Tuesday, January 24, 2012

The Wedding by Nicolas Sparks

I had no idea that there was a sequel to The Notebook. I have not read the book but The Notebook is one of my favorite movies. Yes, I do know it's not a Christian story but don't judge. I love it anyway. It such a beautiful love story. I am intersted to read the book because I know there are differences to the movie.

The Wedding follows one of Noah and Allie's children. Their daughter Jane and her husband Wilson. Wilson realizes that after 29 years of marriage he is afraid his wife no longer loves him. He forgets his anniversary and can see how he hasn't been as present in their marriage as a wife or father that he should have been. The book takes you through a year of him trying to win his wife back. The little ways he tries to win her affection and make her fall in love with him all over again.

When their 30th anniversary is soon arriving their daughter announces that she is getting married interrupting the plans that Wilson has created for a year for their anniversary to be special. The next 2 weeks before their anniversary date are spent preparing for a wedding for their daughter, Jane.

I LOVED this book! It was so sweet. At the end I was crying and totally surprised. It's a great way to remember how it only takes the little things to keep your marriage alive! I totally recommend this book to read!

Friday, January 20, 2012

Mission: Motherhood by: Marta Perry

I ran across Marta Perry last year with her Three Sisters Inn series and I really enjoyed them. I thought I would try out another book by her, which are limited at the library. This one sounded interesting because, of course 1. I'm a mother and 2. I like military stories.

Caitlyn Villard becomes a mother when her sister and brother-in-law are killed in action over seas. Caitlyn is forced to go back to the town she grew up in and worked so hard to leave to help her mother take care of her twin nieces. Her plan is to help them get settled and get back to the life she worked so hard to create in New York.

When she arrives she realizes how over whelmed her mother is and decides to take a job to help make some income while she is in town. She runs into a Steve Windham, from school who is now a chaplain. And every where she goes she bumps into him.

Will Caitlyn change her mind and give up her job in New York to become a mother? Or will she go back to the life she had worked so hard to create?

I wasn't as excited about this book as I was about Three Sisters Inn series. Though that was a mystery and this one was more romance. The story was cute and a good read. It took me longer to read because I wasn't as excited about it as I thought I would be. This series is written by other authors each taking a book in the series, I would be interested to finish the series out. But the next one I pick by Marta Perry will be a mystery!

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Night Light by Terri Blackstock

Night light is the 2nd book in the Restoration series by Terri Blackstock. In this series everything electronic has quit working. From airplanes, cars, t.v.'s to water plants, and electricity. The outage is world wide and families are now having to rely on digging wells, planting crops in their yards and work hard every day just to survive. Life is quite different without the modern conveniences we rely on!

The book is centered around the Branning family. Doug and Kay have 3 children. Deni, the oldest had come home to plan her wedding and return to New York with her fiance to live the big city life. When the outings interupted those plans. When she finally hears from her fiance she has to decide if the big city life is still in her plans, whether the outage is over or not.

Jeff is 16 and has had to grow up to protect his family and help take care of them by working hard. While Beth, the youngest at 12 is the youngest in the family.

In this book the Branning family is robbed by some children, which leads them to an apartment complex across town where they discover the children are living alone. They haven't seen their mother in weeks and have been stealing to survive. The Branning family take the 4 children in, try to show them the love of God while they look for their missing mother. They soon discover there is more involved then they realized.

This book has just a little bit of mystery. Terri Blackstock makes you look through the eyes of the children when they were living with a mother who abuses drugs and how they had to survive on their own, even when their mother was around. They have to learn to trust the Branning family, who want nothing in return for their generosity. This book also teaches you what is important in live as Deni, the oldest, has to makes some big life decisions. The Brannings reach out to other neighbors in their time of need.

This book makes you think; "What would I do, if I were in this situation?" We forget where we came from and it's hard enough when you dishwasher goes out or you need the heater fixed. But to have ever day conveniences as well as all electronics, including your car no longer work! How we would have to truly rely on God!

Monday, January 9, 2012

Movie Challenge

Another challenge that I've decided to do for fun this year is read books that go with movies. I did a few last year but have come across some great ones that I wanted to read.

1. Courageous - Finished this one January 20th!!! Good book and good movie! :)

2. The Vow - Comes out in February 2012

3. Hunger Series - Comes out in March 2012 (already read)

4. Lucky One - Comes out in April 2012 (already read)

5. War Horse - Already out in theaters...on waiting list 50+ people! Will be awhile! Now to just have to wait to see the movie, which I've heard is good!

I will have to add to my list as I find more!

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

This is the last book in the Hunger Games series. I had heard a bunch of hype about these books and how great they were I really wanted to read them. They are not a Christian series but I'm always willing to read a new book! Especially with such big reviews.

The first book took me back by surprise. I wasn't ready for the storyline and it was hard to read. (You can read my book review in 2011). After I was done though I was stuck needing to read the next two books to find out the end of the story. The second book was much better than the second. I actually started to like the story.

The third book is a little different in some ways. There is a lot less fighting and requires a lot more thinking; they discuss tactics and talk about characters (which makes you need to remember who was from which book and how they fit into the story), there is a lot more information given to you about how things became the way they were and makes you even question who's side your on.

I think when reading this series you need to be able to read book 2 and 3 back to back. I got away with waiting between 1 and 2 but waiting even just a little made it harder to remember things.

I have to say that at the end of the series I can say that I do like it. It's funny looking back at how I just could not handle the first book but now I am able to view the 1st book quite differently than when I started out. You see the big picture now. I would definitely recommend this series with caution but would still recommend to read. I am actually looking forward to watching the movie that is coming out in March 2012. Though reading some of the things that take place I'm wondering how they will show that on the big screen?

Here is the link to see the preview of the movie...

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1392170/

Friday, January 6, 2012

The Promise of an Angel by Ruth Reid

I was given this book by a friend about a month ago to read. I kept putting it off since I had books from the library to read and finally decided that I should start reading it so that I could get it back to her!

I had not heard of the author nor the book before so I wasn't sure how I would like the book but I was actually interested in the story within the first few chapters.

Judith is keeping watch over her brother, Samuel, when he falls from the roof of the barn and becomes paralyzed from the fall. She feels guilt from not protecting him but an angel appeared to Judith to have faith that he would walk again one day. When she speaks of the angel her Amish community shuns her for believing to know God's will.

With dreams of Judith's future in jeopardy, she has to decide to hold to her faith, even when no one believes her. Even the boy she believed she would married has openly made fun of her! The only one who seems to believe her is the bishop's son, Andrew. Yet Andrew is forbidden to be near Judith.

What road will Judith decide to take to protect Andrew and stand up for her faith. Will she go as far as leaving the community?

This is a really good read. The story line is good and actually challenges you when all else is against you to still stand. We face many trials in life and sometimes things around us can make us wonder if we heard God. But He is faithful! I want my daughter to read this book as well!

Monday, January 2, 2012

'Twas the Night Before by Jerry B. Jenkins

My first book to finish for the new year; 2012!!!

I was looking forward to reading this book since I had come across another book of his, Riven late last year. This was a Christmas story and even though it was past Christmas I thought I would go ahead and read it anyway.

I have to say though, it wasn't as good as I was hoping for. The story line is slow. Noella, a journalism professor and Tom, a reporter meet when he agrees to speak to her students. They form a friendship that turns into a relationship.

They are polar opposites. The story talks a lot of about their differences. She is upbeat and cheery, he is more of a humbug. Especially when it comes to Christmas. At one point the story turns to Santa and whether or not you believe in him.

The story didn't really have any depth to it. I wasn't sure in the end what the actually meaning was that Jerry B. Jenkins was trying to portray. To believe in Santa, to have Christmas spirit, to have a child like faith? Not sure. Maybe it's just to know that Noella was good for Tom and even though they were opposites they realized that didn't matter?

I do have to say that I wouldn't recommend this book. It was a fast read, which I guess makes it easier to take that it wasn't something I enjoyed in the end. If it had been longer and took longer to read I may have been frustrated to spend the time reading it. It wasn't horrible, just not my taste.

I will say that I will still try another of Jerry B. Jenkins books. I liked Riven and he is also the co-author of the Left Behind series so I I know I do like his writing. Just may not be my favorite story by him.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

2012 Goodreads Challenge

1/2 way through 2011 I discovered a great site called Goodreads. It's an online book club of sorts. There are many different books clubs you are able to join from Christian to Amish to your favorite author. I have joined 8 groups so far. Before you think I read that many books a month, I joined them for fun. You can get involved as much or as little as you would like.

Some times a group will choose a book that I am not able to get from the library. Other times I'm not interested in the book so I just skip that month. Some of these groups don't choose books at all, they are just for fun.

Last year I put a challenge to read 45 books and I hit 51 books.
So this year I made a challenge to read 55 books!
We'll see how I do!

The fun thing about joining the groups is to talk about a book you have read when your done! I discovered quite a few great books being involved in this site. Always wanted to be in a book club! This is the way I get to do that.

My top two favorites;

1. Christian Fiction Devourers - my favorite group. They have so many group discussions throughout the month to get to know each other, even fun giveaways. The first time I joined a giveaway I actually received a free book from the author! They have 3 books a month going on, Two fiction (you can choose to read one or both) and one non-fiction (I'm not a non-fiction reader, so I don't join this one).

2. Contemporary Christian Fiction - This group is pretty quiet with 697 people! I have found some great authors through them though. If you like it more low key, this is a good one.

These groups I joined just recently;

3. Fans of Amish Fiction - I haven't always thought I would really be interested in Amish fiction but I ran into a few great books and they are always a safe read. Especially when I'm looking for something for my 13 year old daughter to read. I haven't been able to join them in any book reads yet.

4. Karen Kingbury Lovers - I just discovered her this year. I knew of her but hadn't read any of her books. She has quickly risen to the top of my favorite author list. I haven't read any of their monthly book reads. I just joined to discuss her books.

5. Nicolas Sparks - I never knew some of my favorite movies where written by Nicolas Sparks. I know, not a Christian author but I still love them! I haven't joined in any monthly book reads as of yet. Just reading his books and can discuss them online.

For fun;

6. Christian Girly Girls Chit Chat - One of the girls from another group started one just for fun chitchat. They don't pick any book reads for the month.

These groups are with friends.

7. Coffee Talk - Out of state friends

8. Day Readers - In state friends, we get together when we can! That is fun too!


So, if you enjoy reading come join me! :)