Why I have this book: It was a good deal on the deseretbookshelf app.
The short book (64 print pages) is another Time Out Classic. I enjoyed it. Some parts of it really resonated with me and earned their highlighted status. Some parts didn't make that connection, but overall, I liked it. It made me want to study The Old Testament more.
Clean.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Ruby's Secret: A Newport Ladies Book Club Novel (Heather B. Moore)
Why I have this book: Because I love this series.
I enjoyed reading this book as much as any of the others in the series. It was a little weird for me, because I pictured Ruby as a much older woman in the earlier books. I would have guessed her to be in her mid-70's, although I may have missed or not noted her age if it was mentioned before. Apparently, she is only 62. It was hard for me to picture what she looks like in this book compared to how I pictured her before.
This book was more of a romance than any of the other books, and the romance seemed more of a focus than any other part of the story. I was a little disappointed in that, because it seemed less about Ruby's strength as a woman and friend than it did about the new relationship. I still enjoyed it, but it wasn't what I expected after having read the other books. I also didn't find their relationship that believable. He was a little too good to be true... plus I kept picturing him younger than her. Not just by a couple of years, but by a good 15 years. It was just hard to get the picture in my mind of them together. (I'm glad they are, though! Haha!)
My Wannabe Editor has a few things to say... but I will resist all but this fact: It is nearly impossible to read on an iPad in the bright son, and yet, Ruby reads outside in the sun more than once. Now, if she had brought a Kindle (and not just the Kindle app on an iPad), it would have worked. Perhaps it's possible, but it sure wouldn't be a great experience. If you have an iPad and have tried to read it (or take pictures with it) while outside in the sun, you know what I mean.
It is a curse to have a Wannabe Editor brain.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and am not at all sorry I read it. It was just different than the other books. Also, I find I am having a hard time keeping all the characters straight from the previous story lines. I think if I could read them all right in a row instead of waiting months between books, that wouldn't be as much of a problem.
Clean.
I enjoyed reading this book as much as any of the others in the series. It was a little weird for me, because I pictured Ruby as a much older woman in the earlier books. I would have guessed her to be in her mid-70's, although I may have missed or not noted her age if it was mentioned before. Apparently, she is only 62. It was hard for me to picture what she looks like in this book compared to how I pictured her before.
This book was more of a romance than any of the other books, and the romance seemed more of a focus than any other part of the story. I was a little disappointed in that, because it seemed less about Ruby's strength as a woman and friend than it did about the new relationship. I still enjoyed it, but it wasn't what I expected after having read the other books. I also didn't find their relationship that believable. He was a little too good to be true... plus I kept picturing him younger than her. Not just by a couple of years, but by a good 15 years. It was just hard to get the picture in my mind of them together. (I'm glad they are, though! Haha!)
My Wannabe Editor has a few things to say... but I will resist all but this fact: It is nearly impossible to read on an iPad in the bright son, and yet, Ruby reads outside in the sun more than once. Now, if she had brought a Kindle (and not just the Kindle app on an iPad), it would have worked. Perhaps it's possible, but it sure wouldn't be a great experience. If you have an iPad and have tried to read it (or take pictures with it) while outside in the sun, you know what I mean.
It is a curse to have a Wannabe Editor brain.
Overall, I enjoyed the book and am not at all sorry I read it. It was just different than the other books. Also, I find I am having a hard time keeping all the characters straight from the previous story lines. I think if I could read them all right in a row instead of waiting months between books, that wouldn't be as much of a problem.
Clean.
Saturday, November 2, 2013
The Happiness Project: Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, etc... (Gretchen Rubin)
Why I have this book: I borrowed it from the e-book library because my friends' book club is reading it and I sometimes read what they are reading.
To be honest, if the book hadn't been available to borrow, I wouldn't have read it. I had read a lot of reviews about it when it first came out and I was negatively influenced by the one-star reviews. I was pretty sure I was not going to like this book (or the author) at all, but since I didn't have to shell out a dime to read it, I figured I would give it a try. The premise of the book was intriguing to me.
So... I pretty much loved this book. Oh, I have a few critical opinions... like, in the first part of the book I kept thinking that maybe she didn't need to be quite so honest. I thought she was a little harsh in sharing some of her frustrations about her husband. The whole "Just because you CAN say something doesn't mean you SHOULD" idea, ya know? But as the book went on, I realized she was more than fair on sharing her own shortcomings and gave her husband plenty of credit for putting up with her.
Also... big words. So glad I was reading this on my Kindle so I could highlight and find definitions for a lot of the words she used. I don't think I'm a dumb person... I think (or thought!) I'm fairly well-read. (Ignore my overabundance of Christian/Amish lit and just know that I have read plenty of "difficult" books before I started this blog. Haha!) But her reading choices for her various areas of study and the words she used... Well, she definitely runs in a more intellectual circle than I do. (I found myself wondering if she kept looking things up in a thesaurus or if she really talks like that in normal life.)
At the end of her book, she lists the books she read in her research on "happiness." I didn't really agree with her selection of Anna Karenina as a choice for "Some of My Favorite Novels About Happiness." I mean, obviously that's her list and she can put any book she wants on it. But that was one of the most depressing books I ever read! Did I miss something? On the other hand, her choice of Elizabeth and Her German Garden is one I can agree with...
Now that I've read the book, I would (and just might) buy it. I highlighted a lot of her thoughts and have new ideas of books to read and things to think about. I found her personality to be similar to mine (speaking mostly of weaknesses) and sometimes I found myself smiling because I could relate to her experiences. Her husband and family sounds great, too, and even though they live a completely different lifestyle than I ever will (or would want to), I found myself connecting with her on many levels.
Clean. There may have been one swear word, but I'm not even sure about that.
To be honest, if the book hadn't been available to borrow, I wouldn't have read it. I had read a lot of reviews about it when it first came out and I was negatively influenced by the one-star reviews. I was pretty sure I was not going to like this book (or the author) at all, but since I didn't have to shell out a dime to read it, I figured I would give it a try. The premise of the book was intriguing to me.
So... I pretty much loved this book. Oh, I have a few critical opinions... like, in the first part of the book I kept thinking that maybe she didn't need to be quite so honest. I thought she was a little harsh in sharing some of her frustrations about her husband. The whole "Just because you CAN say something doesn't mean you SHOULD" idea, ya know? But as the book went on, I realized she was more than fair on sharing her own shortcomings and gave her husband plenty of credit for putting up with her.
Also... big words. So glad I was reading this on my Kindle so I could highlight and find definitions for a lot of the words she used. I don't think I'm a dumb person... I think (or thought!) I'm fairly well-read. (Ignore my overabundance of Christian/Amish lit and just know that I have read plenty of "difficult" books before I started this blog. Haha!) But her reading choices for her various areas of study and the words she used... Well, she definitely runs in a more intellectual circle than I do. (I found myself wondering if she kept looking things up in a thesaurus or if she really talks like that in normal life.)
At the end of her book, she lists the books she read in her research on "happiness." I didn't really agree with her selection of Anna Karenina as a choice for "Some of My Favorite Novels About Happiness." I mean, obviously that's her list and she can put any book she wants on it. But that was one of the most depressing books I ever read! Did I miss something? On the other hand, her choice of Elizabeth and Her German Garden is one I can agree with...
Now that I've read the book, I would (and just might) buy it. I highlighted a lot of her thoughts and have new ideas of books to read and things to think about. I found her personality to be similar to mine (speaking mostly of weaknesses) and sometimes I found myself smiling because I could relate to her experiences. Her husband and family sounds great, too, and even though they live a completely different lifestyle than I ever will (or would want to), I found myself connecting with her on many levels.
Clean. There may have been one swear word, but I'm not even sure about that.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
The Rent Collector (Camron Wright)
Why I have this book: It was recommended by a friend and was also our book club choice for the month.
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I thought it was an enjoyable read and a great story line. The setting was intriguing (and disturbing), the characters and their relationships were interesting, the background of the Khmer Rouge taking over Cambodia added strong emotion...
On the other hand, I think a lot more could have been done with the story. It seemed as though the main characters' personalities and interaction changed very quickly. It seemed out of character for both of them, from what we had seen up to the point. There was an unanswered question or two, some simplistic and unrealistic things that happened. It was a good read, but it could have been amazing with some more depth added to it. There was just so much more story to tell.
Also, one of the reviewers on Amazon mentioned that he/she thought it was odd that the characters were based on real people, using their real names and photos and even some of their circumstances, and then writing a fiction story about them. I tend to agree. I'm not sure what the point of that was. Why not just make up characters to tell the story you want to tell?
If the point was to shed light on the circumstances of the people of Cambodia, then it worked for me. It renewed my interest in reading another book I've had on my wish list for years... When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge. If it came within my reach, I would also watch the documentary the author's son made about the people whose lives were the basis for this book. My eyes have been opened (once again) to the way people have to live in this world, and it reminds me to not only be grateful for what I have, but also to remember how many people need our help. And... even more important... how amazing the human spirit is to survive the most tragic and difficult of circumstances. I admire their strength of spirit.
All in all, I did like the book. It definitely has left me wanting more, which isn't always a bad thing.
Clean for the most part. There are two swear words that I remember, and some sad and disturbing realities described. There is some playful intimate banter between husband and wife. (Which is another thing... the author is using real people. Shouldn't their intimate relationship be off limits? There was nothing offensive about it, but still. Seems like it's not his place to add that to the story.)
I have mixed feelings about this book. On the one hand, I thought it was an enjoyable read and a great story line. The setting was intriguing (and disturbing), the characters and their relationships were interesting, the background of the Khmer Rouge taking over Cambodia added strong emotion...
On the other hand, I think a lot more could have been done with the story. It seemed as though the main characters' personalities and interaction changed very quickly. It seemed out of character for both of them, from what we had seen up to the point. There was an unanswered question or two, some simplistic and unrealistic things that happened. It was a good read, but it could have been amazing with some more depth added to it. There was just so much more story to tell.
Also, one of the reviewers on Amazon mentioned that he/she thought it was odd that the characters were based on real people, using their real names and photos and even some of their circumstances, and then writing a fiction story about them. I tend to agree. I'm not sure what the point of that was. Why not just make up characters to tell the story you want to tell?
If the point was to shed light on the circumstances of the people of Cambodia, then it worked for me. It renewed my interest in reading another book I've had on my wish list for years... When Broken Glass Floats: Growing Up Under the Khmer Rouge. If it came within my reach, I would also watch the documentary the author's son made about the people whose lives were the basis for this book. My eyes have been opened (once again) to the way people have to live in this world, and it reminds me to not only be grateful for what I have, but also to remember how many people need our help. And... even more important... how amazing the human spirit is to survive the most tragic and difficult of circumstances. I admire their strength of spirit.
All in all, I did like the book. It definitely has left me wanting more, which isn't always a bad thing.
Clean for the most part. There are two swear words that I remember, and some sad and disturbing realities described. There is some playful intimate banter between husband and wife. (Which is another thing... the author is using real people. Shouldn't their intimate relationship be off limits? There was nothing offensive about it, but still. Seems like it's not his place to add that to the story.)
Sunday, October 20, 2013
My Loving Vigil Keeping (Carla Kelly)
Why I have this book: I bought it a long time ago for my Kindle. I think maybe it was a good deal.
I liked this book very much as a reader. It kept my interest and was written in a way that it was easy to get into the story.
As a Wannabe Editor, I would have done a little work on it. For example, the word "shy" was used way too often. And...
... when you hear the phrase "no harm, no foul", what do you think about? Basketball? Yeah, me, too. I even looked up the origin and meaning of the phrase, in case I was wrong, and I found nothing other than it came from basketball. One site even said the phrase came into being via basketball in the early 70's. I'm assuming they mean the 1970's.
So when one of the characters used that phrase, it totally jolted me out of the story. (The story is set in about 1900.) If I'm missing something in the origin of this phrase, please let me know.
I also thought the ending was a bit too "perfect" for the protagonist, considering how it worked out for everyone else. And I wish the story would have continued a bit beyond where it ended. It was just too big of an event to leave the story behind. And, I found it a little annoying that the heroine was also like some kind of goddess in the community. Everyone practically worshipped her. It just seemed a little silly.
I did learn a lot about a part of Utah history, and like I said, the story itself was engrossing. In spite of my complaints, I did enjoy the book. I would read other books by the author, and from the look of it, she has written quite a few. I'll have to look into them and see which ones interest me.
(Did you know that you can spell worshipped with either one P or two? (worshiped) Which one looks right to you? Because spell check says it's one P... which to me looks completely wrong. According to my google results, it can go either way.)
Clean.
I liked this book very much as a reader. It kept my interest and was written in a way that it was easy to get into the story.
As a Wannabe Editor, I would have done a little work on it. For example, the word "shy" was used way too often. And...
... when you hear the phrase "no harm, no foul", what do you think about? Basketball? Yeah, me, too. I even looked up the origin and meaning of the phrase, in case I was wrong, and I found nothing other than it came from basketball. One site even said the phrase came into being via basketball in the early 70's. I'm assuming they mean the 1970's.
So when one of the characters used that phrase, it totally jolted me out of the story. (The story is set in about 1900.) If I'm missing something in the origin of this phrase, please let me know.
I also thought the ending was a bit too "perfect" for the protagonist, considering how it worked out for everyone else. And I wish the story would have continued a bit beyond where it ended. It was just too big of an event to leave the story behind. And, I found it a little annoying that the heroine was also like some kind of goddess in the community. Everyone practically worshipped her. It just seemed a little silly.
I did learn a lot about a part of Utah history, and like I said, the story itself was engrossing. In spite of my complaints, I did enjoy the book. I would read other books by the author, and from the look of it, she has written quite a few. I'll have to look into them and see which ones interest me.
(Did you know that you can spell worshipped with either one P or two? (worshiped) Which one looks right to you? Because spell check says it's one P... which to me looks completely wrong. According to my google results, it can go either way.)
Clean.
The Erma Bombeck Collection (Erma Bombeck)
If Life Is a Bowl of Cherries, What Am I Doing in the Pits?
Motherhood... the Second Oldest Profession
The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank
Why I have these books: It's actually one book, an e-book collection of the three titles listed. I saw that someone online read one of her books and it reminded me that I read them when I was about 12... and I remember liking them.
So I didn't really like them now. They just had a somewhat negative (albeit joking) tone to them. In three whole books, there were probably three times that I actually found anything funny enough to get a chuckle out of it. I don't know... yeah, maybe her thoughts are kind of true when it comes to raising kids or whatever, but it just seemed a little too sarcastic for my taste for the most part.
I'm not really sure I should have thought they were funny back when I read them as a kid. My friend (we were both about 12 years old) had a set of them and she loaned them to me. WHY did I think they were funny? I'm not even sure I would have gotten the humor. I probably couldn't relate to what she was even talking about, since most of it is about motherhood and being an adult.
So all in all, I wasn't very enthralled with them. It took me a long time to finish, because I just read a little at a time. I finally forced myself to get through the last book of the collection so I could put them away. Also... they are outdated. If I hadn't grown up in the 70's and 80's, I wouldn't really get what she was talking about sometimes. Haha!
The Lord's name is used as an exclamation of expression several times.
Motherhood... the Second Oldest Profession
The Grass is Always Greener Over the Septic Tank
Why I have these books: It's actually one book, an e-book collection of the three titles listed. I saw that someone online read one of her books and it reminded me that I read them when I was about 12... and I remember liking them.
So I didn't really like them now. They just had a somewhat negative (albeit joking) tone to them. In three whole books, there were probably three times that I actually found anything funny enough to get a chuckle out of it. I don't know... yeah, maybe her thoughts are kind of true when it comes to raising kids or whatever, but it just seemed a little too sarcastic for my taste for the most part.
I'm not really sure I should have thought they were funny back when I read them as a kid. My friend (we were both about 12 years old) had a set of them and she loaned them to me. WHY did I think they were funny? I'm not even sure I would have gotten the humor. I probably couldn't relate to what she was even talking about, since most of it is about motherhood and being an adult.
So all in all, I wasn't very enthralled with them. It took me a long time to finish, because I just read a little at a time. I finally forced myself to get through the last book of the collection so I could put them away. Also... they are outdated. If I hadn't grown up in the 70's and 80's, I wouldn't really get what she was talking about sometimes. Haha!
The Lord's name is used as an exclamation of expression several times.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
The Amish Bride (Mindy Starns Clark and Leslie Gould)
Why I have this book: I bought it a long time ago when, if I remember correctly, it was on discount. It's been sitting unread on my Kindle ever since.
This is part of a series, and I read the first two books (and reviewed them) a while ago. I'll admit I've become disenchanted with the whole Amish genre after seeing stories about some of their communities on the news. As far as Amish books go, though, this series has more depth than most. I did enjoy reading the book, although I think the ending fell flat when the "love story" played out the way it did. It was somewhat silly to me.
Clean.
This is part of a series, and I read the first two books (and reviewed them) a while ago. I'll admit I've become disenchanted with the whole Amish genre after seeing stories about some of their communities on the news. As far as Amish books go, though, this series has more depth than most. I did enjoy reading the book, although I think the ending fell flat when the "love story" played out the way it did. It was somewhat silly to me.
Clean.
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