My Newspaper
|
Loading...
Find the latest book reviews and ponderings here...
Last Published: 8/9/2008 12:55:43 AM
March 2007
Permalink
Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 1:00PM EST on March 30, 2007
Momma Said There'd Be Days Like This: Refreshing Rest Stops for Moms on the Run, by Jenn Doucette
Book Description:
Mothers often feel they are running as fast as they can to keep up or to stay just ahead of those who want a piece of their time, energy, and self. Author, speaker, and mother Jenn Doucette offers a humorous and insightful look at how every mom on the run can head for much-needed rest stops by:
experiencing girl time
choosing contentment
setting boundaries and achieve freedom
getting a grip on emotions
giving themselves a break
With comedic flair, Doucette confesses to her own failings as well as God's successes in the face of them, reminding mothers that it is healthy to laugh, take a break, and practice grace.
My review:
I really enjoyed this book. About 75% of the time I could swear the author was talking about my kids. Also, rather than sounding like the "expert" all the time, the author speaks more "mom to mom," which makes the book feel more like peer support to help busy moms cope, than a book written to make you feel like you could do more stuff to be a good mom. Is that refreshing, or what?
I liked how the author often used herself as an example and wasn't afraid to admit her flaws. It made her very approachable as a paperback mentor, and it made me want to keep reading the book. It is truly funny, witty, and downright silly at times. I have to say I also learned quite a bit from this book in addition to being encouraged. Her anecdotes will make you smile and her examples of her own flubbing up will make you want to keep on keeping one (while taking better care of yourself, of course.) I highly recommend this book for all moms whether they are at home full time or out in the paid workforce.
Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/momma_said_thered_be_days_like_this_refreshing_rest_stops_fo.html
Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/momma_said_thered_be_days_like_this_refreshing_rest_stops_fo.trackback
Permalink
Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 1:25AM EST on March 23, 2007
I grabbed this book with the intention of just reading a few pages. But
I was hooked. I read the story almost straight through. While the prose
wasn't perfect at first, the story was so good I honestly didn't notice
once I got into it. The tension between the hero and heroine was
fabulous and honestly one of the best portrayals of romantic tension
I've read in awhile. The kisses were delicious and probably my favorite
scenes. But there was so much more depth to the story than that. Truly!
Plus, the suspense was awesome and very well done. The people felt like
my friends long before the book ended. I truly cared about them and I
think I fell in love with Slade, too. His characterization and growth
was perfectly done! I loved this book and would highly recommend it to
anyone who loves romantic suspense.
In the Midst of Deceit was published by Jireh Publishing in March 2004.
Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_in_the_midst_of_deceit_by_deborah_m_piccurelli.html
Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_in_the_midst_of_deceit_by_deborah_m_piccurelli.trackback
Permalink
Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 12:17PM EST on March 18, 2007
 From the Publisher:
Newly
widowed Annabelle Grayson hears a second chance calling her. But she
can't answer it living in Colorado City; where everybody knows her
sordid history. When she advertises for a guide to escort her to Idaho,
Matthew Taylor---a bitter soul escaping his own past---applies. Will
they find the fresh beginning they each seek?
My Review:
Move over Petticoat Ranch! I still love ya, but Revealed moves into the top spot now. In fact, I dare say I loved Revealed even more than Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers, which used to be my favorite book...period. The title Revealed is so perfect and sums up the story in so many ways.
What made this book so amazing? The characters were not just flawed, but they grew throughout the story. Especially
the hero. To me, this is the most powerful redemption story I've ever
read. The tension between the characters was truly believable. As they
got to know each other more they discovered that many of their
assumptions about each other were not true, which meant they had to
change things about themselves because of that revelation. Is that
cool, or what?
I don't want to spoil the story for you with
too many details, but there was just so much healing and character
growth in this novel that it sets it apart from most historical
westerns. Sure, you still have the sleazy characters that you want to
choke, and they were believable, too. But there is just more depth to
this story than most. The spiritual threads were delicately woven
throughout the book and not at all preachy, IMHO. And that first kiss was perfect.
The finger trailing the lip. The look in his eyes. The romantic
waiting. The fact that he said he'd wait. So many things understood
between them without a word. Oh, and her scary feelings of love (as a
woman should feel) and the wonder of it all was fabulously done. She
experienced how special things could be with Matthew.
One of
the things I loved best about this story was the theme of how you can't
love others if you don't know what unconditional love is. Johnny
rescued Annabelle from a horrible life and prepared the soil for her to
experience true love for the first time in her life. I also loved how
the author used Annabelle's concern for Sadie to reach Matthew as well.
Their relationship was so well done, as was the guardedness on Sadie's
end. Several times my eyes misted. Great emotional impact! I highly
recommend this book.
Revealed was published by Bethany House and released in November 2006.
Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_revealed_by_tamera_alexander.html
Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_revealed_by_tamera_alexander.trackback
Permalink
Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 11:19AM EST on March 16, 2007
 Product Description:Admit it: you want to be cool. Cool
is a destination: everyone else has arrived, but we can't seem to catch
up. Cool is a security blanket: we wear it ragged and hide beneath its
tatters. Cool is a coping mechanism: we're all leaning on it, and it
keeps breaking down on us. Sooner or later, we all count
ourselves among the uncool: in those moments when everybody gets the
joke but us, when the new kid's swagger leaves us self-conscious, when
our friends invite us to do what we swore we'd never do. In those moments God sees us and calls us blessed. In Blessed Are the Uncool
Paul Grant deconstructs the cultural phenomenon of cool, an
ever-elusive, exclusionary act of perpetual rebellion for rebellion's
sake. A life spent chasing after cool is exposed for the fickle,
fruitless and ultimately inauthentic life that it is. In its
place God offers us the beloved community: where exclusion is replaced
with love, rebellion is redeemed with hope, and all our elusive
longings are answered with faith that in Christ, God is reconciling
this uncool world to himself. My review:I read this book in small segments. It's a lot of meat to digest. The subtitle of Blessed are the Uncool is " Living Authentically in a World of Show."
It describes the gist of the book very well. No one likes fake people,
yet we as Christians all struggle with being authentic. We've grown up
in a society that loves cool and being uncool is not something any of
us strives for. But the author makes an excellent point as he digs up
the origin of "cool." Somehow in the process of protecting our own
hearts we have distanced ourselves from the hearts of others, and in
effect, often distance ourselves from the Lord as well. Sometimes
all it takes is a little playground teasing and we learn to be cool to
cope, but at the expense of true relationships. Being a Christian
shouldn't be about being "cool" according to Paul Grant, because the
crux of being "cool" separates us from one another, and that isn't
God's will for the church. The author delves into a variety of subjects
to support his belief. I have to say I agree with him and have struggle
myself with the whole "cool" image. This book is about being
real. It's about loving people where they hurt most. Most of all it's
not redundant (I dislike non-fiction books that repeat the same theme
on every page.) I highly recommend Blessed are the Uncool for all people (not just teens) who want to break out of that self-protective attitude and be real with the body of Christ. Blessed are the Uncool was published by Inter-varsity Press and released in Nov. 2006
Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_blessed_are_the_uncool_by_paul_grant.html
Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_blessed_are_the_uncool_by_paul_grant.trackback
Permalink
Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 10:33PM EST on March 5, 2007
 From the Publisher:
For
reasons beyond her control, Sophie finds herself alone in the war-torn
Spanish countryside. What was once a thriving paradise has become a
battleground for fascist soldiers and Spanish patriots. It doesn’t take
long for Sophie to realize just how far from home she really is. Caught
in the middle of what is quickly becoming a bloody battleground, she
receives tragic news, but remaining in Spain is her only option. The
route to safety is blocked and fighting surrounds her. On her darkest
night, Sophie takes refuge with a brigade of international compatriots.
It is among these volunteers, through the use of her fiancés camera and
her art, that she pledges to make the plight of the Spanish people
known around the world.
My review:
I'm
so used to Tricia's Nazi era books that this one took me a while longer
to get into at first. However, she had me hook, line, and sinker on
this one to the end. Trica is so adept at describing scenes that you
feel like you're there. The blood, the smoke, the cries of the dying.
Her descriptions are an amazing treat for the senses. Tricia does a
fabulous job describing the horror of war. Her writing style is always
a cultural banquet and I felt like I got a real taste of war-torn
Europe.
She also had me going there for awhile about Michael.
I'm still not sure I like the guy. Plus, there is still some major
mystery lingering by the books end. And the romance! Oye ve! She BETTER
address some of that in the sequel or I'll have to hunt her down. I can
almost feel the rope burns on my neck from where she left me hanging! I
wish I had the sequel on hand because I'd whip it out and continue the
saga right now! Great new series. Makes me want to kick back, put my
feet up, roll my Rs, and eat a torta! :)
A Valley of Betrayal was published by Moody Publishers and released On February 1, 2007.
Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_a_valley_of_betrayal_by_tricia_goyer.html
Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_a_valley_of_betrayal_by_tricia_goyer.trackback
Permalink
Posted by: Michelle Sutton at 10:12PM EST on March 2, 2007
Product Description:
After specialized underwater training, Ensign Rachel Whitney is posted
to a remote island in the North Pacific, a tiny scrap of rock guarding
a highly classified secret. She could love her new assignment if her
commanding officer, Lt. George Hudson, were not so obstinate and a bit
distrustful. Despite George's first reaction to her presence on the
island, Rachel sets out to prove she is perfect for the job. She
doesn't dream of being a heroine or falling in love, but months later,
when word leaks out about the prize they are guarding, Rachel and
George have few resources besides each other and their faith in God to
foil an enemy attack that could endanger all of America. My review:
Wow!
This story packed some emotional punch. I enjoyed the romance and the
suspense equally. That's very unusual for me because I usually prefer
the romance, but the intrigue was fabulous! The romantic element and
suspense were so intricately woven together that separating the two
elements would've unraveled the entire story. I loved George
about as much as Rachel did! He was such a great hero in every sense.
The longing they felt for each other was perfectly done. It made my
heart ache despite the fact that they were fictional characters. At
times I lost sight of that fact and just wanted to see them together.
And that first kiss....ahhhhh. Very satisfying. Rachel was tough, but
lovable and cute. I enjoyed experiencing her character growth along
with her. Trust was hard for her to learn, but rewarding when she
experienced the benefits of putting her life in God's capable hands. In some ways this story had an exotic feel like the Hawaiian setting of Heitzmann's novel Freefall (which was awesome!) Frasier Island
was different in that it had a touch of Gilligan's Island sentiment.
Portions of the book had a real "castaway" feel. Rachel made me think
of Maryann because she was fun and dainty, yet also tough when needed.
George and Rachel were so isolated on that island that at times it made
me get the shivers. And not knowing who the bad guy was for the last
third of the book was quite exciting. Sure, there were little hints
dropped as who it might be, but I felt the tension as they hid from the
unknown. I loved how they had to protect themselves and stay on the
offensive at the same time. Brilliantly done! The secondary
characters were also terrific. Pierre was a dream and Brian was creepy
at first. I can't wait for the next book in the series. Oh, and the
last chapter of Frasier Island was probably the best part of the story.
Talk about great endings! This was no wall-banger. It made me want to
sigh and grin like a fool. I loved this book!
Frasier Island was published by Harvest House and is being released this month!
Permalink:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_frasier_island_by_susan_page_davis.html
Trackback URL:
http://www.myccm.org/post/michelle/blog/my_review_of_frasier_island_by_susan_page_davis.trackback
|
|
|
