Book Review: Kiss

Kiss

By: Ted Dekker & Erin Healy

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Genre: Fiction; Current-day; Suspense; Christian Fiction

Number of Pages: 322

Overview:

     Let me tell you all I know for sure. "My name. Shauna."

I woke up in a hospital bed missing six months of my memory. In the room was my loving boyfriend--how could I have forgotten him?--my uncle and my abusive stepmother. Everyone blames me for the tragic car accident that left me near death and my dear brother brain damaged. But what they say can't be true--can it?

I believe the medicine is doing strange things to my memory. I'm unsure who I can trust and who I should run from. And I'm starting to remember things I've never known. Things not about me. I think I'm going crazy.

"And even worse, I think they want to kill me."

But who? And for what? Is dying for the truth really better than living with a lie?

(Taken from Goodreads, and it's what's on the back of the book.)

Star Rating:

      4 stars (I liked it a lot.)

Content Rating:

     PG-13 (recommend to 15&up)

My Opinions:

     What I liked/loved - It was a good move to include Erin Healy as a coauthor for this story because it gave a slightly different feel to this book from Dekker's other novels.

I liked Shauna and the uniqueness of her story as well as the other characters. Our main girl was fleshed out pretty well, though it was sometimes a bit difficult for me to connect with her. Maybe it's because I've never been in a coma?

This book does have some suspense and is a pretty quick read when you actually sit down... and... ya know... read it. The story may be a bit confusing at first, but hang in there if it's that way for you. Once I finished the book, I didn't feel confused or befuddled at all.

This is one of Dekker's less scary/intense novels, if you're look for something that will keep you up at night on the edge of your seat then go for one of his thrillers. When it comes to suspense novels though, this one had enough angst to get ya going.

Now the romance... was pretty good, though mild. At the end, I was very happy with Kiss's conclusion. It was worth my time, and definitely entertaining. I think I would read it again, and would recommend it to someone looking for a good (suspense) novel or something new to read.

     What I didn't like/hated - Shauna's relationship with her father was done very well, and I applaud the authors here, but to accompany that, her stepmother could have used a little extra oomph. She just seemed a bit disconnected form the story.

The Quality:
     Kiss is definitely a book for pleasure reading. It wrapped itself up well- though I might say I have read books that have done a better job. Like a lot of stories, the ending or mainly the epilogue was a bit short for my taste. It did not feel rushed, but it would have been nice to savor the ending for a bit longer because it was good.

The style of writing easily pulls you across the page, one of the perks of reading in the suspense genre, but quality wise it did lack a little something. I am just not exactly sure what that something was; I highly doubt Kiss would win any awards and that could be it. Or it actually could be that it had some of Healy's style thrown in, making it feel different from Dekker's other books, but I think she was a good addition for this story- I'm sort of back and forth about it.

     I  think this book will go over well with guys and girls alike. Give it a try!

Content (For Those Who Wonder):

     Language - There may have been a bad word or two, but mainly just mention of people "cursing".

     Sensuality - Yes, there is some kissing going on. But most of it is hardly sensual, when you start reading, you'll understand. It was pretty clean in this area. There is talk of human trafficking/sex trafficking, but no details; one of the women in the book is a part of stopping it and saving those who have been sold into slavery.

     Violence - Some violence in here. People get shot, someone is stabbed, there is a scene or two where someone is being drowned as well as a scene/talk of waterboarding (controlled drowning as a means of interrogation, training, or torture). There's also a young man who was in a wreck and now suffers from a lot of brain damage.

     Other - Drugs are talked about and used, mainly for medical purposes. There isn't any actual alleyway-drug-dealing type stuff going on, nor are there any situations or skirmishes with people on drugs. It is not condoned. Again, this is a Christian book so there is some talk of God and faith, Shauna had given up on God, but the book ends well.

Check out this book on:  Amazon or Barnes&Noble!!

Have you read this books? Any related books? What were you thoughts?

I'd like to know! I am always open for new reading suggestions as well.

Book Review: Immanuel's Veins

Immanuel's Veins

By: Ted Dekker

Publisher: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

Genre: Fiction; Christian; Love; Romance; Suspense; Good vs. Evil

Number of Pages: 367

Overview:

     He is known for his reputation of being a skilled and fearless warrior, a fighter for the empress of Russia herself, but Toma could never imagine what his next charge will bring him to. What he would do for her. . . for them.

     He is bound by an unbreakable duty. A duty he will not, can not, fail to serve.

     This is a story of love, lust, and what lies in between. It is a story of sacrifice. It is a battle between powerful beings. And it most definitely is an emotionally-stirring book.

Star Rating:

      4.75 stars

Content Rating:

     PG-13 (For mature audiences.)

Opinions:

     I understand why some people found this book controversial. It is definitely different from books I typically read, and did have some sensual pulls and moments that left me begging the characters not to give in. I think this is what happens when you deal with a topic about the world's view of love, human desires and cravings, and what true love is. Most of the book kept me wondering what on earth was going on! I knew what was happening, I could feel that something evil was lurking, but you couldn't place your finger on exactly what it was! Until finally we are given some answers as the main character, Toma, learns them.

    Though this is not the best book I have ever read in terms of quality/writing, it is definitely a good one. The ending redeems any negatives I might have held against its somewhat slow, but necessary, beginning and the fact that Dekker wouldn't tell me right away what was wrong with this picture! He did a pretty good job tying things up in a way that said what he was trying to say about true love versus the misconceptions we have about it, without spelling it out like we went from a fiction novel to a sermon session. (Nothing meant rudely against sermons, I am just saying he didn't have to rely on preaching to us to make his point, which is a good thing when you are writing fiction.)

     The ending was just about perfect. I dislike using that word just because no one and nothing we do can be truly perfect, but it ended the book very well. It suited the story. (If one of the things hadn't happened, it would have felt too cheesy. Or if something else had happened, it would have been a bit too typical.)

     But it was unique, satisfactory, insightful, and compelling.

     Overall, I would recommend this book, but note that the topics and content may not be for everyone. I would not recommend it for younger teens, since most of Ted Dekker's books are for a more mature audience. So I would say make your own judgement on it, because it really comes down to you and your choices. 

     In the end, I say it is worth reading- even if it does make you squirm a little. 

Iffy Content:

     Some. It really is up to the reader because I would definitely recommend this book. I am a sucker for romances, but even more so for stories that deal with the true meanings of love and sacrifice. I do also enjoy stories that have a good "happy" ending, but are still realistic. . . Books that allow for a lot of emotional tension and have feeling to them, like any girl I guess. Yet I am drawn to books that deal with topics that run deep, through all of us, and thus allow for a stronger connection between them.

     As far as what Ted Dekker wrote about in this book, I will say there is no apparent sex-scenes. There is some sensuality and some of the characters do not come home at night for various reasons, but I do not feel that it is really there for enticement. It serves a purpose in the story. Also I will note that there are a few "bad" words when referring to some of the women who are. . . well, bad girls. But no misuses of God's name or anything like that I don't think.

     The sensuality is used in displaying some misconceptions about love and how the devil tries to woo us away from God, and without it I fear the story would have been seriously lacking something. However, there is a lot of desire as some of the characters are being encouraged to embrace this so called "love." Some of them do come to believe that this is true love in its most raw, powerful, and fulfilling form, but we see that there is something missing. Something is not right about it all. 

Is not the best lie one that has a bit of truth in it?

     There is some nudity, though it is not the stuff of Hollywood movies; it is used in a somewhat different context I guess. There are several "kiss scenes", some for fulfilling the characters' desires and a few others that are for good.

     I do not find this book "ban-worthy", if you are worried about that. It is sort of a taboo thing to talk about (love, lust, evil, human desires), so I see how some people would just avoid it all together. You have to decide for yourself and listen for how God leads you on whether or not to read this story. The worse part about it is that you really have to read the whole thing in order to see where Dekker is going with all this stuff. The "evil" may be controversial, but it's not something I can explain without giving the story away. I would recommend that if you are going to give the book a shot, read it all the way through. If you do not, you won't be left with a very good picture of what the book is about nor its quality.

     Again, in the end, I say Immanuel's Veins is worth reading- even if it may make you a bit uncomfortable at times. For there is a powerful message behind it.

Have you read Immanuel's Veins?

Any related books about taboo subjects? What were your thoughts?

I'd really like to know! Please comment and share!

Book Haul: February 2013

Books here, books there, books everywhere. . .

Speaking of books! Monday, the day after my birthday, I was enjoying the feeling of being eighteen for the first actual day of my life. (Sunday didn't count, I was seventeen for most of it.) My Mom and I were out running errands that morning, and after a late breakfast we headed into a Christian bookstore. It is one that always has tons of discounted books. (Nearly every book is discounted!)

I am in love with that store. . . And yes, if you are wondering, I do want to marry it. Just kidding ;) It's an inside joke. This post is a bit late coming, but it is my first "Book Haul" for my blog. Even though it's March now, I purchased these books back in February (the 25th), so I figured the book haul should be titled as thus.

Monday was a long, but great day out. And, of course, I couldn't leave the bookstore empty handed! After trying out some new genres for my 2013 reading challenge, I had to get a dose of the old-faithful and went on a Ted Dekker kick. He is one of my favorite authors and I really like his writing style, or his writing voice I guess. Each book has its own story, so I can't speak for all of them, but I like most of what I have read by him.

Showdown is the first in a trilogy/series I want to read, and I could not resist snatching this copy up for $3.95! Jackson has already read them, but I am holding myself back and making sure I read The Circle Trilogy before diving into this series (all the stories are connected in some way, with the Circle books being the main ones).

Forbidden I read a while back. Jackson and I both went through it around the same time. He then purchased the next book in the series called Mortal, which we are slowly working through reading when we are together, so we share the same copy. Typically I go solo and read books on my own, but I have enjoyed sharing a similar reading list with him as well as share a copy of this book. Sooo, since the price was reasonable, especially for a hardcover (Dekker's books tend to be a bit pricey and hard covers are almost always more $dollars$), I picked up a physical copy of Forbidden. (We both read it via an eBook version before.) Now all we have to do is finish the second book and then work on the third one!

Immanuel's Veins? Despite the cover having my favorite colors on it while still being intriguing and instantly eye-drawing, I have two reasons for wanting to pick it up. The first being that I have read the plot summary and wanted to check it out; secondly, I have heard there was some. . . differing opinions over this book.

"The story is for everyone, but not everyone is for this story. . ."

Or so the back cover says. How is a book-lover like me supposed to pass up a dare like that? It is just begging me to check it out and see what has gotten some feathers ruffled. I remember when the book first came out and, being a fan of Ted Dekker at the time, I heard it was a subject of interest for a while. Apparently, Holland banned the book. I didn't pick it up though, until now. I started it the very same day, after I finished the book I was currently reading (yes, I was a good girl, you can be proud of me). It was probably a week or more, and my teeth had only just begun to sink into its pages because of other things going on in my life, other things pulling at my attention, and other things I have been reading. I was interested in seeing exactly what it was about though and what Dekker wanted to say through this novel, or more so. . . how he went about saying it. We'll see. If I don't like it, I don't keep it. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?

I have finished it now, but I will save my thoughts on the book for when I post my review. So if you wish to know what Immanuel's Veins was about or if it is worth reading or what it holds in its pages, you will have to come back and find out.

Anyways, that ended my book excursion for the day, but it was nice to go all out for once and get whatever I wanted (well, within reason). Thank you to everyone who gave me birthday money, I was very thankful for the chance to splurge on more books! ^_^ The other three books in the green bag above were for my sister, sort of an early birthday present.

What is the last book you bought?

Planning on enlarging your library selections anytime soon?

And don't you love the smell of books?

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