First Date

First Date

by Krista McGee

2 stars

336 pages

Published Jan. 10, 2012 by Thomas Nelson 

 

If you like christianity being shoved down your throat and all things "The Bachelor," this book is clearly for you.

Now, I am a christian, but this book is just not my cup of tea. Every page has some religious ideology and prayer on it. Religion for me is a personal thing. I go to church - I enjoy it, but I don't want my beliefs turned into a YA romance filled with saccharine, eye-rolling and lack of plot. It may have helped if the writing was better and the relgious down-the-throat-shoving was toned down to just "religious overtones."

The only reason I gave it two stars is because there is no swearing, sex or bad stuff. And it obviously touts the benefits of christian thinking - forgiveness and love.

And I finished the thing. I guess that counts for something.

Daddy-Long-Legs

Daddy-Long-Legs (Daddy-Long-Legs #1)

by Jean Webster  

5 stars

249 pages

Published 1912 by Hodder & Stoughton

 

It is rare that I give 5 stars, but this adorable book deserves it. I believe this is one of the sweetest books I've ever read. It's witty and cute, and although it's written back in the early 20th century, it still is pertinent to today. I loved it.

I recommend to everyone! It's a quick read and you'll be a better person for reading it.
How many books can you say that about?

The Swiss Family Robinson

The Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann David Wyss, Scott McKowen (Illustrations), Arthur Pober (Afterword)

4 stars

 

352 pages

First published in 1812

 

I tried reading this book with my kids, but the vocabulary was beyond my 3rd and 5th graders - this edition one of the first translations, so many, many words were archaic and out of use. I'm going to find an Illustrated Classic version to read to them, which I think they'll enjoy.

I loved this book, though. A lot of the flora and fauna which the Robinson family found on their island was improbable - elephants on an island? Bison? Plus so many types of birds. That many birds would mean being close to a major landmass, and hence in shipping lanes, and hence being found much sooner. But I loved the book anyway. I wish I could be as knowledgeable as Mr. Robinson - he had an encyclopedic knowledge of, well, everything. He knew how to make drawbridges, looms, treehouses, husbandry, farming, slaughtering and wide variety of animals, etc.

I can see why this book is a classic. It's a fun read.

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory

Charlie And The Chocolate Factory (Charlie Bucket #1)

by Roald Dahl, Faith Jaques (Illustrator)

5 stars

Published 1989 by Cornerstone Books (first published 1964)

 

Well, of course I'm going to give this book 5 stars. That's a given. Roald Dahl is one of my most favorite authors of all-time. He writes magic. He is the Dr. Seuss of Juvenile Fiction.

I read this as a bed-time story to my son. He ate it up (no pun intended). Fabulous writing, a delightful plot and a not-so-subtle commentary on "bad" children meld to create a book that is entirely readable, loveable and unforgettable.

The books is infinitely better than the movies - yes, BOTH movies. Wonka is portrayed in the book as a bit eccentric, but not creepy. Yeah, I said it - Johnny Depp was freakin' creepy as Willy Wonka!

Anyway, before I get off topic too much ... I recommend this book to anyone with a brain. Anyone who breathes. Read this book!

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

by Mary Ann Shaffer, Annie Barrows

5 stars

 
274 pages

Published July 29, 2008, by The Dial Press

 

I've read this book twice, which is rare for me. I don't usually deem a book good enough to spend time on twice, but this one did! And still does. I expect I will re-read it in the future, I loved it that much! I wish Mary Ann Shaffer were still around to write more fantastic books.
Here are my two reviews:

The first:
I rarely give 5 stars to any book, but I really loved this book! It was clean and uplifting - I would recommend it to my sisters and maybe even my mom. I liked the happy ending. I wish more books had that.

The second:
I just reread this book. And I still absolutely give it 5 stars! I think it's one of my favorite books ever. Wonderful, witty, poignant, informative. Love, love it! Please read it. Recommend to all!

Unbroken

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption

by Laura Hillenbrand

5 stars

473 pages

Published Nov. 16, 2010 by Random House

 

Wow.
What a book. Once I got into it (and that didn't take long), I couldn't put it down. Heartbreaking and inspiring. I cannot believe what this man went through - from the Olympics to POW camps. He lived a BIG life.
I recommend to everyone.

A Sinner in Paradise

A Sinner in Paradise

by Deborah Hining 

4 stars

426 pages

Expected publication: Aug. 28, 2013 by Light Messages Publishing

When I picked up this ARC, I wasn't sure what to expect. Is it a romance? A smarmy cheesefest? A fictional memoir?

Instead, I found it to be an uplifting tale of a woman named Geneva who journeys from the throes of immaturity to a life filled with wisdom and humility by eschewing city life and returning to her roots in rural West Virginia. I was happily surprised with how much I liked it!

The writing was fluid and easy to read. I usually hate it when accents are phonetically spelled out, but the author Deborah Hining does it well. It’s actually easy to read. I could hear the accent in my mind.

The ebook had some punctuation problems, but that is easily overlooked in favor of the prose.

Hining has a knack for descriptive writing. Her descriptions of the mountain country where Geneva lives were beautiful, and they transported me to the times I have been in the mountains and experienced that natural splendor.

One theme of the book: every person in your life can be a source of knowledge. Every person on earth is equal, and they all have the ability to enrich your life. Geneva starts out looking down her nose at the “hillbillies” she meets and morphs into a woman who appreciates and loves them. She learns from every person that she meets.

There are religious elements to the story, but it only gets overly preachy two or three times, and those are towards the end of the book when the main character is discovering and trying to fix her flaws.

My favorite characters in the book are Lilly and Sally Beth. Whenever those two show up together in the prose, you know you are going to get some hilarious bickering. I loved it. I delighted in discovering that there was more to Sally Beth than a bickering cousin. She made me want to look at people differently.

One reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is that the ending was a bit abrupt. All the concerns that Geneva brings up about her situation are not resolved satisfactorily.  The ending also leaves the other three men in Geneva’s life hanging – they were all in love with her. It seems unfair to leave them unhappy – they were all good men. There is also a smattering of mild swearing and premarital sex.

I can recommend this book to those in the mood for an uplifting, Christian book.

Thank you NetGalley and Light Messages Publishing for the opportunity to review this book.

Soup Night on Stanton Street

Soup Night on Stanton Street: 99 Recipes for Finding Community in a Bowl of Soup

by Maggie Stuckey

5 stars 

288 pages

Expected publication: Oct. 22, 2013 by Storey Publishing 

 

As a rule, I am not a gushy person, but I am going to gush about this cookbook/giver-of-hope to society.

If you don’t know your neighbors and don’t care to, please don’t read this book – you might just grow a heart and start to feel neighborly. If you like your neighbors and/or want to get to know them better, this is the perfect facilitator.

Humans live in groups for a reason – to help each other, to fill that basic need for human interaction. Only recently have people become hermits – glued to their computers and gaming systems. No human contact needed.

Is this healthy? No.

Soup Night on Stanton Street provides a recipe to counteract this isolationism. Before I picked this ARC up to review, I had no idea what Soup Night specifically was. It’s basically one night a month that a neighborhood gets together and bonds over delicious soups. What a simple idea, but it provides bounteous returns.

And it’s a neighborhood trend popping up around the nation. It gives one a sense of belonging, community and love. Soup Night, per se, is not an original idea, but it’s one that’s making a comeback. We do it in my church every 2^nd Sunday. But we call it a Linger Longer, and it’s a pure potluck. We don’t specify soup only. We get to visit and chat with each other and build stronger ties. Because of this monthly get-together, we are quite a close congregation – no one feels alone.

I’m not going to go into all the great positive things that come from Soup Night (there are too many to list here!) – buy the beautifully designed book and read about them. It’s totally worth it.  Be aware, you’re going to get a bit of positive social history along with your cookbook. Happily, the writing is great, so it’s actually fun to read others’ stories. They flesh out the book and give depth to the recipes.

Speaking of the recipes – which come from Soup Night groups all over the country – they look delectable and totally doable, for novice to expert. Besides a wonderful seasonal collection of soups, bisques, chowders, etc., there are breads, desserts, cookies, salads, garnishes, and a slew of other soup “accompaniments.”

And for the beginning cook, the book also explains different cooking techniques – like how to make a roux, for example.

Feel inspired? Step-by-step directions in Chapter 6 tell you exactly how to start your own community Soup Night, complete with checklists and advice from organizers from across the country.

This cookbook not only gives my stomach cause to rejoice, but it also gives me hope in people. Soup Night will nurture your body and soul. 

Thank you NetGalley and Storey Publishing for allowing me to review this ARC.