You know I love to read. And I've revealed that I'm a nerd and keep a book journal. I keep track of all the books I've read, write a little review, and rank them all on a 0-5 scale. And I admit that now, I make a note if I borrowed the book from someone so that I don't drive myself insane trying to locate it if someone asks me for it. So, here are the books from 2011 and their ratings.
1 - "Spoken From the Heart" by Laura Bush 3.75
2 - "Love Walked In" by Marisa DeLos Santos 4.5
3 - "Lipstick in Afghanistan" by Roberta Gateley 4.5
4 - "Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God" by Noel Piper 3.0
5 - "Death in a Prairie House" by William R. Drennan 3.75
6 - "Your Boy" by Vicki Courtney 4.5 (have read this one before...needed a review)
7 - "Extraordinary Ordinary People" by Condoleeza Rice 4.5
8 - "Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" by Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) 4.0
9 - "Baby We Were Meant for Each Other" by Scott Simon 4.0
10 - "The Personal History of Rachel Dupree" by Ann Weisgarber 4.75
11 - "Saving Levi" by Lisa Misraje Bentley 3.5
12 - "Heaven Is Real" by Todd Burpo 4.25
13 - "We Were the Mulvaneys" by Joyce Carol Oates (Read more than half but never finished...too slow)
14 - "Decision Points" by George W. Bush 4.25
15 - "Radical" by David Platt 5.0
16 - "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett 5.0 (I've read this before and was just as wonderful the 2nd time)
17 - "Angel Falls" by Kristin Hannah 3.75
18 - "Water For Elephants" by Sara Gruen 4.25
19 - "Walking Across Egypt" by Clyde Edgerton 4.0
20 - "Hotel on the Corner of Bitter & Sweet" by Jamie Ford 5.0
21 - "The Winds of War" by Herman Wouk (I've read 500 pages and will finish sometime, it is VERY tedious with details...but the history is great)
22 - "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak 4.75
23 - "For Time and Eternity" by Allison Pittman 3.5
24 - "The Kitchen House" by Kathleen Grisson 4.5
25 - "Sarah's Key" by Tatiana De Rosnay 5.0
26 - "The Wednesday Letters" by Jason F. Wright 4.0
27 - "Shadow of Ashland" by Terence M. Green 3.75
28 - "I Still Dream About You" by Fannie Flagg 3.75
29 - "Secret Daughter" by Shilpi Somaya Gowda 4.50
30 - "A Lancaster County Christmas" by Suzanne Woods Fisher 3.75
31 - "Kisses from Katie" by Katie David 4.75
32 - "A Stolen Life" by Jaycee Dugard 4.25
My favorite funny line from a book this year was in "Love Walked In"...."If you've ever considered having a conversation about your sex life in a South Philadelphia cheese shop, stop that thought in its tracks right now and wring it's scrawny little neck."
Two of my favorite quotes from "Radical" give me much to think about....."What would happen if together we stopped giving our scraps to the poor and started giving surplus? What if we started giving not just what we are able to give but beyond what we are able to give? What if, like the widow in Luke 21 who gave all she had, we began to give what it hurt us to give? What if we gave like this, not just because of the critical need around us, but because this kind of giving is actually what the heart of Christ in us both demands and desires?' AND...."Orphans are easier to ignore before you know their names. They are easier to ignore before you see their faces. It is easier to pretend they're not real before you hold them in your arms. But once you do, everything changes."
So many books, so little time!
Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Book Reviews. Show all posts
Monday, January 2, 2012
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
More books...
Finished a couple more books, so it's time for a quick review.
"Extraordinary Ordinary People" by Condoleeza Rice (+4.5)
I hadn't read any reviews of this book, so I kind of expected it to be a bit of a political memoir. (I obviously hadn't seen the cover either, since it has pictures of her and her parents on the front.) This is actually a touching tribute to Rice's parents and the sacrifices they made so she could excel. Her parents were both highly motivated about education and made many sacrifices for Rice to have academic opportunities. She grew up in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1950's, so there were lots of hurdles to overcome. I didn't necessarily 100% agree with her parents philosophy that they would go into debt so that she could have every opportunity. But I also haven't had all the hurdles to get over that they did in a racially charged south during the height of the equal rights movement. Rice was blessed with incredibly loving parents who were totally intune to her gifts and talents. And they raised a talented, brilliant and accomplished daughter. It was a great book!
"The Pioneer Woman, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" by Ree Drummond (+4.0)
I love the Pioneer Woman, I enjoy her blog (http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/). This is her love story with her husband, Marlboro Man (as she lovingly calls him). It was a full 319 pages of PW's one-liners and romance style writing. Honestly, it was a bit much at times. But it is clean and cute and sweet. I started to rate it lower than a 4.0 because it was a bit sappy...but I read it in a few days, so it obviously kept my interest. So, if you're looking for a no-brainer, easy read that will make you smile, I'd highly recommend it.
"Extraordinary Ordinary People" by Condoleeza Rice (+4.5)
I hadn't read any reviews of this book, so I kind of expected it to be a bit of a political memoir. (I obviously hadn't seen the cover either, since it has pictures of her and her parents on the front.) This is actually a touching tribute to Rice's parents and the sacrifices they made so she could excel. Her parents were both highly motivated about education and made many sacrifices for Rice to have academic opportunities. She grew up in Birmingham, Alabama in the 1950's, so there were lots of hurdles to overcome. I didn't necessarily 100% agree with her parents philosophy that they would go into debt so that she could have every opportunity. But I also haven't had all the hurdles to get over that they did in a racially charged south during the height of the equal rights movement. Rice was blessed with incredibly loving parents who were totally intune to her gifts and talents. And they raised a talented, brilliant and accomplished daughter. It was a great book!
"The Pioneer Woman, Black Heels to Tractor Wheels" by Ree Drummond (+4.0)
I love the Pioneer Woman, I enjoy her blog (http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/). This is her love story with her husband, Marlboro Man (as she lovingly calls him). It was a full 319 pages of PW's one-liners and romance style writing. Honestly, it was a bit much at times. But it is clean and cute and sweet. I started to rate it lower than a 4.0 because it was a bit sappy...but I read it in a few days, so it obviously kept my interest. So, if you're looking for a no-brainer, easy read that will make you smile, I'd highly recommend it.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Book Reviews
Last week my friend Carla brought me three new books to read...those days are like Christmas for me! I sat in bed that night reading the covers and inside flaps, trying to decide which one to read first. I could hardly finish the book I was reading because I wanted to start a new book! It's like a big old bag of cookies for me!!! Carla is my book source...she keeps me supplied! I love a friend who loves to read, especially when we have very similar taste in books. She is a blessing to me! So...here's what I had to finish up so I could start the new stack.
"Death in a Prairie House...Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders" by William R. Drennan (+4.0)
If you have read "Loving Frank" I probably wouldn't recommend this book. Both books are about Frank Lloyd Wright and the tragic murders at his home, Taliesin, in Wisconsin in 1914. I absolutely loved "Loving Frank". It was written more like a novel, based on the facts found in newspapers, etc. "Death in a Prairie House" is very interesting as the author tries to wade through the myths concerning the murders in 1914, it is a little more research/fact-finding type writing, not a novel. I was aware of Frank Lloyd Wright and his style of architecture. But I honestly didn't know anything about his personal life or the murders that took place at Taliesin. In fact, when I read "Loving Frank" I thought it was the most horrible ending, it surely wasn't true. But I did a little research and found out it was. Wright was a very eccentric and selfish artist, for me his life seemed very sad in many ways. He was so caught up in his creativity as it related to nature, but never really seemed to get the magnificence of THE creator. Joe and I visited Taliesin West in Scottsdale last year and it really is something to see. I thoroughly enjoyed the sunset tour and unique, creative home and architecture school. I would definitely recommend both of these books, but don't necessarily think you need to read both, they give very similar histories and details.
"Your Boy, Raising a Godly Son in an Ungodly World" by Vicki Courtney (+4.5)
I'll be honest....I don't read very many books like this. I'm not a big "self-help book" kind of gal. But I bought this a few years ago and I read the entire thing in a few days and then handed it to Joe and asked him to read it too. I actually bought it to give to a couple of friends. This is a really relevent book, pretty current and applicable to where we are living right now. Courtney doesn't take herself too seriously, so it isn't a rigid "do it this way" kind of book. She talks openly about challenges faced as we try to raise Godly sons in the world we live in today. She addresses technology, dating, relating to parents, and so much more. She has a book about daughters too, titled "Your Girl". I pulled this book out (I keep it on my bedside table) to look at one particular area and found myself reading the book again. The author is funny, honest, sticks to Biblical concepts, and admits that not everything she has done will be right for every family, but offers different ideas that still line up with Truth. You won't see many parenting books on my review list, but this is one I will HIGHLY recommend!
"Death in a Prairie House...Frank Lloyd Wright and the Taliesin Murders" by William R. Drennan (+4.0)
If you have read "Loving Frank" I probably wouldn't recommend this book. Both books are about Frank Lloyd Wright and the tragic murders at his home, Taliesin, in Wisconsin in 1914. I absolutely loved "Loving Frank". It was written more like a novel, based on the facts found in newspapers, etc. "Death in a Prairie House" is very interesting as the author tries to wade through the myths concerning the murders in 1914, it is a little more research/fact-finding type writing, not a novel. I was aware of Frank Lloyd Wright and his style of architecture. But I honestly didn't know anything about his personal life or the murders that took place at Taliesin. In fact, when I read "Loving Frank" I thought it was the most horrible ending, it surely wasn't true. But I did a little research and found out it was. Wright was a very eccentric and selfish artist, for me his life seemed very sad in many ways. He was so caught up in his creativity as it related to nature, but never really seemed to get the magnificence of THE creator. Joe and I visited Taliesin West in Scottsdale last year and it really is something to see. I thoroughly enjoyed the sunset tour and unique, creative home and architecture school. I would definitely recommend both of these books, but don't necessarily think you need to read both, they give very similar histories and details.
"Your Boy, Raising a Godly Son in an Ungodly World" by Vicki Courtney (+4.5)
I'll be honest....I don't read very many books like this. I'm not a big "self-help book" kind of gal. But I bought this a few years ago and I read the entire thing in a few days and then handed it to Joe and asked him to read it too. I actually bought it to give to a couple of friends. This is a really relevent book, pretty current and applicable to where we are living right now. Courtney doesn't take herself too seriously, so it isn't a rigid "do it this way" kind of book. She talks openly about challenges faced as we try to raise Godly sons in the world we live in today. She addresses technology, dating, relating to parents, and so much more. She has a book about daughters too, titled "Your Girl". I pulled this book out (I keep it on my bedside table) to look at one particular area and found myself reading the book again. The author is funny, honest, sticks to Biblical concepts, and admits that not everything she has done will be right for every family, but offers different ideas that still line up with Truth. You won't see many parenting books on my review list, but this is one I will HIGHLY recommend!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Books...books...books!
Okay....so I'm kind of a book nerd. I have loved to read since I learned how, way back in the dark ages. In fact, when I was in second grade, I loved a book so much that I checked it out from the school library, took it home, and spent the entire weekend copying it word for word by hand. I warned you I was a book nerd! I'd like to tell you that it was a classic. Maybe A.A. Milne. Maybe a Nancy Drew mystery. Even Amelia Bedelia. But no...it was a biography about George Washington. I remember the weekend, it was gray and dreary out and I sat and sat and sat at my little desk in my room and copied that book. My mom told me how ridiculous it was, we could recheck the book next week. Pretty sure my brother mocked me (although he's as big of a book nerd as me). I had that hand copied book in my bedside table all the years I lived at home. And apparently, my mom, being the sentimental person that she was....TRASHED IT. I know it's the age of technology, you can order it for your kindle, buy it through scholastic book orders, whatever. BUT...should your child ever copy a book word for word...please save it for them. I'm not bitter...just sayin!
ANYWAY...my point is. I still read a lot. And I keep a book journal (it's already been determined I'm a nerd, so lay off). And now, just to torture you, I'm going to give my book reviews for what I've read so far this year. Normally, I'll just give one at a time as I read it, but I didn't start this blog on January 1st, so you're going to have to suffer through it. I'll be brief. Okay, I put a cute picture in first just for fun...has nothing to do with books. (Oh, and the number after the book title and author is my ranking system, based on a 5 point scale.)
"Spoken From The Heart" by Laura Bush (+3.75)
Obviously I still have a thing for biographies. Mrs. Bush's book is a nice read, a little dry and slow at times. But I still enjoyed it and all the history she shared. Mrs. Bush is pretty reserved and that is very evident in her writing style. She doesn't give a lot of personal things away, which I respect. Reading about 9/11 was pretty gut-wrenching! But I found it most interesting to see all the things that she did as a First Lady. The press was kind of hard on her, but she has a lot of depth and strength and she accomplished a lot during her time in the White House.
"Love Walked In" by Marisa DeLos Santos (+4.5)
This book had me on the first page...that doesn't happen very often. This writer's style is kind of quirky and funny and dry and I loved it. This is a love story in a most unconventional sense. It starts out rather conventionally, but takes a lot of twists along the way. I would highly recommend it! My favorite line of the whole book was this..."If you've ever considered having a conversation about your sex life in a South Philadelphia cheese shop, stop that thought in its tracks right now and wring its scrawny little neck." Hilarious!!!
"Lipstick in Afghanistan" by Roberta Gateley (+4.5)
Touching, tragic, lovely, sad story. An American nurse goes to Afghanistan to help. She forms deep relationships with Afghani people and also falls in love with an American soldier. This book stirs up the old "I wanna be a missionary" in me. But, it also it shows how much people are the same, instead of how different we sometimes think they are. It was a good read...not easy at times. If you have a loved one serving in Afghanistan I wouldn't recommend it, it would too close to home.
"Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God" by Noel Piper (+3.0)
This book tells the stories of five women, all believers, all on different journeys. The women were just ordinary women in many ways, but because of their extraordinary God, nothing they did was small. The women's stories are definitely worth reading...inspiring...thought provoking. My low rating of the book is due to the style of writing. It is kind of "dissertation style" to me, lots of documenting other sources and quoting other books. There isn't a lot of original text, no real weaving the story smoothly. Despite that...God definitely shines through!
"Spoken From The Heart" by Laura Bush (+3.75)
Obviously I still have a thing for biographies. Mrs. Bush's book is a nice read, a little dry and slow at times. But I still enjoyed it and all the history she shared. Mrs. Bush is pretty reserved and that is very evident in her writing style. She doesn't give a lot of personal things away, which I respect. Reading about 9/11 was pretty gut-wrenching! But I found it most interesting to see all the things that she did as a First Lady. The press was kind of hard on her, but she has a lot of depth and strength and she accomplished a lot during her time in the White House.
"Love Walked In" by Marisa DeLos Santos (+4.5)
This book had me on the first page...that doesn't happen very often. This writer's style is kind of quirky and funny and dry and I loved it. This is a love story in a most unconventional sense. It starts out rather conventionally, but takes a lot of twists along the way. I would highly recommend it! My favorite line of the whole book was this..."If you've ever considered having a conversation about your sex life in a South Philadelphia cheese shop, stop that thought in its tracks right now and wring its scrawny little neck." Hilarious!!!
"Lipstick in Afghanistan" by Roberta Gateley (+4.5)
Touching, tragic, lovely, sad story. An American nurse goes to Afghanistan to help. She forms deep relationships with Afghani people and also falls in love with an American soldier. This book stirs up the old "I wanna be a missionary" in me. But, it also it shows how much people are the same, instead of how different we sometimes think they are. It was a good read...not easy at times. If you have a loved one serving in Afghanistan I wouldn't recommend it, it would too close to home.
"Faithful Women and Their Extraordinary God" by Noel Piper (+3.0)
This book tells the stories of five women, all believers, all on different journeys. The women were just ordinary women in many ways, but because of their extraordinary God, nothing they did was small. The women's stories are definitely worth reading...inspiring...thought provoking. My low rating of the book is due to the style of writing. It is kind of "dissertation style" to me, lots of documenting other sources and quoting other books. There isn't a lot of original text, no real weaving the story smoothly. Despite that...God definitely shines through!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)