You Can Never Be Too Rich ...

Too Rich for a Bride
by Mona Hodgson

If you asked my husband, he'd probably tell you my favorite books are romance novels that don't spend too much time worrying about whether you can figure out the ending after the first few pages. While there is some truth to that (I do like romances), I much prefer a meaty novel with a few twists and turns to one that lays out the plot in such a straight line that coming to the inevitable conclusion is rather anticlimactic.

Before I started reading, I was afraid this novel would fall more into the latter category than the former. In my experience, Christian western historicals do tend to follow a rather simple formula. While Mona Hodgson does stay true to the genre and offers a rather predictable storyline, she has also created remarkable, relatable characters. Rather than feeling let down by the unsurprising ending, I found myself smiling, happy they'd finally arrived.

Ida Sinclair, the protagonist, is a headstrong, independent woman. She's smart, ambitious, and doesn't have any interest in following the path society set out for the traditional woman. Moving to Colorado to join her sisters, Ida finds a job with a businesswoman who teaches her to knowledgeably invest in the stocks and see significant returns. Not everyone approves of the methods her mentor uses, however, and Ida's continued employment threatens family harmony. In the end, of course, Ida learns lessons that are much more valuable than how to play the market and she chooses between the two suitors pursuing her. Everyone lives happily every after, with just enough threads left untied for a sequel featuring the fourth Sinclair sister.

Although this book itself is a sequel to Two Brides Too Many, the story of Ida's sisters Kat and Nell, it stands well on its own. I haven't yet read the first book, but the continuing plotlines seemed adequately enough explained that I didn't feel lost as the story progressed.

This is not my favorite book, and westerns aren't really my favorite genre, but it was an enjoyable read and left me intrigued about the other sisters. I may have to order a copy of the first book, and I will be on the look out for the next. For being fun, though not terribly innovative, I give it three out of five smilies.

☺☺☺☻☻

I participate in the Blogging for Books program. WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group provided me with a free copy of this book for my review. Please click here to rate this review.

On Writing Fiction

I was just rereading an old interview with Beverly Cleary, author of the Ramona books and a whole bookshelf of others. Her answer to one question about how she approaches writing caught my attention.

I don’t believe that outlining works for fiction because if you have it all worked out, it becomes boring. So I just write. I really enjoy revising more than writing. I love to cross things out and cut a page down to one paragraph ... I know I wouldn’t want to see anything published as I wrote it initially because it changes so much in the writing. I revise until a little light bulb clicks off and I know it’s done. I just know when it feels right. My first editor told me I was an intuitive writer. I hadn’t really thought about myself that way, but I guess she was right.

Read the whole interview here.

Read, Pray, Win: A Book Review and Giveaway

Praying for Your Future Husband
by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer

Let me start by admitting (1) I never prayed for my future husband before I met Adam and (2) as I prepare to celebrate my seventh wedding anniversary, I'm pretty clearly outside the target audience for a devotional aimed primarily at teens to young unattached twentysomethings. Which, I suppose, begs the question, why exactly did I read this book?

Frankly, the top name on the front cover captured my attention. I counted today and was slightly surprised to discover I've read more than four dozen books by Robin Jones Gunn. She's written more than 70, mostly my favorite kind of novels: fun, fast-paced stories that direct readers' attention to God's love, grace, and unfathomable nature without announcing, "Hey, look; there's God! Now let me tell you all about Him ..." Robin's co-author, Tricia Goyer, has written more than 25 books herself, but I hadn't picked one up before now.

While there are a lot of books intended to offer suggestions for what to do while you wait, Praying for Your Future Husband seems to provide a unique framework for purposeful waiting that directs the reader to seek God and gives practical activities to enhance relationships, with both God and her husband-to-be. Each chapter is written around a single prayer focus, such as protection, faithfulness, contentment, even "The List" (qualities you want your husband to have). In addition to personal stories, poetry, and pertinent Bible passages, every chapter includes two prayers, one for the reader herself and another to pray for her future mate.

Perhaps the subtitle, Preparing Your Heart for His, should have clued me in, but I was pleasantly surprised to see as much or more of the text encouraging women to pray for their own edification as for their someday husbands. I also really appreciated the authors' choice to share their own love stories, the joys as well as painful missteps along the way. Some of my favorite moments in reading Robin's story involved learning about the real-life experiences that inspired fictional events in her novels.

Much like Passion & Purity by Elisabeth Elliot, which I read as a single woman waiting for a husband, Praying for Your Future Husband is a wonderful blend of personal memoir and practical guidebook. As a singleton (and remembering those years now), I was encouraged to read that now-married women had experienced the same emotions and worries and fears--and sometimes made the same poor choices--that I did. However, this same perspective that worrying and waiting are small in light of the rest of life, while accurate, can come across as slightly dismissive to a woman feeling alone, wondering if God has forgotten her. This is not necessarily a shortcoming of either book and may simply reflect an area in which I am particularly sensitive. Robin and Tricia acknowledge that, though a majority of women get married sooner rather than later, some will never marry and others wait many long years before their dream weddings become reality.

Overall, I liked it very much. The writing was engaging, by turns serious and laugh-out-loud funny. The authors have tackled relevant, sometimes delicate subjects with sensitivity and humor. My rating: five of five smilies.
☺☺☺☺☺

Praying for Your Future Husband will be released May 3rd. You can preorder a copy at Amazon.com or you can enter to win one right here!

Giveaway

As I've mentioned, this book really wasn't written for me, but maybe it's for you or someone you know. I'm giving away my gently read copy to one of my readers. For your chance to win, please leave a comment below; make sure I have a way to contact you. Link to this post (using the URL http://expimag.blogspot.com/2011/04/read-pray-win-book-review-and-giveaway.html) on Facebook, Twitter or your own blog for additional entries. Please include a link to your post or tweet. I'll leave comments open until 9:00 PM CDT on Thursday, May 5th and announce the winner Friday, May 6th.

I participate in the Blogging for Books program. WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group provided me with a free copy of this book for my review. Please click here to rate this review.

Ka-CHING! (or Don't You Love the Sound of Free?)

The internet abounds with free ebooks. I know. I've gone looking for them once or half a dozen times. And, in most cases, when I see the selection, I realize pretty quickly just why these books are free--they're not worth spending my money. Generally, they're not worth spending my time, either.

This is not that book! Not only is this a book worth spending your time reading, but I have actually spent money on it in hard copy. Sushi for One is the debut novel from Camy Tang. It's Asian-American Christian chick-lit, which, frankly, is reason enough to check it out--that's a rare combination right there. Not only is it unique, though, it's funny. It's well-written. It's free, people!

Head on over to Camy's blog for all the details and links for download. What are you waiting for? I've already got mine and I'm really looking forward to reading it again.

On Sisterhood

The power of one understanding woman who opens her ears and her heart to another woman should never be underestimated.

~Robin Jones Gunn, Peculiar Treasures

My Very First Sweater

You may remember my asking for suggestions about what to make first for the baby. I decided on a sweater. I found a pattern that looked really interesting, where the sweater is actually crocheted in two pieces, both hexagons. Since I dislike finishing my work (that is, having to do more stuff after the crocheting is done), it seemed like a good idea. Only, I found it boring to work on. The entire sweater is made up of double crochets. I mostly completed a test version that is now clothing my daughter's teddy bear. I decided not to work one up for the baby.

On a whim the other day, I picked up The Big Book of Weekend Crochet at the library. Although most of the patterns didn't really appeal to me, I love the sweater shown on the front cover. Unfortunately (or, perhaps, providentially) the pattern didn't include a newborn size. So I made up my own. I altered the pattern stitch a bit to better fit the yarn I had available and I made my very own baby Fisherman's Sweater.

Sadly, with our camera still busted, I couldn't take a photograph of it. This poor-quality substitute will have to do (it's what happened when I put the sweater into my scanner). The orange bow is not meant to stay, but is keeping the shoulder flap together until I get around to sewing the buttons in place. That will be sometime after I find my button stash, or I break down and buy some more. While I wish I had a better photo to share with you, at least this does show off the stitch pattern pretty well. You'll have to use your imagination for the rest of it. You can click on the image to see a bigger version.

EDITED TO ADD: You can see the finished sweater with buttons here.

Of course, I didn't write down all the changes I was making to the pattern as I went along. Sorry about that. I can share the adapted stitch pattern I used, though.

Ch 18
Row 1 (wrong side): Sc in second ch from hook, dc in next ch, *slst in next ch, dc in next ch. Repeat from * 6 times. Sc in final ch. Ch 1 and turn.
Row 2 (right side): Sc in each st across. Ch 1 and turn.
Row 3: Sc in first sc, slst in next sc, *dc in next sc, slst in next sc. Repeat from * 6 times. Sc in final sc. Ch 1 and turn.
Row 4: Repeat Row 2.
Row 5: Sc in first sc, dc in next sc, *slst in next sc, dc in next sc. Repeat from * 6 times. Sc in final sc. Ch 1 and turn.

Repeat rows 2-5 until piece reaches the length you desire.

Now that I have finished the baby's sweater, my daughter has been begging for one of her own. I have a feeling hers will take a little longer than two days to complete. She's a bit bigger now than she was as a newborn.

A New Old Idea

A while ago, I asked for your ideas about devotional guides. I didn't get many takers. Maybe I scared you all off by the linking lesson. Or maybe you have been as baffled as I when it comes to studying the Bible. In any case, I was left primarily to my own devices in reading God's word.

For a while, I was following the SOAP method. The acronym stands for Scripture, Observation, Application, and Prayer. Basically, I'd read a passage, choose a verse that stood out to me, paraphrase it, write down what I thought God was asking me to do with it in my life, and then pray. Though the blog concept never got off the ground, you can see a few of the studies I did using this plan at Bible Study Couple. While the method is a really great overall idea, I found myself getting bored with it after a few weeks, which meant I would put off reading my Bible. And, in the end, any study I'm not doing really isn't working for me.

I came up with my "new" idea just this week. The first inkling came several years ago while I made plans for Advent. I revisited it a few weeks back while I was working on the liturgies for morning and evening prayer, rewriting the words of confession and thanksgiving to make sense for the whole family. I also realized that my daughter really was having trouble understanding the Bible passages we would read to her in the mornings. I haven't liked most of the children's versions of the Bible that I've seen--particularly the fact that they focus on just a few stories and leave out so much of the substance. I'd been trying to read from The Message paraphrase, only Eugene Peterson uses a lot of words and ideas that are still far too advanced for my 4 year old.

This week, I started writing my own paraphrases. I had just begun reading through the book of James for myself and I thought, why not have my daughter learn what I'm learning? Let me tell you, having to take the verses I'm reading and write them in a way she can grasp--it really motivates me to understand what the passage is actually saying! I've been consulting various commentaries, cross referencing, and basically doing all sorts of stuff I almost never do for myself. And because I have a chance to help someone else learn and discover (something I love to do), this is FUN for me.

Now, I recognize that not everybody gets as excited about teaching as I do. We all have different gifts and passions that make the world an exciting place. So, to make this new discovery of mine a little more useful to those of you who wouldn't appreciate paraphrasing text, I thought I'd offer a few ideas that might strike your fancy a bit more.

• Draw, paint, or sculpt a piece of art which uses the main theme of the passage you are studying
• Stitch or scribe a bookmark or wall hanging that includes a verse you are trying to memorize
• Sing a hymn or praise song based on the passage you have read, or write your own
• Make a meal using fruits, grains, or other ingredients referenced in the passage
• Learn to sign a verse or passage in American Sign Language (or the sign language of your country)
• Design a scrapbook page for the verses, or create a whole scrapbook based on the book of the Bible or theme you are studying
• Choreograph a dance expressing the ideas in the passage

Our Story: Part Two

Previously in our story ...

That night, I started a new journal. I hadn’t kept a regular diary since high school, but after having been called “beautiful” by the man on whom I had a crush I couldn’t seem to shake, I figured I’d have a lot of thoughts I might want to get out.

The next week, I started reading Max Lucado’s Traveling Light. I don’t usually complete study guides printed at the end of books, but I decided to work through the one included with Traveling Light. The questions for the first chapter included, “What burdens are your loved ones needlessly bearing? What can you do to help them lay down those unnecessary burdens?”

I started my answer by making a list of loved ones. I deliberated whether or not to include Adam on my list, but in the end I decided to do so. As I considered what I might be able to do to help, the only thing that came to mind was prayer. As I prayed through my list, I remembered a specific request Adam had made the week before. He shared with the group that he was struggling with some relationship issues. He had been somewhat vague as to what that actually meant, but as I prayed for his struggle, I got a picture in my mind of a butterfly struggling to get out of his cocoon. I’d remembered reading once that it is this very struggle that strengthens the butterflies wings enough that he can fly. After much internal debate, I determined that Adam may well find this encouraging and I should write him a note. What finally brought me to a decision was that I also wrote a note to another friend for whom I'd prayed that day (but toward whom I did not have any romantic feelings).

The following Sunday, Adam came to talk to me after church. He thanked me for my card and told me he really appreciated it. I tried to keep my simpering to a minimum. We chatted for several minutes and decided to have lunch together with a friend of his. We did the same a week later, only the group at lunch was a bit larger. I tried to arrange a seat beside Adam or across from him, but didn’t manage it. I talked to the people sitting near me, but kept half an ear on Adam’s conversation at the other end of the table. I missed a lot, but they seemed to be talking about going to see The Matrix Reloaded, which had just come out.

As the lunch party was breaking up, my friend Andie*, another of the Sunday school teachers, and I had decided to go for coffee at the little shop across the parking lot from the restaurant where we’d eaten. I had been hoping to garner an invite to the movie with the guys, but that didn’t seem to be happening. Instead, One of the guys was asking Adam if he was coming with. He looked hesitant and glanced toward Andie and me. Andie, knowing my feelings for Adam, told him we were going for coffee. I hadn’t been planning to invite him, since I’d assumed he had other plans, but found myself asking, “Do you want to come?”

I was shocked that he said, “Yes.” I was even more shocked that our little coffee went on for nearly four hours. Adam and I sat across from one another, keeping up most of the conversation. Andie sat to one side and watched with a grin on her face. She didn’t do much talking, but she did manage to arrange a game night for us at Adam’s house the next week.

Game night started with dinner. Adam, his roommate, my friend Kate, and a couple of others gathered at Adam’s house for a spaghetti casserole and Trivial Pursuit. Kate won the game, as I recall, but I came in ahead of Adam. While we were boxing up the game, one of the guys started flipping through a brochure for an outdoor music festival. I mentioned a concert I would like to see the following month. As we said our good-byes, Adam asked if I’d like to make an outing of the concert. I said, “Sure!” and left with Kate.

Once we were safely ensconced in the car, I turned to her and asked, “Did I just get asked on a date?”

She responded, “It sure sounded like it to me.”
__________
* Names have been changed because I forgot to ask anybody if I could use their real names.

Don't forget to check out Adam's side of the story today over at Transforming Word.

Audio Books

Do you "read" audio books? Our library subscribes to an online service that allows me to download hundreds of audio books just by using my library card. I'm not sure I really like the idea, though.

On a convenience level, it would be great to listen to a book while I crochet or do housework or my hands are otherwise occupied. But I'm not sure how I feel about being read to. It seems strange to me.

Those of you with experience in this area, what do you like or dislike about audio books? Does it work better for some genres than others? Did you find it distracting to listen to someone speaking, telling a story, rather than listening to, say, music?

Any suggestions for a particular book or author I should listen to first?

The French Connection

I started out with the best of intentions, but clearly, my 2009 Reading List has suffered for the past several weeks. I can't even remember all the books I've read since I last updated it. Sorry about that. I would like to recommend a few that I have finished recently and enjoyed. It is only coincidence that they are all set in France.

The Provence Trilogy by Peter Mayle
A Year in Provence
A review of the year after moving with his wife from a busy career in London to living in the rural south of France. ☺☺☺☺☻
Toujours Provence
More notes on living and eating in Provence, particularly since the publication of a popular book. ☺☺☺☻☻
Encore Provence
The couple returns home to France after a several-year sojourn in New York. ☺☺☺☺☻

Am I the only one who didn't realize that A Year in Provence was not a work of fiction? I thought it was a novel when I requested it from the library. I was quite surprised to find myself reading a series of personal essays on life in the south of France. Despite the genre not meeting my expectations, the book itself (and its sequels) were quite enjoyable.

Kissing Adrien by Siri L. Mitchell
I found this on the discount shelf in my local Christian bookstore. After reading the blurb on the back, I wasn't sure whether I'd like it or not, but, since it was on sale and I was in the market for a new chick-lit novel, I went ahead and got it. I'm so glad I did.

Adrien is the family friend all the girls wished we had--he knows Claire so well he can almost read her mind. It's been a few years since they'd been together, but Adrien is just as handsome as always, and, unnervingly, still able to see the Claire beneath the surface that even she barely sees in herself. A feel-good book that asks some great questions about what it really means to be a Christian along the way. ☺☺☺☺☻

Socks

I have this theory that I can crochet socks. It's probably inspired by a book I got for my birthday, aptly named You Can Crochet Socks. Except, darned if I can't (no pun intended).

I've started at least three of the patterns, but either I'm reading them wrong or they weren't written very well in the first place because I have yet to turn out an actual wearable sock, much less a pair of them. Meanwhile, my feet have been cold all winter.

Maybe I should just suck it up and try knitting again. Knitting just seems so much less forgiving than crochet. If I make an error while I'm crocheting, I'll just rip out a row or two and fix my mistake. Knitting doesn't work that way, though. I have been reading about this technique where you knit two socks at once ... that could be useful.

Anybody else go from crochet to knitting? Any tips?

______________________________________________________________


Don't forget to enter my giveaway for this crocheted purse!
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Children's Books

I added a couple more books from the Ramona series that I've been reading aloud to my daughter to my 2009 Reading List.

          

My daughter has really been enjoying reading the books, even though I'm pretty sure she doesn't quite understand a lot of things. She keeps asking to read more, so I can't complain. She has even started "reading" to me by finding a picture or opening to a random page and making up the story.

Have I Told You Lately ...

... that I love my library? I've started figuring out their online reserve system here (it only took me five months) and it's great. I find a book I want and I can add it to my list. If I want a book right away, I can place a hold on it and the library system will send it from wherever it started out to my local branch, usually within a day or two.

Ooh, and then there are the DVDs. How much more can you ask for than unlimited free DVDs? We have had one or two (or four) that have had some scratches, but for the most part they've played as well as those you would rent from a national chain at nearly $5 a pop--and we get them for a whole week!

I also have free online access to hundreds of audio books, language-learning programs, classic films, children's videos, and research databases. Some of them even allow me to download material and burn it to CD.

Sigh. How did I ever manage for so many years without a library card?

In Which I Babble Like a Brook

Adam's new work schedule started this week. Now, rather than working eight hours a day Sunday through Thursday, as he has been since the end of December, he's working 10-hour days Friday through Monday. It's been a very strange week so far. On the plus side: he now gets three scheduled days off each week rather than two, the pay is slightly higher, and we have plenty of regular working hours to take care of personal business. The only negatives I've seen so far are that we've now lost our whole weekend (and all it's associated social activity), and the days he works can get pretty long. Overall, I think we come out on the positive side of things, or will, once we get used to it.

One of the pieces of personal business we were able to take care of this past midweek was a visit to the eye doctor. Both Adam and I are waiting for a trial pair of contacts. Wa-hoo! I haven't worn contacts regularly in several years, but I've been missing them lately. Now that we have good vision insurance, I'm excited to get some new lenses.

I've been getting behind in my book reviewing. Are you all reading and appreciating them, or should I just offer the list and the smilies? Right now I'm four books behind. If there is great interest, I'll be happy to make the effort to keep reviewing, but if not ... well, to the best of my knowledge, there aren't any health benefits to book reviews. Unless you're reviewing a book about good health, I suppose.

The last couple of years, I've been thinking I need to muster up a greater appreciation for sports besides football. I find myself set rather adrift after the Superbowl, not really knowing what to do with my Sunday afternoons. For several years I tried to like hockey, but I just didn't understand enough of it to make it really interesting. Basketball is okay. It's probably my second-favorite, but the score changes too fast. Maybe I should just stick to football and consider the rest of the year "Crochet Season" where I pop in a movie on Sunday afternoon and work on my crafting.

One or the Other

I came across the following quote today from Penny Culliford in her book Theodora's Diary. It made me laugh. Theo is responding to her boyfriend's claim that he doesn't attend church because of the singing, especially the children's songs complete with hand motions.

I hadn't thought about it before, but, when you consider it, it is an extremely strange thing to expect people to do. In fact, the whole procedure of a church service is quite bizarre. A group of people from different backgrounds and of different ages, with very little in common, gathers once or twice a week in a draughty stone building. They talk, not to each other, but to someone who died 2,000 years ago. They sing about gathering at the river, putting on armour, washing in the fountain and the blood of the lamb. They sit and listen while a man in a long dress tells them how to behave. They read from a book no bigger than a James Clavell novel, the same book people have been using for hundreds and hundreds of years, sometimes in an obsolete version of English. Occasionally they queue up to sip a tiny drop of wine and eat a crumb of bread, given to them by the man in a dress. The only part that really seems to make sense is the coffee at the end. Thinking about it like that, it's a wonder that Christianity as a whole and the Church of England in particular have survived as long as they have.

I suppose it shows it must be true.

Either that, or all Christians are two quiches short of a bring-and-share.

From My Reading

A couple of interesting quotes I have read in the last couple of weeks.

     "You're worried about something that may or may not happen six years from now?"
     "Right."
     "Do you think that's a good use of your emotional energy?"
     "No. But on the other hand, it's the whole Boy Scout thing about how you should always be prepared. If you anticipate what things might go wrong, you can take steps to avoid it."
     "You have to stop worrying. Worrying gives you the false impression you have control over things. You don't. You don't know what the future brings. Anything could happen."

~Theresa Alan, Getting Married

I think I have always had the misguided sense that worry and fear serve as an insurance policy of sorts. On a subconscious level, I subscribe to the notion that if you worry about something, it is somehow less likely to happen. Well, I am here to say that it doesn't work like that. The very thing you fear the most can still happen anyway. And when it does, you feel that much more cheated for having feared it in the first place.

~Emily Giffin, Baby Proof

The Sunday Sermon and Other Notes

I cried in church today. It's been a while since that happened. What set me off today? A single line.

You can never beat yourself up enough
to get rid of the guilt.

Last night I finished reading a book. The main character gets herself into some serious trouble trying to stay on top and in control of her increasingly overwhelming life. I could really relate. That scared me. She wasn't really somebody with whom I was pleased to identify. I'll get a review up in the next day or two.

Meanwhile, did I mention that I found a local source for Pecorino Romano, Manchego, and goat's milk cheddar and mozzarella? It's prohibitively expensive, of course, but at least I know where to buy them now. I did actually pick up a block of mozzarella this afternoon. We're having pizza for dinner! Yum.

We took a family trip to the library yesterday. We got a selection of DVDs (how cool are free movies from the library? I mean, really, does it get better than this?) and the original Mary Poppins book by P.L. Travers. This is the first chapter book we're trying to read to our daughter. It's only been in the last year or so she's really shown an interest in books and she's been mostly into books she can interact with (i.e. books with lots of bright colorful pictures). My only real concern is that the movie strays significantly from the book, so the story won't quite be what she's used to from Mary Poppins. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes. I'll let you know what she thinks once we've finished.

Finally, a sermon illustration this morning made me think of the song "Beautiful in My Eyes" by Joshua Kadison. You can listen here. Even though I know this song is written from a man to a woman, I like the image of God saying to each of us, "You'll always be beautiful in My eyes."

2009 Reading List

I sort of forgot to keep up with my 2008 reading, so I thought I'd get a jump on 2009. I'll update this list as I finish my books.

A note on the reviews and recommendations: I do read and enjoy books with mature themes, coarse language, and explicit sexual depictions. I may or may not make note of their occurrence. If you are trying to avoid any of these, make sure you consult a reputable source to discern whether or not any given book might be suitable for your collection.

**Update** I added a section of books I've begun but chose not to finish. Click here to check those out.

Books I've Read

12. Ramona and Her Mother by Beverly Cleary
Ramona is feeling left out of the mother-daughter bond she sees between her sister and their mother. Beezus is older, she's allowed to do more, and Ramona overheard Mrs. Quimby tell a neighbor she couldn't get along Beezus. Ramona doesn't remember her mother ever saying that about her. Adding to these difficulties of being seven and a half, Ramona is having trouble with her spelling and she's not sure she likes her new teacher. The trouble with being the youngest, but no longer charming just for being young is a common theme, but the author handles it with realism and humor. As usual, four smilies. (reviewed 3/14/09)
☺☺☺☺☻

11. Ramona and Her Father by Beverly Cleary
Of all the Ramona books, this stands out to me as the darkest. Not that any of the stories are particularly dark, but on the whole, this one is more serious than the others. To begin with, Mr. Quimby loses his job, requiring some major changes for the whole family. Then, Beezus, Ramona's older sister, complains about Mr. Quimby's smoking. Ramona worries about his lungs turning black and the girls mount their very own in-home campaign to convince their father to give up his cigarettes. Interspersed with the more serious themes, however, are many more lighthearted moments. As usual, by the end of the book, all has been resolved. Four of five smilies. (reviewed 3/14/09)
☺☺☺☺☻

10. Theodora's Diary by Penny Culliford
I've read this book several times. Each time, I realize I have forgotten just how funny it is. Theodora lives in a small British village and attends the local Anglican church. She worries that her football-loving boyfriend is spiritually degenerate, that her parents marriage will break up over one moussaka too many, and that she'll never make it through Lent without chocolate. Her boss is an inveterate practical joker, her assigned prayer partner has five (or is it six?) children and wears dresses that match the draperies, and she has just been called on by the church's self-appointed minister of visitation to the sick (who bears an uncanny resemblance to the grim reaper). I defy you not to laugh. Four of five smilies, laughing out loud. (reviewed 2/25/09)
☺☺☺☺☻

9. On a Whim by Robin Jones Gunn
I've read 40 of the 57 books Robin Jones Gunn has written. I'm currently waiting (highly impatiently, I might add) for two more to be published. I think it would be safe to say I'm a big fan. This story is the second book in the Katie Weldon series. Katie was first introduced in the Christy Miller books and her story continued in the distance throughout the Sierra Jensen series. Though all these collections are directed to teen readers, I read them all as an adult and find them quite good reading. The story picks up in Katie's senior year of college, she and Rick are now officially dating, but their heavy schedules, especially Rick's business trips to Arizona, keep them from seeing each other too often. Rick wants Katie to get to know his roommate better, and quit acting so strangely around him. I really can't say much more about the storyline; after the first chapter or two, it is quite predictable. Still, I enjoy these characters so much, I don't mind that their lives are not unexpected. The single thing I like best about all of this author's work is, to quote the Publishers Weekly review of this novel, "religious faith never feels sentimentalized or tacked on, but is integrated beautifully." Total score: four of five smilies. (reviewed 2/25/09)
☺☺☺☺☻

8. Ramona the Brave by Beverly Cleary
In case you've been living under a rock for the past 30 years or so, the Ramona books are modern classics of children's literature. This is the third book in the series chronologically, however, each novel stands alone. Ramona is entering the first grade and she has exciting news for show and tell: workmen came to her house over the summer and broke through the back of the hall closet to start adding a new bedroom! Unfortunately, the rest of the class doesn't respond with the gasps of awe she expects. This one incident on the first day of school sets the tone for her whole semester. Ramona's teacher doesn't seem to understand her, one of her classmates copies her art project, and she discovers that sleeping alone in a dark room is scary. Beverly Cleary does an amazing job of capturing the essence of childhood joys and frustrations. I enjoyed this book as much reading it to my daughter as I did when I was a kid. I give it four of five smilies. (reviewed 2/25/09)
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7. Baby Proof by Emily Giffin
I read this author's books Something Borrowed and Something Blue last year and really enjoyed them (the second a little more than the first). I didn't know how well I would like this novel, however, because I wasn't too sure I could relate to the premise: Claudia and Ben agreed when they married that neither wanted to have children. It seems to have been their defining characteristic as a couple. When their close friends announce a pregnancy, Ben starts to wonder if maybe there is something to procreating after all. Claudia feels betrayed. She tries to talk to her friends and her sisters, but no one seems to understand. The underlying theme of the book seems to be: at what point do you give up what you always wanted, to get what you always wanted? Although I didn't really understand not wanting a child, the story is written in such a way that I found it easy to relate to Claudia's feelings of betrayal and confusion. Overall, it's a well-written book with interesting plot twists. I give it three smilies. (reviewed 2/25/09)
☺☺☺☻☻

6. Secret Confessions of the Applewood PTA by Ellen Meister
This is a book that should, by rights, have joined the list below of books I didn't finish. I'm not sure what prompted me to keep reading beyond the wide-eyed fascination with which you associate disasters. The story was little more than Mean Girls, all grown up. To keep the readers' interest, the author has included a generous helping of varied sex scenes, drug use, and references to George Clooney. Unfortunately, even that didn't really keep it interesting. In the end, I couldn't even muster one smiley for this one. (reviewed 2/6/09)
☻☻☻☻☻

5. Lost & Found by Jane Sigaloff
Sam accidentally leaves her diary in a New York hotel room when she returns to London. Visiting New York with his sister, fellow Londoner Ben finds the diary and is immediately entranced by its author. He shows up at her door, has a few dates with her roommate, then joins Sam's friends in convincing her the two of them should be an item. Reading this book for the first time, I felt like I'd read it before. The plot seemed very similar to Sophie Kinsella's Can You Keep a Secret? I don't suppose I can hold that against the autor, though, since Lost & Found was published first. Still, the story seemed somewhat uninspired. The plot was predictable and the characters weren't quirky enough to hold much real interest through to the last page. I was still rooting for Ben and Sam to get together in the end, however, which is about all that pushed it out of one-smiley territory and earned it two smilies. (reviewed 1/23/09)
☺☺☻☻☻

4. Getting Married by Theresa Alan
It's packaged as a fluffy chick-lit romance, but it's not really. The story starts out rather lightly as the heroine, Eva, has a minor panic attack in the bathroom stall of her regular happy-hour haunt upon reading the graffiti scrawled on the door, "You are not the first, and you are definitely not the last. And probably, you are not the best." As the story continues, we learn that Eva is a successful business owner and is all but engaged to her boyfriend of several months, computer programmer Will. After a childhood of never feeling good enough for her demanding father, Eva is worried that she won't be able to compete with Will's ex-wife, with whom he is still friends. Soon, the wedding plans start (even without a proposal), and Eva takes on a high-pressure consulting job for a client who is in over his head. She is overworked, stressed out, and as insecure as ever about becoming the wife Will really wants. This volatile combination of factors explodes one evening on a business trip when she engages in some self-destructive behavior which she quickly finds addictive.

As I mentioned in my previous post regarding this book, I found the character of Eva very identifiable, and this made me uncomfortable. I don't like to think that, in a similar situation, I would be tempted to make a similar choice. Yet, I know that I would. I found the book fascinating. It is quite well written and almost all of the characters are well-developed as individuals, rather than simply flat stereotypes. I was a bit put off by the overabundance of four-letter words and I could have done without a conversation or two of thinly veiled political commentary, but overall, I felt the book was a good, interesting, thoughtful read, well deserving of four smilies. (reviewed 1/20/09)
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3. Dreaming in Black and White by Laura Jensen Walker
I've read this novel before and, frankly, I don't remember liking it as well the first time. Phoebe really seemed to grow on me more this time. The story is pretty standard Christian chick-lit fare: Girl meets boy, boy fires girl, girl hates boy, girl is surprised when God drops boy back in her lap. The characters are likable, if sometimes a bit one-dimensional. The movie references were a lot of fun, and I, personally, have to give a bonus credit to any couple whose love story started over Trivial Pursuit. Another nice, light fluffy read with a moment or two of depth thrown in for good measure. I give it three smilies. (reviewed 1/14/09)
☺☺☺☻☻
See here my thoughts on the sequel.

2. Paper Moon by Linda Windsor
Caroline, a single mom, and Blaine, a single dad, chaperone their daughters' class trip to Mexico. As you might imagine, the rest of the story is about how they clash, spark, and fall in love under the watchful eyes of a bus full of teenagers and other parents. Their whirlwind romance struck me as a bit contrived, and the subplot involving an international smuggling ring seemed a bit over the top. It was almost as if the love story wasn't enough to carry the book, so another, heavier plot line needed to be added to make it more interesting. The story itself wasn't so bad, but the inlaid concepts of Christianity felt a little heavy handed. However, if you can make it past the periodic theology lessons, and you're willing to suspend your disbelief at the time it takes their romance to blossom, you may enjoy this story. Unfortunately, I couldn't quite manage both. My verdict: just one out of five smilies. (reviewed 1/10/09)
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1. Remember Me? by Sophie Kinsella
A woman wakes up from a coma to discover she can't remember the last three years of her life. She has to get to know her new husband, friends, and high-powered job while trying to figure out just who is this woman she has become.

I liked it. Not a fantastic piece of literature, but it was a fun story. I'd consider it a decent companion for the beach or a long flight. My biggest complaint was that the ending seemed a bit abrupt compared to the pacing of the rest of the story. Overall, I give it three out of five smilies.
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Books I Didn't Finish

4. Paperback Writer by Stephen Bly

I don't really have anything bad to say about this one, just that I wasn't in the mood to read the story after I'd started. The premise is of a novelist who has just finished his 98th paperback detective story. He's headed home from his writing nook (a low-rent hotel) and encounters a series of extraordinary events. The only problem is, he's not sure which are real and which he has imagined.


3. This Charming Man by Marian Keyes

I got about halfway through this one. I've really liked Marian Keyes's books in the past, including Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married, Watermelon, and Last Chance Saloon. Her writing is still excellent, unfortunately, I couldn't get past the subject matter: domestic violence. Despite the compelling prose, I didn't feel the need to read colorful accounts of fictional abuse.


2. Dreaming in Technicolor by Laura Jensen Walker

Ah, yes. This is why I remember not liking Dreaming in Black and White. I only got through about a half-dozen pages this time. The quirky, spunky heroine from the first book has landed the man. Unfortunately, this seems to have made Phoebe clingy, whiny, and irritatingly insecure. It's no wonder her new boyfriend heads halfway around the world to be rid of her.


1. Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

I knew the movie was based on the whole collection of stories, not just the one book, but I didn't realize just how incredibly different they would be. In particular, the character of Mary Poppins (in the book) was haughty, vain, and quite disrespectful of both her employers and the children in her care. We stopped reading after three or four chapters.

What Would You Like to Win?

I'm fast approaching my 300th post as well as my 10,000th blog visit. I'd like to host a wonderful giveaway to celebrate, but I'm not really sure what would inspire you to sign up and tell your friends.

As you think about it, bear in mind, I have no money, so whatever it is will have to be free for me to get or make and the delivery cost must be negligible. In other words, I'd love to send you my extra computer system, but I can't afford the shipping.

In the past, I've given away a couple of blog headers (see my work on the blogs of previous winners Mudpies to Dragonflies and There is no such thing as a God-forsaken town). I could do that again, if there is interest, but I'd really like to give away something my readers want.

Some other thoughts I've had:

• Custom crocheted hat, shawl, bag, or stuffed toy
• Set of personalized notecards or writing paper
• Handmade calendar or journal
• Paperback book
• Collection of my favorite recipes
• ???

Please leave your ideas in the comments. You can choose one of the things I've listed or suggest an alternative I haven't mentioned. Ask your friends, have them bring me some ideas, too.

I'm accepting submissions through Thanksgiving weekend and I will announce the contest the following week.

Thanks for your help!!

Pick Me, Pick Me!

Mary over at Owlhaven has a very nifty giveaway going on right now. She has a selection of books that would make perfect holiday gifts for yourself, your kids, or your friends. The winner will be able to choose two books of her (or his) very own. You can check out all the books and the contest guidelines here.

          

If I won, I think I'd be going with Dream Songs and Night Songs: From Belgium to Brazil and The De-Stress Diva's Guide to Life, or maybe A Duck in New York City, just because it looks so cute!

Now head on over and pick some for yourself!