Enough said

That's my hubby behind the book. This is significant because he doesn't read. Ever. I'm serious. He made it through college without cracking a textbook. He's a books-on-CD kinda guy, a very auditory learner. Anyhoo - I was reading The Hunger Games aloud to him and got too drowsy to continue. Then I stumbled upon him like this. Now THAT'S a good book!

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

It's been awhile since I've had a book in my hand that I COULD.NOT.PUT.DOWN. This is one of those.
North America as we know it has been wiped out. In its stead is the Capitol, its corrupt government, and the 12 districts into which the remainder of the country has been divided. Hunger, oppression, and desperation rule. In order to remind its subjects of the power it holds, the government holds the Hunger Games once a year. Each district must send one boy and one girl between the ages of 12 and 18 to participate in a fight to the death, with one victor who receives prestige and riches for him/herself and his/her district. Katniss Everdeen, in a twist she certainly didn't expect, ends up volunteering to be a part of the games, and what follows this action on her part is a brutal game of survival.
Sounds uplifting, right?
You may be put off by such heavy material, particularly in a young adult work of fiction. However, the author beautifully weaves in such themes as friendship, love, loyalty, courage, honesty, and integrity. The author, herself, admits that she has an ulterior motive beneath the brutality of the subject matter: exploring the effects of war on young people.
http://www.scholastic.com/thehungergames/about-the-author.htm

BOTTOM LINE: It is a stunning read, and I'm anxiously waiting to get my hands on the second installment in the trilogy.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

I didn't even know this book existed until the release of the film, which is pretty sad but just the way it goes sometimes. The series has been talked up a great deal by a great many people, so I had high hopes and expectations, but for some reason found myself disappointed by the end. Perhaps it's that wretched first-novel-in-a-series-provides-all-the-set-up drag.
If you're not familiar with the premise of this first book in the trilogy written by Mr. Larsson it centers on journalist Mikael Blomkvist and his failed expose on a Swedish industrialist/billionaire. In disgrace, Mikael must relinquish his position as publisher of his political magazine but in turn is given an unusual assignment by a Swedish CEO to write his family's history. Underlying this assignment is the CEO, Henrik Vanger's, true motive: to solve the mystery of his niece's disappearance/suspected murder 40 years earlier. Blomkvist pairs himself up with an unlikely accomplice: pierced, tatooed, and very mysterious, Lisbeth Salander. Together, at the risk of their lives, they uncover a dark and twisted family past that continues into the present day.
Throughout the book we are given only bits and pieces of Salander's own past and what causes her to be the unusual and mysterious individual that she is. This intrigue, combined with the mystery of the book, certainly makes for a suspenseful novel. However, as I stated, there was a sense of let-down when I reached the end.
BOTTOM LINE: Not one that I couldn't put down.

No-Obligation Book Club

It's probably no secret that I LOVE book clubs (I'm in two of them after all). Marrying two of my most favorite things (books and friends) is the highlight of my month. But I know there are some people who feel too much pressure in a book club (carving out time to meet, choosing a book/leading a discussion, finishing a book by a deadline), so I thought this was kind of cool when I stumbled across it in an issue of Real Simple (a magazine I LOVE!). It's the Real Simple No-Obligation Book Club, and you can access it here. Basically, one book a month is chosen, and a Real Simple editor leads the discussion, which you can join any time (or not at all). Sometimes I know I just love to have a good recommendation, and it looks like a variety of reads are suggested here.

Three by Ted Dekker

Dekker is a Christian author who writes psychological thrillers of, in my humble opinion, a high caliber. While this is the only book of his I've read thus far, I've heard from other readers that they're big fans of most, if not all, of what he has written.
Three is the story of Kevin Parson, a seminary student who, at the age of 28, struggles with the idea of evil in human nature. Following an unusual, if not troubled, childhood, Kevin seems to have escaped his past only to have it suddenly thrown back into his lap with one chilling phone call from a man who identifies himself only as Slater. Slater threatens Kevin and those close to him with death by bomb if he doesn't solve Slater's riddles, all of which play into his requirement that Kevin confess a secret sin. The ensuing game of cat and mouse leads the reader into a constant guessing game of true identities, next steps, and the extent of the repercussions to evil and its part in our identities.
BOTTOM LINE: Not an in-your-face theological read but a wild, will-get-you-thinking ride.

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

Twice, now, I have read this World War II-era novel. Twice, I have found it difficult to put down once I started. The narrator of this tale is, oddly, Death. He (it?) follows the life of a young girl named Liesel, intrigued by her largely because their paths cross several times. Due to tragic circumstances, Liesel arrives at the home of foster parents in Nazi Germany and forges a new life in their home and neighborhood. She develops a close bond with her foster father, as well as with Rudy, a neighbor and classmate, and with them, along with her foul-mouthed foster mother, experiences harrowing escapes from bullies, Nazis, bombs, and death itself. The title makes note of the fact that Liesel is, in fact, a book thief, and eventually she authors a book of her own life. You might note that here, again, is a historical fiction book on my list (love them!) and a highly recommended one at that!
BOTTOM LINE: A dramatic, enthralling tale which evokes, among other things, a sympathy for Death.

Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

It's true that Christian fiction as I knew it growing up was a bit on the, well, I'll just say it - cheesy side. And, really, while it's not all bad, it can feel a little hokey. Do you know what I'm saying or am I totally offending you right now? Francine Rivers has found a way to marry the truth and beauty of the love of our Heavenly Father with some real-life issues and believable characters.
Redeeming Love is based on the Biblical book of Hosea, focusing on the life of Angel, a prostitute in California during the Gold Rush. Snapshots of Angel's heartbreaking past are given throughout the book, making it obvious why her profession and subsequent bitterness and hopelessness are inseperable to her view of herself. Enter into her life Michael Hosea, a kind, honest, God-honoring farmer. Following what he believes to be God's prompting, he brings a reluctant (to put it mildly) Angel home to be his wife. What follows are a tangled web of emotions that result as Michael attempts to break through Angel's defenses and share his love and the love of the God he faithfully and joyfully serves. Angel cannot see herself or him any other way than through the lens of her past experiences, starting from her childhood, and she cannot/will not accept that she could be in any way lovable. Several times she leaves Michael to return to her former lifestyle, believing that is all she is capable of. Eventually he begins to break through her defenses but until the Father can capture her heart, she cannot fully heal and commit her heart to her husband.
I found myself angry and frustrated with Angel for her stubbornness, in tears for her pain-ravaged past and present, amazed anew at the love of God as He works always to draw even the most destitute of us to Himself.
BOTTOM LINE: A TRUE love story

Home Game by Michael Lewis

Contrary to what you may believe glancing at this blog, I have not, in fact, stopped reading. Quite the opposite. I feel like somehow this summer has afforded me time to voraciously devour some pretty stellar material (and some pretty brainless, summer-appropriate material as well). A recent read was Home Game:An Accidental Guide to Fatherhood by Michael Lewis. In this hilarious, self-deprecating memoir-of-sorts Lewis chronicles his adventures in fathering throughout the first year of each of his three children's lives. While he originally journaled the included accounts of his offspring and their foibles in order not to lose their memory amidst sleep-deprivation, he also ends up using the book to grapple with the constantly-shifting role of fathers in family and society in this day and age. If you happen to be a woman and take Lewis too seriously you may find yourself offended by his wistful longing for the days of yore when fathers affected a "detached amusement" (at best) regarding their offspring and didn't, as a generally accepted rule, jump in and do the dirty work (quoting his father: "I didn't even talk to you until you were 21!"). Through his openness regarding his moments of poor judgment, confusion, and blossoming love for his children, however, one can clearly detect a father who loves his children and feels somewhat proud at his contribution to their personhood.

Bottom line: Laugh-out-loud hilarity regarding a father's bewilderment over fathering.

The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls

"Truth is stranger than fiction" would most aptly describe this memoir. This is one of those books I have read multiple times and each time have found impossible to put down. Jeanette Walls' recounting of her journey from childhood to adulthood amidst the chaos and adventure that characterized her family is amazing, heartbreaking, and ultimately triumphant (did I just sound like your local newspaper book reviewer with that one or what? Cheezy! But true). Jeanette's carefree and nonconformist parents, Rex and Rosemary, bring her and her siblings on a nomadic, passionate, and often harrowing existence throughout the Southwest United States. Though they struggle to eke out an existence that, to most, would be even tolerable, Jeanette's recollections show great passion, adventure, and even brilliance from her parents. Often I found myself fist-pumping and cheering (albeit, mentally rather than actually) over their good turns of fortune and narrow escapes. On the flip side, though, I also found myself aching for Jeanette and her siblings during their resourceful father's bouts of alcoholism and artistic mother's periods of focused self-pursuit. Ultimately the adventure runs out and the family find themselves in an impoverished West Virginia mining town where the fun ends and Jeanette and her brother and sisters are fending for themselves in an impossible situation out of which they do eventually fight their way.
BOTTOM LINE: Did I mention triumphant?

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

I've been drawn lately to young adult fiction, most likely because when I take the boys to the library this section neighbors the children's, so I can keep an eye on my little tornadoes as I browse. This pick came recommended by friend and fellow-reader, Kris. It's kind of in the science fiction category which, in general, would not be my first choice of genres to kick back with. However I can say without hesitation that this read was well worth the risk I took on sci-fi. The protagonist of the story is a young boy, Matt, who is living in a no-mans-land called Opium, whose founder and leader is an elderly man who goes by the title El Patron. Matt learns he is actually a clone of this patriarch of the House of the Scorpion (El Patron's "sign"), which turns out to bring him some measure of both prestige and misery and ultimately warrants a fight for his very life. The story, as riveting as it is far-fetched, actually plays on some very relevant topics: prejudice, life, death, love, perseverance, friendship. And, victoriously, it boasts a happy ending. We all know how I love those.
BOTTOM LINE: Even if you don't feel so much in the "young" portion of the young adult category, give this book a chance. It tackles some heavy, present-day topics while giving us a hero to root for.

Not Lost Forever by Carmina Salcido

Oh my. So ridiculously behind in writing about what I've been reading. I'll just jump in here then....
I struggle with appropriate adjectives to describe how this book affected me. "Heart-wrenching" and "haunting" are at the top of the list though. This true story spans the author's life from birth to present day. She recounts the horror that marked her at the innocent age of three by a murderous father and changed, rather drastically, the course of her life. There were many times when I had to put down this book just to have a good cry. And so far this "review" is probably not compelling you to read the book is it? I will say that I finished it in about two days simply because I had to keep moving through the tragedy to get to the other side. It is truly amazing what Carmina Salcido endured, and the fact that she is the functioning young woman she is today is nothing short of a miracle.
BOTTOM LINE: If this was a work of fiction I probably wouldn't have read it through to the end. But the fact that Ms. Salcido, through no choice of her own, lived through these events led me to believe that I needed to see the book through to the end so that her voice could be heard and her story shared.

The Prodigal God by Timothy Keller

See here .

The Shack by William P. Young

It feels beyond my amateur writing ability to summarize this book and put into words what it means to me. It is a story of great loss and sorrow, yet also a story of redemption and love beyond what we truly are able to comprehend with our limited human capacities.
I had painted for me by Mr. Young a picture of the type of relationship I believe God yearns to have with us. I saw myself reflected in Mack, the main character in this book, time and time again. While I have not yet, thankfully, had to grapple with my own Great Sadness (to the degree that he has), I have seen enough of it in the lives of those I love and in the world at large that I have asked many of the same questions Mack did. Basically, why all the suffering, Lord? Why all the rotten, dirty evil that stinks up this earth? And where are You in the midst of it? How Young wrestles with the answers to these through the story is incredibly powerful, and while I recognize this is all constructed out of his imagination, essentially, it nontheless transformed my view of the God I thought I had been serving all these years and truly shaped my view of him into that of a LOVING Father.

BOTTOM LINE: I would go so far as to say life-changing. This blew the lid off the box I have so carefully constructed for God to fit in.

WARNING: The beginning 1/4 of the book is, at times, difficult to read (especially for those of you who are parents) BUT - totally worth it.

Does My Head Look Big in This? by Randa Abdel-Fattah

Young adult fiction alert! I'm not normally big into this, but this book caught my eye at the library. As usual, I'm glad I took a chance on the unfamiliar. The story centers on Amal, an Australian-Palestinian teenager living in Melbourne, Australia and her decision to begin wearing the hijab (Muslim head-scarf) full time. The fallout of this decision is surprising and far-reaching and not without some of your "typical" teenage insecurity - but brought to a whole new level. I don't want to make light though of the issues that Amal wrestles with and how these experiences strengthen her identity: as an Australian, a Muslim, and as a teenage girl. Add into the mix the events of our world that center on the Middle East, and you add in a whole extra dynamic as well.
BOTTOM LINE: Ms. Abdel-Fattah tackles the issues of religion/culture/prejudice/teenager-hood in a light-hearted and at the same time very real way. It was a book that made me laugh AND think deeply.

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows

Set in World War II, The Guernsey Literary etc. etc. (it's an astonishingly long title, truly) recounts, in its own brilliant way, the German occupation of the Channel Islands to the south of Great Britain. I loved everything about this book: the style of the authors' writing (their "voice", if you will), the detail that was used to craft this story out of history (there's that historical fiction again), the way the story is told (as letters written between the characters), and the characters themselves. Oh my, but did I love the characters. I honestly came to love each one of them as if they were real people that I had met. I had half a mind to hop the next boat to Guernsey and settle among them (and that's the other thing this book does: gives one a hankering for island living). With mounting dread I watched the pages left in the book dwindle, almost daring to read no further as I did not want the story to end. Yet I had to know what happened next. The brilliance of this story is that it is told in a series of letters written between the various characters, and I never once felt that I was missing anything because of this. I knew exactly what each person was doing, thinking, feeling via their correspondance.
BOTTOM LINE: Gone to Guernsey to find my friends.

Julie & Julia by Julie Powell

I heard lots of great hype about this movie when it recently hit theaters and didn't even realize it was first a book. Some literary type I am, huh? So when I stumbled across it in the New Books section at the library I immediately snatched it up. Books and food are two of my VERY favorite things. I figured I could not go wrong with the two combined. And I was not disappointed - the author married the two scrumptiously. (Ouch, that one hurt, didn't it?)
Let me start by saying that as far as descriptive and hilarious writing goes, I have almost never read a better book. In fact, none come to mind (but that's not saying much as I have a pretty terrible memory at the moment - 3 kids, no sleep, and all that). I knew I was going to enjoy her writing style when, within the first three pages, she used a phrase like "word salad". Her descriptions of her year-long journey with Julia Child to "master the art of French cooking", as well as her mental state throughout said year, are very honestly and straightforwardly written. As a former language arts teacher who taught the traits of writing, may I just say that this memoir is a primo example of "voice". Ok, there, I said it. What I mean by that is the author's personality and character come through strongly in her writing. Ok, on to the
BOTTOM LINE: While I could have done without most (nay, ALL) of the hundreds of F-bombs and misuse of God's name in this book, I more often than not was laughing OUT LOUD. And since it's January, and the winter doldrums are fully enveloping me, I think I can ignore the language this time.

Aaron's Way: The Journey of a Strong-Willed Child by Kendra Smiley

It's no secret to you who know our family that we have wrestled for a couple of years now with a strong-willed child. While he is fun-loving, exuberant, and joyful, he is also downright stubborn and willful. God is teaching me to look at this not as entirely negative (despite the increasing number of gray hairs on my head), and He certainly taught me this through the reading of Aaron's Way. Kendra Smiley and her son, Aaron, co-authored this book about his journey from childhood to adulthood and the shaping of his strong-willed nature throughout. I found myself encouraged by the recounting of their experience and saw much of my son in the pages of this memoir. Some things that I took most to heart were these:
- Strong-willed children are always testing the boundaries to see if they are still there. They need to know that there are limits and they will be adhered to, time and time and time again.
- You must pick your battles with a strong-willed child wisely. The battles you choose to fight, you must win.
- The whole idea of shaping the strong-willed nature into something positive. I don't want to break our child, just reshape him.
- The Smileys impressed me because they knew their child and knew where they wanted him to go. They became his biggest advocate with those who misunderstood Aaron while also not allowing him to get away with wrong choices.

BOTTOM LINE: This book was a quick read but so filled with practical, godly advice for the parents of strong-willed children. I found myself encouraged and equipped for this marathon (not sprint) of raising my child(ren).

In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez

Historical fiction once again becomes the focus of my stolen moments for reading. In the Time of the Butterflies is set in the Dominican Republic during the early-mid twentieth century, centering on the Mirabal family and the brutal dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. While the four Mirabal sisters and Trujillo are actual historical figures, the story of what transpired is born out of the author's imagination. The story follows the narrative of, by turns, Minerva, Maria Teresa, Patria, and Dede and their awakening to the murderous regime of their country's leader. Three of the four sisters devote themselves to an underground movement dedicated to overthrowing Trujillo, a decision that endangers their lives and those close to them. Yet it also brings to their lives an urgent sense of purpose born out of their unwillingness to turn a blind eye to injustice.

BOTTOM LINE: This is a story of love, devotion, betrayal, and survival. A story of standing for what is right despite the cost because the alternative is complacency, ignorance; unacceptable. It is a story of remembrance that we may never lose sight of what others have sacrificed in order to live in freedom. A freedom we regularly take for granted. For this reason alone (to remember, to be inspired to put down others' endangerment and suffering) is worth the reading of this book.