Jun. 20, 2007 - ~* Books, Books, and More Books! *~

Look what came in the mail!

I won these last week and am looking forward to some great reading during the Summer Reading Challenge.  And if all these wonderful books aren't enough, Julie added in an adorable, bright, cheerful bookmark that makes me smile just looking at it!  (See it in the upper left of the picture??)

Thanks, so much Julie!!

Speaking of the Summer Reading Challenge, I've made a little dent in my reading.  I just finished Ted DeKkers Blessed Child (co-written w/ Bill Bright)...another edge-of-your-seat page turner!

And, WOW...The Yada Yada Prayer Group, has me totally wanting to get the next book in the series!  I really, really enjoyed this book.  At first, I thought it was a light, fluffy, summer read....HARDLY!!  I was literally crying when reading this book...and it wasn't because it was a 40's moment either!

I love books that make me want to draw even closer to the Lord, to be more sensitive to Him, more devoted, more involved in the Kingdom's work.   Both of these books have that effect while, at the same time, being totally entertaining.

If you've read either/or...I'd love to hear your thoughts on them.  

Summer Reading Challenge book review books

• 4 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Jun. 9, 2007 - ~* Summer Reading Challenge *~

De'Etta of Choosing Joy is hostessing a Summer Reading Challenge.  On my sidebar are my summer reading choices.  You may have noticed that I'm not quite so, ahem, ambitious this time around.  With a move almost certain, I'm keeping my goals to a light minimum :)
If you want to join in the fun, just click the graphic above, read the rules (very basic and easy), and sign up.
Let me know if you do join in the fun, I'd love to see what books are on your list. reading book lists Summer Reading Challenge

• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

May. 6, 2007 - ~* Spring Reading Thing Update*~

Well, I've sped along through all my fiction choices (and added some!), but the non-fiction is not going nearly so well...there, I'm barely plodding along.
I confess to becoming hooked on Ted Dekker...in spite of a couple of incidents of graphic violence, and in spite of the fact that his main characters often have horrible mothers (what's up with that?!).
Having said that, he is masterful at suspense and he's amazing in his ability to weave threads connecting his books together.  If you're new to him, I'd suggest starting with the trilogy of Black, Red, & White, then read Showdown.  Almost every other book I've read (with the exception of Blink and Obsession) seem to have connecting threads to those books.  In fact, I plan on re-reading Blink and Obsession (skimming) to see if there were threads in them that I missed the first time around.
I still have two other series of his (older series) that I haven't read, Martyrs Song (I heard an abridged audio from this, but after hearing other abridged books, I'm sure much was missing) and I haven't read his Blessed Child/Man Called Blessed Series...so there could be further threads.
 I think this man is part genius with how he weaves these books together!
How's your Spring Reading Thing going?
No wonder I don't have blogging time...I'm too busy spending my "free" time on reading ;)

• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Mar. 30, 2007 - ~* Showdown by Ted Dekker ~ Book Review*~

I have to start this review with a bit of a preface: I have a love-hate relationship with Ted Dekker's writings.
He is definitely an "out-of-the-box" writer, which I tend to love.  He also tends to get graphic in some of his descriptions of violence and settings (nothing sexually graphic)...which I don't really like.  I also have been disappointed in a couple of his books overall (House, Three) but loved The Martry's Song.  So, it was with a bit of trepidition that I opened Showdown.

Paradise is a dusty, somewhat sleepy little town off the beaten path going about it's ordinary, every-dayness in it's usual manner until the stranger arrives.  The stranger literally stirs the town up and the average days seem like a dream from the past.
Nearby, a monastary that's hidden from all outward views is taking an intense interest, in fact is somewhat involved in the happenings of Paradise.
The fate of Paradise seems to rest with either the stranger or one small boy.
What will happen to Paradise?  What will happen to the monastary?  How are these two seemingly totally separate worlds so intertwined?
The only thing you can expect is the unexpected.

Showdown is graphic, but in this book, the graphic descriptions are important, and yes, necessary.
This book is a mystery and an allegory with some touches of the western and sci-fi genres.
It's edgy, suspenseful and masterful.

Overall rating w/ 5 being the best and 1 being the worst:
4+

• 0 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link

Mar. 23, 2007 - ~* Book Review - "Hitched" *~

 
                                                                              HITCHED
                                                                                   by Carol Higgins Clark

   I've been a pretty big fan of Mary Higgins Clark, but honestly got tired of all the murder that seemed to be an integral part of the mysteries.  Recently, while looking for a good night-time (meaning, "light reading") book, I came across "Hitched" by Mary Higgins Clark's daugher, Carol Higgins Clark.  I so enjoyed this mystery.  Hitched is a well written who-dun-it...with out dead bodies or murder!  The characters were varied and interesting and she managed to keep me guessing as to the bank robber.  This book actually had several mysteries going at the same time.
   The story centers on the wedding dresses of Five April Brides being stolen from the designer's loft.  In the tracking down of the criminals, several other side stories and mysteries take place.
   The main character is Regan Reilly who is a Private Investigator (evidently Carol Higgins Clark has a series of books with Regan Reilly as the main character...I'll have to read more of these.) and is one of the Five April Brides.  She's engaged to be married to a NYPD detective and while he works on solving a series of bank robberies, she is working on solving the bride's dresses mystery.
  Fun reading, clean reading, enjoyable night-time reading :)

Overall rating w/ 5 being the best and 1 being the worst:
  3+

• 1 Comments • Post A Comment! • Permanent Link