Goodnight, Ark - Laura Sassi

Summary from Goodreads:

The padded board book edition of Goodnight, Ark tells the story of Noah and the animals as they try to sleep through the storm that is raging outside. But when the storm gets louder boars, quails, elephants, snakes and a few other furry friends join Noah in bed, creating quite the commotion! Author Laura Sassi brings a new dimension to one of the Bible’s most popular stories, giving a delightful glimpse into the emotional bond between Noah and the animals in his care. With sleek, buoyant verse and eye-catching illustrations by New York Times bestselling illustrator Jane Chapman, this read-aloud bedtime tale is sure to become a favorite of children and parents alike.


I ran across this book in the book section of Sam's.  After flipping through it briefly (while trying to keep Little Boy from grabbing all the books within reach), I decided to see if our library had it.  I like to check out books from there before I make the commitment to buy.  

This one is definitely buy worthy.  Such a cute story.  Little Boy has requested it at nap and bedtime for the last three days.  The prose has a nice rolling, rhyming rhythm.  It is easy and fun to read with all the animal noises.  While he doesn't get the funny surprise towards the end, I chuckle each time.

And the illustrations by Jane Chapman - amazing!  They add to the fun and feel of the book as a whole.  Sometime we just flip through and look at the pictures, naming the animals while I admire the artistry.  

If you have a little one, I highly recommend this read.

Swift Summaries

This Is What Happy Looks Like

Jennifer E. Smith            YA

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun, except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's spotlight at all costs?

THIS!  This is what YA romance should be like.  No sex.  No grit.  Not chock full of foul language (Actually, there was none). Instead, a sweet, fun story of first loves.  I couldn’t help but like Ellie and Graham from their first email exchange.  They are funny and sarcastic and just cute.  I enjoyed the story that developed and was excited to know there was a novella sequel.  Which I promptly read.

Happy Again (This Is What Happy Looks Like #1.5)

Jennifer E. Smith            YA

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Ellie O'Neill and Graham Larkin fell hard for each other when a misspelled email address unexpectedly brought them together. Now, over a year has passed since they said goodbye with the promise to stay in touch, and their daily emails have dwindled to nothing. Ellie is a freshman in college and has told herself to move on, and Graham has kept himself busy starring in more movies, as well as a few tabloid columns. But fate brought these two together once before—and it isn't done with them yet.

While I didn’t love this one as much as the original, I did feel there was better character development.  I liked checking in on Ellie and Graham while I felt the reconnection scenario was a bit far-fetched.  A fun follow-up.

Between the World and Me

Ta-Nehisi Coates             Non-Fiction; Social Commentary

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today, threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its burden? 

Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son.

I’m going to be honest.  I didn’t make it far in this book.  Not because it wasn’t interesting or because I didn’t desire to read it.  The reason is simple:  I have two little ones who aren’t affording me much sleep these days.  My brain is fried.  And this is definitely a book you need your brain sharp and engaged for. 

So I gave it a shot.  And now it’s back on my To Read List.  My hope is that I can try it again in the new year.  I think it’s relevant and important.

Help, Thanks, Wow

Anne Lamott                   Non-Fiction; Self-Help; Spirituality

Synopsis from Goodreads:

New York Times-bestselling author Anne Lamott writes about the three simple prayers essential to coming through tough times, difficult days and the hardships of daily life.
It is these three prayers – asking for assistance from a higher power, appreciating what we have that is good, and feeling awe at the world around us – that can get us through the day and can show us the way forward. In Help, Thanks, Wow, Lamott recounts how she came to these insights, explains what they mean to her and how they have helped, and explores how others have embraced these same ideas.

  

Completely irreverent with some good nuggets tucked in.  I think I would have enjoyed this book infinitely more had I read it as opposed to reading it.  The author reads on the audio, and I found her voice rather grating. 

I do like the overarching theme that the only prayers we need are “Help!,” “Thanks!,” and “Wow.”

God, I need help with something.  Be it a health issue or a job issue; relational or world encompassing.

Thanks, God!  For all of those things that we should be appreciative of in our lives as well as His grace and forgiveness.

And then “Wow!”  For those moments when we are bowled over by the majesty He has created and sustained. 

Help.  Thanks.  Wow.  Good foundation for your personal communion with God.

The Fruitcake Murders - Ace Collins

Title:               The Fruitcake Murders

Author:            Ace Collins

Publisher:        Abingdon Press

Market:           General

Genre:             Fiction, Mystery

Length:            320 pages

Pub. Date:       October 6, 2015

Description (from Amazon):

As Christmas 1946 draws near, thirty-something marine officer-turned-homicide detective Lane Walker has his hands full. Three men with seemingly no relationship to each other have been murdered, including the powerful District Attorney. The only connection between the crimes? The weapons: twenty-year-old unopened fruitcake tins manufactured by a company that is no longer in business.

While some foods may be to die for, fruitcake isn't one of them! This heaping helping of murder will be no easy task for Walker, and he certainly doesn't need the determined and feisty Betsy Clayton, the political reporter for The Chicago Herald, getting in the way.

Employing witty dialogue and historical accuracy, The Fruitcake Murders offers equal parts murder, mystery, and mayhem in a perplexing whodunit set in the days just after World War II.

My Review:

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy via the publisher at NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I picked this book as I was in the mood for a good mystery.  And, hello, the author’s name is “Ace Collins;” how cool is that?  Unfortunately, I was somewhat disappointed in the actuality of the novel.

The first turn-off was all of the issues with the text.  Several of the time stamps were off or out of order or didn’t jive with the content of that section.  There were many contradictions and inconsistency as well as poor grammar, misplaced words and missing quotation marks.   As a former English teacher (as well as having a penchant for details), all of those things strongly affect my overall reading experience even if the story itself is exceptional.

Also, just the whole tone of the book was a bit over the top for me.  I think the author was going for a “classic Dick Tracy movie” type feel with the swapping between first and last name usage, trying on the 1940’s vernacular, etc.  But it just didn’t work.  And the continued reference to how good looking, gorgeous, and handsome everyone was drove me a bit batty.  Even with some of the content and the date/time tags, it was hard to remember the historical setting of the book.

That being said, I think the mystery itself has good bones.  While I was pretty certain “whodunit” by the end, I was waffling between a few different possibilities for most of the book. 

The characters were definitely very character-y.  They were entertaining but hard to get attached to.  And the love triangle was flat ridiculous. 

The start of the story had me fairly lost.  However, I think that’s pretty typical of mystery books. That’s what helps make them mysterious.  So I was okay with it.  Especially as the book kept me guessing through most of it.  I changed my thoughts on the murderer a couple of times throughout the course of reading.  That always makes it more enjoyable. 

I don’t recall any spiritual or supernatural elements.  If they were there, I missed them.  As far as questionable content, there are murders.  But I think any reader would expect that from the title.  I really can’t think of any particular triggers this book might contain for a more sensitive or conservative reader.  Even the descriptions of the murder scenes were pretty tame.

Readers who enjoy easy to read mysteries would like this story as well.  There were actually a few different mysteries to be solved throughout.  However, I don’t know that I’ll be rushing out to buy the next thing Ace Collins writes.  Maybe, though. 

***This review is also posted on The Christian Manifesto and my Goodreads account.***

Pros:

·       Good mystery elements

·       Kept me guessing

·       Easy to read

Cons:

·       Grammatical errors

·       Inconsistencies and contradictions

·       Annoying character interactions

My Rating:  2.5 out of 5  (I feel like it was poor from a grammatical and consistency standpoint.  But as the mystery itself was good, I’ll give it a 2.5 for average)

Quick Lit Reviews - October

I’m Not Leaving by Carl Wilkens

This was our book club book for October.  Yes, an odd pick for a book club.  However, one of our members saw him when he came to speak at her school.  When she shared a bit of what he had to say with us (and as we’ve read many a book dealing with the Holocaust genocide), several of us were interested in reading his book. 

And the verdict was it was interesting. It was confusing at times to keep different names and distinctions straight.  Also mind-boggling was to realize this genocide happened in such a short time frame. 

It made for interesting discussion on what we would each do in a similar situation.

3 out of 5 (liked it)

 The Light Between the Oceans by M.L. Stedman

I have been hearing about this book from different sources for at least three years. While I’m thrilled to have finally read it, I’m bummed that we never chose it as a book club book.  Such good fodder for discussion between its pages.

The prologue gripped me right away.  Then I was a bit bogged down with the character building in the first several chapters.  Then the story got rolling again, and I was completely engrossed until the end. 

This is the story of Tom and Isabel and the baby who washed up under their lighthouse.  What a tale it was.  Some parts I saw coming.  But I expected something completely from the end than what Stedman delivered.  I’m okay with that (Again, would be a great discussion.). 

Definitely a recommended read.  My only caution would be the strong trigger topics of miscarriage and child loss. 

4 out of 5 (loved it)

Bringing in Finn:  An Extraordinary Surrogacy Story by Sarah Connell

Definitely extraordinary.  While I did not love the writing style and some of the spirituality was a bit out there for me, it was definitely an interesting read. 

As someone who dealt with infertility, the stories of others who have walked through the same always intrigue me.  Although we never got to the point of IVF or surrogacy.  The idea of a grandmother carrying and delivering her grandchild is amazing to me.  It is awe-inspiring all the crazy things our bodies are capable of. 

2 out of 5 (just okay)

The Fruitcake Murders by Ace Collins

Stay tuned for a post with a full review I wrote for The Christian Manifesto (thechristianmanifesto.com).

Far from the Madding Crowd by Thomas Hardy

I started this.  The introduction bogged me down, and I gave it up in the first chapter.  I’ll try it again later when my infant and toddler aren’t limiting my sleep to a handful of hours, if that.

Toilet Training in Less than a Day by Nathan H. Azrin and Richard M. Foxx

I have a 26 month old.  I want him to be potty trained so I’ll just have one in diapers instead of two.  This book came highly recommended from a mother of three boys.  It was a quick read for certain.   The process is nicely detailed out.  

However, I don’t think little boy is ready quite yet.  We need to work on the obeying directions and knowing before he starts going parts.  Maybe after the new year when he’s closer to 2.5.  And I’ll visit this book again too.

I’ll decide how many stars out of 5 after I put it to the test.  J

Mistress of Tall Acre - Laura Frantz

Title:               Mistress of Tall Acre

Author:            Laura Frantz

Publisher:        Revel

Market:           Christian

Genre:             Romance; Historical Fiction

Length:            400 pages

Pub. Date:       September 8, 2015

Description (from Amazon):

The American Revolution is finally over, and Sophie Menzies is starved for good news. When her nearest neighbor, General Seamus Ogilvy, finally comes home to Tall Acre, she hopes it is a sign of better days to come. But the general is now a widower with a small daughter in desperate need of a mother. Nearly destitute, Sophie agrees to marry Seamus and become the mistress of Tall Acre in what seems a safe, sensible arrangement. But when a woman from the general's past returns without warning, the ties that bind this fledgling family together will be strained to the utmost. When all is said and done, who will be the rightful mistress of Tall Acre?

Triumph and tragedy, loyalty and betrayal--readers find it all in the rich pages of this newest historical novel from the talented pen of Laura Frantz. Her careful historical details immerse the reader in the story world, and her emotional writing and finely tuned characters never cease to enchant fans both old and new.

My Review:

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy via the publisher at NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

I chose this book based on both its cover and the description.  I am a fan of historical fiction.  I enjoy learning about times past cushioned in a good tale.  I did go into the book expecting a bit of a mystery to be solved.  Since that wasn’t the case, I was a bit disappointed.  However, the writing was engaging and I enjoyed the story overall.

The book had great descriptions and period information.  I really believe that the author, Laura Frantz, did her research and immersed herself the in the revolutionary time period.  However, I found the dialogue – especially between Sophie and Seamus – to be stilted.  And even Lily Cate, the general’s young daughter, seemed overly precocious.  The flow of the story was choppy in a lot of places.

Despite the dialogue issues, I did find myself rooting for Sophie & Seamus to work out their issues and find happiness.  While there wasn’t a lot of character growth in an outward way, a lot of it was implied internally.

The romance was both sweet and chastely written.  The spiritual elements were well-integrated into the characters and the story overall. 

The only potentially questionable content would involve a spoiler.  Suffice it to say there was nothing graphic or offensive in the story.

The novel was very predictable.  But most historical romances are.  That’s what makes it a sweet, comforting read.  I believe it would appeal to women who like to read historical fiction and sometime need a book that doesn’t require them to think deeply.  I enjoyed it overall.

Pros:

• Great immersion into the time period
• Detailed descriptions
  
  

Cons:

• Stilted conversations
• Choppy flow

My Rating:  3.5 out of 5 (good)

Hiding Places - Erin Healy

Title:               Hiding Places

Author:            Erin Healy

Publisher:        Thomas Nelson

Market:           Christian

Genre:             Christian Fiction

Length:            368 pages

Pub. Date:       September 8, 2015

Description (from Amazon):

Eleven-year-old Kate Whitby leads an invisible life, the youngest member of her odd family. They live in their historic small-town hotel, where she is an expert at keeping everyone’s secrets: her sister’s a thief, her great-grandmother isn’t as crazy as people think, her mother lives in the past, and her beloved grandfather might have killed his best friend.

Devoted to the people she loves—more than they have ever been to her—Kate vows to protect each one.

Charlie Fuse has lived on the streets since his alcoholic father threw him out. When Charlie’s powerful street family tests his loyalty by demanding that he kill the son of a rival gang leader, he refuses. They frame him for the murder, forcing Charlie to run.

When Kate finds Charlie injured and penniless, she hides him from his enemies and her uncharitable relatives, unaware that he has a connection to her family as old as the hotel itself.

The murderous gang tracks Charlie down. To flush him out, they take the clueless family hostage and threaten young Kate. Even then, Kate keeps Charlie hidden, putting all her childlike faith in one terrible hope: that the family who has never been able to protect her before might learn how to do it now.

My Review:

When I saw that Erin Healy had a new book out, I was thrilled.  I enjoyed her previous books written with Ted Dekker.  But I believe that might have set me up for some disappointment.

This is the story of a young girl, Kate, who lives with her very dysfunctional, multi-generational family in their historic hotel.  And also the story of Charlie and his search for freedom and family.  Let’s also throw in the story of Fox, bent on revenge.  And we can throw in a pawn shop murder and a swindler for good measure.  Basically, there’s a lot going on in this book.  Too much to make it truly believable or enjoyable.

Kate is more precocious than your typical 11-year old; her character felt a bit over the top.  As did most of the characters and a lot of the situations and events they found themselves in.  It was just too much.

I think the book would appeal to more YA readers than it did to me.  However, a caution would be there is some drinking/drug use referred to, gang activity, and violence including murder.  None of it was over the top descriptive though.

Overall, I was disappointed in the read.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy via the publisher at NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

***This review is also posted on The Christian Manifesto and at Goodreads

Pros:

• Easy and fast paced read
  
  

Cons:

• Caricatures more than characters
• Too much going on to fully develop anything or anyone

My Rating:      1.5 out of 5 (poor)

Hidden Agenda - Lisa Harris

Title:               Hidden Agenda

Author:            Lisa Harris

Publisher:        Fleming H. Revell

Market:           Christian

Genre:             Christian Fiction; Suspense

Series:             Southern Crimes #3

Length:            305 pages

Pub. Date:       January 1, 2015

Description (from Amazon):

Michael Hunt is alive--and on the run. Presumed dead by friends and family, the undercover assignment he's been working for the past eight months has just been blown. With a hit out on his life and corruption inside the Atlanta police department, Michael finds himself hunted by both the cartel and the law. His only hope is the daughter of the man who wants him dead.

This nonstop chase from taut suspense writer Lisa Harris will leave readers breathless as they race to connect the dots before it's too late.

My Review:

When I picked up this book, I didn’t realize it was third in a series.  This happens to me a lot.  In this case, it was okay.  While I knew I was missing some details that might have enhanced the reading, I wasn’t not at all lost or confused in the text.

I liked the characters – both the heroic and the villainous. 

I didn’t find the story particularly suspenseful.  I felt enough clues were left along the way that I had most things figured out before they were revealed.  However, I think it was still an entertaining read.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy via the publisher at NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Pros:

• Fast paced
• Interesting characters
  
  

Cons:

• Predictable
  
  

My Rating: 3 out of 5 (liked it)