Monday, February 28, 2011

Library Elf

We have a great new service at our library (and possibly your local library as well). It is called Library Elf and it is an email notification service for your library materials. Library Elf will send you an email to let you know when your materials are due, or how many days they are overdue, or how much your fines are. There is also a link from their website to your library's website so that you can renew your materials or just look at the status of your library account.

The best thing about Library Elf is that it is FREE! I just signed up and I know that it is going to be a very handy thing for me to have so that I will be able to keep track of all my checkouts.

To see if your library has an account with Library Elf, go to their website.

What do you think? Is this something you think you would like to have? Why don't you try it out for a while and see how you like it? Remember, it's free!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Book Trailer: The Band That Played On by Steve Turner

This book looks good. I've always wondered about these men and their courage to stay on the Titanic as it sank into the ocean.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

Book Review: Angel Sister by Ann H. Gabhart

Angel Sister is not the first book I have read by this author, but it is certainly the best.    

Here is the description of the book from the author's website:

Angel Sister: A NovelIt is 1936 and Kate Merritt, the middle child of Victor and Nadine, works hard to keep her family together. Her father slowly slips into alcoholism and his business suffers during the Great Depression. As her mother tries to come to grips with their situation and her sisters seem to remain blissfully oblivious to any problems, it is Kate who must shoulder the emotional load. Who could imagine that a dirty, abandoned little girl named Lorena Birdsong would be just what the Merritts need? 

This richly textured novel reveals the power of true love, the freedom of forgiveness, and the strength to persevere through troubled times. Multidimensional characters face real and trenchant problems while maintaining their family bonds, all against the backdrop of a sultry Kentucky summer.

I read Angel Sister in a short amount of time because I didn't want to leave the story for even a few minutes. I felt like I was right there with the characters as they struggled with life issues and the fears that come as a result. I thought about how difficult it must be to live in a household with an alcoholic and what it means for a young girl to try and hold her family together when everything in it is falling apart.

As the story progresses, there are many secrets revealed in the character's lives. The plot does not falter, but keeps the reader moving quickly through as questions are raised, then answered one by one. People die, relationships are restored, and the Merritt family finds forgiveness and redemption as God works in and around them through a little girl named Lorena Birdsong.

This book is a keeper. I give Angel Sister 5 out of 5 stars!

“Available February 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

(I received this book from Revell Books for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

Living just thirty miles from a restored Shaker village in Kentucky, Ann H. Gabhart has walked the same paths that her characters might have walked in generations past. Her thorough research provides a convincing and colorful backdrop for her Shaker novels. Gabhart is the author of several bestselling novels, including The Outsider, The Believer, The Seeker, and Angel Sister.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Meme: What Authors Do You Have in Your Library?


Cindy at Cindy's Book Club Blog sent this meme to me. It looked interesting, so I decided to join in.

This is how this meme works: copy this list, delete the names of the authors you don't have on your home library shelves, and replace them with names of authors you do have. Bold the replacements. Then link to me.


John Bunyan

Louisa May Alcott

Jane Austen

John Piper

J. R. R. Tolkien

Charles Swindoll

Charles Dickens

John MacArthur

C.S. Lewis


Join the fun!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays is a meme from Should Be Reading, where we answer three questions: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? and What do you think you'll read next? If you want to participate, answer the three questions, then put your link on the Should Be Reading Blog in the comment section. Happy reading!


                   Tandem: A Novel                 The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure              Lazarus Awakening: Finding Your Place in the Heart of God

What I am currently reading: Tandem by Tracey Bateman - I didn't realize when I requested this book from Waterbrook/Multnomah that one of the main characters is a vampire. Oh, well, it's not too bad so far. I'll wait to pass judgment until I finish. The plot is actually pretty interesting up to this point. Review to come.


What I recently finished reading: The Princess Bride by William Goldman - If you are a fan of the movie, but have not read the book, I'm sure you will like it. It is just as funny, but a little different. I like how the author tries to make us believe that this was actually a very old book that he was introduced to as a child and decided to write an abridgement. It is quite amusing how he puts several side notes throughout the text, where he discusses the places where he "left out" the other author's words because he was too verbose. Great idea! I'm glad I can now say I have read the book.

 
What I'll probably read next: Lazarus Awakening by Joanna Weaver - I received this non-fiction book from LitFuse Publicity to review. It is written by the author who wrote Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World. I think this one will be good. 

Friday, February 18, 2011

Book Review: Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes

Since three out of five of my babies were born with a midwife's assistance, I thought that this new series by Laurie Alice Eakes, The Midwives, would be interesting. I feel a connection with women who, for various reasons, make it their profession to help other women give birth. And I can say, because of my experience, that most midwives are caring and beneficial helpers in the birthing process. I have been blessed with three of the best.

Lady in the Mist: A Novel (The Midwives)Lady in the Mist did not disappoint. The characters are genuine and believable. As I said last week, they did not come across as black/white, good/bad, but a realistic mixture of "(For) I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing" (Romans 7:19). There are a few "bad guys", but most of the rest are people just like you and me, sinners in need of a savior.

The main character in this book is Tabitha, who is the "lady in the mist". As she goes about her duties as the village midwife, she meets Dominick, a British aristocrat who has come to America to work as an indentured servant to the town mayor. Why he is really there is a mystery to all. Tabitha is not sure she can trust this man, but at the same time finds herself attracted to him. Will love survive in a world of lies and intrigue?

There are many twists and turns in the novel as the reader attempts to figure out who is telling the truth and who is lying. One minute a hero appears to be a villain, the next an upright citizen seems to be a spy. I had fun reading this book. Although not as complex as an Agatha Christie, the plot still met my expectations of an entertaining and satisfying read.

I give Lady in the Mist 4 1/2 out of 5 stars.

“Available February 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

(I received this book from Revell for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Expresso Book Machines - The Future in Instant Book Publishing

Have you heard about the new Expresso Book Machine that will print out of stock and out-of-print books on demand right there in the bookstore as you wait (and watch)? You just search for the book you want (approx. 4 million books are available right now) and the machine prints out the cover and pages and then binds them all together. Voila! Instant book!

Here is the video that shows the machine and how it works:



You can even print copies of your own book. That's a neat idea for someone who wants to make books for friends and family, or wants to distribute their books themselves.

And here's another article about an EBM in Cambridge, Mass. that you might find interesting. I'd love to see one of these in action!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays is a meme from Should Be Reading, where we answer three questions: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? and What do you think you'll read next? If you want to participate, answer the three questions, then put your link on the Should Be Reading Blog in the comment section. Happy reading!


                    Angel Sister: A Novel          Once Was Lost          The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure


What I am currently reading: Angel Sister by Ann H. Gabhart - I am learning more about WWI than I knew before. I like how the chapters go back and forth from "present-day" (1936) to pre-war and war years. The characters are believable and some are ones I would like to meet if they actually existed. A satisfying read.

What I recently finished reading: Once Was Lost by Sara Zarr - My sister told me about this YA book. I listened to it on CD. I didn't like the way the author read the book, but I did enjoy the story. I will attempt to review it soon here on this blog.

What I'll probably read next: The Princess Bride by William Goldman - I have watched the movie several times since it first came out and it has become one of my favorites. But I have never read the book. Some say the book is even better than the movie. How could that be? We'll see.

Friday, February 11, 2011

Want free books for your Kindle?

I just got a new iPod Touch (which I am absolutely thrilled with!) and I'm learning how to do all kinds of cool things with it. One of those things is putting free Kindle books on it.

I may be the only one, but I have trouble finding free Kindle books that I like when I search on Amazon. I have to search past many different books to find the few that appeal to me. It is quite frustrating. So many times it gives me books that will help me learn how to find the free books, or books that are not free. I guess Amazon doesn't want them to be that easy to find (although that seems to me to be just shooting themselves in the foot).

Anyway, when I discovered someone who will send emails to me telling me what Christian books are free on Kindle that week, I immediately signed up! I get an email every week with the links to the books. All I have to do is click on the link and "buy" the book. Then I can put it on my iPod.

I thought some of you would be interested in this, so here is the place to sign up: http://vesselproject.com/. You can do one of two things: sign up for her email subscription and get an email every time she has a post, or, if you just want to know about the free books, you can put her blog in your favorites and go to her blog every week and click on the link for that post (here is a direct link to those posts). Either way, I hope you enjoy learning about these new books.

Let me know in the comments what you think!

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Book Review: If God is Good by Randy Alcorn

Every so often a book comes along that I believe will become a classic because of the infinite wisdom and value contained inside. If God is Good is such a book. Written primarily for Christians, it is a book that I think anyone may benefit from reading.

If God Is Good: Faith in the Midst of Suffering and EvilThe subtitle of this book is Faith in the Midst of Suffering and Evil. In the first chapter, Mr Alcorn states, "Our failure to teach a biblical theology of suffering leaves Christians unprepared for harsh realities. It also leaves our children vulnerable to history, philosophy, and global studies classes that raise the problems of evil and suffering while denying the Christian worldview. Since the question will be raised, shouldn't Christian parents and churches raise it first and take people to Scripture to see what God says about it?" He then proceeds in the rest of the book (a whopping 500+ pages!) to answer, biblically, many (if not all) of the questions about suffering and evil in our world. Even though its size may intimidate some readers, I feel that the time spent reading If God is Good is well worth it.

One idea that Mr. Alcorn teaches is that the Christian worldview is fundamentally different than a man-centered worldview. He explains the reason for which God created the world: "If we come to see the purpose of the universe as God's long-term glory rather than our short-term happiness, then we will undergo a critical paradigm shift in tackling the problem of evil and suffering. The world has gone terribly wrong. God is going to fix it. First, for his eternal glory. Second, for our eternal good." We must realize that all that happens in our lives are happening (ultimately) for the glory of God and for our good. And we must trust Him in that.

The author also makes it clear that "God isn't the author of evil, but he is the author of a story that includes evil. He intended from the beginning to permit evil, then to turn evil on its head, to take what evil angels and evil people intended for evil and use it for good. God intended to show his highest good."

Some readers may ask, "But wouldn't it be better if God, being good and all-powerful, miraculously intervened every time someone intended to do harm, thus doing away with evil, or, at least the consequences of evil?" Mr. Alcorn answers: "If God disarmed every shooter and prevented every drunk driver from crashing, this would not be a real world in which people make consequential choices. It would not be a world of character development and faith building. It would not be a world where families put their arms around one another to face life's difficulties. It would be a world where people went blithely along with their lives, content to do evil and put up with it, feeling no need to turn to God, no incentive to consider the gospel and prepare for eternity. In such a world, people would die without a sense of need, only to find themselves in Hell." Who are we to question God about what He is doing in this world and why? Job learned the answer to that one, didn't he?

Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the LORD. 'As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.'"

I don't know about you, but I find that extremely comforting.

I give If God is Good 5 out of 5 stars.

(I received this book from Waterbrook/Multnomah for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

WWW Wednesdays

WWW Wednesdays is a meme from Should Be Reading, where we answer three questions: What are you currently reading? What did you recently finish reading? and What do you think you'll read next? If you want to participate, answer the three questions, then put your link on the Should Be Reading Blog in the comment section. Happy reading!


                    Lady in the Mist: A Novel (The Midwives)          Rooms: A Novel          Angel Sister: A Novel


What I am currently reading: Lady in the Mist by Laurie Alice Eakes - I am almost finished with this book which I received from Revell to review. It is the first in a series. One thing I like about it is that the "ex-fiance" is not a mean, bitter, cold-hearted man, but someone who (at least so far) loves Tabitha (the main character) and wants the best for her. A lot of books like this have the two men who are vying for the heart of a woman to be complete opposites, one "perfect", the other evil, or, at the least, whiny and disagreeable. 

What I recently finished reading: Rooms by James L. Rubart - This one was okay, but I didn't agree with some of the theology in it and so had a hard time finishing it. I did like the plot, though. Interesting book. I won his book called Book of Days (just released in January) in a recent contest, so I'll read it soon and perhaps share my thoughts here.

What I'll probably read next: Angel Sister by Ann H. Gabhart - Here is the blurb from the back of the book: "It is 1936 and Kate Merritt works hard to keep her family together. Her father has slipped into alcoholism, her mother is trying to come to grips with their dire financial situation, and her sisters seem to remain blissfully oblivious to all of it. Kate could never have imagined that a dirty, abandoned little girl named Lorena Birdsong would be just what her family needs."

What are you reading? As always, let me know in the comments.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Book Review: Stars Collide by Janice Thompson

I have read one other book by Janice Thompson. When I read and reviewed It Had to be You, I saw that Ms. Thompson had a talent for writing fun, likeable characters. Both of these books were enjoyable to read.

Stars Collide: A Novel (Backstage Pass)Stars Collide is the first in a series called Backstage Pass. It is the story of Kat and Scott, actors who are both Christians and, at the beginning of the book, have just started a serious relationship after working with one another on a family sit-com for a few years. There's also Kat's grandmother, Lenora, who is also an actress and is showing signs of dementia.

When Lenora hears that the characters on the show are getting married, she thinks it is actually Kat and Scott who are tying the knot, and she begins eagerly planning the wedding. This causes the paparazzi to follow the couple wherever they go, and rumors fly. In the meantime, other family secrets reveal themselves, turning Kat's life completely upside down.

Just like It Had to be You, I had fun reading this book, although it is not one I would normally pick up and buy or check out from the library. It was a nice diversion for a few hours. Probably anyone who likes cute, funny (and clean) romance books will like Stars Collide. The only reason I give it less that a 5 is because I would rather read other types of novels. So keep that in mind when you consider this one.

I give Stars Collide 4 out of 5 stars.

“Available January 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Janice Thompson is a seasoned romance author and screenwriter. An expert at pulling the humor from the situations we get ourselves into, Thompson affords an inside look at TV land, drawing on her experiences as a screenwriter. She is the author of the Weddings by Bella series and lives in Texas.



(I received this book from Revell for review purposes. I received no monetary compensation for this review. All opinions expressed are completely my own.)