Idealistic with some realism: Leaving

Leaving (Bailey Flanigan Series) by Karen Kingsbury
audio book, Narrators: Judy Young, Gabrielle De Cuir, Stefan Rudnicki, Amanda Carin
Published March 2011 by Zondervan
ISBN 9780310411994
Listened September 2011

I tend to stay away from Christian romance novels. For this reason, I have never read anything by Karen Kingsbury, though I have many friend who have and love her work. The reason I don't like reading Christian romance novels is because they are often too idealistic and lack a sense of reality. Leaving was definitely idealistic, but there was a dose or two of reality that made it digestible to me.


I really like that chapters with Landon and Ashley. I wish the book had focused more on them than on Bailey, but again the series is called Bailey Flanigan so I guess she had to be at the forefront of the book.


I didn't know that Bloomington, Indiana was such a Hollywood hotspot. Having landed a staring role in a hot Hollywood film with new leadning man Brandon, Bailey's life doesn't seem like your average college co-ed's. Pair that with have an NFL coach for a Dad and more devotely Christian family than is the norm, the life Bailey leads is not something I can relate to. I also found her to be a bit whiny and annoying. She has everything going for her and yet she's discontent because the guy she thought she loved left her months ago and hasn't contacted her.  Her "woe is me" attitude made me dread her chapters. I did like how she is following her dream and stepping out of her comfort zone by taking a role in Broadway musical Hairspray. 


Landon and Ashley added the dose of reality that kept me from throwing in the towel with this book. Maybe it is because I'm closer in age to this couple and though I don't have a young family and husband, I could understand what they were going through. I hope they will make more appearances in the series.


As I contemplate change within my own life, Leaving did give me food for thought and encouragement. As I stressed about life, the Bible verses and how the characters (especially Cody) dealt with life helped to calm me and reassure me (at times I strongly wondered if it wasn't by Divine intervention that I was listening to this book). 


While I thought Bailey's mom's advice was good (who doesn't want a man to pursue them like a dying man in a desert pursues water) again it idealistic nature of the book. Seriously, it seemed like more of a communication problem keeping Cody and Bailey apart than desire. Guys need encouragement to pursue a girl (they don't want to face rejection any less than a girl does).


Though Bailey annoyed me (I wanted to yell at her that there was more to life than boys and falling in love), there was also something about her that endeared her to me. Maybe it was her unwavering faith. Or the fact I could see myself in her. Whatever it was makes me want to continue with the series (though I might have to stock up on some realistic drama to keep me from becoming morose with my own life).


So my view on Leaving is a bit mixed because of the nature of the genre. Karen Kingsbury is an excellent writer and I can see why so many people like her books. If you enjoy Christian romance, then this would be a great choice for you.

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Immortal by Gene Doucette

IMMORTAL is a first person confessional, penned by a man who is immortal but not invincible. In an artful blending of sci-fi, adventure, fantasy and humor, Immortal introduces us to a world with vampires, demons and other "magical" creatures, yet a world without actual magic. It is a contemporary fantasy for non-fantasy readers and enthusiasts alike. From Goodreads.com

Daddy Left Me Alone With God by Robin Slick

Annie loathes middle age because in her mind, as long as she avoids mirrors in brightly lit rooms, she is still a cool, cutting edge hipster with a scandalous secret she has kept for almost three decades.

At age seventeen, Annie had a love affair with a man ten years her senior -- legendary British rock guitarist Mick Saunders.

Now, feeling stuck in a boring, faltering marriage and desperate to change her life, she is unexpectedly given the chance to reconnect with Mick while chaperoning her fledgling rock star teenagers on a tour across America.

To Annie, this opportunity to recapture her past is a dream come true. But will she and Mick be able to pick up where they left off? From Goodreads.com

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey.

Guest Reviewer: Abe's Lucky Day

Abe's Lucky Day by Jill Warren
Paperback, 32 pages
Published July 2011 by Outskirts Press
ISBN 9781432773052
Read August 2011
 

It's a really good kid's book. I like it because it didn't have that many words. The pictures were helpful. Everybody should read it. ~Austin, age 8

So I wasn't really sure how to go about reviewing a children's book. I don't actually have kids, but I wanted to read this book to see how the author dealt with the issue of homelessness. Abe's Lucky Day is about caring for others even if you don't have a lot yourself. My nephew grasped the message because when his sister asked him what it was about he answered, "caring for others."

The book is probably on a kindergarten or first-grade level. It was a simple story to follow and the pictures are well done. My only complaint is when we change point of view from Abe to the businessman at the coffee shop. The author uses the pronoun "he" and it took me a minute it realize the he wasn't Abe, but the businessman. That might be confusing to small children. I think the book would give parents and children a wonderful opportunity to talk about how we should be kind one to another and give a helping hand even if we don't have a lot to offer.

Got to get this book: FORBIDDEN

Forbidden (The Books of Mortals) by Ted Dekker and Tosca Lee
eBook
Published September 2011 by Center Street
ISBN 9781455509850
Read August 2011
Goodreads, IndieBound, Amazon

It's no secret to my long time readers that I have a bit of an obsession with Ted Dekker's books. When I found out he had a new book coming out in September, I started plotting how to get my hands on an advance copy. To my great delight, Netgalley.com tweeted that Center Street had offered it on their site. I rushed right over and put in my request. I was so afraid I would be denied. I mean I haven't been blogging for very long and I don't show that many followers, though I do get decent traffic from my Twitter account where I have over 600 followers. But long story short – the next morning I had an approval. I could not wait to start the book.

I'll be honest and tell you I didn't really know much about what the book was about. I skimmed the provided summary. I knew it had something to do with a society stripped of all emotion except fear. I also had not read any of Dekker's collaborations before, so I wasn't sure what I was getting myself into with Forbidden. I was a bit confused the first few pages, but then I did my weekly reading list and added the summary, which I did read a bit closer this time. Forbidden is set about 500 years in the future. Society hasn't fared very well. It is sort of post-apocalypse – there was a great war and a peace leader emerged. The world was reorganized and there is a one world government. Though they have known peace for the last 480 years, this is not a utopian society. Humanity has had to pay a heavy price for this peaceful life. Rumblings of change have begun and threaten the very core of Order.

I had no problem getting into Forbidden, though I was left bewildered at the beginning. I seriously was doubting if there were any good guys in this story as we are first introduced to the bad guys and then the badder (I know it's not a word) guys. But then emerges the unsuspecting hero of the story. His life is turned upside down as he witnessed not only the first murder in five centuries but also the second murder within a few short hours. With nowhere else to turn, Rom Sebastian runs to his best friend and together they begin their journey away from Order.

Forbidden is an action packed tale that will have you on the edge of your seat the majority of the time. There are moments when the reader can catch their breathe, but most are short lived. I do have one complaint about the story which kept me from giving Forbidden 5 stars. There was a bit of predictability at one point that had me rolling my eyes. And after a particularly thrilling and danger-filled scene, the plot hit a lull. I usually struggle with the first 50 – 100 pages, not the last. But there around 100 pages left I felt my attention waning. I pushed through the next 30 pages and was not disappointed. I devoured the last 70 pages. While dreading the end of the book (it is only the first in a series and I know I'll have to wait a while for the sequel), I couldn't slow myself down. I had to know what would happen. Then I clicked to the last page and read the last lines. I don't think I was quite prepared for how it all played out. I sat for several long moments with my mouth slightly hanging open – I think I was in a bit of shock. Then a single thought floated into my head – Crap! How am I going to write this review! It had left me absolutely speechless.

Dekker's books always give me a ton of food for thought. His comments on social, religious, and political subjects are so well crafted and carefully woven into the threads of his stories, that it often takes me days and weeks to fully process all that was said. I think I will be ruminating on Forbidden for quite some time (maybe it will help pass the time until the sequel comes out in 2012).

I have never read anything by Tosca Lee, so I'm not sure what her influence was on the story. But as a huge Dekker fan, I was not disappointed in this latest masterpiece. Get your copy September 13!

This is what I'm reading

On my reading list this week...



Leaving (Bailey Flanigan Series) by Karen Kingsbury

The Bailey Flanigan series begins with Bailey leaving Bloomington for the adventure of a lifetime. She has won an audition for the ensemble of a Broadway musical in New York City. She's determined to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but is she really ready to leave family and friends for the loneliness of the city? And what of Cody? His disappearance has her worried about their future and praying that their love can survive.In order to be closer to his mother in jail, Cody takes a coaching job in a small community outside Indianapolis. New friends, distance, and circumstances expose cracks in his relationship with Bailey Flanigan.Love, loneliness, big opportunities, and even bigger decisions highlight the first book in the new Bailey Flanigan series that features members of the popular Baxter family and finally completes the Bailey Flanigan/Cody Coleman story. From Goodreads.com

 Huber Hill and the Dead Man's Treasure by B. L. Bostick

When his grandfather dies, Huber Hill is devastated---until he opens Grandpa Nick's mysterious box. An old gold coin and directions to a hidden Spanish treasure send him and his friends off on an mind-blowing adventure, but he's not the only one on the hunt. Filled with dangerous animals and cryptic puzzles, this book will have you on the edge of your seat until the last page. From Goodreads.com

September Read-a-thon: Back of the Book Reviews

It's Monday! What are you reading? is a weekly meme at Book Journey blog.

I hate a minor character: 22 Britannia Road

22 Britannia Road: A Novel by Amanda Hodgkinson
Hardcover, 323 pages
Published April 2011 by Penguin Group
ISBN 9781611760033
Read August 2011 


I hate Doris!!


Okay, now that I got that out of my system I can start my review properly. As I said in my video, I discovered 22 Britannia Road after reading the review on Bonnie's blog Hands and Home. I started this blog with Skeletons at the Feast because I loved the book and wanted to tell more people about it. Before reading it though I had read The Zookeeper's Wife. Why am I giving you a run down of what I've read. Growing up, I read a lot of historical fiction. Mostly in the WWII era. However, they focused on soldiers or POWs. So when I returned to reading historical fiction, I was looking for something a bit different. These three books have something in common. They all deal more with the civilians, the families left behind. 


As an American, I don't know what it is like to live through war that is happening in my backyard. And as frequent readers of my blog you know that I enjoy stories where the characters have to struggle but that human spirit persevere in overcoming the harshest of obstacles. One thing 22 Britannia Road did not have in common with The Zookeeper's Wife and Skeletons at the Feast is that it is purely fiction. The later works were what I call creative non-fiction. Actual documents and often personal journal entries of the main characters fueled the story and the authors just filled in the plot holes to weave a realistic story. While I fully enjoyed 22 Britannia Road, I did feel something was missing something. I think it was the touches of reality. Not that what Silvana and Janusz went through could not have been what other survivors experienced, but it felt more of a possibility and not a true how it was. Does that make sense?


The writing was superb. Amanda Hodgkinson did a wonderful job of connecting the reader with her characters. When Jan would write to his parents, I found myself wondering if he was ever able to reconnect to them and what may have happened to them. I kind of wish that we had a side story that gave us a glimpse. Even now, I still wonder about their story as if they were real people. I was afraid that I would become confused by the jumping back and forth between the past and present and characters, but each subplot was clearly defined making it easy for the reader to fall right into the story. 


If you are looking for a historical fiction novel that tells a different story. A book with complicated characters trying to regain their life after living through hell. Characters who don't always make the right decision, yet you understand why the make those choices. Then please give 22 Britannia Road a chance.