Book Review: Sacred Sex

Sacred Sex Embracing Your Sexuality as God Designed it

Author: Dr. Tony Evans

Publisher: Moody Publishers

Number of Pages: 74

Nonfiction: Sexuality, Christianity

Date Read: 04/22/2014

Summary:

     Morality. Relativity. Right and Wrong. The issues we face are complicated and everyone has an opinion. But who has the answer when it comes to sexual issues?

Sex dominates our popular culture to a degree we've never seen before and unrestricted sex is being touted as a shortcut to personal fulfillment and satisfaction - but it's a counterfeited and cheapened imitation of the real thing. Respected pastor Tony Evans refuses to let the voice of God be drowned out amidst the clamor of the crowd. Discover what God says in His word regarding why your sexuality is important and why sexual immorality is devastating. Discover how to maintain purity and enjoy true intimacy in marriage - the real fulfillment and satisfaction that God intended.

This summary was taken from Goodreads.

Star Rating:

     3.5 Stars

Content Rating:

     PG (recommended to 16 & up)

Reaction:

There were some good points made in this book about sexual purity, here are four things I liked about it:

1. I did enjoy the focus on the spiritual aspects of sex, and it did outline the emotional affects pretty well (though it would have benefited from more definition, and scientific facts to back it up-- citation, citation, citation, people...). The spiritual aspects have never been very well explained or talked about in depth with me, so it was enlightening to actually read how so.
2. Fun fact that I learned (but possibly knew in the past), was in biblical times if a husband found his new wife not to be a virgin on their wedding night and charged her for it, the family would have to provide the cloth that they slept and she bled on to prove she was and save her from the charges. Don't ask me how they got it, because I don't know.
3. I really enjoyed learning more about how the marriage covenant reflects God's covenant with us. Yeah yeah, we know sex is good within marriage, blah blah, but this book did make the connection and showed how it reflects God's covenant with us, and how when I husband and wife are together intimately, they renew-- recommit-- to that covenant with each other.
4. I liked the section that touched on when a husband says he wants to meet his wife's sexual needs, but does not meet her emotional needs throughout the day so he can later then meet her sexual needs, then he does not mean he really wants to meet those needs. He wants to meet his needs.   For women, it's different; if you aren't there for her when she needs you at 10am, until you want her at 10pm, then you're fooling yourself and it's just about you. (This does not justify or give a wife reason to deprive her husband and not meet his sexual needs though.)

Unfortunately, I expected a book that was going to enlightenment me on why I needed to make sex something sacred in my life, something that explained to me how it was more than just physical pleasure or even emotional connection while backing it up with facts, and an eye-opening attempt at convincing and proving to me that this was better for my life.

Instead I was disappointed and found a book that told me what to believe, though it did use a lot of Scripture well, rather than sharing more supportive evidence.

If I am completely honest: this book feels like it is an "advanced reading copy" and still in need of work. I do not regret reading it, because in truth there are some good qualities to it, but I will be looking to read other books on the subject of "sacred sex" because I am sure there is another book out there that shares this principle better.

Critique:

Truly, what bothered me most about this book were the few times that Tony made statements and did not further back them up with research, facts, personal experiences... something other than his own word.

Here is one of the few examples from the book that bothered me deeply:

"So Paul says that to avoid immorality, what men and women must do is save themselves for marriage. The fact is that some people were so sexually active before they got married that they were running on low octane after they got married. Their passions burned too early, and now they had burned low because they did not keep what was special and sacred for the marriage bed. This helps explain the high sales of Viagra and other performance-enhancing drugs. (page 49)"

This one in particular gets me fired up. Where is your proof? He makes a pretty sound statement, but I see nothing that truly holds up, "This helps explain the high sales of Viagra and other performance-enhancing drugs." I cringe at that sentence. Tony opens up an entirely new topic, slapping it onto a somewhat decent paragraph to make it sound dependable, and then drops it. He never touches on the subject again throughout the book.

Did he really only want to get his two-cents in there and that's it? Back it up, please. 

Secondly, this is not a very approachable book for those who are not a Christian. I understand Christians may be the target audience, but this is a huge downfall and I am very disappointed because I expected a book that was approachable. Sacred Sex is filled with Christian words that lack definition and explanation. Rather, I would prefer if Dr. Evans had taken the time to avoid those cliche, church words all together, even that would have made this book more reader friendly.

Aside from those two things, my last quarrel are a couple sections in Dr Evans book where he could have expanded upon the thought he was expressing. It's a bit harder to share an example of this, but there were times when I was reading, it was getting interesting, and then the section was over. That's it? Ran through my head a couple times.

Ultimately, I am not embarrassed to have read about sex, it's a topic that interests me. What this book lacks, however, is content. It really needed to be longer. Of course I enjoyed that it was short and easy to read, but it was too short.

Reading this review make you squirm?
Did you find it too harsh or unforgiving?

DISCLAIMER: I received this book for free from Moody Publishers in exchange for posting an honest review. Thank you, Moody! If you are interested in having a book reviewed by me, you can check out my about page and contact me here.

Book Review: The Captive Maiden

The Captive Maiden (Advance Reading Copy)

By: Melanie Dickinson

Publisher: Zondervan

Genre: Fiction; Historical Romance; Medieval/Renaissance Fiction 

Number of Pages: 284

Overview:

     Gisela's childhood was filled with laughter and visits from nobles such as the duke and his young son. But since her father's death, each day has been filled with nothing but servitude to her stepmother. So when Gisela meets the duke's son, Valten--the boy she has daydreamed about for years--and learns he is throwing a ball, she vows to attend, even if it's only for a taste of a life she'll never have. To her surprise, she catches Valten's eye. Though he is rough around the edges, Gisela finds Valten has completely captured her heart. But other forces are bent on keeping the two from falling further in love, putting Gisela in more danger than she ever imagined.
(This was taken from Goodreads and it is what's on the back of the book.)

Star Rating:

      3.5 stars (I liked it.)

Content Rating:

     PG (recommend to 14&up)

My Opinions:

     What I liked/loved - I can't complain. This book was free, it sounded good, and I had been wanting to check out Melanie Dickerson since her name had been popping into field of view lately. It seemed her popularity is rising, so why wouldn't I give her novel a try?

     The book was satisfactory. There was a good bit of action and suspense, wondering what was going to happen next... Though this story only encompassing a pretty short period of time, Dickerson wrote the relationship between Gisela and Valten well so it was not too rushed or completely unrealistic.

     I liked this book, and already recommended it to my younger sister who will be fourteen in a few months. The main thing for me is I liked it-- I don't regret reading it-- it's just I didn't love it. I was not stunned by beautiful writing or sentences that seemed to flow across the page... It was just decent writing. Fairly good writing. I was still enjoyable and beautiful at times, but as a whole this book may have been to young for me.

      I will note that I appreciate her pretty authentic characters. Even the bad guy who seemed rotten was not inhumanly rotten. Valten was admirable, strong, and heroic. Gisela was sweet, tough in her own way, but still in need of love. I am pleased with the amount of growth that happens for these two characters throughout the book. Not just their relationship with each other, no, I mean personal growth! They are not the same two characters at the end of this novel. They are of course themselves, but they have grown, learned, and matured. I do admire Dickerson for writing that into her novel.

     And you can't go wrong with mentioning along with the action, there is a sweet romance going on. There is a bit of tension between our two main characters as they wonder about each other, and we see how they both approach and view one another. Besides, you know we all hope they kiss. Once you have a good foundation between two main characters, isn't a kiss to seal it all like the best part? Yes, this book was quite cute and satisfying in those regards.


The Quality:
     There isn't necessarily anything wrong with this book. I received an Advanced Reading Copy, which was the Uncorrected Proof, so of course I caught a few minor grammatical or punctuation errors. There are apparently 20 more pages in the final copy of the book that was published, but I do not know whether or not she added to the story.

     I really don't know what to say because I hate to be negative about such a clean, sweet book, but there were few times that her writing really wowed me. The problem may be that I have been exposed to different forms of literature, have had a taste of wonderful writing, and it's just that Melanie Dickerson's style still has room for improvement.

     Her book was very easy to read, but the plot was predictable at times which is hard to avoid when retelling a story like Cinderella, though she did do a good job really added to and enhancing this retelling so it was not as cliche as it could have been.

     The main thing that got me was the reading level of this book seemed fairly young... I hate to say that, but the quality of writing is something I would expect to find in between that of a tween and teen novel--not an outright teen novel. The plot development was well placed and her pacing suited her story line perfectly, but I guess there was a bit too much explaining of things. It is one thing to describe a situation, Dickerson did have some good descriptions, but then to explain why something might be that way, that is what makes the writing feel younger.
(Example: She described one of the character's hair looking darker in shade, which must be because it was wet, because the blonde hair was brown. No, she did not word it exactly like this, but this does dumb down the reading. She could have easily commented instead on his damp hair and how it was darker; making it more of a statement than an explanation.) 

     So what do I do at this point? I would recommend this book, because even though the writing style is very easy to read and young feeling: the plot, action, faith, and romance are what make this a good, Christian teen novel. It is easy to recommend to any teen without worry of inappropriate content. There is still enough angst, bad guys, faith, and romance to make it entertaining and also a little thought-provoking.

     My final note is more of extreme personal opinion, and since I have not read any of Dickerson's other books I can only comment on this one, but I feel she could have incorporated faith into her book more smoothly. There are some elements she did well, those that were more realistic and carried a good message with them. However, when Christianity first came into the book, that is when it seemed to stick out like a sore thumb. Do not get me wrong, I love the Lord and believe strongly in making His recognition the striving point of our books, but I have read better.

     What mainly stuck out once I had gotten use to the "Christian" aspects of this book, is when Scripture was mentioned. It was inconsistent with the times, though I know that the way she incorporated the Good News will better serve readers of today, I feel it could have been adjusted a little, along with their speech, to reflect the time period in which the book was set. This is just my personal opinion, and I would not discourage anyone from reading the book because of this.

Content (For Those Who Wonder):

     Language - None that I know of.

     Sensuality - Some. There is some kissing, though nothing passionate or very descriptive. The characters do think to themselves about wanting to kiss. The word "molested" is mentioned once in the book, but there is no scene or anything to worry about, just a character's fear of what might happen. There is an embrace here or there, and characters wrapping their arms around each other-- some pleasurable, some not so much. This novel is very clean, making it appropriate for most ages.

     Violence - There is a jousting tournament, fights, wounds, etc. Nothing is too graphic or gruesome; though blood, cuts, and bruising are mentioned.

     Other - This is a Christian, historical romance and faith is incorporated into this book. I did not find anything offensive though I am a Christian myself, but it is made obvious at times that this is a Christian book as the characters question and think about God, faith, and His involvement in their lives.

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!

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: Into the Whirlwind

Into the Whirlwind

By: Elizabeth Camden

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers

Genre: Fiction; Historical Romance; Christian Fiction; Chicago Fire

Number of Pages: 374

Overview:

     As owner of the 57th Illinois Watch Company, Mollie Knox's future looks bright until the night the legendary Great Chicago Fire destroys her beloved city. With her world crumbling around her, Mollie will do whatever it takes to rebuild in the aftermath of the devastating fire.

     Zack Kazmarek, an influential attorney for one of Chicago's finest department stores, is a force to be reckoned with among the city's most powerful citizens. Bold and shrewd, he's accustomed to getting exactly what he wants-- until he meet Mollie Knox, the beguiling businesswoman just beyond his reach.

     As the people of Chicago race to rebuild, Mollie comes face-to-face with the full force of Zack's influence. Zack believes this may be his chance to win her, but can Mollie ever accept this man and his whirlwind effect on her life, especially with her treasured company on the line?
(It's what's on the back of the book.)

Star Rating:

      4.25 stars (I liked it a lot.)

Content Rating:

     PG (recommend to 15&up)

My Opinions:

     What I liked/loved - This book kept me reading. It was interesting, exciting, and romantic though clean. I loved seeing the interaction between our two main characters, even if I sometimes wished I could strangle them. The ending was sweet too. And the Chicago fire? What a nightmare! Camden's scenes, I felt, were very believable and seem realistic to what it would have been like to experience such a catastrophe.

Camden did a wonderful job with Zack Kazmarek, I definitely loved his character and how enduring he was. Mollie made things interesting, and it was fun to be inside her head. Getting to understand their relationship from both perspectives made this book stand out for me because it wasn't too cheesy. I knew what she didn't know, and what he didn't know, and despite their rough patches, I enjoyed this book a lot. I liked how their relationship panned out; it wasn't full of only sweet, tender moments or fake over-the-top angst. It was a bit more realistic, though still fictional. Try reading this book and not falling for Zack... it's almost impossible.

     I would recommend this novel! And will definitely look forward to reading another novel by Elizabeth Camden.


The Quality:
     Once again, this is a book for pleasure reading. I have not read any of Camden's previous novels, so this was my first read of hers. I was impressed with her writing, though I think it still has room here and there for improvement. Her crafting of sentences gives the writing variety, but it is easy to follow along and read. What I have found is that the reading level of some romances, even historical romances, can easily become too young and feels dumbed down, or are full of long, complicated sentences. Camden created a novel that was easy to read and understand, without feeling like it was a 6th grade reading level.

     Her descriptions were blended in well, without overpowering the story. She is also consistent throughout her novel. I did not find any mishaps or inconsistent facts. Well done! I look forward to reading the next novel she publishes in hopes of her writing improving even more, because I see a great potential for beautiful, enjoyable storytelling from her.

Content (For Those Who Wonder):

     Language - None that I know of.

     Sensuality - Some, a little kissing, or an embrace here or there. This novel is very clean, making it appropriate for most ages, though it will obviously be more enjoyable to older teenagers and adults.

     Violence - The Chicago fire adds an intense element to this novel, and while realistic, it is not too graphic or gruesome by any means.

     Other - This is a Christian, historical romance and faith is incorporated into this book. Thankfully it seemed to fit in fairly well, and was not something merely added on top or worse seemed phony and overpowering.

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!

Book Review: Art and the Bible

Art and the Bible

By: Francis A. Schaeffer (Foreword by Michael Card)

Publisher:  IVP Books

Genre:  Nonfiction; Christian; Art; Bible

Number of Pages:  94

Overview:

    "The lordship of Christ should include an interest in the arts," writes Francis Schaeffer. "A Christian should use these arts to the glory of God, not just as tracts, mind you, but as things of beauty to the praise of God."

Many Christians, wary of creating graven images, have steered clear of artistic creativity. But the Bible offers a robust affirmation of the arts. The human impulse to create reflects our being created in the image of a creator God.

Art and the Bible has been a foundational work for generations of Christians in the arts. In this book's classic essays, Francis Schaeffer first examines the scriptural record of the use of various art forms, and then establishes a Christian perspective on art. With clarity and vigor, Schaeffer explains why: "the Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars."
(Summary taken from Goodreads, italicization is mine.)

Star Rating:

     5 stars (I loved it.)

Content Rating:

     PG (recommend to 13&up)

My Opinions:

     The title says it all. Schaeffer talks about different forms of art and what the Bible has to say about art in general. He argues how important it is, even just for enjoyment and backs up his argument with Scripture. He also goes into how we should view and create art.

This book was amazing! I've learned so much and it has made me think differently about art, I'll have to read it again. I love how Schaeffer truly expresses the freedom we're supposed to have as Christians, but also touches on our responsibilities. This book was so enlightening and encouraging!

The Quality:
     I loved his easy, understandable way/style of writing. Yes, there may have been a word or two (or three) I had to look up, but it was much, much easier to read than I expected. Highly recommend it!

Content (For Those Who Wonder):

     Language - None.

     Sensuality - None.

     Violence - None.

     Other - None.

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

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

I'd like to know!

Book Review: The Girl in the Gatehouse

The Girl in the Gatehouse

By: Julie Klassen

Publisher: Bethany House

Genre: Fiction; Historical Romance; 1800s Era; Christian Fiction

Number of Pages: 391

Overview:

     Mariah Aubrey has left the only home she ever knew, now takes her haunting secret with her, and Miss Dixon as her only companion. When Captain Bryant comes to lease the estate where the gatehouse she lives in resides, fear begins to eat away at her once more. Fear of being found out as a female author, writing being her only means of making a living. Fear of her past being discovered. Fear of losing the only home she now has. Fear that she will never be allowed a chance at love again.

Star Rating:

      3.5 stars (I liked it pretty well.)

Content Rating:

     PG (recommended to 13&up)

My Opinions:

     What I liked/loved - Don't get me wrong, this book was great. There was a good bit of mystery and questions that needed answered to pull you along through its pages. Julie Klassen also happens to be one of my favorite authors, having read four of her books that are this sort of fiction.

The regency era (historical fiction, really) with some romance mixed in is one of my favorite genres. Her two books The Apothecary's Daughter and The Silent Governess are on my favorite books' list.

The relationship between Mariah and Captian Bryant is not anything to worry about. Thankfully there are some sweet, charismatic moments for those romantics at heart. What historical romance would be complete without them?

There is just something about when a relationship unfolds slowly, and I get to have  those times when I hold my breath or sigh happily.

     What I didn't like/hated - However, this book did fall a bit short of my hopeful expectations. I knew some other reviewers had found it to be a bit slow and not one of her best works, but I tried to maintain a bright outlook as I read it. This book took me forever to finish though, and it was not until about halfway through that it finally started to really grab my attention.

I found it too easy to set it aside, and took a break or two to finish/read other books in between finishing this one (something I usually try to avoid). The conclusion was satisfying, and I did not regret spending my time on it, but I have to agree that this was not her best work- though still a good one. Maybe because it was confined to such a small area (no traveling really), it did not give my mind enough places to wander.

     This book is still worth reading, especially if you love historical romances with a bit more story to them... or if you would like to see what life for a female writer in the 1800s might be like... or if you love Jane Austen's book Persuasion. Sadly, it won't be going on my "favorite books' list" though. 

Content (For Those Who Wonder):

     Language - None.

     Sensuality - Some. There are some kissing scenes, and talk about a shady past (a girl was taken advantage of when she was younger as well as Mariah's fall, is made clear, but there aren't any disturbing or inappropriate details). There are a few "sensual" moments in referencing to Mariah's past, her feelings towards a man, and when a man embarrasses her in front of a small party. Though nothing is really inappropriate, and is suitable for most ages.

     Violence - Hardly any, Captain Bryant suffers from nightmares and guilt from his time at war, and we also hear the story of another captain's experiences. Nothing very gruesome or gory though.

     Other - No other content to note or worry about. But I will mention this is a Christian book, so mention of God, faith, etc. do make some appearances for any of those wondering. 

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

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

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

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?

Photos by Me

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365 x 18 = Me

Some of you very well know what went on the weekend before last. . . it was my birthday! What a busy, but blessing filled week it has been. There have been plenty of times where I was out and about or just at home relaxing and being much more lazy than I needed to be, but I am thankful for the time to chill and catch my breath. Quite a bit has happened over the past week or so, I am not sure quite where to begin. 

Saturday is when it really all started. . . Saturday, February 23rd, actually. I had a few friends over for food and games for the afternoon. It was a great time and I am very grateful for all who were able to be a part of the early celebration. That night I went out with my Mom, both of my grandmas, and my aunt. It was time for a girls' night out, not only to celebrate my birthday, but also my mother's! Her birthday is only four days after mine.

We grabbed a bite to eat at Neo Burrito, then headed over to a Barnes&Noble. Book stores are one of my favorite locations, especially when there is a Starbucks in them! I simply love wandering around, certainly for long periods of time. It's such a feeling being in a place where most of the people around you share a common love of words and books and literature. We're all shuffling around in our own little worlds, scanning titles, admiring covers, sometimes socializing, most times thinking to ourselves, and quite often secretly noticing and thinking about the people around us. I do not typically get so sappy as to call something "magical", but there is a certain feeling, an air about the whole building and every aisle, when you go into a bookstore.

It was not long before we (us girls) gathered back up again at a table and, Starbucks' treats in hand, played a few games of Mexican Trains. If you haven't heard of that game before, don't worry, you are not the first. You can look into it by going here though; it's pretty close to just playing dominoes.

That night I was tired and ready for some sleep, yet wishing the day did not have to be over. However, Sunday came right on time and I got up much easier than most mornings. My excitement was getting to me, so there was no going back to sleep once I was awake. This morning I was helping out with childcare at my church which is always a little crazy when you have a bunch of kids in one room. But that was not what I was getting excited about, no, it was the fact that today was my birthday! :D It was a good addition to my day though- knowing I did something other than be "lazy" and "celebrate". It was something that wasn't "all about me". If that makes sense. . .

After church my family and I came home. The day was not over yet; things were actually just getting started and some more exciting things were heading my way. It had been planned for me and my Mom to leave around 2-2:30 so we could ride over with my boyfriend and some of his family to our destination. Originally me and Jackson, he's the young man I have been in a relationship with over the past year and a half, were going to walk around and hike a bit. Also, we couldn't forget his camera because we like to take pictures of each other and us together every once in a while. (Okay, most times when we go out we have to have a camera with us. . . but I am not complaining, I like having lots of photo memories.) I'll just say there was a happy change of plans and we ended up doing something else, and then afterwards we had a little photo-taking session. I had a very happy afternoon, and still smile when I think about it.

Thankfully, once again, the day wasn't over yet. Back at my house we did the only reasonable thing we could possibly do. . . Edit the pictures we had taken! No, I am not talking Photoshop. I mean enhancing the image and colors, don't ask me to explain. I am not the intelligent one on this subject, Jackson does all the enhancing and adjustments, I just sit there and happily give him my opinion. And that works just fine for us! :) We did that for a little while until the next installment of the day was about to begin.

Part of the reason he had come back to the house is that evening all of my family and his were gathering down at my grandparent's house for the real and final birthday party. Something I really enjoy is spending time with all my family down at the grandparents' house. It is sort of a tradition or habit for us all to meet down there for different occasions such as birthdays, holidays, or just regular eat-a-meal-get-togethers. Maybe as I get older I appreciate the family I have even more, knowing that I am truly blessed and few people have the privilege of living so close to their loved ones like I do. Plus, as we kids all get older and our schedules grow busier, with correlating free-time stretching further and farther in between, I do not know how many more years it will be this way. Who knows when it won't be so easy as to walk out my door and down the hill for a family hangout? I'll be graduating soon and if I follow through with my potential college plans, I will have a fuller schedule.

We all like to play board games, card games, and well games. The night started off kind of slow as everyone gradually showed up, but then time slipped by as we played  several rounds of Apples to Apples, had cake, opened presents, and continued to socialize. If I had not wanted my Saturday to end, I most definitely did not want Sunday to move along. No doubt, it passed on its merry way just like the night before and soon I was back home for the fourth time today (there was quite a bit of going about). Yet it was another day that while I situated myself comfortably in my bed and prepared to fall asleep, my thoughts were still chattering and I couldn't help feeling more blessed than ever. I was pretty happy. ;)

Above is a picture of one of my birthday gifts! My aunt creatively made this decorative light with a picture Jackson illustrated of me and him on the front. Inside are different colored glass pebbles and a small strand of Christmas' lights weaved all around inside the glass square. It was definitely a unique gift, and I like those. Now it decorates my nightstand along side a stack of books underneath my lamp (yes, underneath my lamp) and another set of books standing up between those. I am trying to create some book-ish accents to my room. I mean, why just leave all that literature on the shelf to collect dust? Now I think they are starting to take over the theme of my room.

Books here, books there, books everywhere. . .

And that concludes a small chapter in my life as a book character (of His story that is). Alright, I will let you go on with your day! I hope it is a good one, check back soon? I am hoping my next post will be about my mini book haul last Monday (on the 25th). Thanks for stopping by and seeing how my birthday weekend went! My apologies for the very late post about it.

What have you been up to? Is the new year going well for you?

When is your birthday?

Photos by Me & Jackson

Book Review: Yotsuba&! 5

Yotsuba&! 5

By: Kiyohiko Azuma

Publisher: Yen Press (Hachette Book Group)

Genre: Fiction; Manga

Number of Pages: 204

Overview:

     Yotsuba is a five year old girl who is adopted by a man named Koiwai. This manga series follows her day to day life, adventures, and discoveries. Her escapades often involve her father, his friend Jumbo (as they call him), and their next door neighbors.

Star Rating:

     4.5 stars

Content Rating:

     G

Opinions:

     I enjoyed this short and pretty much easy read. At first though it was hard for me to get use to reading right to left (as you must do in this book), and I was also confused about Yotsuba's relationship with everyone in the book. She calls the mother of her neighboring friends "Mom", but she is not actually Yotsuba's mother. I would recommend reading this series in order, and not jumping in on the fifth book (which happened to be the one I could get my hands on first). Unless, of course, the reader is willing to figure out who is who as they go along. I would suggest hopping on the Internet and searching Yotsuba&! if you do not plan to start with the first book. This Wikipedia article answered my questions easily enough without giving away what happened in the other books (I did not read the entire article however, just the several beginning paragraphs about Yotsuba and Koiwai).

Overall, this was a fun, clean, carefree read. I would not mind at all to go through this book again, nor the rest of the books in the series. (Which I hope to get a hold of soon!) The drawings/manga are great (I really liked them, especially pictures of the city) and the story is humorous and entertaining, what else could you want?

Iffy Content:

     None. Yotsuba (the main character) often whines or seemingly yells to get her way, which was slightly annoying, but she is five. She also has a fight/argument with Yanda (a newer friend of her Daddy, who isn't very nice or mature for that matter), and they use the word "poop" and call each other "moron" (pg 66-86).

Check out the first book on:  Amazon or Barnes&Noble!!

Have you read any of the Yotsuba&! books? Other related books? What were your thoughts?

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