Why I have this book: I think I bought it spur of the moment while browsing at my local LDS bookstore.
I started this book a few months ago, got sidetracked, and just finished it today. It's a spiritually based book about overcoming our weaknesses, and there is a lot of good information in it. I underlined quite a few sentences here and there that resonated with me.
It has a bit of a clinical feel to it from time to time. Some of the examples the authors use are based on clients who deal with some significant issues, including sexual addictions. I kind of wish I could separate out the spiritual parts from the clinical parts, and I wish it was maybe more vague in specific issues as they shared examples. I guess if the reader was also dealing with those issues, it would be a good thing. And maybe they wrote the book with that target audience in mind.
They did have examples of lots of different struggles, so I think most people would be able to find something in the book that sounds like their "story." No matter the particular issue, the emotions may be similar as we each strive to overcome our "thorns".
It's one of those books I wouldn't necessarily read again in it's entirety, but I would flip though and read the things I underlined. So... I will keep it. The overall message of the book is hopeful and directs the reader to the Atonement of Jesus Christ and yielding our hearts to the Holy Spirit. That's always the best message.
Sexual and other addictions are discussed in this book.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Fancy Pants (Cathy Marie Hake)
Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the ebook library for my Kindle. It is part of the Only in Gooding series.
Um... well, it was okay. I mean, after the first few chapters, it became more interesting. Some parts were just so silly. Some parts were over the top. Some of it was good... it was clean entertainment. I didn't hate it. But I certainly didn't love it.
I'm starting to think that Forevermore (also part of this series) was a fluke. Or... as I've thought about it... I read it while I was in the hospital. I may have been drugged. Maybe it wasn't as good as I thought? I don't know.
I went to Amazon after reading this book and read the 1-star reviews. They pretty much summed up my feelings about it. I especially liked the review entitled "Good, Bad, Worse, Worst." Not really sure what that means, but the review made me laugh because the "here's the romance in a nutshell" part of her review was funny... and true. :) If you want a little chuckle, read that review. (There are only three 1-star reviews - at least right now - so it's not hard to find.)
This Christian historical romance novel is clean.
But if you read the review on Amazon, it does have a swear word in it. (Full disclosure and all that.)
Um... well, it was okay. I mean, after the first few chapters, it became more interesting. Some parts were just so silly. Some parts were over the top. Some of it was good... it was clean entertainment. I didn't hate it. But I certainly didn't love it.
I'm starting to think that Forevermore (also part of this series) was a fluke. Or... as I've thought about it... I read it while I was in the hospital. I may have been drugged. Maybe it wasn't as good as I thought? I don't know.
I went to Amazon after reading this book and read the 1-star reviews. They pretty much summed up my feelings about it. I especially liked the review entitled "Good, Bad, Worse, Worst." Not really sure what that means, but the review made me laugh because the "here's the romance in a nutshell" part of her review was funny... and true. :) If you want a little chuckle, read that review. (There are only three 1-star reviews - at least right now - so it's not hard to find.)
This Christian historical romance novel is clean.
But if you read the review on Amazon, it does have a swear word in it. (Full disclosure and all that.)
Sunday, August 19, 2012
The Winter Sea (Susanna Kearsley)
Why I have this book: I bought it randomly from Amazon over a year ago. I don't know if I read a review in a magazine, or if Amazon recommended it to me or what. But in any case, it's a "real" book on my bookshelf.
I loved this book. I stayed up past 1 a.m. to finish it because it was that good. So beautifully written, so fascinating, so satisfying of a read. Emotions of every kind were part of this story.
My only complaint is that the ending left one question open, and I didn't understand how, why, or what of that question.
Also, in the author's notes at the end, she listed only three characters who were fictional... but one character wasn't listed at all, and I'm not sure if he was a real character or not. I couldn't figure it out when in the story, he was involved with two other characters... one of whom is a real person in history and one of whom is not. So that confused me. (In the story it wasn't confusing... just in the author's notes.)
And wow! Tons of research went into this book. I learned more than I ever thought I wanted to about the history of Scotland. I found it very interesting and am impressed at the depth of this story. Excellent writing, in my opinion.
Anyway, what a great book. This is the author of Mariana, which I reviewed earlier. I enjoyed that book a lot, as well, but this one is even better. I will definitely read more books by Susanna Kearsley. (I'll also add that this book is over 500 pages long. I love when a good book is long enough to enjoy for more than just an afternoon!)
I had a little chuckle when one of the characters is a genealogist and it's mentioned that the Church of Latter-Day Saints gathers all this information and makes it available to anyone who is doing family history work. With all the research Ms. Kearsley does, I'm not sure how she got the name of the LDS Church wrong. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)
This is a keeper.
PS. I emailed the author and let her know about the mistake with the full name of the LDS Church. I also let her know how much I enjoy her books and thanked her for holding a higher standard in content. She wrote back within hours, and was so gracious and sweet. She said she has used the Church's genealogical tools quite a bit and should have known better. She also said a few other readers had contacted her about it, and she had already asked her editors to correct the mistake in future editions (both "real" and ebook) of the book. Her kindness made me even more a fan, and I have already purchased another book of hers to read. :) She also answered my question about whether the character I was wondering about was a real person or not.
ETA in 2018: Just read this book again and still love it... but now that I've taken a "basic writing" class, I'm noticing how many extra commas are in her books. Interesting and perplexing. Is it just bad sentence structure? Is it because she's from Canada and they have different comma rules there? I don't know. :)
There is a handful of "mild" swear words in this book. The Lord's name is used as an exclamation of emotion several times. Sex between both a married couple and an unmarried couple is implied, but not described.
I loved this book. I stayed up past 1 a.m. to finish it because it was that good. So beautifully written, so fascinating, so satisfying of a read. Emotions of every kind were part of this story.
My only complaint is that the ending left one question open, and I didn't understand how, why, or what of that question.
Also, in the author's notes at the end, she listed only three characters who were fictional... but one character wasn't listed at all, and I'm not sure if he was a real character or not. I couldn't figure it out when in the story, he was involved with two other characters... one of whom is a real person in history and one of whom is not. So that confused me. (In the story it wasn't confusing... just in the author's notes.)
And wow! Tons of research went into this book. I learned more than I ever thought I wanted to about the history of Scotland. I found it very interesting and am impressed at the depth of this story. Excellent writing, in my opinion.
Anyway, what a great book. This is the author of Mariana, which I reviewed earlier. I enjoyed that book a lot, as well, but this one is even better. I will definitely read more books by Susanna Kearsley. (I'll also add that this book is over 500 pages long. I love when a good book is long enough to enjoy for more than just an afternoon!)
I had a little chuckle when one of the characters is a genealogist and it's mentioned that the Church of Latter-Day Saints gathers all this information and makes it available to anyone who is doing family history work. With all the research Ms. Kearsley does, I'm not sure how she got the name of the LDS Church wrong. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints)
This is a keeper.
PS. I emailed the author and let her know about the mistake with the full name of the LDS Church. I also let her know how much I enjoy her books and thanked her for holding a higher standard in content. She wrote back within hours, and was so gracious and sweet. She said she has used the Church's genealogical tools quite a bit and should have known better. She also said a few other readers had contacted her about it, and she had already asked her editors to correct the mistake in future editions (both "real" and ebook) of the book. Her kindness made me even more a fan, and I have already purchased another book of hers to read. :) She also answered my question about whether the character I was wondering about was a real person or not.
ETA in 2018: Just read this book again and still love it... but now that I've taken a "basic writing" class, I'm noticing how many extra commas are in her books. Interesting and perplexing. Is it just bad sentence structure? Is it because she's from Canada and they have different comma rules there? I don't know. :)
There is a handful of "mild" swear words in this book. The Lord's name is used as an exclamation of emotion several times. Sex between both a married couple and an unmarried couple is implied, but not described.
Friday, August 17, 2012
MEE Speaks (Mary Ellen Edmunds)
The whole title is: MEE Speaks - But Does She Have Anything To Say?
Hahaha... I love MEE.
Why I have this book: My dear friend gifted it to me when she found out how much I loved MEE Thinks. (She also gifted that one to me. What a sweetie, eh?)
I loved this book. MEE is just so wonderful. I still want her to move in next door to me. This is a collection of some of the talks she has given over the years. My dear friend and I want to go hear her speak in person. :)
Perfectly clean and uplifting and heartwarming.
Hahaha... I love MEE.
Why I have this book: My dear friend gifted it to me when she found out how much I loved MEE Thinks. (She also gifted that one to me. What a sweetie, eh?)
I loved this book. MEE is just so wonderful. I still want her to move in next door to me. This is a collection of some of the talks she has given over the years. My dear friend and I want to go hear her speak in person. :)
Perfectly clean and uplifting and heartwarming.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Whirlwind (Cathy Marie Hake)
Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the e-book library.
This book is part of the series called Only in Gooding! The other two books I've read in this series are Forevermore and That Certain Spark (which I just reviewed.) I think I might have another one or two on hold with the e-book library. They are safe reads, so why not?
I liked this one better than That Certain Spark and not as well as Forevermore. It was enjoyable... a nice, light, clean read. It kept my interest, was predictable in some ways, not as much in others.
I'll finish up the series. I'm curious to know what happens with some of the characters. It's a good idea to read these in order, FYI.
This Christian book is clean.
This book is part of the series called Only in Gooding! The other two books I've read in this series are Forevermore and That Certain Spark (which I just reviewed.) I think I might have another one or two on hold with the e-book library. They are safe reads, so why not?
I liked this one better than That Certain Spark and not as well as Forevermore. It was enjoyable... a nice, light, clean read. It kept my interest, was predictable in some ways, not as much in others.
I'll finish up the series. I'm curious to know what happens with some of the characters. It's a good idea to read these in order, FYI.
This Christian book is clean.
Saturday, August 11, 2012
The Newport Ladies Book Club - Paige (Annette Lyon)
Why I have this book: I read the first two books in the series... and I'm hooked. (All three are on my Kindle.)
I read the first two books again just before reading Paige. I loved the first two... this one had more of that LDS cheesiness than the others did. Maybe because the main character of this one is actually LDS, so there was more of that angle going on. Maybe it's just the author. I don't know.
1) I'm not sure why Paige always refers to herself and other LDS Church members as "Mormons." Yes, I know that's the nickname of our religion, but "LDS" is more accurate and what we've been asked to use. Using "Mormon" seems to date the book (even though it's set in present time), because it's just not used so much anymore.
2) More contrived "villians", in the form of the ex-husband and his wife. They are just over-the-top, with the making out and the mean step-mother routine and just how ridiculous they act. I think that storyline would be more believable if they were just normal people who made a bad decision and maybe still feel and act awkward... but not so pathetic to the extreme.
3) The editing... sometimes I don't know if it's just the Kindle editions that have some of the editing issues, so I can overlook most little things. There were just a couple here... but at one point - just one sentence - the book shifts from "first person" to "third person." I'm not sure how the editor didn't catch that.
4) Maybe it wouldn't be so redundant if I didn't read all three books back to back, but reading the overlapping conversations in each book got kind of old. The good thing about this is that you could probably read the books in any order and they would make sense... although I don't know how they will tie up the end if there's not a little "ever after" in the fourth book. Maybe they aren't planning to tie things up completely. (Actually, mostly it's Daisy's story that seems open-ended at this point.)
What I did enjoy about this book was getting to know Paige better. Hearing her story from her side made her a completely different person than she seemed to be from the other two points of view. My characterization of her changed quite a bit... she was more intelligent, more down to earth, less "Molly Mormon" than I had assumed. I really could feel her emotions - both happy and sad.
I wish the author would have explored Paige's relationship with her ward family better. It seemed somewhat pushed to the side, and implied there was nobody there who cared about her. I'm not sure why the book club ladies were the only friends she had. She seemed committed to her faith, and at the same time, didn't seem very confident with it. Only the surface of that was skimmed, in my opinion, and it could have gone much deeper. But maybe all of that stayed out of the story for a reason. It just doesn't seem to jive with how big a part of life it usually is, especially when Paige made significant decisions because of her faith. There also wasn't much about her extended family. I would think that a newly single mom moving to a new state would have a little more connection with her parents and siblings. I'm not sure why she was so alone in the world... there was never any mention of a conflict with her family.
Anyway, not my favorite of the three, but still an enjoyable read. I look forward to the fourth book in the series, which will be out in a few months.
Clean.
I read the first two books again just before reading Paige. I loved the first two... this one had more of that LDS cheesiness than the others did. Maybe because the main character of this one is actually LDS, so there was more of that angle going on. Maybe it's just the author. I don't know.
1) I'm not sure why Paige always refers to herself and other LDS Church members as "Mormons." Yes, I know that's the nickname of our religion, but "LDS" is more accurate and what we've been asked to use. Using "Mormon" seems to date the book (even though it's set in present time), because it's just not used so much anymore.
2) More contrived "villians", in the form of the ex-husband and his wife. They are just over-the-top, with the making out and the mean step-mother routine and just how ridiculous they act. I think that storyline would be more believable if they were just normal people who made a bad decision and maybe still feel and act awkward... but not so pathetic to the extreme.
3) The editing... sometimes I don't know if it's just the Kindle editions that have some of the editing issues, so I can overlook most little things. There were just a couple here... but at one point - just one sentence - the book shifts from "first person" to "third person." I'm not sure how the editor didn't catch that.
4) Maybe it wouldn't be so redundant if I didn't read all three books back to back, but reading the overlapping conversations in each book got kind of old. The good thing about this is that you could probably read the books in any order and they would make sense... although I don't know how they will tie up the end if there's not a little "ever after" in the fourth book. Maybe they aren't planning to tie things up completely. (Actually, mostly it's Daisy's story that seems open-ended at this point.)
What I did enjoy about this book was getting to know Paige better. Hearing her story from her side made her a completely different person than she seemed to be from the other two points of view. My characterization of her changed quite a bit... she was more intelligent, more down to earth, less "Molly Mormon" than I had assumed. I really could feel her emotions - both happy and sad.
I wish the author would have explored Paige's relationship with her ward family better. It seemed somewhat pushed to the side, and implied there was nobody there who cared about her. I'm not sure why the book club ladies were the only friends she had. She seemed committed to her faith, and at the same time, didn't seem very confident with it. Only the surface of that was skimmed, in my opinion, and it could have gone much deeper. But maybe all of that stayed out of the story for a reason. It just doesn't seem to jive with how big a part of life it usually is, especially when Paige made significant decisions because of her faith. There also wasn't much about her extended family. I would think that a newly single mom moving to a new state would have a little more connection with her parents and siblings. I'm not sure why she was so alone in the world... there was never any mention of a conflict with her family.
Anyway, not my favorite of the three, but still an enjoyable read. I look forward to the fourth book in the series, which will be out in a few months.
Clean.
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
That Certain Spark (Cathy Marie Hake)
Why I have this book: It was one of the books on the e-book library list that was immediately available. I've read another book by the author that I really liked (Forevermore - reviewed earlier), so thought it would be a good, relaxing read.
It was okay. Not nearly as good as Forevermore. It was actually somewhat tedious... I didn't really connect to the characters or get too into the storyline.
If it was a real book and I actually owned it, I'd donate it to the library.
This Christian Historical Romance is clean.
It was okay. Not nearly as good as Forevermore. It was actually somewhat tedious... I didn't really connect to the characters or get too into the storyline.
If it was a real book and I actually owned it, I'd donate it to the library.
This Christian Historical Romance is clean.
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Heaven is Here (Stephanie Nielson)
Why I have this book: I borrowed it from my local library.
Stephanie Nielsen is a well-known "Mormon Blogger." She was well-known before she was in a plane crash with her husband and his flight instructor which killed the instructor (who was also a close friend of theirs), left her husband with serious injuries and burns, and her with severe burns over 80% of her body.
This book chronicles her life before the crash and her life through recovery and now.
The first part of the book was difficult for me to read. I can't relate to her idyllic life as a child, their courtship, and their young married life. Everything was so perfect. I don't doubt that she really sees her life that way, and it certainly seems to be that way. It just felt like reading a fiction story... a fairy tale, almost.
Once the book went into the accident and the recovery, I couldn't put it down. I should have been doing my normal routine of "Read a Chapter, Clean a Room. Read a Chapter, Clean a Room." But I couldn't stop reading. I could very easily put myself into the emotions of the medical trauma. My situation was not even on the same scale of hers... but I felt enough of the emotions of it to understand what she described. I shed many a tear reading this book. I cried for the fear she felt, the despair, the anxiety of it all.
As a mother, I cried with her pain of waiting for her children learning to connect with her again.
I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book. I check in on her blog once in a while, and I can't relate to her lifestyle. I look at her heritage and all the blessings and good fortune that come with that long line of shared faith and an established place in a family and in the community. It seems so idealistic... again, almost too idealistic. (Which, I know, seems an odd thing to think considering the very big challenges she has in her life because of the accident.) But I have always admired her courage, her perseverance, and how she has triumphed over her incredible trials.
Having said all that... I loved this book. It is beautifully written. Very, very touching, in the deepest part of my soul.
Clean. There are a few references to marital intimacy... all moral in context. Her dad once says, "Hell" and she uses it again to reference where it felt she was during the aftermath of the accident.
Stephanie Nielsen is a well-known "Mormon Blogger." She was well-known before she was in a plane crash with her husband and his flight instructor which killed the instructor (who was also a close friend of theirs), left her husband with serious injuries and burns, and her with severe burns over 80% of her body.
This book chronicles her life before the crash and her life through recovery and now.
The first part of the book was difficult for me to read. I can't relate to her idyllic life as a child, their courtship, and their young married life. Everything was so perfect. I don't doubt that she really sees her life that way, and it certainly seems to be that way. It just felt like reading a fiction story... a fairy tale, almost.
Once the book went into the accident and the recovery, I couldn't put it down. I should have been doing my normal routine of "Read a Chapter, Clean a Room. Read a Chapter, Clean a Room." But I couldn't stop reading. I could very easily put myself into the emotions of the medical trauma. My situation was not even on the same scale of hers... but I felt enough of the emotions of it to understand what she described. I shed many a tear reading this book. I cried for the fear she felt, the despair, the anxiety of it all.
As a mother, I cried with her pain of waiting for her children learning to connect with her again.
I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book. I check in on her blog once in a while, and I can't relate to her lifestyle. I look at her heritage and all the blessings and good fortune that come with that long line of shared faith and an established place in a family and in the community. It seems so idealistic... again, almost too idealistic. (Which, I know, seems an odd thing to think considering the very big challenges she has in her life because of the accident.) But I have always admired her courage, her perseverance, and how she has triumphed over her incredible trials.
Having said all that... I loved this book. It is beautifully written. Very, very touching, in the deepest part of my soul.
Clean. There are a few references to marital intimacy... all moral in context. Her dad once says, "Hell" and she uses it again to reference where it felt she was during the aftermath of the accident.
Friday, August 3, 2012
When Life Gets Hard (Meg Johnson)
Why I have this book: I heard a portion of the CD version while browsing a local bookstore and bought the CD. Then I realized that with two preschoolers, listening to a CD is not really feasible... it's just not ever quiet long enough. I recently ended up buying the Kindle book version, as well.
I really, really, really liked this book. It's written by a woman who slipped while jumping on boulders and fell 35 feet. She is now a quadriplegic. The book reads somewhat like a "fireside"... but the message is so good. Some of the experiences she shared helped me sort through experiences I've had.
This LDS book is a definite keeper.
Clean.
I really, really, really liked this book. It's written by a woman who slipped while jumping on boulders and fell 35 feet. She is now a quadriplegic. The book reads somewhat like a "fireside"... but the message is so good. Some of the experiences she shared helped me sort through experiences I've had.
This LDS book is a definite keeper.
Clean.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Rescued: A Prodigal's Journey Home (Jerry Earl Johnston)
Why I have this book: I bought it for my Kindle because it it sounded like the kind of book that would touch my heart.
It did. I read it in one afternoon/evening. Jerry Johnston is a columnist for The Deseret News. I used to read his columns when we actually received the print copy of The Deseret News. It's been years... but I recognized his name. Still, it was the description of the book that drew me in. It's about his redemption... his return to the gospel after years of wandering.
There are no dirty details. It's not a "raw" story. He writes like a... well... a writer. A good writer. I enjoyed reading his style. I could feel the emotion of his journey, even though he didn't share the deepest details of it.
His work afforded him associations with Elder Maxwell, President Hinckley, President Monson, etc. What an amazing opportunity to get on a friendship level with such wonderful men! His experiences with them show that they walk the walk of their discipleship. I loved reading about that.
This book touched my heart and my spirit. It's a definite keeper and one I would recommend.
Clean.
It did. I read it in one afternoon/evening. Jerry Johnston is a columnist for The Deseret News. I used to read his columns when we actually received the print copy of The Deseret News. It's been years... but I recognized his name. Still, it was the description of the book that drew me in. It's about his redemption... his return to the gospel after years of wandering.
There are no dirty details. It's not a "raw" story. He writes like a... well... a writer. A good writer. I enjoyed reading his style. I could feel the emotion of his journey, even though he didn't share the deepest details of it.
His work afforded him associations with Elder Maxwell, President Hinckley, President Monson, etc. What an amazing opportunity to get on a friendship level with such wonderful men! His experiences with them show that they walk the walk of their discipleship. I loved reading about that.
This book touched my heart and my spirit. It's a definite keeper and one I would recommend.
Clean.
Made in Italy (Alan Champorcher)
Why I have this book: My aunt loaned it to me on Kindle.
Interestingly, the first page of the book lists the author's name as Alan Ciamporcero, even though the cover spells it as I wrote in the post title. From what I can tell in my limited research, Made in Italy is his first novel and is only published on Amazon Kindle. I'm not sure the process for that, but it's seems to me to be sort of an avenue for amateur writers to get their work out. Could be totally wrong on that...
Eh. I give him an "A" for effort in achieving his goal of publishing a book. I'm guessing he has some connection to Italy and wanted to give tribute to that part of his life or heritage. The story itself was good if you like that sort of thing. It wasn't developed enough to make me care a lot about any of the characters or what happens next. I became quickly tired of all the profanity, which was liberally sprinkled throughout the pages.
So... yeah. That's about all I have to say.
Lots of profanity. The only violence is a few instances when dimwitted "thugs" are roughing up their targets... As far as the story, there isn't anything to rate it more than PG. However, the profanity would be more in the category of an R-rating, with lots of the "F" word and other pathetic attempts at sounding edgy.
Interestingly, the first page of the book lists the author's name as Alan Ciamporcero, even though the cover spells it as I wrote in the post title. From what I can tell in my limited research, Made in Italy is his first novel and is only published on Amazon Kindle. I'm not sure the process for that, but it's seems to me to be sort of an avenue for amateur writers to get their work out. Could be totally wrong on that...
Eh. I give him an "A" for effort in achieving his goal of publishing a book. I'm guessing he has some connection to Italy and wanted to give tribute to that part of his life or heritage. The story itself was good if you like that sort of thing. It wasn't developed enough to make me care a lot about any of the characters or what happens next. I became quickly tired of all the profanity, which was liberally sprinkled throughout the pages.
So... yeah. That's about all I have to say.
Lots of profanity. The only violence is a few instances when dimwitted "thugs" are roughing up their targets... As far as the story, there isn't anything to rate it more than PG. However, the profanity would be more in the category of an R-rating, with lots of the "F" word and other pathetic attempts at sounding edgy.
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