I rarely watch book trailers, but I do occasionally watch them. I didn't know there was a trailer for This World We Live In so it caught my eye as I was reading blog posts in my google reader.
I absolutely love it!!! I think it really evokes the feeling of the books and makes me wish they'd be movies! (which is why I don't actually watch book trailers very often)
What do you think?
It's time for some book lust! Here are some Christian fiction books coming out in the next year and early 2011 that I'm really looking forward to:
Love Amid the Ashes by Mesu Andrews (Revell-2011)
About the Book: Readers often think of Job sitting on the ash heap, his life in shambles. But how did he get there? What was Job's life like before tragedy struck? What did he think as his world came crashing down around him? And what was life like after God restored his wealth, health, and family?
Through painstaking research and a writer's creative mind, Mesu Andrews weaves an emotional and stirring account of this well-known story told through the eyes of the women who loved him. Drawing together the account of Job with those of Esau's tribe and Jacob's daughter Dinah, Love Amid the Ashes breathes life, romance, and passion into the classic biblical story of suffering and steadfast faith.
Why It Looks Good to Me: I think the idea of Biblical fiction about the life of Job is a great idea. I personally haven't read any, and we all feel a little like Job at time, so I think the story has potential to be really interesting and gripping.
Paradise Valley by Dale Cramer (Bethany House 2011)
About the Book: An Amish settlement in Ohio has run afoul of a law requiring their children to attend public school. Caleb Bender and his neighbors are arrested for neglect, with the state ordering the children be placed in an institution. Among them are Caleb's teenage daughter, Rachel, and the boy she has her eye on, Jake Weaver. Romance blooms between the two when Rachel helps Jake escape the children's home.
Searching for a place to relocate his family where no such laws apply, Caleb learns there's inexpensive land for sale in Mexico, a place called Paradise Valley. Despite rumors of instability in the wake of the Mexican revolution, the Amish community decides this is their answer. And since it was Caleb's idea, he and his family will be the pioneers. They will send for the others once he's established a foothold and assessed the situation.
Caleb's daughters are thrown into turmoil. Rachel doesn't want to leave Jake. Her sister, Emma, who has been courting Levi Mullet, fears her dreams of marriage will be dashed. Miriam has never had a beau and is acutely aware there will be no prospects in Mexico.
Once there, they meet Domingo, a young man and guide who takes a liking to Miriam, something her father would never approve. While Paradise Valley is everything they'd hoped it would be, it isn't long before the bandits start giving them trouble, threatening to upset the fledgling Amish settlement, even putting their lives in danger. Thankfully no one has been harmed, so far anyway.
Why It Looks Good to Me: I absolutely LOVED Dale Cramer's Levi's Will and thought it was the best Amish fiction book I've read. He's a great writer and this premise of this one...the conflicts the Amish face in interactions with the rest of the world are a source of endless fascination and I suspect that Paradise Valley will continue to some of the issues raised in Levi's Will. I really CANNOT WAIT for this book!
Another Dawn by Kathryn Cushman (Bethany House 2011)
About the Book: Grace Graham is back in Tennessee with her four-year-old son on a short unpaid leave from work, helping her father recover from surgery and spending time with her sister. Shoal Creek seems more backward than ever after her years in California, and it's hard to find organic food anywhere.
When the unthinkable happens and her son is diagnosed with measles, Grace's fears over modern medicine take a dangerous turn. Worse, the town has fallen into quarantine and its residents focus their anger and blame on Grace. She is alone and scared, until one brave woman chooses to reach out a hand of forgiveness and mercy.
But when the outbreak takes a life-threatening turn, will Grace be able to forgive herself?
Why It Looks Good to Me: I think Kathryn Cushman does a good job of creating situations I haven't thought of before in her fiction and creating characters that struggle to make the right choices daily. I also tend to like stories with people being quarantined or otherwise shut off from society and I think this is an interesting premise for a novel.
A Heart Most Worthy by Siri Mitchell (Bethany House 2011)
About the Book: The elegance of Madame Forza's gown shop is a far cry from the downtrodden North End of Boston. Yet each day Julietta, Annamaria, and Luciana enter the world of the upper class, working on finery for the elite in society. The three beauties each long to break free of their obligations and embrace the American dream—and their chance for love. But the ways of the heart are difficult to discern at times. Julietta is drawn to the swarthy, mysterious Angelo. Annamaria has a star-crossed encounter with the grocer's son, a man from the entirely wrong family. And through no intent of her own, Luciana catches the eye of Billy Quinn, the son of Madame Forza's most important client.
Their destinies intertwined, each harboring a secret from their families and each other, will they be found worthy of the love they seek?
Why It Looks Good to Me: Siri Mitchell is one of my favorite authors. I like this unique setting for American historical fiction and I love stories that involve words like "destinies intertwined" This is another one I absolutely can't wait to read!
Almost Heaven by Chris Fabry (Tyndale, October 2010)
About the Book: Billy Allman is a hillbilly genius. People in Dogwood, West Virginia, say he was born with a second helping of brains and a gift for playing the mandolin but was cut short on social skills. Though he’d gladly give you the shirt off his back, they were right. Billy longs to use his life as an ode to God, a lyrical, beautiful bluegrass song played with a finely tuned heart. So with spare parts from a lifetime of collecting, he builds a radio station in his own home. People in town laugh. But Billy carries a brutal secret that keeps him from significance and purpose. Things always seem to go wrong for him.
However small his life seems, from a different perspective Billy’s song reaches far beyond the hills and hollers he calls home. Malachi is an angel sent to observe Billy. Though it is not his dream assignment, Malachi follows the man and begins to see the bigger picture of how each painful step Billy takes is a note added to a beautiful symphony that will forever change the lives of those who hear it.
Why It Looks Good To Me: Oh the cover. This is complete cover love, I LOVE that cover! :) I also have a fondness for characters like Billy, and bluegrass music...and while I have yet to read a book by Chris Fabry, I've heard nothing but good things!
The Miracle of Mercy Land by River Jordan (September 2010 Waterbrook Multnomah)
About the Book: Mercy Land has made some unexpected choices for a young woman in the 1930s. The sheltered daughter of a traveling preacher, she chooses to leave her rural community to move to nearby Bay City on the warm, gulf-waters of southern Alabama. There she finds a job at the local paper and spends seven years making herself indispensable to old Doc Philips, the publisher and editor. Then she gets a frantic call at dawn—it’s the biggest news story of her life, and she can’t print a word of it.
Doc has come into possession of a curious book that maps the lives of everyone in Bay City—decisions they’ve made in the past, and how those choices affect the future. Mercy and Doc are consumed by the mystery locked between the pages—Doc because he hopes to right a very old wrong, and Mercy because she wants to fulfill the book’s strange purpose. But when a mysterious stranger shows up, Mercy begins to understand she may have to choose between love and loneliness . . . or good and evil . . . for the rest of her life.
Why It Looks Good to Me: Oh come on, isn't it obvious? The ability to know the consequences of choices and have the power to change them? (reminds me of LOST) This one definitely looks fantastic! And what a cover!
Lady In Waiting by Susan Meissner (Waterbrook Multnomah September 2010)
About the Book: Content in her comfortable marriage of twenty-two years, Jane Lindsay never expected to watch her husband Brad pack his belongings and walk out the door of their Manhattan home. But when it happens, she feels powerless to stop him and the course of events that follow Brad’s departure. Jane finds an old ring in a box of relics from a British jumble sale and discovers a Latin inscription in the band along with just one other word: Jane. Feeling instant connection to the mysterious ring bearing her namesake, Jane begins a journey to learn more about the ring—and perhaps about herself.
~
In the sixteenth-century, Lucy Day becomes the dressmaker to Lady Jane Grey, an innocent young woman whose fate seems to be controlled by a dangerous political and religious climate, one threatening to deny her true love and pursuit of her own interests. As the stories of both Janes dovetail through the journey of one ring, it becomes clear that each woman has far more influence over their lives than they once imagined. It all comes down to the choices each makes despite the realities they face.
Why It Looks Good to Me: I loved Susan Meissner's Shape of Mercy and this book seems to be similar in style to that one. I also like that it appears to be about empowerment! Woo-hoo! :)
Valeria's Cross by Kathi Macias and Susan Wales (Abingdon Press, September 2010)
About the Book: In the 3rd century, pampered Roman princess Valeria falls in love with Mauritius, captain of the Theban Legion. She sends him off to battle, where he suffers under the schemes of a notorious pagan general with an ambition for power and a lust for Valeria.
In a scene based on true events, the evil Galerius kills Mauritius and his entire legion for their Christian faith. And in a shocking turn of events, the grieving Valeria is forced to become Galerius’ wife against her will. Never has a marriage been set up for such failure.
Valeria loathes her new husband, but he seems to undergo a change of heart, adopting a child for her and giving her power and authority, and even love. She struggles with the commitment she knows she must keep, and the love she knows she will never find again.
Why It Looks Good To Me: This book was actually recommended to me and once I read the description, I got really excited. I love the drama of it! It also seems like a really interesting story I don't know very much about, so I'm looking forward to it.
Amy Inspired by Bethany Pierce (Bethany House October 2010)
About the Book: Amy Gallagher is an aspiring writer who, after countless rejections, has settled for a career as an English professor in small-town Ohio just to pay the bills. All her dreams suddenly start to unravel as rejections pile up--both from publishers and her boyfriend. But just as Amy fears her life is stuck in a holding pattern, she meets the mysterious, attractive, and unavailable Eli.
She struggles to walk the fine line between friendship and something more with Eli, even as staying true to her faith becomes unexpectedly complicated. When secrets, tragedy, and poor decisions cause rifts in Amy's relationships, she must come to terms with who she's become, her unrealized aspirations for her life, and the state of her faith. Can she dare to hope that she will find love and fulfillment despite it all?
Why It Looks Good To Me: Because frankly, I could use some inspiring! It also sounds like the kind of book I long for....a book that's deeply without faith without offering up all of the answers. And what a cover!
The Air We Breathe By Christa Parrish (October 2010)
About the Book: Seventeen-year-old Molly Fisk does not go outside. She's ruled by anxiety and only feels safe in the tiny tourist-town museum she and her mother run and call home. Yearning to live free but unable to overcome deep wounds from her past, she stays hidden away. Then the chance arrival of a woman Molly knew six years ago changes everything.
Six years ago, newly single Claire Rodriguez was an empty shell. Only in the unique friendship she strikes up with a young girl--a silent girl who'll only talk to Claire--does she see the possibility of healing. But one day the girl and her mother vanish, their house abandoned. What happened that drove them away? And how can Claire now offer Molly the same chance at finding a life anew?
Why It Looks Good To Me: I loved Christa Parrish's first two novels and am eagerly awaiting her breakout novel. I think this has the potential to be it....she's got a great literary style and a depth of characterization that allows you to feel you know the characters. She takes risks and this story sounds really different.
A Suitor for Jenny by Margaret Brownley (Thomas Nelson September 2010)
About the Book: When looking for a husband, it's best to go where the odds are in your favor.
And that would be Rocky Creek, Texas, 1880. But Jenny Higgins's plan to find husbands for her two sisters hits a snag when enthusiastic applicants fail to meet her stringent requirements.
Rejecting her sisters' choices for mates and riding herd on her growing feelings for Marshal Rhett Armstrong, she refuses to give up.
Jenny thinks choosing a husband is not a job for the heart. It'll take one strong and handsome marshal to convince her otherwise.
Why It Looks Good To Me: I really loved Brownley's first novel in the series, A Lady Like Sarah. It was just a purely enjoyable romance with imperfect characters. I have to admit I'm scared the cover of this one will drive some people away! It looks like the perfect fall afternoon read to me, and I hope everyone who loves smart Christian romance will give it a try!
The Inheritance of Beauty by Nicole Seitz (Thomas Nelson February 2011)
About the Book: George Jacobs and his childhood sweetheart were just kids living in small-town Levy, SC, when the train brought the evil to town. Now eighty years later, George and Maggie are married, living out their remaining days in Harmony House where time moves slowly--Maggie can no longer communicate her love and George can hardly remember their past. But when a large package arrives and an old stranger moves into Harmony House, their past won't remain at bay any longer. Like it or not, George must now remember things from long ago in order to set himself--and his sweet wife--free. But George isn't sure how many lives were affected by the stranger in Levy . . . or why life must come full-circle now when he's running out of time.
The Inheritance of Beauty is an entrancing story about beauty and age, about the blessings and curses of each, and how the true beauty of a person never fades.
Why It Looks Good To Me: To be completely honest, I'm a little confused by the synopsis, but I've enjoyed Nicole Seitz's work in the past and I really like the title, cover, and last sentence of that synopsis. Looks to be another good one!
And probably my most anticipated Christian fiction book for the remainder of the year...
Resurrection in May by Lisa Samson
About the Book: May Seymour graduated from college with the world at her feet and no idea what to do with it. A mission trip to Rwanda brought her a sense of purpose in loving others. So when the genocide began she chose to remain in the village, which was subsequently slaughtered. Only May survived.
May journeyed to heal on the farm of Claudius Borne, a sweet, innocent old man who understood plants and animals far better than people.
Years later, having not stepped a foot off Claudius' farm, May learns an old college flame, now a death-row inmate, is refusing to appeal his sentence. Can she convince him to grab hold of life once again? Their surprising friendship turns the tables, for the prisoner, Eli Campbell, has a deeper faith from which to draw than she. Eli slowly begins to pull May from her cloistered existence. With the help of Eli, their tiny town, and ultimately a renewal of faith, May comes to life once again.
Why It Looks Good To Me: I've liked all of Lisa Samson's books I've read, but The Passion of Mary Margaret was by far my favorite. Not only was it my favorite, but she set the bar incredibly high with it as it became one of my all time favorite books. (a book that actually helped me realize what I long for in novels) I was beyond ecstatic when she won the Christy Award for it. I feel that book deserves every bit of good will and I many more people will discover it. I love the premise of this book and have high hopes for it. I'm counting down the days! :)
(You may be wondering why Julie Lessman's A Hope Undaunted isn't on the list...I've already read it! Trust me, it's FABULOUS and you will love it if you're a fan!)
YOUR TURN
So....do any of these books look good to you? Are you also eagerly anticipating any of them? If you could read one right now, which would it be? What do you think I'm missing on this list?
(HT: Relz Reviewz for keeping all this information in an easy to find way!)
Call me crazy, call me a workaholic and you'd be right on both accounts. But, I'm really excited to tell you today about one of my newest projects, a collaboration with Nicole of Linus's Blanket...the Underground Literary Society Podcast.
Nicole was noticing that while she read the same themes would come up again and again. She asked if I'd be interested in doing a podcast, and I was like...sure! I love to talk, I love books, and I especially love to talk about books.
6 months later and we're finally going live with this baby! I'm really excited about it, because the podcast includes author involvement. In this first episode, we talk to Robin Oliveira who wrote My Name is Mary Sutter and Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown who collaborated on Picture the Dead.
You'll have to forgive a few rough transitions and a little spotty sound quality...we've definitely ironed that out for future episodes.
We have the incredible freedom to read, to discuss ideas that reading generates, and to do it all without fear. The Underground Literary Society is a celebration of knowledge, thought, story, and discussion. I really hope you'll join us!
Visit The Underground Literary Society blog, follow us on Twitter, like us on Facebook, and join our goodreads group!
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and the book:
David C. Cook; New edition (June 1, 2010)
I am excited to be working with Scholastic to offer this special Linger Giveaway! Linger releases on July 20th.
About Linger: This is the story of a boy who used to be a wolf and a girl who was becoming one.
Just a few months ago, it was Sam who was the mythical creature. His was the disease we couldn't cure. His was the good-bye that meant the most. He had the body that was a mystery, too strange and wonderful and terrifying to comprehend.
But now it is spring. With the heat, the remaining wolves will soon be falling out of their wolf pelts and back into their human bodies. Sam stays Sam, and Cole stays Cole, and it's only me who's not firmly in my own skin.
Read my review of Shiver and Linger.
The Prize:
One winner will receive a Linger Book Club Prize Pack! The Pack includes ten copies of Linger and a $100 Visa gift card so you can host a party and discuss Linger!
This contest is open to residents of the United States.
To enter, please fill out the form below by July 12! Thanks and good luck!
I really enjoyed Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver once I got into it last year, and over the creep factor involved. I was really looking forward to reading Linger, so when this lovely ARC showed up for me, I was beyond thrilled. It did not disappoint at all, in fact, I loved it.
Shiver didn't actually feel like a story that needed to be continued. In many ways, it felt like it was self-contained, but there were some story threads that were left unanswered, and Stiefvater picks those up in Linger. Spoilers for Shiver are inevitable, so if you haven't read it, please read no further.
Grace and Sam tried a risky experiment on Sam to help him stay a human forever, and it worked. Now Sam has to try to trust his new life...it's not going anywhere he won't turn back into a wolf. Meanwhile, a new wolf shows up in town and he's got a bit of attitude and seems to pose a threat to the pack as it is. Sam is left taking care of the pack and dealing with a new set of issues among them, and Grace is getting sick and still longing to turn into a wolf.
I know that synopsis sounds a little crazy, but I was completely and utterly engrossed in this book. I love Sam, absolutely love him, and so I was eager to see how he was going to deal with his new life. He and Grace faced some conflict, including some parental intervention showing up at the last minute, and of course Sam has to deal with feelings of leaving behind the pack.
It might seem like a bit of an eye-roller when you think you know what's going to happen, but actually I felt the central dilemma was unexpected and made sense. And it certainly sets up the need for the third book.
I love these books, what can I say? Stiefvater's writing is beautiful and lyrical, her romance is convincing, and her wolves unique and interesting. I can't wait for the next one!
Rating: 4.5/5
Source of Book: ARC provided by publisher
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Happy Sunday everyone! I hope this past week was a good one of reading for you. :)
Just a few links to share with you today.
A special thanks to the Los Angeles Times and Carolyn Kellogg for giving some space to book bloggers and our ever growing relationship with publishers. If you are new to book blogs, let me tell you--this is a fantastic, growing field. There are thousands of active book blogs all over the world that cover books in many different genres. If you are interested in learning more about book bloggers and celebrating what we do, I highly recommend tuning into Book Blogger Appreciation Week, where we seek to recognize and celebrate the many different roles book bloggers play.
Also, a thank you to Profitable Mommy Blog for recommending My Friend Amy as one of 36 sites moms should keep an eye on in the book category.
A Few Other Links of Interest
I found Russ Ramsey's piece about how 3-D doesn't seem that spectacular to be pretty interesting, especially the conversation that continued in comments comparing 3-D to advent of color films. Interesting to think about!
I also enjoyed these pictures of Finn and Emmy with Is Your Buffalo Ready for Kindergarten? at Lenore's blog. By the way, this book is out now and you don't want to miss it!
Marie had a great post on What IS a Graphic Novel? and a call for an alternative name!
I also really enjoyed this guest by C.W. Gortner at The Eclectic Reader about Catherine de Medici's passion for the arts...especially since I so enjoyed his book about her!
Last but not least, the next #bblog chat is this Tuesday at 9 PM EST on the subject of branding your blog with @whatsheread.
I have a busy day ahead--I will hopefully be able to share with you a couple of the things I've been working on for months now in the forthcoming week but it depends on whether or not I get everything done. How about you? Do you have special plans for today?
The Faith and Fiction Round Table is a monthly discussion between a diverse group of Christian bloggers. This month we discussed Broken by Travis Thrasher. (a special thank you to FaithWords for providing the participants with the books) Here's a little about the book:
Laila had it all--love, family, wealth, and faith. But when her faith crumbles, her world falls apart and Laila finds herself living an empty, dangerous life as a call girl in Chicago.
When she is threatened, Laila shoots and kills a client in self-defense, sending herself into a spiral of guilt and emptiness. Six months later, she is trying to move on, but she's haunted by the past. She hasn't told anyone about the man she killed, and she's still estranged from her family.
When she is approached by a stranger who says he knows what she did, Laila has no choice but to run. But the stranger stays close behind, and Laila begins having visions of the man she killed. Little does she know she's being hounded by something not of this world, something that knows her deepest, darkest secret.
Scared and wandering, will Laila regain her trust in God to protect her from these demons? Or will her plea for salvation come too late?
Find our the different discussion spots below!
Introduction: Amy at My Friend Amy
Overall Feelings About the Story: Lisa at 5 Minutes for Books
The Supernatural Elements: Jennifer at Mrs. Q Book Addict
The Plot and Plot Devices: Hannah at WordLily
Role of Reviewers and Participants: Thomas My Random Thoughts
There will be no Faith and Fiction Saturday in July and we'll be discussing Godric by Frederick Buechner in August. If you have any interest in participating in a future round table, have a look at the schedule and shoot me an email.
Once upon a time, the idea of reading books about kings and queens from long ago seemed about the most dull prospect on the planet to me. For some reason, I was completely ignorant to the fact that their stories were the stuff of soap operas, political thrillers, and lives of the rich and famous combined. Then I read one, loved it, and proceeded to overdose on this kind of historical fiction. I quickly learned, however, that it takes a special kind of writer with a special gift to bring these stories to life. C.W. Gortner is one of those writers, and I had no hesitation in reading his newest release, The Confessions of Catherine de Medici.
Here's where I mention I'm still pretty ignorant of the history of all these kings and queens. I don't know the history very well, and I enjoy learning more about it from books like this one. It just so happens that Catherine de Medici lived during intense religious conflict in France, and that elevated my interest in this narrative quite a bit.
Catherine de Medici was born in Italy but pledged to a prince of France at a young age. Her husband, Henri had little interest in her and thus begins the sort of compelling narrative of a woman trying to secure her future when a man will have nothing to do with her! She does however, bare him many children, and many of those children met with sad fates.
I don't want to give away too much, so I'll talk about some of the things I enjoyed. I enjoyed that this story took place in France, much of it in the Loire valley, so when specific castles were mentioned, I could actually visualize them, having been there. I could visualize Chenonceau and understand why it was such a prize and beloved by Catherine. I could visualize Amboise and Blois. Funny enough, even though I could imagine these places, it made me want to go back! I think this is the first of all these kinds of historical fiction books I've read that took place in France and my familiarity with France increased my appreciation of the book.
I also found the religious history fascinating. I have always been fascinated by the Huguenots, as I am by any period of religious persecution. I have to admit to feeling shocked over how Catholics and Protestants can wage war on each other when they are both variations of the same faith. A peace loving faith I might add. I think in reality you're hard pressed to demonstrate how "turn the other cheek" means kill everyone who refuses to convert to your understanding, but that's what you get when you mix political power with faith. The persecution was really ugly and the Huguenots were certainly not blameless, as they built an army themselves. The way this all unfolded was interesting, especially as Catherine was a Catholic, but admits she sees religion as a way of keeping things from being chaotic (oh really?) and doesn't seem to grasp the heart of faith, and what it means to true believers. Even so, she often fought for compromise and ways to prevent the persecution and killing.
I became completely engrossed in this book and in the life of Catherine. I was interested to read she was quite feared and rather hated in the author's notes at the end, when it really seemed as if she did want to establish peace. Even with her longing to establish peace, however, she was a woman who cherished her political power and influence and worked to exert it.
I also loved Gortner's The Last Queen and I hope I don't have to wait too long to find out about which fantastic life he will illuminate next.
Rating: 4.5/5
Things You Might Want to Know: Explicit sex, a tiny bit of profanity
Source of Book: Received from Publisher for review
Publisher: Ballantine Books (Random House)
Mariette Puttnam is a young girl in 1960 with her whole life ahead of her. She's had many privileges in her life and her father hopes she'll go to college, while her mother dreams she'll become a fine society lady. Mariette isn't thrilled with either choice and isn't sure what she wants from her life until she meets Thayne Scott. Thayne and Mariette fall HARD for each other and quickly elope when it becomes apparent that Mariette's parents don't support the relationship. Getting married so quickly and so young certainly has its effect on them and life offers many struggles....especially when Thayne feels passionately about entering the ministry and Mariette feels indifferently about God.
I picked up This Fine Life when I didn't have my current read with me and could not put it down until I'd finished it, I absolutely loved it. For some reason, I really love reading stories about women whose lives are so greatly impacted by the callings of their husbands. Thayne did a lot of stuff I would have found unforgiveable, and yet Mariette always found a way to make it work. I loved her as a character, she wasn't perfect, but she wasn't afraid to to be who she was. Her struggles with what was expected of her as a pastor's wife were so authentic. I also found her faith search to be heart wrenchingly real...it wasn't that she didn't want to believe, she just didn't get it. I appreciated that there was no conversion scene, and I really loved the way her friend Missy talked to her. Missy never talked down to her, but always sought to understand what Mariette was feeling and thinking.
Additionally, Everson creates a delightful cast of characters in the town of Logan's Creek and really brings to life that small town feel. And the humor is absolutely charming, such as when Mariette is tempted to tell a towns person she has a hard time calling a man she's seen naked, Reverend.
I really liked Thayne, too, even if he had communication problems. I feel he's a good representation of a man called to ministry...a job constantly torn between love for other people and taking care of your own family. Such realistic portrayal of clergy is hard to come by in fiction, and so I always appreciate it when I find it.
In the beginning of the book, Mariette says it's Thayne's story. But I disagree. I think the book is very much Mariette's story, and that she's a fantastic example of the many strong women who partner with their husbands to fulfill their calling. I've had the privilege of knowing and being close to many of them in real life.
Ultimately, this book was the ultimate in a feel good read. I read it in the span of just a few hours, I loved the characters, I was engaged by their stories, I cried a little in that deeply emotionally satisfying way. I loved it.
Rating: 4.75/5
Things You Might Want to Know: Christian fiction
Source of Book: Received from publisher for review
Publisher: Revell (Baker Books)
A great deal of historical fiction focuses on real people and imagining what their lives might have been like. I've always found the ethics of writing about real people fascinating. Is it okay to imagine a whole life based on scant historical detail? Is it okay to interpret events in a less than favorable way, one that casts a negative light on people that really existed--whose descendents still walk the earth. My interest in this topic was first sparked when I watched the movie An American Haunting. I watched the movie and went to the internet to search facts since I hadn't heard that particular interpretation when hearing the story of the Bell witch. My quick research indicated that the claims the movie made were unfounded...there really wasn't evidence to suggest things happened that way. I felt uncomfortable with the idea of writing a story that maligned the memories of these people. I've even asked authors to comment on this issue in the past.
I started thinking about this again yesterday when I saw Read Roger's response to Jezebel's frustration with a new historical fiction
account of Peter van Pels from the Anne Frank diary. Apparently there was some question that there was a sex scene in the book, Annexed by Sharon Dogar, and the columnist was outraged.
Several people brought up the question of why even write a historical fiction account of this person. I have a few thoughts on this, but it should be noted that it's been years since I read the diary of Anne Frank and I remember very little.
My first thought is that writing a historical account of Peter is absolutely fair game. Fictionalized sensational tales exists about all sorts of people--from the American Haunting story I told above to stories of Jesus being married with children. The way Peter died was horrendously tragic, but I'm not sure that exempts him from having a fictionalized account told. Furthermore, those who have read the book feel it is respectful to the original diary. I think in many ways it could be quite helpful, in giving us space to imagine another perspective and a different set of circumstances. Having said that, if the idea makes you uncomfortable, don't read it.
My second question has to do with why a sex scene is bothersome. For me personally, yes I see this. I wouldn't want to read it, but that's fairly consistent with my other reading tastes. But unless the idea is that this book was written with sex to sensationalize and use these real people for the purpose of money, I would have a problem with that. But I don't think that this book is intending to replace The Diary of Anne Frank but rather serve as a companion and to give us insight into our lives the way only fiction can.
I'm fairly conservative in regards to these things, so I guess I'm just surprised by the fact that I can't get worked up one way or the other about this. I think it all lies in the intent...if the story told is respectful of the Peter's situation and feels real, if it humanizes to a greater degree the victims of the Holocaust and of war itself than there may be no harm done. I'm going to reserve judgment, as
I always think is best, until I've read the book.
What do you think about this? Will you read Annexed? Have you read any fictionalized accounts of people that bothered you?
Peter and Georgie move to London from New Jersey when Peter gets a good job offer. The move makes sense from a financial standpoint but it's also a chance for Georgie to get a new life in ways. She's been miserable as a stay-at-home to their three sons and misses her life as an actress. Shortly after they move to London, she seeks out a job in theater and comes upon a production she falls in love with. She works hard to make herself worthy of the part and eventually lands it.
My Wife's Affair is told from Peter's viewpoint but is truly the story of Georgie. It's the story of how she finds her greatest happiness in theater but misses her children when she's away from them. It's, obviously, the story of her affair a quick impetuous decision that wreaks chaos on the life of her family.
It's told in a very unique format, alternating between Peter's voice and the script of the one-woman play Georgie is acting in through Dora Jordan's voice. Jordan's voice mirrors Georgie's own and Georgie makes her character's life her own in many ways.
I enjoyed My Wife's Affair and easily read it an afternoon. I found Georgie's conflict between her passion for her career and her deep love for her children to be the most interesting part of the book as I think it's something many women struggle with. I can't say I loved the way Georgie dealt with it, but it's interesting nonetheless.
All in all a different sort of book!
Rating: 4/5
Things You Might Want to Know: There's profanity and explict sex
Source of Book: Received from publisher for Review
Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books Putnam (Penguin)
One of my hopes in working on Beth Kephart's moving The Heart is Not a Size was to find ways to share the stories of Juarez, to help others find a place to share their stories, so all of our understanding could increase. Author Sarah McCoy lives in El Paso, Texas and offered to write a guest blog for the special The Heart is Not a Size blog. I was moved by her post and I think you'll see she's a fantastic writer. I'm anxious for the chance to read her book, The Time It Snowed in Puerto Rico.
Here's the beginning of the post, be sure to read the rest at The Heart is Not a Size blog
Hope Fires in the Desert by Sarah McCoy
Across the border in winter, Juarez families burn trash to keep warm. Smoke rises liked dirty cotton candy spun heavenward in hot plumes. Driving around the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), you smell it before you see it. Ripe and burnt, it assaults. You wriggle your nose, hold your breath, circulate your car fan and press on the gas pedal to get away, pass the unpleasantness. From my El Paso home, five miles west, I can see the gray tunnels like circus tent stakes holding up a cherry pie sky, Mount Cristo Rey cloudy in the distance, the giant stone Jesus with arms flung open.
I've been wanting to read this book for 2 years now, so when my new book club chose it as their first selection, I was happy to have the chance to finally dig in. I'm glad I read it, and I'm really looking forward to reading the rest of the books, but I am admittedly perplexed by just why these books are so popular.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo was published under the name, Men Who Hate Women in Sweden which should you some indication of the content. This is in many ways a standard mystery novel to me, there's a complex, interesting, and likable investigator (who is actually a reporter in the books as opposed to being a detective), an interesting setting, and a high stakes crime. Mikael Blomkvist has been sentenced to a term in prison for libel--he published something he could not prove. Deciding he needs to take some down time before sorting out his career, he accepts an offer to investigate a cold case for an elderly man who wishes to know what really happened to his niece before he dies.
The case proves intense and complicated and a super savvy but emotionally challenged young woman Lisbeth Salander comes along to help him with his case. (she's the girl with the dragon tattoo)
The book took me a considerable number of pages to get into...it wasn't that it was uninteresting, it was just that there was heavy background and character development to accomplish. Once the mystery really started, though, I found myself enjoying it a lot more. I do still feel it's a tad on the long side...towards the end I was thinking, what? I'm still reading this? But after I finished I almost immediately wanted to start The Girl Who Played with Fire!
It should be noted this book is quite dark and there's considerable brutality towards women described. It's interesting to me that this has brought up some question on what Stieg Larsson's true feelings about women are. He self-identified as a feminist, but one could argue there's a bit of wish fulfillment in his character attracting every woman, and that even the emotionally closed Lisbeth develops strong feelings for him. I often wonder about books and movies that depict such violence towards women. Sometimes I wonder if they do more harm than good. I know there were organizations that work against sex-trafficking for example, that had major problems with the film Trade, because they felt that the violence would fuel fantasies for some. Having said all of this, I should note that I've read some crime fiction and romantic suspense in my day I don't think that this book particularly stands out for the brutality depicted. Yes it's there and if you have a problem with any violence you are going to have a problem with it in this book, but it's not necessarily worse than any other similar dark crime novel I've raed.
One thing that did stand out for me was just casual everyone was sexually. I don't know if this is because it's a European book and the Swedish attitude towards sex is much more openly casual, but Blomkvist's relationship to his business partner, Berger, and actually all his relationships with women in the book I found rather depressing.
One little aspect I loved is how Blomkvist would often read at the end of the day and Larsson would always mention the mystery book he was reading by name. I enjoyed this charming little touch as an homage to past and current mystery writers.
There were times the writing seemed a bit simple or awkward but of course one never knows in a translated book exactly why that is.
All in all, I really liked this one and I suspect the characters will stay with me. It's a book with a certain amount of staying power which is why I guess it's such a worldwide phenomenon. Entertainment Weekly even made it their cover story this past week, calling it the hottest book on the planet. I'm glad to have read it for that reason alone, because few books manage to capture the attention of so many people and it's always fun to join in a literary conversation already happening in current times.
The Entertainment Weekly issue talks about the casting for the American versions of the film. (there is already a Swedish film) I honestly can't believe some of the names being tossed around and hope they find a good unknown! It also shows different covers of the book from around the world which is fascinating! I was lucky enough to meet the designer of the US covers when we went on a tour of Random House during Book Expo America week. I think the American cover stands out as very different, but I do love the dark look of some of the others.
Rating: 4.5/5
Things You Might Want to Know: Profanity, sex, rape scenes, violence
Source of Book: Bought it
Publisher: Knopf (Random House)
It is time for a FIRST Wild Card Tour book review! If you wish to join the FIRST blog alliance, just click the button. We are a group of reviewers who tour Christian books. A Wild Card post includes a brief bio of the author and a full chapter from each book toured. The reason it is called a FIRST Wild Card Tour is that you never know if the book will be fiction, non~fiction, for young, or for old...or for somewhere in between! Enjoy your free peek into the book!
You never know when I might play a wild card on you!
and the book:
Healer: A Novel (The Brides of Alba Series)
David C. Cook; New edition (June 1, 2010)
