Books I've Read - May-August 2014

Ender's Game

by Orson Scott Card

I was very excited with much too high expectations for this book, I think. I really enjoyed parts of it, but it got a little lengthy and a lot too sci-fi for me. I can't really hold that against it since it is sci-fi. The movie was not great, in my honest opinion. The book definitely did the story more justice than the movie. I've decided to give the rest of the series a try, though. Maybe.

Insurgent
by Veronica Roth

I finished this book a couple of days into May. It was fast-paced and, as many second books in a trilogy, confusing. It answered some questions (especially at the end), but also left me with many new unanswered questions. But that's the beauty of a trilogy. I've got one more book to go and hopefully many of my questions will be answered then. There was a little more teenage drama and angst in this book, which annoys me, but it was interesting and intriguing enough that it was worth reading. :)

Allegiant
by Veronica Roth

Not exactly what I thought it would be, but fitting. I don't have too much to say about it...guess it wasn't great or horrible. You read it and let me know what you think. :)
I will say that the ending threw me for a loop. And that's all I'll say about it. No spoiler alerts here.

The Monuments Men
by Robert M. Edsel

Ummm...I didn't make it through. I debated even putting it in the "already read" column, but I read over 100 pages (which I feel is ample time to give to a book and if you're not into it, you're just not into it.). An interesting story, but written like a text book. I'm sure there are many folks out there who loved it, but I just couldn't finish. I was listening to it in my car on CD and almost fell asleep! That's when I decided I just couldn't read anymore...
I will, most likely, watch the movie. Seems like an intriguing story, and with all the great actors in it, I think it has more hope than the book did.

Deep and Wide
by Andy Stanley

What an interesting read! Because we go to a Northpoint partner church, it's incredibly insightful to read this book. I knew much of the history of Northpoint and definitely the mission behind it, but there were a lot of personal details that I was unaware of. This was eye-opening. It also reminded me why I love my church so much. The mission behind it is incredibly powerful - exactly what Jesus would want - for us as Christians to reach out and love those who don't know him, to create a gathering place for people to belong before they believe and to love like Christ loves.

The Kill Order
by James Dashner

Eh. Definitely my least favorite of the four books in the series. Granted, this is a prequel. But I was disappointed that the characters from the other books had nominal (if any) mention in this book. I feel like it could have been written better and the interesting information that we gleaned could have taken about two chapters.

The Shack
by Wm. Paul Young

What a great book. I admit that I resisted reading it for awhile (mainly because of the cover...I know, I know, don't judge a book and all that) and then saw that it made a list of "10 books that changed my faith" from a blogger I admire. I was intrigued. And she was right. It will certainly open your eyes and allow you to look at certain issues and even God himself in a whole new light. I thoroughly enjoyed it and would highly recommend it.

Half the Sky
by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn

Wow. The hardest book I've ever read. Amazing stories about REAL amazing women. I am in awe. I am saddened. I am emboldened. I am astonished. I am aware. I am thankful that I read this book. I will never be the same again.

Blue Like Jazz
by Donald Miller

Amazing. Man, this was just another eye-opener and heart-gripper. I love reading about real people's real journeys to meeting and learning and knowing God. This was fantastic. I love how honest and open and unashamed Donald Miller is. Makes me a bolder and wiser follower of Jesus.





The Silkworm
by Robert Galbraith

The second book in this series. Cuckoo's Calling was the first. I liked this one better - I thought it moved faster, had a more interesting plot line. I recommend it. I read an article recently that Robert Galbraith (aka JK Rowling) will be writing many more in this series. Looking forward to reading them!

Naked Spirituality

by Brian McLaren
I've been working on this book for months now. Okay, I'm pushing years. I just can't seem to finish it. I'm getting there, though.
It is so incredibly heavy. I pick it up, read some, then put it down for weeks. It's amazing and I'm thoroughly enjoying it, but it's not a quick-read and not something I can pick up while I'm sitting in a waiting room or while children are interrupting and asking questions. This is one of those that I need to carve out time and really pay attention to. Sometimes I have to read a sentence over and over to let it sink in. Despite that, it's an amazing read and I highly recommend it.

Books I've Read Jan - Apr 2014

I can't believe I've been blogging about books I've read for 3 years now. My first installment of "Books I've Read" was in April 2011. Mainly I'm impressed that I've stuck with a blog topic for so long! Ha! Me and my distracted self...

I've never really had anyone ask me why I read what I do. I work in a library, so most people aren't curious about why you read what you read; they're more curious about what you read. I have an extremely eclectic taste in books. I'll read just about anything if it sounds interesting OR if I'm challenged to read it. That doesn't mean I get through every book that I pick up, but it does mean that I'll try out almost anything.
My favorite books tend to be young adult novels and biographies.
I do love a good literary fiction or historical fiction here and there.
I also love books on the Christian faith and parenting.
I enjoy fantasy, but don't always like sci-fi.
I do not care for manuals. If I need to learn something, I'd much rather someone show me than ask me to read up on it. But I love to research, so go figure.
Of course I love picture books and juvenile chapter books. I'm getting really excited about reading chapter books with Xander. We've started reading some like, The Owl Who Was Afraid of the Dark (because we went to see the play) and Magic Treehouse. I'm hoping to start Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little with him soon, some of my favorites from when I was a kid. And then there's the story that my Dad gave me to read to Xander - An Otter's Story  by Emil Liers - a book that my dad got when he was a little boy and then gave to me to read when I was about 8 yrs old or so. He gave it to me last Thanksgiving so that I could hand it down to Xander. Pretty cool to have a first edition of a book go through 3 generations.
(I also have a first edition of Stuart Little - that was one of David's favorites that his Gran read to him when he was young.)

Anyway, I read kind of a strange assortment of books to start out 2014. Lots of YA novels. A couple of classics. A historical fiction novel. A drama/thriller. A non-fiction. A Christian/parenting book.

It's been an interesting year so far. :)



Paper Towns
by John Green

Shocking that I started the year with a John Green novel, I know. This came out a few years ago, but I hadn't read it yet. Since I love John Green so much, I decided to try it out. He did not disappoint. Another good one. I would rank this one just under The Fault in Our Stars, my favorite Green novel.
Not my favorite ending, but a very fitting one.

Wuthering Heights
by Emily Bronte

I've decided to adopt some classics into my repertoire of reading. I've had this one on the shelf for a long time, plus it's a free download in iBooks. I can take this with me wherever I go. :) I was probably supposed to read this in English class or something, but I didn't. I'm a little embarrassed at all the classics I haven't read. One of my dear friends used to be a high school English teacher, so I dare not tell her of all the books I should have read, but didn't. Anyway, there's no better time to start than the present, right?

If I Stay
by Gayle Forman

This was certainly an interesting book and an interesting concept. A girl is in a car accident, but doesn't die instantly. She has an out-of-body experience where she sees herself and her loved ones dealing with all that happened. It didn't really end, so I'm going to read the sequel, Where She Went. I really want to know the rest of the story. :)







Where She Went
by Gayle Forman

In this story, told by Mia's boyfriend, we learn what happens after the accident. It's a great ending to the first book, If I Stay. I almost liked it better. Told by the boyfriend, this one had a more relatable feel to it and the overall storyline was more interesting to me.

A Prayer for Owen Meany
by John Irving

My dear Aunt Karen found this in a used bookstore while we were perusing the shelves and insisted that I read it. I really enjoyed it! It was sad and sweet, and mostly, thought-provoking. I'll admit that it took me awhile to read it. I couldn't just blow through it like I've done with some others. I'm glad I read it, though. Not sure if it counts as a classic since it's not that old, but my ex-English teacher friend had read it and taught it in her class...I say that makes it a contemporary classic. :)

Serena
by Ron Rash

Great book! The characters are fantastic, the story intriguing, and the language appealing. I would highly recommend this book. I decided to read it after seeing it was going to be made into a movie (with Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper) and then realized it was by Ron Rash who wrote The Cove, which I read last year. It's set in the mountains of North Carolina (which I always find fascinating) in the 1920's. I'm interesting to see JL and BC in the roles of Serena and George Pemberton...they're not exactly who I pictured when I was reading the book, but I think it'll be interesting, nonetheless.

 The Dip
by Seth Godin

A great book for helping you overcome obstacles. A quick read, which I liked. I'm a "serial quitter" as Seth calls those who start things and quit in the middle of it. I'm horrible at this! I read this book to give me insight on how to follow through and become the best at what I do. Here's to hoping I can make it through the dip...and quit the right stuff!

 The Catcher in the Rye
by J.D. Salinger

Another classic that I never read. David read it in high school and asked why I chose that classic to read. I don't really know except that it's one I hear about frequently. It was a banned book at one point (though I still can't quite figure that out. In 1951, maybe, but it's been banned as recently as 2010...crazy to me!!). There always seem to be references to it and I always felt a little left out for not knowing them. Now I know. And I can't say I loved it (which is why David was curious about my choice). I read it and it's now in my repertoire, but it was not a book I would read again. It seemed a little pointless to me? And maybe that is the point, seeing as this is the first line to the book:
"If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you'll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don't feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth."
Pretty much sums it up. :)


Dark Places
by Gillian Flynn

"Dark places" is right. Man. That was an extremely dark and intense book. Quite the mystery and very well written as to keep you guessing and interested. But,ugh. Certainly doesn't leave you feeling all happy inside.

The Maze Runner
by James Dashner

I seem to be very interested in these types of books lately - they're all the rage. Here is yet another YA series for me to read AND the movie comes out in September.
This novel started off a bit slow to me, but picked up speed after about 100 pages. A lot of confusion while you figure out the characters and learn why they're in the maze. You're learning everything at the same time the main character is figuring it all out. I liked it. It got very interesting toward the end and really flowed right into the second book.  



The Scorch Trials
by James Dashner
Whew! This was intense! It was a great book and I couldn't wait to go right into the third book. I liked it even better than the first one. It was riveting and scary and intriguing and a very enjoyable book overall.








The Death Cure
by James Dashner

I was ready to start this book as soon as I'd finished the second one. I was so into it that I just couldn't wait! It did not disappoint. It went in a slightly different direction than I anticipated, a much more political one, but it was definitely worth the read. The ending wasn't my favorite, but it was fitting for the story. Oh! And I found out there's a prequel. I suppose that means it's not really the end, right? Guess what's next on my reading list? ;)



Divergent
by Veronica Roth

I read a summary and some reviews about this story after I found out it was going to be made into a movie. It was in my queue, but I didn't read it until March. I mentioned it at the beginning of the year to my SIL, Becky. She started reading it and loved it, so I decided to pick it up. It DEFINITELY has undertones of some other YA novels I've read, but I certainly liked all those other YA novels, so it's no surprise that I like this book, too. I had a hard time not comparing it to others (Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and even Harry Potter) while I was reading it, but it was enough of it's own story that I quickly got involved. If you like Young Adult novels, I say pick this one up.

Insurgent
by Veronica Roth

Technically I haven't finished this one yet, but I've started it. I'll let you know what I think when I'm finished. :)







Hands Free Mama
by Rachel Macy Stafford

I'm not exactly sure what to say about this book. It had some wonderful information. It was spot on about many things we need to let go of, and place more of our focus on what truly matters. I agree so much with many of these things. I was encouraged and felt a camaraderie with the author.
On the other hand, it was so annoying! I couldn't tell if I was feeling a wee bit judged (which would be my own personal problem) or if her Pollyanna attitude was getting on my nerves (which is saying something because I've been compared to Pollyanna on several occasions). Many of her anecdotes and stories got a tad redundant. Anyway, I will take many ideas and lessons from this book, but next time I may just read the bullet points.


Looking at this list of books, I now understand why I haven't been blogging much lately...I've been reading!!

Books I've Read - September-December 2013

A Good American
by Alex George
What a surprise! I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The writing was excellent, the story captivating and the end very satisfying. I randomly picked this book up because I read a review on it. Lately, when I've picked a book up like that, I've been fairly disappointed. I didn't have a whole lot of hope or expectations for this book, but it surprised me and I'm so glad it did. This is a fiction novel told by a member of the third generation of a family who moved to America from Germany. The story follows the first generation couple and moves on throughout the generations of the family. Great read. I highly recommend it.

Desperate
by Sarah Mae and Sally Clarkson
Great book for moms. There were parts of it that exasperated me, feeling too "churchy" for me, but there was some really great information. It was especially nice to hear that I'm not alone. My mind knows that I'm not, but it never hurts to hear from others who are experiencing many of the things I experience. My heart appreciates that. :)








Cuckoo's Calling

by Robert Galbraith
aka J.K. Rowling
If you're into mysteries, this one is worth reading. It was good, not great. I'm not a huge fan of mysteries, so take that as you may. I felt that it was a little slow at some points, but David reminded me that even the Harry Potter books could be slow at times. I had forgotten since I was so caught up in the characters of those books. Her character development in this book was decent and the writing was very well done. I could definitely see this being part of a series.

When You Reach Me
by Rebecca Stead
This is a children's fiction novel. There was a discussion about it through an email chain at work, so I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It wasn't a fantastic book as far as children's books go, but I thought it was decent. It introduced me to A Wrinkle in Time, so for that I am certainly grateful. :)

Looking for Alaska
by John Green
Again, John Green did not disappoint. I enjoyed this book from cover to cover. His use of realism, emotion and the plot itself make for a great read. Again, I would highly recommend John Green's works. Brilliant.

A Wrinkle in Time
by Madeleine L'engle
Tesser Well. You can read about my thoughts on this amazing book here.

I'll See You Again
by Jackie Hance
I don't know why I'm so fascinated with stories of tragedy. I love biographies, and some of my favorites tend to have major tragedies in them. However, I think I've come to realize that it's not the tragedy that intrigues me so, but the triumph. Hope overcomes sadness. Love overcomes fear. I mean, if you read my blog at all you know that love wins. :)
I tried to listen to this audiobook on my commute, but just couldn't get past Jackie Hance's reading voice and accent. She's from New Jersey and has a strong accent, plus she reads the book very stoically and disconnectedly. I can understand why she would want to read it, but, not being the best reader, she probably should've opted for someone else.
I didn't love this book. It feels wrong to say that about someone's autobiography. I appreciated her honesty and her triumph over tragedy that many people would never have been able to overcome. It was truly amazing how her community stepped in to help.

One Thousand Gifts Devotional
by Ann Voskamp
I know I mentioned how I had not quite finished One Thousand Gifts last quarter, but I finished and I thought it worth mentioning that the devotional is quite good, as well. Not only does it give you space to write your 1000 things, but it has some good insight, too. I recommend both the book and the devotional. The way Ann Voskamp writes is very flowery and wordy with lots of imagery. I tend to like that, but if you don't, the devotional would be a better fit. It's a lot more direct, but still gets the message across.

Joyland
by Stephen King
I am fascinated by Stephen King, but usually can't read his stuff. I don't do scary. It's just not my thing. Life is scary enough without reading stuff from someone else's morbid imagination. However, this was not scary. It was a mystery, but not gory, bloody or frightening. Very good story with great characters. Stephen King really is a great writer and I enjoyed reading this story very much. It had humor and sadness and love. I recommend it. I even got David to read it. :)

Counting by 7s
by Holly Goldberg Sloan

I read a review on this book and thought it looked interesting. I was a bit disappointed in it. Parts of it were interesting, and it certainly had an intriguing plot, but it just wasn't what I thought it would be. It might appeal to a younger audience (it is classified as Young Adult fiction), but overall I didn't care for it.

And the Mountains Echoed
by Khaled Hosseini

Again, I have to say Khaled Hosseini is a phenomenal storyteller. He did a great job with a moving storyline, interesting characters and emotional moments woven throughout. Of his works, I still like The Kite Runner best, but this is a close second. Nicely done.

Will Grayson, Will Grayson
by John Green and David Levithan

Such an intriguing book!! This is not for the faint of heart...the language alone makes me want to categorize this as adult fiction even though it is about (and classified for) teenagers. I'm pretty sure I was crazy sheltered as a teenager, because there were words and situations and issues I would never have even known about in high school, and certainly weren't exposed to that early on in my life.
However, it is cleverly written by two authors who each take on their own character "Will Grayson." I didn't really know much of what this book was about when I started it. Honestly, I read it because I love John Green's works so much. Once I got through the first couple of chapters (and the shock of the words on the page - ha!! Oh man, I really am sheltered) I really enjoyed it.
Even though I enjoyed it, I just don't know how I would feel about my 14 year old reading it...since  it's listed for ages 14+. Maybe I'm old-fashioned? I would be interested to hear your thoughts on this. Am I just an old fuddy-duddy??

Silver Linings Playbook
by Matthew Quick

David and I saw this movie months ago at the theater. I really enjoyed it, so I figured I'd check out the book. It's taken me awhile to whittle down my reading list enough to get to this one. It's always hard for me to read a book when I've already seen the movie. But the movie was true to the book, which I appreciate. It got a little slow at parts, but overall a good read.

Tell My Sons
by Lt. Col. Mark M. Weber

You all know how much I like biographies, and my disturbing fascination with people's last words, last letters, and people losing loved ones. This story was a bit boring to me. Again, I hate to say that about someone's life, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. The author was very much a military man and he used analogies and army stories so often that I got pretty tired of it. Not saying that's a bad thing, just not my thing. However, he did have some great points and was obviously a very hard-working and ethical man. I'm sure his sons will treasure this book forever. Lt. Col. Mark Weber passed away only a short time after writing this book.

Books I've Read - May-August 2013

A Land More Kind Than Home
by Wiley Cash
I listened to this story on audiobook in the car. Sometimes, if a book is read really well, it's almost worth listening to it instead of reading it yourself. This was one of those. I don't know how much I would have enjoyed this book on its own, but hearing the voices of Adelaide Lyle and Clem Barefield made it more likeable. Their voices were soothing, caring and kind. I guess it just goes to show that you're never too old to be read to. :)

Kisses from Katie
by Katie Davis
Oh how I love stories like this. I get so caught up that I want to be a missionary, too! It seems crazy that I have to remind myself that I have children and a husband to care for. I wanted to go to Africa as a missionary so badly while I was in college. I planned to go for a year after graduation, but it didn't work out for me. I researched it, looked into it, called, even began making plans in my head! But it just wasn't meant to be. I admire Katie so much. I could NOT do what she does. Each. And. Every. Day. But I admire her and people like her. I hope to visit Africa one day - maybe I can go on a mission trip with my children and meet up with Katie there. :)

The Twelve Tribes of Hattie
by Ayana Mathis
A recommendation from my mom. I'm pretty sure she wanted someone to read it so she could chat about it with them. I would not recommend it, though. It was interesting and intriguing, yet disjointed. It was fairly sad without much joy throughout. Overall, not my kind of book.

Sparkly Green Earrings
by Melanie Shankle
I laughed so hard! Very true, relatable and hilarious - for all mothers out there. I am so glad I read this book. Rarely does a book make me laugh out loud, much less spray coffee out of my nose whilst reading it. My sides still hurt from the laughter. :) Thank you, Melanie Shankle. Well done.

Life of Pi
by Yann Martel
I was fascinated by this book. The imagery, the amazing happenings, the wonder of it all. I truly enjoyed it. The end threw me for a loop. I won't spoil the ending. I'm just amazed at the wonder and beauty and depth of feeling we see past each and every day simply because it's unbelievable.
David and I are going to have a date night soon and rent it. I'm looking forward to it. And I know he is, too, since I talked about this book incessantly while reading it.

The Age of Miracles
by Karen Thompson Walker
Eh. It was an interesting premise and I had hoped for a great story. It just wasn't. A tad bit juvenile - since the main characters were in middle school and the subject matter didn't seem overly adult, I think it should have been categorized as "Young Adult Fiction" but it was just "Fiction"...as in, for adults. (I'm not knocking YA fiction...I have read many YA novels that I love and which far surpass this book.) The story didn't develop as much as I would have liked. Disappointing.

Gone Girl
by Gillian Flynn
Supposedly one of the summer's hottest novels (it came out last summer, so maybe it was last summer's hottest novel, idk). Rarely do I read novels when they're popular, but I got on this one early purely by accident. I read a review on it, put it on hold at the library and had it in just a couple of weeks. Now I seem to be hearing about it everywhere. Plus, looks like Reese Witherspoon is making a movie out of it.
It was interesting. It had a couple of plot twists (though I called the main one long before it was revealed in the book), but the ending was a tad disappointing.

One Thousand Gifts
by Ann Voskamp
As my husband says after I described the premise of this book to him while at the beach, "Not really a typical person's beach read." I'd have to agree. I also agree that I'm not your typical person. I tend to pick up very heavy or inspiring books when I'm on vacation. I don't really know why. However, this is a great book. It'll really get you thinking. And praying.
*I have to admit that I'm not quite finished with this one. I will be in just a week or so, though, so I figured I'd go ahead and add it here. I also bought the devotional recently, so I may post more about this book as I go through the devotional.

The Fault in Our Stars
by John Green
Oh, John Green. How I've missed thee. I forgot until I started reading this book just how much I do like his books. They're so witty and charming and you can't help but like the strange cast of characters. They're all very endearing, really. I had read An Abundance of Katherines before and really enjoyed it, so when I saw this one come out I thought I would give it a peek. I may check out Finding Alaska next...I wanted to read it a long time ago and just forgot about it. Anyway, this Young Adult novel is fantastic. It will make you LOL, cry, smirk, smile and overall appreciate life more. I am so glad to have read it.
Apparently there's going to be a movie based on this book, too.

Sex God
by Rob Bell

I cannot say enough about Rob Bell's books, sermons, videos, etc. He is such an amazing thinker who comes up with many ways of looking at things that I would never have seen on my own. I'm always very challenged and encouraged after reading Rob Bell's books. This book is no exception. It fit very nicely with the series "Future Family" that we're doing at church right now. I highly recommend this book. And don't forget about another of my favorite Rob Bell books Love Wins.