Tag Archives: reading

One Thousand Gifts

  By Rachel | June 15, 2012 - 4:15 pm | What I'm Reading
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One Thousand Gifts  

by: Ann Voskamp

 

 

 

 

 

My Dad sent me this book earlier this week, and I have been slowly making my way through Ann’s journey.

One of my favorite quotes so far:

“I, too, had read it often, the oft-quoted verse: “And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20). And I, too, would nod and say straight-faced, “I’m thankful for everything.” But in this counting gifts, to one thousand, more, I discover that slapping a sloppy brush of thanksgiving over everything in my life leaves me deeply thankful for very few things in my life. A lifetime of sermons on “thanks in all things” and the shelves sagging with books on these things and I testify: life-changing gratitude does not fasten itself to a life unless nailed through one very specific nail at a time.”

I am already thoroughly enjoying all that she has shared- and have thought often about gardening while I am reading- the joy of a new bloom.  I have also thought about blowing bubbles with the kids and the child-like delight I find when playing with them.

It is bring to mind the sweet blessings- in tiny ways-throughout my day.

Will share a more thorough review once I finish- if you have read it- let me know what you thought about it.

Drums Of Autumn

  By Rachel | February 16, 2012 - 2:14 pm | What I'm Reading
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Cover of "Drums of Autumn (Outlander)"

Cover of Drums of Autumn (Outlander)

I have continued my reading in the series by Diana Gabaldon.  The first book of the series is Outlander and usually the whole series is referred to as the Outlander series.

I am on the fourth book of the series.  These are long books, they are not for the casual reader- at approximately 1,000 pages a pop- it takes some time to get through the books.

As an avid reader and a huge fan of this series- I am enjoying every moment.

By this time, the characters are familiar, almost like friends- you root for them and feel their pain and disappointment.

The plot has so many layers due in part to the complicated nature of these stories and time. I don’t like to give away too much but time travel is part of this series- and opens up so many new directions for the story.

This series has perfectly mixed almost all my favorite genres.  I know this will not be the only time I will read this series.  My only reservation lies in how it will all end- that will determine a lot for me.

More detailed review of Drums of Autumn coming soon.

FINAL REVIEW:

Sometimes, as you read a series of books, it gets boring, predictable, or the plot takes certain turns and you start to lose interest. It doesn’t seem to fit the characters- you wonder as the reader if they would really make those decisions based on their character…

Not so with Drums of Autumn. Not only am I enjoying this series more and more with each book- I am constantly surprised by the direction of the plot- her creativity in describing scenes and people- and there will always be some moments in each book- where I am thinking- I know what is going to happen next- and I am ALWAYS wrong.

I can’t wait to start the next book- it has been sitting on the shelf- waiting. If you haven’t read this series give it a try. For me, this is just a perfect case of all the things I love about books (genre, writing style) colliding in one perfect series.

I haven’t read the end yet- but the more I read I feel myself growing confident that the author won’t disappoint.

 

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Masquerade and Revelations

  By Rachel | February 16, 2012 - 12:16 am | What I'm Reading
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These are two books in the Blue Bloods series by Melissa de la Cruz.  I read the first book, Blue Bloods, over the Christmas break.  I was worried that this would be another knock off of some of the other vampire novels written in the past- with no original ideas or plot.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Melissa de la Cruz has in fact found a niche all her own.  So far I have found the plot predictable at times but not completely- so therefore there are some portions that keep me wondering- and very interested in the story.

If you are a fan of vampire fiction- you will really enjoy this series.  They are fast reads and very enjoyable.

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Fevre Dream

  By Rachel | February 10, 2012 - 12:09 am | What I'm Reading
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A friend recommended this book since I am a fan of the vampire genre.  I am interested to see how it compares to some of the others- especially since this is the first book that I have read by George R.R. Martin.  Apparently he has a pretty solid fan base, at least the prices of his books and their popularity seem to support this theory.

I have read the first few chapters and I am enjoying his descriptions of scenes and people.  A more thorough review to come later.

Review:

I was a little disappointed at the conclusion of this book- I was expecting something unlike anything I have ever read-groundbreaking- and I guess this book was unique in some ways, but the story wasn’t outstanding.

I like George R.R. Martin’s writing though- I like how he describes people and scenes- and his main character in this book- Abner Marsh- was quite unique- I have to confess I liked him a lot.  As main characters go- he was not what you would expect.

If you enjoy reading the vampire genre- I think it is important to add this to your collection.  I am not sure what the original publish date was- 1984 is listed on the book I got from the library.  So he was writing vampire fiction when it was not “all the rage” like it is today.  And without a doubt he inspired many of the vampire stories that we enjoy today.

So, I gave it three stars- I liked it- good solid story- but not one I would necessarily buy or read again.

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Some of My Favorite Series

  By Rachel | February 6, 2012 - 9:26 pm | Random
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How do you choose favorites?  What makes a series stand out to you? I can’t imagine having to choose one favorite author or one favorite series.  We are truly blessed to have a dizzying variety of books to read, and so many talented authors who bring continually bring unique and thoroughly entertaining works for us to enjoy.  Here are some of my all-time favorites- please share yours!

Harry Potter Series by: J.K. Rowling

If you were living under a rock, I think it is still possible that you would have heard of the worldwide phenomena created by this series.  Fantastic story.  The world created by J.K. Rowling in a word- magical.  Huge fan base due to this series appealing to wide age range.  If you have not read it, I urge you to do so.

Chronicles of Narnia  By: C.S. Lewis

These books have been some of my favorites since childhood.  One of my goals is to read them again this year.

The Saxon Stories  By: Bernard Cornwell

Have I mentioned I love historical fiction?  I am a huge Bernard Cornwell fan, and his main character in this series- Uhtred- is one of my favorite characters of all time.

Sookie Stackhouse Series  By: Charlaine Harris

There was no way I was going to get through this post without throwing in some vampire books.  They are my favorite niche.  Funny, creative, and romantic- nice light reading.

Myron Bolitar Series  By: Harlan Coben

I love a good mystery, and throw in some humor and witty conversation- and a character named Myron- and you have struck GOLD.  I own most of these books, love to read them over and over.

I hope I have inspired you to get out there and pick some of these up.  Happy Reading!

One For the Money

  By Rachel | February 5, 2012 - 5:03 am | What I'm Reading
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Cover of "One for the Money (Stephanie Pl...

Cover via Amazon

 

A friend has been very persistent in her praise of One for the Money, the opening book in a series written by Janet Evanovich, with a leading lady named Stephanie Plum.  I have acquiesced and am beginning the book this week.  I have a strict policy about books that are made into movies.  I will not go see the movie until I have read the book.  I believe more selfish motives may be behind her relentless nudgings- she wants us to go see the movie together. ;)

I am a huge fan of the Myron Bolitar series by Harlan Coben- and I have a theory that these books will be similar. We shall see.

Full review will be forthcoming.  Stay tuned.
Review:

A good light read.  Fun, interesting drama- though I was disappointed in how obvious the plot was- didn’t really keep me guessing- but I like Stephanie Plum’s character a lot- and that made up for some of the disappointments.
Not necessarily something I would want to read again- but an entertaining book.

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How I Review Books

  By Rachel | February 5, 2012 - 4:59 am | Random
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Amazon shipment

Reviews sometimes leave me with just one phrase reverberating around my brain- too much information, too much information!! The joy of reading the book has been diminished by the thoroughness of the reviewer.  One of my greatest aggravations in life.

So, as a preventative measure and for my own reading enjoyment, I take books on recommendations from friends.  I like to know the genre and if they thought it was good- and that’s about it.  I love to be surprised when I start reading- completely in the dark about the premise of the book.

So, if you are reading my reviews, be prepared for very little to be given away about characters and plot- and if you are looking for a review that gives more details, I encourage you to try Goodreads or Amazon.  They both provide a basic review as well as showing the reviews of different readers- I like reading those after I have finished a book.

Happy Reading!

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My Vampire Obsession

  By Rachel | February 4, 2012 - 4:03 pm | Random
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English: Cover of the book Interview With the ...

I admit it.  I love reading books about vampires.  Recently I confessed to my parents that I used to hide books about vampires from them and read them at night because I was afraid they wouldn’t let me read the books.

Why the fascination with vampires?  I have pondered that question of late.  The books I enjoy about vampires are ones where there are “good vampires” and “evil vampires.”  The good vampires don’t kill humans and they fight against their evil nature whereas the evil vampires do not value human life and take it with no qualms. (Many times they are also not vampires who chose to be turned but were forced into it or on their death bed when turned.)

Really, it is just a different spin on the classic good vs. evil plot line- but there is a twist.  Vampires are considered evil- regardless of whether they are able to control their urge to drink human blood- they are creatures of darkness, with powers to control the minds of humans and superhuman strength.  They can live forever.

In some ways, I feel like I can relate to vampires.  I see the potential for evil within myself.  My own selfish motives and desires urge me to do what “feels good” and not worry about how that may hurt those around me.  To live in the moment and not think about the consequences that will come later.  I imagine when a vampire is gorging itself on human blood it feels pretty good.  However, the aftermath that they are left with leaves no doubt of the negative consequences of their selfish actions.  They are murderers.

So in some ways, I feel like these books tackle morality and in a poignant way, and (sometimes) address the problem of evil.  How do we deal with that ugly side of ourselves?  Do we deny its existence until it rears its ugly head?  What do we do to keep our own selfish desires in check?

And no, I don’t believe that vampires are real.  But I think they are interesting characters to write about-they have two parts of themselves that are constantly at war with each other.  Their self-control constantly challenged.  They live surrounded by temptation.  Isn’t that similar to our own struggles?

To close, I want to share some of my favorite vampire series/novels.  Please feel free to share your thoughts and/or series that you have enjoyed.

Charlaine Harris- Sookie Stackhouse series- 1st book -Dead Until Dark

Anne Rice- The Vampire Chronicles

Stephenie Meyer- The Twilight Series

L.J. Smith- The Vampire Diaries (the first vampire books I read as a teenager)

Dragonfly in Amber

  By Rachel | February 3, 2012 - 11:50 pm | What I'm Reading
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Excitement filled me as I dug into the first few pages of this sequel to Outlander.  I finally got so impatient waiting for the book to come through interlibrary loan that I just bought it for my Kindle.  A review for this book and Outlander will be coming soon.

Update: While I was reading yesterday, I asked myself, what makes this such a great book?  The characters?  Definitely.  The plot? Heck Ya.  But what I love most- the author engages all five senses when she paints a scene.  I feel present there with the characters.  I can see what they see, feel what they feel, hear what they hear…and for me that’s the highest quality of writing.

If you haven’t read the series and you are a fan of fantasy, I would urge to you to check it out.  I am only on book 2 but feel pretty confident that my love of this series will only deepen as I continue to read.

Final Review: About 960 pages later, here I am- at the finish.  And this author knows how to finish- MAJOR cliffhanger- this book really combines in a refreshingly balanced ways all the genres of books that I love.  Romance, historical fiction, and fantasy and even a little mystery thrown in.

 

Charlotte Collins: a Continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

  By Rachel | February 3, 2012 - 1:43 pm | What I'm Reading
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I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book.  My habit has been to read as little as possible about a book before I contemplate reading it.  I take things on recommendation from friends or if they are in a genre that interests me then I will usually give them a try.

I have only read a few chapters but already I am hooked- and thoroughly enjoying the conversational banter and the author’s portrayal of Mrs. Collins.  A more thorough review will be forthcoming.

Review:  If you are like me and you enjoy reading the variety of sequels and spin-offs from Jane Austen’s original characters, then you will likely enjoy this book and even find yourself rooting for Charlotte Collins.  I found that it was more plausible to me, after reading this book, how Lizzie would enjoy a friendship with Charlotte Collins.  The author did a great job capturing her character in a way that honors Jane Austen’s original portrayal of her.

This book, however, is not outstanding either in writing or creativity of plot- so I would probably have passed it by if not for my continued interest in reading works related to Pride and Prejudice.