Ever since having read Karen Linamen’s book, “Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight” a few weeks ago, I’ve been really looking forward to reading Matthew Kelly’s “The Rhythm of Life“. Ms. Linamen quoted this book often, and the quotes were so good that I determined I just HAD to read that book, too! So, I requested it at the local library, and waited patienty for the interlibrary loan to come. And, it finally did.

But, upon starting to read, I was very disappointed. This book is not what I’d been expecting at all. Instead of an exciting, inspiring read, I found that it was very wordy and repetitive, and I just couldn’t stomach it. I got about as far as page 100, and then just gave up and started skimming through the rest. Why didn’t I just set the book aside? Well, those quotes from the other book kept me thinking that I was going to miss out on something REALLY good if I didn’t keep searching.

I did end up with several pages of quotes, so the book wasn’t a complete waste. But it obviously wasn’t the book for me. Too bad, as it sounded like it’d be soooo good!

Don’t you hate it when you get your hopes up about a book, and then it completely lets you down?

Anyhoo. Now I’m reading “The First 30 Days” by Ariane De Bonvoisin, and so far, it’s enjoyable. There’s a website, too, which I found to be really interesting.

Here’s the description from Amazon:

The First 30 Days reveals the nine principles of change that will revolutionize how you face transition times. With real-life stories, practical exercises, and inspiring action points, this book teaches the skills you need to face or make any change in your life, including how to:

• Use your Change Muscle
• Combat fear, doubt, and all your change demons
• Get in touch with your spiritual side
• Create a plan that will get you results

Next up, I’ll be reading “Essie In Progress” by Marjorie Presten. It’s a blog tour for December ~ my last one for this year.

Today’s plans? Read, read, read!

Have a good day, everyone!

This week, Amy asks:

With Thanksgiving coming up, I thought I’d keep it simple today and just ask what you’re thankful for this year. Every year is so different, and we learn to appreciate different things in different seasons of life. If you have a favorite Thanksgiving book or passage from Scripture you’d like to share with us as well, please do! Or maybe even just a photo. All I’m asking is that you take a couple of minutes and let the gratitude well up in your heart and onto your blog!

I’m grateful, this year, for the fact that my husband has been able to go back to school, that our finances have held steady (we’ve not fallen into the hole, yet), I still have a job, we all have our health, and that I’ve been given so many wonderful reviewing opportunities.

~ :: ~ :: ~ :: ~

For more gushing gratitude,
please visit Amy’s blog!

What great books did you hear about/discover this past week (and add to your TBR list)? Share with us your FRIDAY FINDS!

My Finds:

• “Beguiled” by Deanne Gist
• “Going Too Far” by Jennifer Echols
• “Hungry: Lessons Learned on the Journey from Fat to Thin” by Allen Zadoff
• “Nightmare” by Robin Parrish
• “The Queen’s Mistake” by Diane Haeger

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Friday Finds post, or share your ‘finds’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

Nina has been an alcoholic since early childhood — her dad was the town drunk, and Nina learned from him.
 
But, drinking has ruined Nina’s life — made her lose her marriage to Hunt, and her kids, Meggie & Adam, made her lose her veterinary practice, and gave her a terrible reputation — so, now she’s determined to sober up.
 
Nina moves back to her hometown of Abbey Hills, MO to live with her sister, Sheriff Jill Parker, but then has to deal with a strange neighbor named Markus, and an even stranger yoga instructor named Eden.
 
This book had me from the very first page… I couldn’t put it down. Much as it’s a Christian book, you’d hardly know it. There were maybe two pages of stuff about God, and it wasn’t preachy like some books can be. This was just a good, clean “vampire” story. ((and, yes, I did say this is a “Christian” vampire book!))
 
The only thing I didn’t like was that, while most of the book was about the relationship between Nina and her teenage daughter, Megan, the ending didn’t really tie up that aspect… Ms. Bateman showed us what happened with Aunt Jill, and between Nina & Hunt, and what happened to Markus & Eden. But, it didn’t really give a good summary of where Nina & Megan stood. It was too brief. I would’ve liked to hear more about where they stood, 4 months past the story’s denoument/climax.
 
Otherwise, though, this is a fantastic book, and I’ll be recommending it to many.

Rated: A-

This week’s Booking Through Thursday question, suggested by Barbara, asks:

Do you think any current author is of the same caliber as Dickens, Austen, Bronte, or any of the classic authors? If so, who, and why do you think so? If not, why not? What books from this era might be read 100 years from now?

Well, given that I don’t read a lot of Classics, I’m not sure I have an answer for this one… let’s go check in with our other BTT participants, and see if they can’t spark any ideas…

Okay, and we’re back. And, the people said… Ian McEwan, Stephen King, Margaret Atwood, C.S. Lewis, Jasper Fforde, Harper Lee, Philip Roth, Neil Gaiman, Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume… even J.K. Rowling & Stephenie Meyer!

I think I’d agree with most of these, even though I’ve not read the majority of them. I only agree because I belong to a lot of book groups, and a circle of book-blogging friends, and these are the authors that are always mentioned and/or raved about. If they’re that popular now — and have been for several years — I imagine they’ll stay that way.

((And, for the record, I have a whole bookshelf full of “the Classics”, and I’m slowly getting around to reading them… I’ve already read “Gone With the Wind”, “Middlemarch”, and “Persuasion”… so, we’ll have a better opinion on this in a few years)).

To play along, just answer the following 3 questions:

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

My answers:

What are you currently reading?

I’m reading “Thirsty” by Tracey Bateman. It’s a Christian vampire novel, but you’d hardly know the book is “Christian”. So far, that hasn’t been really mentioned… it’s just a good, clean suspense story.

What did you recently finish reading?

Well, it’s been over a week since I’ve finished anything, ’cause I’ve been working a lot more than normal. But, the last book I finished was “Fit For My King” by Sheri Rose Shepherd.

What do you think you’ll read next?

Definitely “The Rhythm of Life” by Matthew Kelly. I’ve got it interlibrary loaned through the local library system, and I’m anxious to start reading it! It looks/sounds so good!

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own WWW Wednesdays post, or share your answers in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

 Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

My Teasers:

“He wasn’t sure what she was threatening, but her malevolence was obvious. She knew he never killed for sport, and he didn’t take anyone who didn’t have it coming.”

~ p.232, “Thirsty: A Novel” by Tracey Bateman

PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT with either the link to your own Teaser Tuesdays post, or share your 2 ‘teasers’ in a comment here (if you don’t have a blog). Thanks!

~ :: ~ :: ~ :: ~

((Remember, the link for the comments is at the TOP of this post!))

 This week, Rebecca asks:

With the holiday season now upon us, have you left any hint – subtle or otherwise – for books family and friends might buy you for Christmas? Do you like to receive books, or do you prefer certificates so you can choose your own?

LOL. Guilty as charged!

I, just the other day, put up a note on my Facebook page “hinting” that I want the mass market paperback (movie tie-in) version of “Twilight” for Christmas. Hee hee… I just bought the “New Moon” one, and now have decided to collect them all in this version (mmk, movie tie-in). The covers are just too yummy!

As for which I prefer — bookstore gift card or books — either is just dandy with me, thank you! I love getting bookstore gift cards so that I can go out and buy all of those books that I’ve been wishing to get but just didn’t have the excuse to spend money on… but, I also love seeing what my friends/family think I’d like to read.

My Dad usually picks out books on Ancient Egypt for me, as he knows I enjoy that sort of thing. Mind you, he picks nonfiction, where I’d normally pick fiction. But, that’s okay.

My youngest sister picked out a book on the craft of Writing for me, and that was great! She knows me well!

And, my best friend, Jen, picked out a mystery/suspense title for me last year… definitely a good choice.

So, either works for me. I’m happy to get books ANY way I can get ‘em! (legally, that is!)

As I’ve said before, though, my most favorite gift ever would be if family/friends would go through my wishlist, pick out a handful of books from there, and then wrap them up individually, stack them, and tie them with a bow. That’d be AWESOME!!! ((not hinting… no, not at all! LOL))

~ :: ~ :: ~ :: ~

For more answers to this question,
please visit Rebecca’s blog!

This past week has not been very conducive to reading. I’ve worked a ton of hours, and just haven’t had the time to sit and read much. When I was home, I didn’t have the energy or the focus to get into my books.

I did start into Tracey Bateman’s “Thirsty“, though, and it’s really good! Hard to put down! I’m looking forward to this coming week, as I’ll have much more time for reading, and can probably get it finished in a day or two. ((I also hope to sit and read for most of today, so I may just finish it by tonight, even!))

I am anxiously waiting to dig into Matthew Kelly’s “The Rhythm of Life“, too. I got it as an interlibrary loan, through the local library system, and it looks really good! Karen Linamen raved about it in her book, “Only Nuns Change Habits Overnight” (which I read last month), and she quoted it often. This was enough to prompt me to go find a copy for myself to read!

After I finish these, I have a slew of books coming to me from the library that I’m looking forward to. Three of them are part of the “Sookie Stackhouse” series… I’ve been waiting and waiting to read book 2, but it should be here in the next week or two.

Anyhoo. Have a good week, everyone! Happy reading!

 This week, Amy asks:

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?

I don’t always lend out my Christian books to people who aren’t Christians, as normally they don’t want to be “preached at”, and they feel that this is what’s going to happen in the Christian books — the Christian fiction genre has a bad reputation for that sort of thing. Thankfully, the books are getting better, but they still have that stigma, unfortunately. Mind you, there’ve been a few books, recently, that had almost no Christian content at all; they were just good, clean reads. I definitely passed these on!

I definitely have “warned” people in my reviews whether/not a book had Christian leanings. I’ve also told my non-Christian friends if a book I was recommending was “Christian”. Reason being, I know they’d want to know.

I, personally, prefer to know when a book contains foul-language, or excessive violence, so I appreciate when people mention that in their reviews, or when recommending a book to me. So, it’s only fair to extend the same courtesy to others.