Book Review: "Thirsty" by Tracey Bateman

"Hello, I'm Nina Parker.and I'm an alcoholic." For Nina, even in recovery, the truth of the declaration has demolished her hopes and condemned her to return to the town she ran away from nearly two decades earlier-Abbey Hills, Missouri. But the place she once called home is no safe haven. A ritualistic-style murder.

Animals disappearing from the Ozark reserve where Nina works, and turning up slaughtered. And someone-or some thing-watching Nina. Wanting her. Stalking her with a 250-year-old desire that burns like a raging wildfire.

Nina's ex-husband Hunt shows up, hoping to protect Nina and Megan, the angry teenage daughter who followed her to Missouri. But another man has entered the picture, testing Nina as she attempts to walk the tightrope of recovery-and the power of thirst. Much more than Nina Parker's love hangs in the balance. The battle between love and obsession is destined to unfold to its startling, unforgettable end.

I want to first start off by saying this is NOT a Christian vampire story. The vampire in this book is NOT a Christian.

I have enjoyed Tracey's books in the past so I knew that I was going to enjoy the story. I was a bit worried though at how the vampire story was going to come into play. Would the vampires be real vampires or would they be vampire-like characters with addictive tendencies? Would they be Dracula type vampires or Twilight style vampires? Would this be a fantasy world or a realistic setting? There were many questions running through my head when I picked up the book.

After putting down the book, my thought was that Tracey had done an extremely excellent job. The story skillfully blends a story about alcohol addiction and the dependency on the drink and what it does to a person's life. It shows how the yearning for one last drop can ruin a person's life forever and cause great damage to the relationships with people they love. Thus this is the same as what it's like for a vampire and the thirst for blood. Nina's alcohol addiction parallels Markus's vampire tendencies and the two tend to circle around each other like vultures. Markus is a real vampire who is out for blood and there's nothing fake at all about him. The place where the story takes places gives off a creepy feeling. I kept picturing lots of fog everywhere. It's a good place to set the story in. I was happy with the ending of the story, there is no "vampire conversion" scene thankfully.

If there's any problems I had with the book, it's the switching in narration without warning. The story goes from Nina's first person past recollections like a diary, then switches to third person telling the current story and then goes to Hunt's first person recollections. The problem lies in that it's never told that it's Hunt's talking in first person, it abruptly changed and it took me a while to figure out who was doing the talking. Plus while, Nina's first person is written in italicized font, there's no change in Hunt's and looks like it's part of the regular story. It was just confusing to read at times.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. Vampires have never been a part of Christian fiction before. Mostly likely past authors had no idea how to use them or felt them to be so evil, that they didn't want them in their stories. This book does nothing to make a vampire seem good or Christian like so really it's just a story about good vs. evil. There's just more story in between to make a statement. I feel like both fans of Twilight and other vampire lit would enjoy this book as well as fans of Christian fiction. It is NOT a light read however. It's quite intense so I don't know if I would immediately pass this one right off to teens without reading it first. HIGHLY recommended.

Thirsty by Tracey Bateman is published by Waterbrook (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Good Books, Good Coffee

There's nothing better than curling up with a good book and a cup of coffee--and there's no better book than the Bible. Sandra Glahn continues her series of Coffee Cup Bible Studies, presenting Kona with Jonah and Frappe with Philippians. Using creative teaching resources, including the Internet, art, online study groups and more, Glahn provides a special blend of bold and flavorful experiences that will bring participants back for a second cup of God's Word.

Kona with Jonah begins with a brief history of Jonah and Ninevah. Merging historical event with current modern day practicality, Glahn invites readers to take a walk in Jonah's sandals. Coffee sippers will find it hard to escape the similarities as these two worlds collide. Prayer, mercy, city revival and other strong themes will perk the interest and heart of diligent students.

Frappé with Philippians brews for five weeks of strong, powerful conversation about Paul and the heroes of the Philippian church. With detailed study time spent examining the letters of Paul to the Church, readers will come away feeling like they have met with the man himself. With sections entitled "That God Will Get me Out of Here, and Other Prayer Requests Paul Doesn't Make," Glahn keeps the tone of the study light, without disrespecting the seriousness of the study of God's Word.

A Chat Over Coffee w/ Sandra

Women who typically feel they don't have the time to do Bible Study find your studies relevant and easy to use. What's the secret to making the study inviting?

I don't know if there's one secret. Different things appeal to different people. But I do know that with my own personal Bible study time, I've been able to stay fairly consistent Monday through Friday when my daughter is at school. But on the weekends everything changes in our household. Sometimes we travel. Or we sleep later on Saturday. And we rise and go to church on Sunday. Result: my routine gets disrupted. For this reason I often have a more difficult time doing Bible study on the weekends. So I designed the series for Monday-through-Friday study with only short devotional readings on the weekends. The weekday time can require twenty minutes or more; the weekend readings take less than five minutes.

I think the studies also appeal to the right-brained person. As an artsy type, I sometimes engage more with the Bible if I can write out a prayer, draw, view a related video, compose a story, sing a song... And I wrote this series with that person in mind. The devotionals are also full of stories, which most of us love to hear.

In addition (and this is probably the main reason), when I was working full-time, I wanted a study I could stash in my purse without having to lug a Bible and a commentary. I wanted to use my lunch break for a quiet time without parading my resources in front of people. And I think it helps that the Coffee Cup series books don't look like typical Bible studies; they're all-inclusive (text, commentary, questions included); they're small enough to throw in a briefcase or diaper bag; and they're both spiral and bound--making it easier to use on a treadmill or fold in the lap and write on while sitting. In short they're designed for the multi-tasker. I heard from an ob-gyn who uses them as she's sitting in the doctors' lounge waiting for babies to arrive.

And one more thing--I also include a prayer at the end. I heard from an eighty-something man who told me how much those prayers meant. All his life he had struggled with prayer, and that guidance helped him respond to God. I'm glad that a series directed to women didn't scare him off!

In Jonah with Kona, what do you hope participants will take away and apply to their own lives?

We tend to like our own causes best; we like our own country best; we like our denomination best; we like our own families best; we prefer the schools we attended, the neighborhoods where we grew up, our own political party or cause, our gender--even our brand of peanut butter. And somewhere along the way we cross the line from preference to prejudice. We pray for our loved ones but rarely, if ever, our enemies. Mention atheists, opposing politicians, humanists, materialists, homosexuals, and radical feminists in most churches today, and the response you'll evoke will sound nothing like, "Let's pray right now for God to pour out his love."


Genesis tells us that humans are fellow creations of one maker. The qualities of God that so angered Jonah are the very qualities we most need: grace, compassion, patience, mercy, abundant love, and truth. And not just for those we love--but for those we hate. For those who have wronged us. For those who want us dead. For those with whom we strongly disagree. The only possible way we can demonstrate such remarkable goodness is through the power of the Holy Spirit.

The focus of Frappé with Philippians is the life of Paul and the early church. What kind of historical research did you do and did you learn any surprising facts as you compiled your information?

I think it's enormously important to understand the world in which Paul was writing. Let's take the view of women, for example. The Jews were the most conservative. The Greeks were better, though greatly influenced by Aristotle's low view of women. And the Roman women had the most freedom--even owning property and supervising gymnasiums. Knowing a city's predominant citizenship helps us understand Paul's letters on such issues.

My PhD work relates a lot to the Greek pantheon and Greek and Roman history. The historical backgrounds for the Bible books are essential, and fortunately they interest me.

I also love getting a sense of the geography, if I can. I had the advantage this summer of taking a clipper to follow the journeys of Paul. Some of our stops included Corinth, Troas, Neapolis, Philippi, and Athens.

One sentence out of the mouth of a guide in Corinth really stuck with me, as she provided a key to understanding the cities we visited. She mentioned that while American visitors seem generally uninterested in talk of gods and goddesses, knowing which member of the Greek pantheon a city worshiped is essential to understanding that city's mentality. The more I thought about this, the more sense it made:

ATHENS. Athena was the goddess of wisdom, so citizens of Athens wanted their city to reflect culture, religion, and philosophy. And sure enough, in Acts 17 we find Stoic and Epicurean philosophers hanging out at the Areopagus (Mars Hill). Paul affirms them for being religious, and rather than dissing their many false gods, he zeroes in on their altar to the unknown God and tells them about this Almighty one who was not made with hands--One who is never far from any of us.

CORINTH. Corinth was the home of Aphrodite, goddess of love (and not the agape version). Behind the city ruins stands a towering hill at the top of which sat Aphrodite's temple. One could not walk down the street without being conscious of its prominence. Might that explain why the Corinthians had so many issues with sexual immorality, and why Paul tells them that it's good for a man not to touch a woman (1 Cor. 7:1)? For the sake of the kingdom, he encourages them to consider embracing sexual abstinence rather than marrying. How fitting that in a city that prides itself on being a center of love, Paul pens the beautiful definition of true love--known to us as the love chapter (1 Cor. 13).

EPHESUS. Ephesus was home to the virgin Artemis who loved her virgin status and was immune to Aphrodite's love arrows. Among other things, Artemis was the goddess of the hunt. If you take a close look at the Artemis statues from the first and second centuries, you find her legs covered with numerous animals and flanked by a couple of deer. Now, usually we think of women as gatherers and men as hunters. And the fact that Artemis was a hunter suggests she had a less-than-feminine persona. In Ephesus we find stone work with the Amazon story (these women were way independent!), and guides tell visitors that the city was founded by an Amazon queen. The Book of Ephesians was probably intended for more than one city (like Laodicea), so we don't find much that points to a specific city's mentality in that book. But we do find 1 Timothy directed to Paul's protégé in Ephesus, and in it we find an emphasis on widows, women teaching false doctrines, and the need to marry and have children.

When reading the New Testament, I think it's important to find out something of its geography and certainly what member of the Greek pantheon each book's readers were up against. How its authors approached the cities' demons can provide insight for us into engaging a culture that's in love with worldly wisdom, immorality, and a low view of family.

Just polling...

Faith 'n Fiction Saturday

My Friend Amy, who brought us Book Blogger Appreciation Week has a new carnival in the works, the Faith 'n Fiction Saturday.

Each week she will post a blogging prompt, which participating bloggers will answer on their own blogs. Then they head back to the original post and sign Mister Linky! This way we can all come to know each other more closely.

Today's Question

Do you recommend or lend your Christian fiction books to people who don't share your faith? If you do, do you tell them in advance that the book is Christian fiction? Why do you or don't you tell them?

My Answer:

Do I lend? No. I don't lend my books to out to people. I sound like a horrible person. Unless I really trust and know you, I don't lend out anything at all. I just worry that I won't get it back and that I have to keep asking for it and that ruins the friendship. But that's a WHOLE 'nother topic for another day.

Do I recommend? Yes. If I really enjoyed a book and someone asks me what was a good read then I will recommend a book, any book that I have read. BUT I do think of who is asking me. If the person normally reads Christian fiction, then I have no problems recommending anything Christian fiction I've read. If the person DOESN'T read Christian fiction and/or is not a Christian, I try to recommend titles that aren't preachy and don't slam the faith down your throat.

Christian fiction books are like the deadly plague. Once people find out they have been reading one, even if they have been enjoying it, they are horrified and stop reading it and post nasty reviews. Ok I'm exaggerating, but like Amy said, it is a bit frustrating to read reviews on Amazon where people complain that it would have been a good book if it hadn't been Christian fiction even though the book wasn't preachy at all.

For example one of my favorite books of 2008, was The Shape of Mercy by Susan Meissner. I recommend that book to anyone, regardless of what they normally read, or what their faith is. Is it a good book? YES. Is it a Christian book? Yes. Does it preach at you? No. Does it have Christian faith values in it? Yes. Does the story affect the reader? Yes. So will it is a Christian book, the story is so good that I think that is part of the story and that the reader can accept it and not feel like they are reading a sermon.

I don't "warn" people if it's a Christian fiction book. The books on my blog, people should know by now will mostly be Christian fiction. Only unless I feel the book is really preachy, that will be my warning. I do this because I feel by now, readers of my blog should know that I mainly review Christian fiction on my blog and that is my niche. In fact I used to have a warning on my blog everytime I reviewed a general market book.

We brought up this subject I think last year, but I still think to make everyone happy, any book that's Christian fiction needs to have a Jesus sticker on it. That way no one can say "I got tricked into reading this book!"

Book Review: "Lost in Las Vegas" by Melody Carlson

In a whirlwind, DJ accepts “lonely” Taylor’s invitation to join her mom’s tour in Las Vegas during Christmas break. DJ soon discovers that the unsupervised Taylor is focused on one thing only—partying with a capital “P.” She’s invited Eliza, too, and DJ is quickly overwhelmed by the behavior of the wild duo. Desperate, she calls on Casey for help and prays for a miracle to help Taylor before she self-destructs.

This book pretty much is the downfall of Taylor. It's been foreshadowed since the day we met her in the first book. Seriously, this girl is totally uninhibited and just out to have a good time. However she goes for the extreme in whatever she does and doesn't seem to care about the consequences. I really could not stand her condescending attitude towards DJ just because she doesn't want to drink or anything else Taylor does. It had nothing to do with DJ being a Christian, she just knew that it wasn't healthy and it was dangerous. Yet Taylor keeps acting like she's the cool one and DJ is a freak for not joining her. Therefore DJ feels that she has to be always on the watch for Taylor and can't enjoy everything because she's like the baby sitter. The whole story just builds up until the ending when Taylor finally realizes that she has a problem.

While I enjoyed this book, at the same time there's also a bit of a fantasy with the situation. Maybe it's just me, but there would have been no way, I would have been allowed to go to Las Veags at that age, let alone be on my own while there. It just seemed very unrealistic for a bunch of 16 year old girls to be on their own around in that city and no one really questioning them. Also DJ's grandmother is REALLY getting on my nerves. Seriously, throughout the entire series all she cares about is looks and making the right connections instead of being concerned about the girls' safety. I cannot wait until she gets a reality check.

Overall though, I have enjoyed this series and this one seems to be the edgiest one of all. I think it really speaks to teens and shows what they go through. Also I really like the cover, I think it's the first time I've ever seen fishnets on a Christian fiction book! I would recommend this book and the rest of the series for older teens.

Lost in Las Vegas by Melody Carlson is published by Zondervan (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Baby Sitters Club Week: Spotlight on Shannon

Shannon Louisa Kilbourne is an associate member of the Baby Sitters Club. She has also served as Alternate Officer. Shannon lives in Kristy's new neighborhood. She is first introduced in Kristy and the Snobs where she and Kristy start off with a rocky relationship (although if I can recall, she does appear in Kristy and the Big Day as an unnamed character at the end of the book). The two play pranks on each other, mainly because Shannon feels threatened by Kristy on her territory. Eventually they make up and become friends. Kristy invites Shannon to join the BSC as a full time member but due to Shannon's extracurricular activities she cannot make meetings 3 times a week. Instead she is offered the position of associate member, like Logan, and will be called in cases of emergencies.

Shannon has 2 younger sisters, Tiffany and Maria. She attends Stoneybrook Day School, which is a private school. She is an overachiever and pretty much does every extra curricular activity you can think of. As a peace offering to Kristy, after the Thomas' dog Louie died, Shannon gave them a puppy from her own dog's litter. Therefore, Kristy's brother David Michael named the dog Shannon. It can be awkward at times when Shannon the person and Shannon the dog are in the same room.

Why did I pick Shannon to spotlight? Well, frankly because I think she totally got shafted throughout the entire series. I would have loved to have read more about her but alas that was not meant to be. In almost every book when she is described, it's always mentioned that she has blonde hair, blue eyes and a ski jump nose. Oh and that she's really interesting looking whatever that means, although from the covers she seems to be really pretty so I guess they were jealous? She's REALLY smart, in fact I think she is the smartest out of all the members in the BSC. Yes she goes to a private school but still she wants to learn.

There's also the fact that she got one measly book. Meanwhile Logan not only got TWO books, he also get several narratives in the super specials. I think Shannon gets one in Baby Sitters Remember and that was just because she was lucky to be alternate officer when Dawn was in California. Other memorable storylines featuring Shannon include Buddy Barrett having a crush on her (storyline includes him hitting a softball on her head), Shannon helping Kristy with finding out her secret admirer, Shannon being such an overachiever that her sister feels threatened and a weird instance with her singing during a meeting and no one knowing why. Also during the first super mystery when most of the BSC goes off on vacation and Jessi and Mal are the only two full time members left in Stoneybrook, Shannon is brought into the story, but her character there is really flighty and acts superior to the two junior officers.

I really wish we could have gotten to know her better. Since book 11, she's mentioned in every single book because of her associate member status. It's usually less than 2 lines and always mentions how she's from Kristy's neighborhood. It's not until she takes over for Dawn does she get bigger coverage in the stories, but then when Abby comes, she fades away again. I also think that in the Friends Forever series, she quits the club completely. Also the both the movies and TV show never featured her, the games never mentioned her, pretty much she was totally left out. This wouldn't be a such a big deal if Logan hadn't gotten mentioned. I just think it's not fair that just because he was Mary Anne's boyfriend means he got special treatment. I was really glad when Shannon's Story came out because it was high time she got her own dang book! I might try to go and reread that one again.

So anywho this post is for you Shannon Kilbourne, we barely got to know you, but you were always a favorite of mine.

As far as I can remember, the four pictures in this post are the only four covers that Shannon is featured on.





(notice how Shannon is wearing the same uniform in both these books. Also I always thought Shannon looked super pretty and actually normal on this cover and looking on the web apparently a lot of people agreed with me)



I have no idea which blonde is supposed to be Shannon on this cover and which is Stacey. Dawn is not here because she's in California. There is a picture inside here which does show Shannon but she looks just like either Dawn or Stacey again.

Book Review: "Mennonite in a Little Black Dress" by Rhoda Janzen

A hilarious and moving memoir in the spirit of Anne Lamott and Nora Ephron about a woman who returns home to her Mennonite family after a personal crisis.

The same week her husband of 15 years ditches her for a guy he met on Gay.com, a partially inebriated teenage driver smacks her VW Beetle head-on. Marriage over, body bruised, life upside-down, Rhoda does what any sensible 43-year-old would do: She goes home.

But hers is not just any home. It's a Mennonite home, the scene of her painfully uncool childhood and the bosom of her family: handsome but grouchy Dad, plain but cheerful Mom. Drinking, smoking, and slumber parties are nixed; potlucks, prune soup, and public prayer are embraced. Having long ago left the faith behind, Rhoda is surprised when the conservative community welcomes her back with open arms...and offbeat advice. She discovers that this safe, sheltered world is the perfect place to come to terms with her failed marriage and the choices that both freed and entrapped her.

I've been on a memoir kick lately. I don't really read them that much because I'm really picky about my memoirs. It all comes down to the style of writing of the author. I have tended to notice that I like reading memoirs of non famous people more so than well known folks. I also tend to like the ones that write in a chick lit-ish style which is much more entertaining to me and keeps me hooked to the pages.

I really enjoyed reading this book. As you know, I'm a fan of Amish fiction. However, even though I like the genre sometimes I feel as it it's been sugar coated for the market. That's primarily what interested me about this book, the fact that it's from a different point of view that's not from the Christian market. I liked hearing about Rhoda's background and where her roots originally came from. The stories about her parents were quite interesting to me and were actually my favorite parts of the book. I knew that Mennonites are not as strict as the Amish yet it was still a bit of a surprise to read about how modern her family was. It's obvious that the author does not want to return to that style of life yet at the same time she knows she can't forget where she came from.

I did find some of the parts about the author's marriage to be a bit boring and repetitive. I just wasn't a fan of reading about how her husband has apparently always been bi and she just now realized it. Still the rest of the book is really interesting. I loved the Mennonite primer at the end of the book. It's extremely informative and just a lot of fun to read. There is some cursing in the book and talk about sex for those who would be concerned. However they are not really an issue that takes away from the story. I would totally recommend this book for those who enjoy memoirs and especially for those who like Amish fiction but want to read a different side to the story. It's funny, entertaining and highly informative and makes for a great read.

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen is published by Henry Holt and Co. (2009)

This ARC was provided by the publisher

Baby Sitters Club Week: Spotlight on Claudia

Claudia Lynn Kishi is the Vice President of the Baby Sitters Club. She is Japanese American. Her father is a banker and her mother is head librarian at Stoneybrook Public Library. Claudia has one older sister Janine who is extremely smart. She was very close to her grandmother Mimi before she passed away. Claudia is also very close to her aunt Peaches.

She is known for her love of Nancy Drew books and junk food, both which are hidden throughout her room. She is notoriously a poor speller although her IQ is quite high, she just doesn't apply herself in school. She was moved back to seventh grade for a while. She is a very talented artist however. This spills over into her fashion choices which are described in almost every single book.

She has known Kristy and Mary Anne her entire life as the 3 of them lived in a triangle from each other. However, she didn't have a best friend until Stacey McGill moved from New York in 7th grade. She was chosen as Vice President due to the fact that meeting were held in her room and she had her own private phone line. Some of her favorite sitting charges include The Perkins and The Newtons.

Claudia has had many boyfriends throughout the series from Trevor Sandbourne to Will from Camp Mohawk to Terry from California.

Lolz lolz lolz. Would you believe I typed almost all of that from memory? As you may have guessed Claudia was my favorite member of the BSC. Of course this is mainly due to the fact that she is Asian American and thus as an Asian American I liked her. It's interesting that, even though it's almost always pointed out that she's exotic (or even having almond shaped eyes...for realz????), no one ever has a problem with her being Asian until the book Keep Out Claudia.

Claudia and her junk food habits always got a kick out of me. But how did she remember where everything was? What if it spoiled? And you're telling me her mother NEVER went into her room? Also apparently Janine hides candy too. Speaking of which, I actually liked Janine. There were times when she was a bit annoying but overall she wasn't bad at all. She helps out Claudia and stands up for her. BTW I HATED reading Claudia's handwritten posts. First off the handwriting was terrible. Second, I couldn't stand the misspellings. Especially when she got her own friends' names wrong!

Then there are the clothes. Oh my. If you haven't been to this website http://whatclaudiawore.blogspot.com/ then you MUST visit it. Some of her outfits are just OMG what were they thinking???? Like this one for example

TBH I have no idea which book this is from as I think I had stopped reading them by this point. But what on earth were they thinking???? First off, I've seen to notice that Claud is the shortest BSC member, as this cover confirms. The clothes just kills me. But what really sets me off is LOAFERS with WHITE SOCKS!!!

Claudia's Book Catalog

#2	Claudia and the Phantom Phone Calls: Claudia's not sure she wants to find out who's on the other end of the line.

#7	Claudia and Mean Janine: Claudia's sister makes everything impossible - even baby-sitting!

#12	Claudia and the New Girl: Claudia's got to decide: either the Babysitters Club or the new girl-one of them's got to go.

#19	Claudia and the Bad Joke: Claudia's not worried when she hears her newest babysitting charge, Betsy Sobak, is a great practical joker.

#26	Claudia and the Sad Good-bye: Claudia has a sad good-bye to make.

#33	Claudia and the Great Search: Claudia thinks she's adopted, and no one understands!

#40	Claudia and the Middle School Mystery: How could anyone accuse Claudia of cheating?

#49	Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street: How could a seven-year-old make Claudia feel so dumb?

#56	Keep Out, Claudia: Who wouldn't want Claudia for a baby-sitter?

#63	Claudia's --Freind-- Friend: Claudia and Shea can't spell, but they can be friends!

#71	Claudia and the Perfect Boy: Mary Anne has Logan. Stacey has her boyfriend Robert. Kristy even has a sort-of boyfriend Bart. Isn't there someone out there for Claudia?

#78	Claudia and Crazy Peaches: Claudia can't believe her luck - wacky Aunt Peaches, one of her favorite people on the planet, is moving back to Stoneybrook...and she's going to have a baby!

#85	Claudia Kishi, Live From WSTO!: Claudia has a radio show! Will she be ready when Stoneybrook tunes in?

#91	Claudia and the First Thanksgiving: Claudia's drama class gets to write a play for the third graders at SES and help them stage it! They decide on the Thanksgiving story.

#97	Claudia and the World's Cutest Baby: Claudia's baby cousin is finally here!

#113	Claudia Makes Up Her Mind

#117	Claudia and the Terrible Truth

#123	Claudia's Big Party

#128	Claudia and the Little Liar

Mysteries

#6	The Mystery at Claudia's House: Dawn's house may have a ghost, but Claudia's has a mystery!

#11	Claudia and the Mystery at the Museum: What kind of crook would steal art?

#16	Claudia and the Clue in the Photograph: The Baby-sitters learn that the bank has been robbed. Has Claudia caught the thief on film?

#21	Claudia and the Recipe for Danger: When a big baking contest comes to Stoneybrook, Claudia can't wait to enter.

Portrait Collection

Claudia's Book: "So this is my autobiography. Even though I'm not good at writing, it's been cool remembering when I was little."

Book Review: "Someday My Prince Will Come" by Jerramy Fine

Most young girls dream of becoming a princess. But unlike most girls, Jerramy Fine never grew out of it. Strangely drawn to the English royal family since she was a child, Jerramy spends her childhood writing love letters to Buckingham Palace and absorbing any information she can find on modern-day princesses throughout the world. Years later, when her sense of destiny finally brings her to London, Jerramy navigates the murky waters of English social circles, etiquette, and dating with hilarious results.

I don't know about you, but I have had a crush on Prince Harry for years. Seriously, I've always had a thing for him over Prince William. Not only is Harry hotter and has a full head of hair, by being second son, you would get all the benefits of being a princess without having to worry about being queen. Because as we all know, being a prince or princess is far less stress worthy than being king or queen.

I adored this book from the get go. The writing is extremely engaging and hooks you right from the beginning. Jerramy is just wonderfully witty and so funny in her tale of how she believes she was switched at birth and is the true daughter of British parents. Her difference from her parents is extreme and it's funny reading about how she keeps trying to distance herself from them and be the princess she was born to be. I thought it was just brilliant that this book focuses on the forgotten royal, Peter Phillips, son of Princess Anne. Honestly, I would have never expected this book to be about him. I thought no one else knew about Princess Anne's kids!

Reading about her escapades in England was just fascinating and made me feel like I was really there. She does such a good job at explaining the locale and what's going on that I could hear the British accents and see all the big landmarks like Big Ben in my head. Jerramy pretty much lived the life I have always wanted to so I'm glad that it was her and not me that had to go through all the hurdles to maintain that lifestyle! She gives good explanations of British history, how the government is run, and just tidbits about every day life as a Brit. I really enjoyed the footnotes throughout the story, that either gave more information about certain topics or added more off beat humor to the story.

I just about died of laughter when Jerramy opens up the gossip magazine and finds the article that says Peter had a girlfriend. Her reaction was exactly what I would have done. I also squeeed when I saw the last chapter. It was so exciting, and a picture to boot! If only that could have happened with me and Prince Harry. Granted Jerramy tried a lot harder than I have to get close her royal. I wonder what her reaction was when Peter got married last year. (In case anyone was wondering, he now lives in Hong Kong as well).

There is a little bit of cursing, but it doesn't play a bit factor in the book. This is probably the best and funniest memoir that I have ever read. The book is really easy to get into, it reads like a chick lit novel. Honestly, it's now one of my favorite reads of 2009. I really recommend this for everyone. There's something in it for everyone. Those who are Anglophiles. Those who love memoirs. Those who love chick lit. Those who love the royals. And especially for those who ever dreamed of being a princess. VERY HIGHLY Recommended.

Someday My Prince Will Come by Jerramy Fine is published by Gotham (2008)

This review copy was provided by the publicist

The Baby Sitters Club: Memories

Need a baby sitter? Save time and call

So when I was about 7 years old, I was in the library with my mom and was looking for a new book to read. I saw a bunch of pastel colored books that were all grouped together in the M's in the juvenile fiction section. I had no idea what they were, but I remember my mom calling me to hurry up so we could check out. I randomly grabbed two books, an orange one and a pink one. I came back home to read #25 Mary Anne and the Search for Tigger and #24 Kristy and the Mother's Day Surprise. I had no idea what I would be sucked into.

To this day, I am still a huge BSC fan. What made these books so appealing? Well, for one their addictive. I mean when you're that age and they were publishing BSC books by the wazoo every month, you HAD to have them. It got to the point to where my parents started to limit how many BSC books I could read a month. I would check out around 10 each visit to the library and then stack them up in a pile and read them in order (sounds quite familiar...) I totally loved them. They are also comfort reads. I mean really you know pretty much what's going to happen in each book, yet you can't stop reading. There's food, and stories, and lots of fun. Plus I didn't baby sit but if I did, I would want to do it just like them.

I even dressed up as Claudia for a character parade we had in our school. I put my hair up in a side ponytail (that Claudia wears on EVERY SINGLE book, except book #2 where she has her hair in braids, and also does not look Japanese at all), wore a big sweatshirt, bangle bracelets, leggings, and wore 2 pairs of socks that had those slouch things going. I was hip. Hah.

But seriously for a certain time in my life, everything was Baby Sitters Club. I really wanted to start a club of my own (as did many other girls I'm sure). I had all the books, watched the videos, bought the game, wanted the dolls. These books really defined my childhood. Even to this day I still enjoy going back and reading these books. They bring back tons of memories, plus I love reading about Claudia's fashion choices which seemed so cool back then and is now just plain...tacky.

I never read the Friends Forever series. In fact I think I stopped reading them about the time Abby came into the picture. This was mainly because I didn't like her character. Other random thoughts

1. In every single book, it HAD to be pointed out that Jessi was black and Mal was white. Every book.
2. I did not like Abby.
   
3. I was NOT a fan of the movie.
   
4. However I was a fan of the TV show.
5. Did anyone else have trouble reading some of the cursive writing? Jessi's was the worst. And I hate Claudia's misspellings.
6. Dawn's vegetarianism/no sugar seems to have fluctuated throughout the series. When she's first introduced, I clearly remember her eating meat and candy.
7. How come Jessi and Mallory only got one Mystery book each yet Abby got several?
   
8. Would you really let an 11 year old take care of your kids?
9. Were the Pikes Catholic?
   
10. If I were Dawn's mom, I'd be pretty depressed. I mean BOTH of my kids don't want to live with me.
11. Stoneybrook seems to be a very white WASPY town. One Asian family, one black family, I think someone is Jewish?

I have more thoughts, but my mind is blank right now. What other memories do you have about the Baby Sitters Club?

Book Review: "Plain Promise" by Beth Wiseman

Sadie Fisher wonders if she'll ever find true love again after the death of her husband. When wealthy Englischer Kade Saunders rents her guest cottage for a month, Sadie's world is turned upside-down.

Kade has a five-year old autistic son who is unexpectedly left in his permanent care. As Sadie's feelings for the child grow, so do her feelings for Kade. But is this man suitable for anything more than friendship?

One would think that after a while all Amish stories start to blend together. While that may be the case, the trick is to write a good and unique story to make it stand apart. I think that's what Beth Wiseman has done with her books, because so far I've really enjoyed all of them. Sadie is unique because not only is she a widow, she rents out her cottage (that has electricity!) to an Englisch single man, and she's writing letters to another Amish guy in another state. That's quite a bit of excitement for people who are supposed to be living simple lives.

I really thought it was interesting to bring a topic like autism into the Amish world and see how they would react to it. Sadie doesn't really know what exactly is going on (I guess no one in the Amish gets it?) but she does her best to try to comfort Tyler whenever he starts getting antsy. The Bible verse speaking is a bit freaky but it adds to the story very well. To be honest, from the brief interaction we had with her and the way Kade described her, I was not a fan of Tyler's mother and actually quite glad as to what happened to her. I know that sounds terribly sadistic but the way she handled the situation was done very poorly and she should have thought of the consequences better.

I did feel that this book did go into the over dramatic side at times with everything that happened in the book. Also the ending was a bit predictable, as I knew exactly what Kade was going to do as soon as I started reading. I think for once it would be interesting to have one spouse remain Amish and the other to stay non-Amish but I guess that would make things too difficult. Overall though, I did like the book. I enjoy this author's style of writing as it is comforting and she does a good job of bringing the characters to life. I'll be looking forward to when the fourth book in the series comes out next year.

Plain Promise by Beth Wiseman is published by Thomas Nelson (2009)

This review copy was provided by the publisher

Fit to be Tied by Robin Lee Hatcher

This week, the
Christian Fiction Blog Alliance
is introducing
Fit to Be Tied
Zondervan (November 1, 2009)
by
Robin Lee Hatcher


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Robin Lee Hatcher discovered her vocation as a novelist after many years of reading everything she could put her hands on, including the backs of cereal boxes and ketchup bottles. The winner of the Christy Award for Excellence in Christian Fiction (Whispers from Yesterday), the RITA Award for Best Inspirational Romance (Patterns of Love and The Shepherd's Voice), two RT Career Achievement Awards (Americana Romance and Inspirational Fiction), and the RWA Lifetime Achievement Award, Robin is the author of over 50 novels, including Catching Katie, named one of the Best Books of 2004 by the Library Journal.

Robin enjoys being with her family, spending time in the beautiful Idaho outdoors, reading books that make her cry, and watching romantic movies. She is passionate about the theater, and several nights every summer, she can be found at the outdoor amphitheater of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, enjoying Shakespeare under the stars. She makes her home outside of Boise, sharing it with Poppet the high-maintenance Papillon



ABOUT THE BOOK

Cleo Arlington dresses like a cowboy, is fearless and fun-loving, and can ride, rope, and wrangle a horse as well as any man. In 1916, however, those talents aren’t what most young women aspire to. But Cleo isn’t most women. Twenty-nine years old and single, Cleo loves life on her father’s Idaho ranch. Still, she hopes someday to marry and have children.

Enter Sherwood Statham, an English aristocrat whose father has sentenced him to a year of work in America to “straighten him out.” Sherwood, who expected a desk job at a posh spa, isn’t happy to be stuck on an Idaho ranch. And he has no idea how to handle Cleo, who’s been challenged with transforming this uptight playboy into a down-home cowboy, because he has never encountered a woman succeeding in a “man’s world.”

Just about everything either of them says or does leaves the other, well, fit to be tied. Cleo Arlington knows everything about horses but nothing about men. And though Cleo believes God’s plan for her includes a husband, it couldn’t possibly be Sherwood Statham. Could it?

Their bumpy trot into romance is frustrating, exhilarating, and ultimately heartwarming.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Fit to Be Tied , go HERE.

Watch the book video Trailer: