book review - Desert Gift

Desert Gift by Sally John

Well, it was bound to happen - I wasn't too fond of this book. It's a lot easier for me to explain what I like about something than it is to say what I didn't. For me, this book just didn't click. The characters felt a little shallow, their trials fell a little flat and I didn't really resonate with what was going on in their lives.

The story is of Jill and Jack (haha, yes the book even pokes fun at the names), a "perfect couple" from most people's perspectives. Jill runs a national talk show on communication in marriage and has just written a book with many how-to's for the perfect marriage. She and Jack are about to go on a tour to promote the book when Jack announces that he wants a divorce. Jill leaves alone and begins her promo tour on her own while they delve into what went wrong individually.

Probably the major thing that bugged me in the book was the explanation for Jack's divorce request was that he was having a midlife crisis. Jack's midlife crisis was mentioned continually throughout the book as an explanation or excuse for his uncharacteristic behavior. I don't care if it is an actual phenomenon or not, sinful behavior is sinful behavior and just because a person's hit a certain age doesn't give them a reason to stop talking to their spouse. The real reasons for his desire for a divorce come to light and the characters begin to work through them but the constant mentioning of a midlife crisis got on my nerves.

Which brings me to another issue I had, there wasn't really any talk of sin but just of behavior that wasn't working for their marriage. They spent a lot of time talking about what wasn't working, that even though they were following all of Jill's "recipes for marriage" that they weren't really being truthful and that the way things were going wasn't working for them. Until the last few chapters really, they made mentions of wanting to change but it was based off of a desire to make their marriage work. The last few chapters had some nuggets of truth in them, but I felt like a lot of the book was more of a psychological look into marriage and not a Biblical study on the topic.

All in all, it was an easy book to read, some cute moments, and an intriguing plot line, but many things bugged me about it and if you want a story on broken marriages and what God has to do with that situation, I could think of several other books/movies to recommend.

book review - My Foolish Heart

My Foolish Heart by Susan May Warren

As I was looking through the reading list for the program, I came across this one by Susan May Warren. I've never read any of her books before, so I read the short bio on the author and realized that she lives along the North Shore of Minnesota, and sets many of her books in fictional cities along the North Shore as well! I just vacationed up there this summer so I was excited to read a book that takes place in my new home state. I loved the town that we visited while on vacation, and I wouldn't be terribly surprised to know that she based the fictional town of Deep Haven there.

The book is about Issy Presley, a 20-something young woman who is doing her best to cope after a tragic car accident took the life of her mother in front of her eyes, and left her father, the beloved high-school football coach, paralyzed and living in the town's care center. One summer day a young man moves next door, Caleb Knight. He moves to Deep Haven with high hopes for the future of the struggling football program. Little does the town know though that their potential football coach is struggling to find a new life to lead after an accident in Iraq took his leg and many of those in his unit. Not too hard to see that a romance soon buds between Issy and Caleb as he helps her heal from her tragedy.

This book was very much a part "You've Got Mail" and a part "Facing the Giants". I definitely found myself giggling as the characters developed their relationship, it was a definitely cute read and story to follow. I enjoyed the sub-plots between the supporting characters equally as much as the main story line, if not even more and wanted to know more about their lives. I laughed at many of the Minnesota-isms in the book too. If you know people that live up here it seems pretty true to small-town Minnesota life, annual walleye festivals, love of high-school football, etc. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a classic boy meets girl, they drive each-other crazy at first, but you really know that they are bound to end up together story line :)

I took a short break from the reading list to read a few that were off the list but I've had on my hold list at the library for quite a while. If you're counting, this is my 4th review for Tyndale's Summer Reading program. I've got one more to read and review by the end of the month... do you think I can make it??

book review

Bound by Guilt by C.J. Darlington

I just finished reading my first novel by this author, and I just might have to look into more of her work. I am not sure why, but I was a bit skeptical when I picked it - I really didn't think that I would like it. I quickly realized that I would be pleasantly surprised. Bound by Guilt is a story about a small band of rare book thieves and a family that is left in the wake of their robbery. The book mainly follows the story of Roxi, a sixteen year old girl who no one has ever really shown love to. She grew up in the foster system since age 8 and is now in the care of a distant relative. The woman, Irene, and her teenage son Diego live off of money that they make stealing rare books from second-hand bookstores. Roxi isn't sure how she feels about their way of life, but since Irene is currently the only mother-figure in her life she goes along with it.

Abby Dawson is another main character in the book. She is a divorced mother of a teenage daughter and is starting to feel like she is failing at everything in her life, especially at being a mom and at her job of being a cop. Her brother owns a small, struggling bookstore and she is unwillingly drawn into chasing Roxi, Diego and Irene after a robbery at Dawson's Book Barn.

The book was a really easy read, and really enjoyable for me. The author has a fun way of weaving in fun facts about rare book collecting and it was fun to learn a few basics of rare editions of books. Some points of theology might have been a little off, but they certainly weren't the main focus of the book, and it ended up being a very touching story that does a good job of point out how God can use willing people to do amazing works of love in the lives of those around them who are hurting. It actually challenged me to think about my life and if I am reaching out to people that God might bring into my life.

2nd book review - Her Daughter's Dream

My 2nd review for the Tyndale Summer Reading program.

Her Daughter's Dream by Francine Rivers

As I stated before, I really liked this series. I was really looking forward to reading the 2nd book, the conclusion to the series. The story picks up with Marta's granddaughter Carolyn, and Hilde's daughter Carolyn. Hilde was treaded roughly by her mother Marta, for fear that treating Hilde gently would cause her to not venture out and make her own way in the world. The story shows how Marta's actions play out in the lives of her daughter and granddaughter. The relationships between each pair of mother/daughters is strained and Marta then has the opportunity to use her godly influence to repair what she can, and set the stage for resolution even if each woman is not ready to seek forgiveness yet.

I enjoyed the story however, like I previously stated, this book deals with several hard topics, rebellion, drug use, etc. The thing that I enjoyed reading though is how God uses the hard things in our lives to grow us and to show His grace through His redemption. Definitely difficult subject-matter at times but a very well-written story. I enjoyed seeing how the characters from the beginning of the first novel came back into the story.

summer reading program! first book review!

I've joined the Tyndale Summer Reading program! Once you read and post a review of 5 books, you can start earning free books! I decided to start with a couple of books that I have read recently, that I really enjoyed.

Her Mother's Hope by Francine Rivers

First of all I LOVE Francine Rivers. I have read just about each book that she has written since becoming a Christian, and I really enjoyed each one. Most of her novels are very allegorical (I think that's the right word for it) where the story clearly shows a very spiritual issue and causes you to think deeply about that issue. This series departs from that way of writing and is more of a historical fiction, which she explains is based loosely on her family's history.

The story follows Marta, a young girl born in Switzerland. Marta was treated very poorly by her father and eventually leaves home at a young age in search of making a better life for herself. She misses her mother and sister greatly, but realizes that if she ever were to come home her father would make sure that she never left again. Marta has great ambition and her drive to own her own business of a hotel and restaurant lead her around Europe and eventually lands her in America. The story is really interesting and really leaves you hanging and wanting to read the conclusion in the next novel.

As I mentioned I love Rivers work and this is also a wonderfully told story. The series deals with personal conflict between family members as well as some tough issues like abuse and family members who no longer speak to each other. Many of Rivers other novels wrap up very nicely in the end, but this one takes a more "real-life" approach to story telling and hopefully I'm not spoiling it by saying that while I found the story filled with hope, things don't wrap up as neatly in the end for everyone.

Overall, I'd greatly recommend this series to anyone that enjoys Rivers previous works or is just in the mood for a good summer read!