00.000-07:00

This was one of those books that looked interesting to me in the store, but I wasn't sure. I thought maybe it might be a little dry, and really, I don't know much about Korea (where the story is set), so would I get it? I'm so glad I picked this book up! It is simply one of the best reads I've ever read. It's hard to believe that someone's debut novel would be this beautiful. I started recommending it out before I finished it (and I rarely do that). As I said, the story takes place in Korea in the first part of the 1900's and spans 30 years. Kim beautiful weaves the story of Najin and the history of Korea at this time. Gorgeous!

Catching up with Books

2010-07-11T20:13:00.000-07:00

Now that my infant daughter has grown up to a point where I feel I can read again, I'm beginning to make up for lost time. I found myself with about $150 worth of reading material in my hands a few weeks back but refrained myself from actually buying the books. I knew I wouldn't be able to justify the expense. I did jot down the titles and authors on my iphone and made a library visit requesting them all. I did purchase one of these books, and borrowed another from my mother. The rest were library loaners.

First, A Change in Altitude by Anita Shreve.
It's hit or miss I find with Anita Shreve. She's written one the best books I've ever read (Testimony) and then a few of the most boring books I've ever read. This one I liked, once I got into it. The premise is a newly married couple living in Africa during the 70's. They find there a many hidden tensions in the land (and in their marriage). I don't want to say much more than that as I fear giving away too much plot. If you like Shreve's style then this one is worth reading, just give it a few chapters first.

Next up was The Celebrity Mother by Deborah Wright

It appealed to me as a possible quick read and look at the trend of celebrities who adopt foreign children. Karina West (the lead character) was once a leading British Pop singer who is searching for a way back into the spotlight. The young lady chosen to become her daughter is an Indian orphan named Devika. I actually quite enjoyed this book. It was written much better than I expected. If you are looking for a good beach or bubble bath read, I suggest picking this one up. Sorry no link to Amazon.com for this book, it is available through Amazon.ca.

And onto Old School Ties by Kate Harrison
This book has recently been republished as Harrison has had some success with later books she's written. She did add a note at the end of the book saying how much she enjoyed revisiting the character. It also explains why a seeming new book seems to be so dated. This was one of those books that I marginally enjoyed, but I didn't want to leave it either. At first I really just didn't like the main character, but I stayed in it to find out what all the secrets in the story were. The premise is set on Tracey Mortimer, a woman whose glory days of high school popularity still shine over her unfulfilled life. She has the opportunity to be the main subject of her high school reunion in a reality TV spotlight.

Then onto the Mistress of Rome by Kate Quinn

OK, I knew I would like this one before I even opened the cover. It's endorsed by one of my favorite authors, Margaret George, as authentically bringing ancient Rome to life...and I agree. Rome definitely comes alive as Quinn tells the story of Thea, a slave girl who survives much and achieves much. Through Thea's story you also find the story of Julia, the mad niece of the Emperor; the Barbarian, a gladiator and many others who are so realistically brought to life. Definitely worth reading.

Finally, there's Baby Laughs by Jenny McCarthy
Say what you will about Jenny McCarthy, the girl can write and she is funny. I read her Belly Laughs during my last pregnancy and thoroughly enjoyed it. This one added to the collection. Jenny writes each chapter essay style, so it's really easy to pick up and down (something important when you have a little one demanding your attention). She's also very real. I don't think I would enjoy a celebrity book that focused on being a celebrity mom, she focuses on being a real mom. One of my favorite quotes is when she declares that having a $150 stroller is good enough for the average mom, it's good enough for her.

So what's next? Well, I'm currently enjoying The Calligrapher's Daughter by Eugenia Kim. I'm also waiting for a few more reads to come in at the library (they are newer and currently popular so I'm suspecting they may be a while yet)

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

2010-05-24T19:30:00.000-07:00

I know, yet another book recommended to me a while ago that I didn't pick up, but once I did I loved it and am now telling everyone else that they need to read this book. (Why don't I listen to my friends). This is also the only book I've read in completion that isn't a cookbook (more on that to come) since having my daughter in January.
For those of you who haven't heard about this book yet (there is a sequel out, which tells you how behind I am), this is a true story. It is the story of Greg Mortenson, a mountain climber who accidentally got into the business of building schools. The schools he builds are in hard to reach places, particularly to educate girls. I don't think I can adequately describe the journey that he takes. It is absolutely fascinating reading. There is also a junior version of the book, which a good friend of mine gave to some students of hers to read. From reading that book, they decided to start fund-raising in their school for Pennies for Peace, assisting other children in the world to be able to attend school. It's that kind of impact that this book has. If nothing else, it helps us in the west open our eyes to the people of the Middle East, not the terrorist news stories we hear every day, but the every day stories of the people who live there. It's a wonderful read, well worth it!

Jamie's Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver

2010-04-11T17:33:00.000-07:00

I don't think I've reviewed a cookbook on this blog before. This kinda surprises me because I really love reading cookbooks. Some people will totally get this and others will think this to be very strange. You see I love to cook. I also blog at my own cooking blog and visit a lot of cooking blogs too.
I'd been hearing a lot about Jamie Oliver's new book, but really hadn't followed what he was doing. It just continued to be that I was hearing more and more about this particular cookbook that I checked it out and bought it for myself. I'm so glad I did.
The mission of the book is simple, get people cooking. He writes very easy to follow recipes with step by step pictures. I've cooked 3 of these since buying the book last week - they are delicious (head on over to my cooking blog Whatcha Eatin' to find the recipe reviews - 2 of the 3 are posted). I completely recommend this book to beginner cooks (and forwarded it to a good friend who wants to learn to cook) as well as cooks like me who are looking to get re-energized in the kitchen. Well done Jamie!

Giveaway Alert!

2010-04-06T17:41:00.000-07:00

My friend Jill and I are hosting a giveaway on our parenting blog site Clever Mamas. Pop on over and take a look here!

I'm officially withdrawing - this year

2010-03-20T17:52:00.000-07:00

I really don't know what I was thinking. At the beginning of this year I was all about what challenges would I attempt this year. I was pregnant at the time. 3 months later the reality of life with a baby plus two other children sets in...I want to read, really I do, but I've been working on the same book for over 2 weeks now and not getting very far. There is no way I'm headed to 100+ books this year and I don't want to stress about it. So I'm out. I will read what I can, when I can this year and worry about challenges in 2011.

World Without End by Ken Follett

2010-02-18T07:15:00.000-08:00

Here it is, the long anticipated sequel to Pillars of the Earth. Of course it's more dramatic if you read the first one when it was published 20 years ago instead of reading them back to back. First about the sequel context. We are in the same town, but we are 200 years later. All the characters are new, but some are descendants of characters in the first novel. Because this was promoted as the sequel to Pillars of the Earth, I can't help but compare the two. I liked Pillars of the Earth much better. Both books are well written, but the story behind the story in the first book kept me hooked. This one was more depressing. I'm still glad I read it and I think it's worth reading, just if you had to pick one over the other go with the first.

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett

2010-02-11T07:00:00.000-08:00

This could just as well be titled, "Why I owe Ken Follett a huge apology". I bought this book last summer. My mom loved it and thought I would too, so I bought it out of respect for her. Then it sat on my shelf. It looked big and boring to me. I like to read books I'm interested in, not books just because Oprah thinks they are good. I mean how could a book that focuses on building a Cathedral be? Okay, I was wrong. It was good, very, very good. I ate this book up. I know, a thousand page book and I flew through it in just a few days. Yes, there is the cathedral building element, but there is so much more to this book as well. If you are like me and are one of the few people left who haven't read this book, put it off no longer my friend, this is one worth reading.

Update

2010-01-31T12:29:00.000-08:00

You'll have to excuse my lack of posts this month. Our baby daughter decided to surprise us with an early (5 week) arrival. I have done some reading in the trips back and forth to the hospital and am updating my 2010 log today.

The Prophet by Francine Rivers

2010-01-14T10:05:00.000-08:00

This is the 4th in the Sons of Encouragement series and my favorite so far. This is a beautifully written telling of the story of the prophet Amos. Amos is a minor prophet in the Old Testament. I have read the book of Amos, but it has been years since I had done it and is not a book of the Bible that I have lots of knowledge about.
From the beginning I loved the way Rivers presented Amos to us. He's a beautiful, caring individual who longs to be with the Lord. I never lost my interest in this story and wished I had the time to just read it from cover to cover. I highly reccommend this one.

Every Now and Then by Karen Kingsbury

2010-01-14T09:53:00.000-08:00

Once again I have succeeded in choosing a book from a series without knowing it. It happens that this is the 3rd in Karen Kingsbury's 9-11 series. Well it turns out that if I had to choose an out of context book this would be a good one to choose. It is a separate story from the 1st two in the series. Though it has some of the same characters from the first 2 series, it focuses on a completely new character, a young man who shut down emotionally after losing his firefighter father in the 9-11 disaster. He turns his focus to his work as a K-9 police officer, battling crime in LA.
I did enjoy this book quite a bit and would like to find the first 2 in the series.

Ocean's Apart by Karen Kingsbury

2010-01-14T09:43:00.000-08:00

I've been on a Karen Kingsbury kick lately. I just discovered her writing in December and am quickly moving my way through her books. I picked up Ocean's Apart last week. The premise of the story centres on Connor, a happily married airline pilot who discovers that he has a son that he never knew about. Connor had one short affair 8 years before and had never heard from the woman again. That woman has just recently died in an airplane crash and has mentioned Connor in her will. How this news impacts both Connor, his wife and family are the issues that are explored in the story.
I had a hard time reading through a bit of this story because I kept thinking, what if this was me that died and left behind my small children. I know I can get emotionally involved in stories like this. I didn't have as much empathy for Connor and his wife as I did Max, the boy who lost his mother. One thing I really enjoyed about this story was some of the imagery that was used. Kingsbury used the image of a caterpillar/butterfly as a symbol for second chances in life. It is something that has stuck with me.

Books I read and didn't review

2010-01-12T07:25:00.000-08:00

As 2009 came to an end, my life became incredibly busy and blogging had to take a backseat. I did get some great titles in, but just didn't have the time to write about them. Here are the books that rounded off my year and a mini blurb about each.

The Prince by Francine Rivers - the 3rd in the Sons of Encouragement series and my favorite so far. This tells the story of Jonathan, son of King Saul and best friend to David. I'm not big on reading battle scenes, but I did love the story of his life.

Redemption by Karen Kingsbury
Remember by Karen Kingsbury
Return by Karen Kingsbury
Rejoice by Karen Kingsbury
Reunion by Karen Kingsbury

I'll lump these 5 together as they are a series. After reading the Firstborn series by Karen Kingsbury, I realised that I was reading a second series on the same family, so I went and found the first series. I very much enjoyed these books and am glad to have found Karen Kingsbury as an author. Her books are real and touching, but also very easy to get through (just what I needed at a busy time)

Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury
Summer by Karen Kingsury

So these 2 are part of the 3rd series based on the same family that I've been reading about from Karen Kingsbury. I haven't found the last two books, but am searching so I can round things out.

It's Monday

2010-01-11T12:56:00.000-08:00

Today I'm reading "The Prophet" by Francine Rivers. It's the 4th in the Sons of Encouragement series and so far I'm loving it. It's beautifully written based on the story of Amos in the Old Testament.

2010 Support Your Local Library Challenge

2010-01-10T17:51:00.000-08:00

One more that is so very me. Most of the books I read come from my local library. This challenge is hosted by J. Kaye. The details and how to sign up are here. Happy reading to all those participating!
1. Ocean's Apart by Karen Kingsbury
2. Every Now and Then by Karen Kingsbury
3. Someday by Karen Kingsbury
4. Sunset by Karen Kingsbury

Historical Fiction Challenge 2010

2010-01-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

I've decided to sign up for a few challenges this year (as long as they don't conflict with each other and keep in line with my own personal reading style). This one seems right up my alley. It's the historical fiction challenge from theroyalreviews.blogspot.com. I'm curious as to how many historical fiction books I will read this year. My first instinct is to sign up for the obsessed level of 20 - but I don't want to turn this into being about the numbers. More than likely I'll end up with the addicted level of 12 which is probably more reasonable for me :o) Happy Reading to all other participants!
1. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
2. World Without End by Ken Follett

2010 100+ Reading Challenge

2010-01-10T17:30:00.001-08:00

So I want to see if I really can do it. I came so close in 2009 to reach 100 books (97) that I want to get there in 2010. The 2010 100+ Reading Challenge is hosted by J. Kaye. The information can be found here. Happy Reading to all who participate :o)

1. Oceans Apart by Karen Kingsbury
2. Every Now and Then by Karen Kingsbury
3. The Prophet by Francine Rivers
4. The Scribe by Francine Rivers
5. Ginger, my story by Ginger Rogers
6. Someday by Karen Kingsbury
7. Sunset by Karen Kingsbury
8. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
9. World Without End by Ken Follett

So Close

2010-01-10T17:11:00.001-08:00

Well folks its time to play book blog catch up. I haven't posted in about a month and that pretty much tells you what kind of a month I've had. Aside from the chaos that is known as the pre-Christmas season, then into Christmas. Our family has moved a couple of provinces over to a much, much larger city than I'm used to. To top it all off I'm very, very pregnant right now (due next month). I know people would be surprised that I've even found time to read, but when you love something you make time for it. In fact one of the first things I did once we got here was to find the closest library and get library cards for myself and my kids (hubby will have to go get his own). I feel much more at home when I know the library. Some people like the familiarity of Walmart, me, it's the library.
I tried, I really did try to complete the 100 book challenge for 2009 and I came close. 97/100 completed. I'm still happy with it because it was the first time I logged how many books I'd read in a year. I also stayed true to my wanting to read books that I really wanted to read, as opposed to books that I knew were easy to read for the sake of ticking another number off the list.
Now that I'm getting settled in my new home it's time to check out new reading challenges for 2010. I'll keep you updated with what I find out. Cheers and happy reading!

My 2009 Book Log: http://bookwormkristen.blogspot.com/2009/04/100-book-challenge-2009.html

*Edit* I just realised that I did read over 100 books this year if I counted children's fiction. I chose not to as I have 2 kids and am a teacher so I read a lot of children's books in a year. It would be fun to keep 2 lists and see how many of each I do in fact read in a year (though my kids books repeat a lot)

Firstborn Series by Karen Kingsbury

2009-12-09T05:47:00.000-08:00

I knew once I'd started this series that I would have to write all the books up together. Though set across 5 books, this is really one arching story. This series was also my introduction to Karen Kingsbury. She is a best-selling Christian author, and I am a Christian, but generally I don't like to read Christian fiction. A lot of it I find to be poorly written. I'd rather read a book well written, than a Christian book simply because it is a Christian book. That being said, I'm glad I picked this series up. Karen Kingsbury can write and write well. Her books are quick reads (for me) and I finished the series in less than a week. I also stuck to reading it because I was hooked on the storyline and characters.
I didn't realise going in that this is the second series of books based on the same family, the Baxters. That didn't end up mattering to the plot of this storyline as most of the back story was filled in as I went. I do intend to find the first series of Baxter family books the Redemption series, co-written with Gary Smalley. There is a third series of Baxter books called the Sunrise series, that I would like to read as well.
The reading order for this series is 'Fame', 'Forgiven', 'Found', 'Family' and 'Forever'. The series starts by looking at 2 characters, mega-movie star, Dayne Matthews and a small town theatre director, Katy Hart. Dayne has seen Katy in the previous series of books and can't get her out of his head. He believes that she would be the perfect co-star for his new movie. Katy had previously given up any big-time acting dreams and is quite content in her role as a theatre director. The idea of trying out for a Hollywood film does intregue her to at least try out for the part.
You may be wondering what this has to do the Baxter family. Katy lives in the same small town as the Baxters and is good friends with Ashley Baxter. Unknown to the Baxters, but known to Dayne Matthews, Dayne is the oldest Baxter child, given up for adoption before Elizabeth and John Baxter were married years ago. He knows that they are his biological family but has made the decision to keep quiet as to not disrupt their life with his life of fame. That's where the books start. Where they go from there is quite an enjoyable journey.

The Devil in the Junior League by Linda Francis Lee

2009-12-09T05:40:00.000-08:00

Oh, what fun this book was to pick up. A little hidden gem on the library shelf. Being Canadian, I really had very little idea of what the Junior League is and how the upper crust of Texan society lived. They are things I'd heard about, but it's not part of the culture of my life, or places I'd been to.
At first, I couldn't help but hate the main character. She is such a snob. So many rules to follow to make her life perfect, but that's how she was raised and what she knows. Of course the a novel can't simply be built on observations of upper crust Texas, so you knew there would be some curve balls to create a plot.
The first curve ball is finding out her husband has had an affair with a lower class woman and is leaving her to continue in his new relationship. Divorce doesn't just happen in Frede's culture, particularily for someone so low class.
Her second curve ball is discovering her husband has secreted away all of her money. The only person who is able to help her is her newly rich neighbor Howard Grout. A self-made rough sort of man. He agrees to help her on one condition, that she find a way to get his wife into the Junior League.
I had a lot of fun reading this one and I hope you do too.

Weekly Geeks - top 10 of 2009

2009-11-30T18:09:00.000-08:00

So I've been away from the Weekly Geeks meme for a couple of months. I do check back every so often to see if there is something that appeals to me or relates to me to make an entry about. This one definitely does.
I've had a thing for top 10 lists since I was a kid. I'm just hoping I read 10 new books (not just new to me books) in 2009. Read on to see the topic and then my response below.

For the second year running, welcome to the Weekly Geeks Book Bloggers Top 10 of 2009.

You always see these “Top Whatever” lists that the newspapers/publishers put out and, for a second year in a row, we the book bloggers are going to put out our own Top 10 list. This week, the Weekly Geeks team and I are asking you to come up with your own Top 10 Books that were published in 2009 (books that were reprinted or re-released are not eligible, sorry).

Now, the idea is to only choose books that were published in 2009, regardless of what country you live in. If a book was released in the US in 2008, but released in your country in 2009, that's okay. I know there is still a month in a half left of 2009, but if you know there is a book coming out between now and Dec. 31st, then it’s still eligible.

This year, I am also asking for something a little more specific. When you submit your novels, you must include the genre it is from as well. Last year, when I was trying to categorize everything, I had to guess on a lot of novels and I know there were some people who disagreed with my choice. If there are any contradictions in genres (say if a book was selected for two genres), then the Weekly Geek Staff will vote on where it goes (please?).

If you see a Top 10 list somewhere else, add it to the Mr. Linky, even if they aren’t a part of Weekly Geeks. We're trying to gather as many lists as we can, so we can come up with a nice comprehensive list. You'll have two weeks to come up with your list before I begin compiling the voting booths. Then we'll put it to a vote. Last year, we ended up with over 1300 individual voters and I know we can make it just as big this year.

For those of you new to Weekly Geeks, join in the fun at http://www.weeklygeeks.com .

Now onto my top 10 list (alright, so it is a top 9 list as I realised I only read 9 books published in 2009, and really the 9th book was one I bought for my son at a meet the author reading at a local bookstore - it is lovely and probably deserves to be higher than 9 on my list):

9. Kisses, kisses Baby-O by Sheree Fitch (baby board book - poetry)
8. The Other Queen by Phillipa Gregory (historical fiction)
7. Handle With Care by Jodi Picoult (general fiction)
6. Finger Lickin' Fifteen by Janet Evanovich (mystery)
5. Twenties Girl by Sophie Kinsella (general fiction-chick lit)
4. Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner (general fiction-chick lit)
3. Heart and Soul by Maeve Binchy (general fiction)
2. Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran (historical fiction)
1. Testimony by Anita Shreve (general fiction)

The Warrior by Francine Rivers

2009-11-26T14:23:00.000-08:00

The Warrior is the second in Francine Rivers' Sons of Encouragement series. This is the story of Caleb, one of 2 men (the other being Joshua) to live out the 40 years the Iraelites wandered in the desert after excaping from slavery in Egypt. His story begins in Exodus and ends in Joshua (in the Old Testament). He becomes second in command to Joshua when the Israelites enter the Promised Land.
I have to admit that I struggled a bit reading this one. I am not one to normally read battle scenes and there are a lot of them in this story. (It is probably why I've only read through this part of the Bible once). I do enjoy how Rivers brought Caleb's story out. It's why I'm enjoying the premise of the whole series, these are men who walked behind Bible leaders and heroes. I look forward to the next story, The Prince, which tells Jonathan's tale.

A Most Uncommon Degree of Popluarity by Kathleen Gilles Seidel

2009-11-26T13:50:00.000-08:00

I almost passed this book by. Really? Did I need to read another book on teen cliques? Wait a minute, that isn't what this book is about. This book is about the mothers of the teen (or pre-teen) girls who are popular. It tells the story of how their own children's popularity and friendship dynamics affect the lives and friendships of the grown-up women. Now that is a new and fascinating twist, one I'd never thought about before.
The women in question have been friends since their children first started at their exclusive D.C. private school. Their lives revolve around their children, the school and the activities involving the carpool. It is when their daughters start middle school that things change. They discover that their girls are popular (something none of them ever was) and that popularity comes with a price.
I really enjoyed this one. I didn't want to put it down at the end of the day. I had hoped to discover that Seidel had written more books, but unfortunately, this gem is her only novel to date.

Rogue by Danielle Steel

2009-11-26T13:41:00.000-08:00

It must be my time for catching up on books I was avoiding because here's another one. There was just something about this book that I didn't want to read. Probably because of the too handsome man on the cover. I just thought, "oh please", but here it is a few years later and I've picked it up and read it.
I actually ended up liking this book a lot more than I thought I would. Contrary to the title, the book is not just about a womanizing man (my assumption). The book actually parallels the lives of a man and a woman who were once married and now see each other only because they have children together. The man is the rogue. He made a lot of money early on in life in the dot com industry and promptly retired to live out the life of a playboy. The woman is a successful psychiatrist and expert in teen trauma and suicide. That was the most fascinating part of the book to me. If Danielle Steel wanted to write a more serious novel one day, I would recommend that she pick up this character and go further into the depth of her work. The parts where it was featured were quite well done.
As I said I enjoyed this more than I thought would happen, probably because I had such low expectations for it (I apologize for that).

Bungalow 2 by Danielle Steel

2009-11-26T13:19:00.000-08:00

So I feel very foolish to admit this, but I avoided this book for a few years because I thought it was a sequel. The problem was I never could find Bungalow 1. It turns out that there is no predecessor to this book. Bungalow 2 is named for the Bungalow that the main character of this story stays in while writing a Hollywood screenplay at the Beverly Hills Hotel - whoops! Maybe it would have been better for me if she'd stayed in Bungalow 7.
The storyline does indeed focus on a writer who is making the transition to Hollywood screenplays. She has always thought of herself as the average mom (who happens to have a successful writing career) living in Marin County. The opportunity to spend time in Hollywood is one she has to be convinced to do as it would take her away from her family for close to a year. (Though close enough still to visit on weekends when possible).
As you would expect with a Danielle Steel novel, you get to see some of the glitz and glamour of life. The story does take predictable turns that you can see coming as well. But you know it will and you just have to enjoy it for what it is.

It's Monday

2009-11-23T06:27:00.001-08:00

Happy Monday! Today I'm still reading through Francine Rivers, "Sons of Encouragement" series. I also started "A Most Uncommon Degree of Popularity" by Kathleen Gilles Seidel, which looks at parents of popular girls and how their popularity affects the parents and their own friendships.

It's Monday

2009-11-16T08:59:00.000-08:00

I played a lot of book blogging catch-up last night, posting the last 5 or 6 books I'd read. I feel better now. I started reading the second book in Francine Rivers' Men of Encouragement series - The Warrior which tells the story of Caleb in the Old Testament.