As an avid reader, I get excited about the great number of books out there to read, either for entertainment, education, inspiration or with some books, all three. The quantity available in print, audio, and e-books reminds me of the vast amount of life in the oceans, so I call these book reviews “Diving Into A Sea of Books”. As with diving into an ocean looking for interesting objects, diving into books means you come across mixed results: over here, a book you don’t bother to finish, over there, a “treasure”–one you like so much you can’t wait to reread it, and over there, a book you read and think, “Meh”.
A library puts books in the laundromat I use. A sign invites people to choose a book to read while they are waiting for clothes to finish.
One day I picked up Terri Blackstock’s Southern Storm. A chapter or so later, and after some debate (I have a lot of books here at home to read, so why bring another home?) I decided I had to know how it ended!
From the start of the book to the finish, I was on an emotional roller coaster. Just when I thought the protagonist was out of trouble, I found that wasn’t so. New complications and difficulties quickly emerged, leaving me wondering how he was going to fare.
Along with the protagonist’s problems, his friends faced their own share of difficulties, some relating to him, others not. Some characters were not who they seem to be, further complicating matters.
The novel is in the Cape Refuge series. I had never read any of that series, but enjoyed reading SouthernStorm as a stand-alone.
Also, for anyone wanting to try his or her hand at writing a thriller, reading Terri Blackstock’s book is like attending a writing class. You see a good example of how to do it:
the tension starts on the first page and doesn’t let up until the end
fast-paced action
description just enough to help reader place the scene
dialogue works to keep story moving
characters and situations are realistic
If you want a book that’s hard to put down, try Terri Blackstock’s Southern Storm.
As an avid reader, I get excited about the great number of books out there to read, either for entertainment, education, inspiration or with some books, all three. The quantity available in print, audio, and e-books reminds me of the vast amount of life in the oceans, so I call these book reviews “Diving Into A Sea of Books”. As with diving into an ocean looking for interesting objects, diving into books means you come across mixed results: over here, a book you don’t bother to finish, over there, a “treasure”—one you like so much you can’t wait to reread it, and over there, a book you read and think, “Meh”.
Looking for a humorous read, I chose Please Don’t Feed the Mayor by Sue Pethick. With a title like that, I thought the novel would be funny. There was some humor in it, mostly from the animals, but not as much as I was looking for.
With the small town of Fossett, Oregon, in economic decline, business owner Melanie MacDonald decides to take action to reverse the trend. Her plan is to have her border collie, Shep, become mayor. She believes that will increase tourism and boost the town’s sagging fortunes. She enlists the reluctant aid of her ex-husband, Bryce, a lawyer in Portland, in the effort to elect Shep.
Bryce’s career as a defense attorney is taking off. But when a killer Bryce helped put behind bars in his previous position in the district attorney’s office escapes from prison, Bryce goes to Fossett for a few days to lay low. He guides Melanie in the campaign to elect Shep, and at the same time deals with his unresolved feelings for her.
Bryce and Melanie clash not only in handling the campaign, but also in Melanie’s ties to the town. Melanie graduated from college; Bryce believes she needs to leave the town for a place with more opportunities to use her education. Melanie loves the proximity to nature and the way people in Fossett help one another out, but sometimes wonders if it’s best for her to stay there.
Shep wins the election, but when the escaped killer Jesse Colton comes to Fossett in search of Bryce, events take a much more harrowing turn. Towards the end of the story, some unlikely heroes—people and animals—emerge.
Embedded in the narrative are different interesting tidbits about border collies (they are bred to herd, and the wise owner makes allowances for that), and the time and work involved in a political campaign. Some serious issues surface through the characters of the book: PTSD, poverty, and the rippling economic impact on a place when the major industry moves out. The author does a good job of showing these issues without being preachy; they are threaded throughout the novel. The author shows the unique character of a small town—where everyone knows everybody else’s quirks and idiosyncrasies, but when help is needed, the residents help each other out as best they can.
The characters of Melanie and Bryce become more “real” as the novel continues. You can see them learning to appreciate each other’s viewpoints. For the most part the characters act in believable ways as the plot moves along. Jesse Colton, the killer, is in the background for much of the story, but still injects a continual feeling of menace in the narrative from the time Bryce learns Jesse has escaped.
I have to admit I wasn’t really hooked on the story until Bryce’s life was threatened. Before then, I was “Meh”. After that point in the plot, though, I knew I was in for the finish.
What didn’t I like?
The novel started slowly, and didn’t really pick up until the second or third chapter.
For me there was some objectionable language: an instance in which the Lord’s name is taken in vain, some instances of “h–l” and “d–n” and one instance of “g———-ed”. It’s not as though I haven’t heard that language before; growing up, I heard it a lot. Just because I heard it, doesn’t mean I want to read it. In writing, there are ways to get the message across without spelling it out.
What did I like?
There are no graphic sexual scenes.
The author’s skill in weaving different information and issues naturally into the story, using dialogue and description.
When there is humor, it’s LOL funny.
Would I read Please Don’t Feed the Mayor again? I don’t know. I have a lot of other books to read.
As an avid reader, I get excited about the great number of books out there to read, either for entertainment, education, inspiration or with some books, all three. The quantity available in print, audio, and e-books reminds me of the vast amount of life in the oceans, so I call these book reviews “Diving Into A Sea of Books”. As with diving into an ocean looking for interesting objects, diving into books means you come across mixed results: over here, a book you don’t bother to finish, over there, a “treasure”—one you like so much you can’t wait to reread it, and over there, a book you read and think, “Meh”.
Make Your Bed, subtitled Little Things That Can Change Your Life…And Maybe The World, by retired U.S. Navy Admiral William H. McRaven is one of those books which is both educational and inspirational for me. In 2014, Admiral McRaven addressed the graduating class of the University of Texas at Austin. He spoke on ten principles drilled into him as a Navy Seal—principles which helped him through the physically, mentally and emotionally punishing training, and which guided him through other chapters in his life. The book is an expanded version of that commencement address.
Prior to reading the book I heard of Navy Seals, and the rigorous training they undergo. I didn’t know anything beyond that. Make Your Bed gives an insider’s look at some of the details of the training, the reasons why the training is so difficult (one reason: life is difficult) as well as the challenges nature (weather, ocean currents, and sharks) throws in.
The first principle the admiral gives sounds too simple: Make your bed. However, the author points out that a good start to the day gives a person a sense of organization. There are times when we badly need that sense of organization. Even if the rest of your day is bad, and you couldn’t do anything to change it, when you come home to a made bed, at least that part is right and orderly.
The other nine principles—don’t go it alone; the only thing that matters is the size of your heart; life is not fair—drive on; failure can make you stronger; dare greatly; stand up to bullies; rise to the occasion; give people hope, and never quit—are written just as simply. But all ten guidelines are powerful when we practice them. They will help to change an individual’s life and possibly, the lives around that person.
In presenting the principles, Admiral McRaven gave credit where credit is due, to those individuals who went the extra mile to help him when he needed it in the Seals, and in his later career. He honors the American servicemen, women and their families who sacrificed so much to serve their country. He gives tribute to the resilience of the human spirit, as demonstrated in soldiers or sailors who suffered horrendous, life-threatening injuries, and yet came back and contributed still more to their country. They refused to give up, or give in.
The author writes with humor, humility, and poignancy. The language he chooses is clean.
Make Your Bed can be read in one sitting. Including the acknowledgements and the original commencement address, the book is just 130 pages.
This is one of those books worth reading and re-reading.
As an avid reader, I get excited about the great number of books out there to read, either for entertainment, education, inspiration or with some books, all three. The quantity available in print, audio, and e-books reminds me of the vast amount of life in the oceans, so I call these book reviews “Diving Into A Sea of Books”. As with diving into an ocean looking for interesting objects, diving into books means you come across mixed results: over here, a book you don’t bother to finish, over there, a “treasure”—one you like so much you can’t wait to reread it, and over there, a book you read and think, “Meh”.
I was in the mood for a “cozy” mystery, ie., one without gore and sex, so one day I picked up Can’t Judgea Book by Its Murder by Amy Lillard. I want to say I liked it, but—it took me longer to read this than I thought it would. I got annoyed with it, so I put the book down for awhile. Yet I wanted to find out “whodunit” so I finally finished it.
Can’t Judge a Book by Its Murder takes place in a sleepy little Southern town. The main character, Arlo Stanley, owns a bookstore. She is gearing up for a book signing with Wally Harrison, a former resident, now bestselling author. When Wally is found dead outside her store, Arlo’s life becomes much more complicated. Her best friend is jailed as the main suspect by the police chief, a former boyfriend of Arlo’s, and another former boyfriend returns to town. Plus, the elderly ladies in Arlo’s book club are determined to help find the true murderer, since they are sure it’s not Chloe, Arlo’s best friend.
The book had a lot going for it, in keeping the reader guessing as to the murderer’s identity, in the characters, and in setting. Ms. Lillard does a good job putting enough twists in the story to keep the reader wondering whether the murderer really was Arlo’s best friend, or someone else. The minor characters of various business owners filled out the story and gave the small-town setting believability. I could almost smell the food cooking in The Diner! Small towns have their own pace and atmosphere, and the author captured that well.
Things I didn’t like? The main character repeated some actions over and over, to the point where it got annoying. Some details inserted into the story didn’t seem to have a purpose; they could have been cut out without hurting anything. A few of the characters did things which didn’t make sense to me. Some of the sentences were choppy; as a reader, I don’t appreciate that. There seemed to be a lot of backstory. The way it appeared was confusing, and I couldn’t figure out why some of it was in the story. In all fairness, though, Can’t Judge a Bookby Its Murder is the first in a new series: the Main Street Book Club Mystery series, and the characters featured in the backstory may be appearing in later titles.
Would I read the book again? I don’t know. Thankfully, the state of the world doesn’t depend on whether I will or not! 🙂
As an avid reader, I get excited about the great number of books out there to read, either for entertainment, education, inspiration or with some books, all three. The quantity available in print, audio, and e-books reminds me of the vast amount of life in the oceans, so I call these book reviews “Diving Into A Sea of Books”. As with diving into an ocean looking for interesting objects, diving into books means you come across mixed results: over here, a book you don’t bother to finish, over there, a “treasure”—one you like so much you can’t wait to reread it, and over there, a book you read and think, “Meh”.
People Can’t Drive You Crazy If You Don’t Give Them The Keys, by Mike Bechtle, is a book I would have liked to have read years ago. That would have saved me considerable frustration, with myself and with others. It explains some things I’ve wondered about for a long time (like why I can’t come up with a quick reply in a conversation).
As the title suggests, this is not a textbook (read “dry and boring”) type of book. Instead, Dr. Bechtle uses personal illustrations, humor, and stories to make his points about dealing with difficult people, whether they be family members, co-workers, bosses, or others you spend time with regularly. You know—those people who just DRIVE YOU CRAZY!
Some points which jumped out at me are:
You can’t change other people; you can only change yourself. You can influence other people, but it has to be their decision to change.
Change comes slowly, whether to you or the other person. “Crazy people” learned those behaviors over time, so it takes time to change.
Crazy people may drive you crazy, but they are still human, still made in God’s image. The craziness isn’t all there is about that person.
The “old-fashioned” virtues of kindness, humility, patience, and gratitude are still needed as you deal with your crazy person.
Set boundaries and be prepared to sound like a broken record to defend your boundaries. You will need to defend them.
A person’s basic temperament—whether introverted or extroverted—doesn’t change, so don’t try. To try just puts a lot more stress on the relationship, and neither one of you needs that.
What you can’t change, you can often adapt to.
Be proactive, not reactive. Dr. Bechtle suggests ways to give thought to situations, and then act upon what you’ve considered, instead of having a “knee-jerk” reaction. This one point alone made the book valuable for me, a person who tends to react, but wants to move away from that tendency.
Thoughts lead to emotions, which lead to behaviors. A change in thought patterns means a change in emotions, which means behaviors change.
There is quite a difference between expectations, and expectancy. Expectations about people often lead to bitter disappointment; expectancy means you are operating from a position of hope. You know there are no guarantees that your crazy person will change, but there’s the possibility.
This book is about relationships; it’s really about the importance of faith and hope in relationships with difficult people.
People Can’t Drive You Crazy If You Don’t Give Them The Keys is one of the most helpful books I’ve ever read about personality and relationships. It’s a book I’ll read again, probably soon; this time, to take notes.
As an avid reader, I get excited about the great number of books out there to read, either for entertainment, education, inspiration or with some books, all three. The quantity available reminds me of the vast amount of life in the oceans, so I call these book reviews “Diving Into A Sea of Books”. As with diving into an ocean looking for interesting objects, diving into books means you come across mixed results: over here, a book you don’t bother to finish, over there, a “treasure”—one you like so much you can’t wait to reread it, and over there, a book you read and think, “Meh”.
In the novel One Shenandoah Winter, author Davis Bunn brings together:
Two people gripped by rage so deep they don’t know how they can free themselves from it.
One town, tucked away among the hills and valleys of Virginia, in desperate need of a doctor.
A pastor whose baby is seriously ill.
A couple determined to marry despite their age difference.
An old man living up in the hills who knows the secret of living and dying.
Davis Bunn weaves in historical references, topographical descriptions, language expressions and mountain customs to draw the reader into 1961 Virginia. As I read, I felt the characters’ anger or sorrow, or joy. I bounced along in Connie’s old truck as she drove on hilly roads, some little more than ruts. I saw the poverty of some of the people, reflected in their clothes or their homes; I also saw their innate dignity, regardless of how much or how little they had. I experienced joy when people gave sacrificially to give joy to someone.
One Shenandoah Winter illustrates the possibilities when I choose to let go of trying to control what was never mine to control anyway. “Let go and let God”
Note: Faith in a personal God is displayed in the book: the pastor preaches, a man makes up his mind to follow Christ. But none of this is done in a judgmental way. The pastor is compassionate, never condemning. Everything happens in a natural, not forced, way.
One Shenandoah Winter is a novel I found hard to put down. The words flowed, making it easy to keep reading. This is a “treasure” for me.
As an avid reader, I get excited about the great number of books out there to read, either for entertainment, education, inspiration or with some books, all three. The quantity available in print, audio, and e-books reminds me of the vast amount of life in the oceans, so I call these book reviews “Diving Into A Sea of Books”. As with diving into an ocean looking for interesting objects, diving into books means you come across mixed results: over here, a book you don’t bother to finish, over there, a “treasure”—one you like so much you can’t wait to reread it, and way over there, a book you read and think, “Meh”.
A couple weeks ago my computer/internet gave me fits; it was too warm and humid for me to do anything outside; I was grumpy and my nerves were on edge; I wanted—no, NEEDED—an escape from my world. I picked up a novel I bought a couple weeks before: Hemingway’s Cats by Lindsey Hopper. Immediately my mind landed in Key West, Florida, where Ernest Hemingway’s house is located. Besides being the museum and house of the well-known writer, the grounds are famous for the large number of six-toed cats which freely roam the place.
Laura Lange goes to Key West to work as a tour guide at the Hemingway House. She finds a far different life than she ever knew back home. The weather is one quirky element; another is her co-workers, landlords and other residents, including chickens. The cats display their idiosyncrasies as well.
As the novel develops, various questions pop up: will Laura fall in love with one of the guys who thinks she’s “hot”? Are the rumors swirling around about assorted characters true? How will Laura deal with her ex-boyfriend back home who keeps texting her? And the question which involves everyone, human and feline—will Key West get pounded by a hurricane?
Hemingway’s Cats is a light, entertaining read. Romance and humor abound. The characters have their good points and bad. The characters’ motivations are realistic. The cats are as involved in the novel as the humans are.
Language and other cautions: “H**l” and “D**n” used by some characters, but not every other word. Numerous references made to characters drinking and going to bars as a social event. No graphic bedroom scenes.
As an avid reader, I get excited about the great number of books out there to read, either for entertainment, education, inspiration or with some books, all three. The quantity available in print, audio, and e-books reminds me of the vast amount of life in the oceans, so I call these book reviews “Diving Into A Sea of Books”. As with diving into an ocean looking for interesting objects, diving into books means you come across mixed results: over her, a book you don’t bother to finish, over there, a “treasure”—one that you like so much you can’t wait to reread it, and over there, a book you read and think, “Meh”.
Coffee with Jesus by David Wilkie tells about the conversations various characters have with Jesus as they meet for coffee. The characters include Kevin, Carl, Carl’s wife Lisa, Ann, Pastor Joe, and the accuser of the brethren, Satan, who as always, tries to stir up trouble.
Coffee with Jesus is done in comic-strip format, which allows you to read one strip or several, and still leave with a message to think about and get a chuckle out of as well. The characters bring up such issues as politics, taxes, work, child-raising, differences in churches, getting along with co-workers, Jesus’ early years, Christmas, and other topics. Jesus engages with them in an easy conversational style—sometimes gently teasing them, other times speaking in a matter-of-fact style, and other times answering with His divine authority. Sometimes Jesus reminds them that He is in control, and that whatever they are questioning, it’s not for them to be concerned about, because He’s got it, and when the time comes, He’ll deal with it.
I like to pick up Coffee with Jesus when I’m looking for that deft blend of thought and humor.
Coffee with Jesus book, published by InterVarsity Press, is a creative project of David Wilkie and Radio Free Babylon.
As an avid reader, I get excited about the great number of books out there to read, either for entertainment, education, inspiration or with some books, all three. The quantity available in print, audio, and e-books reminds me of the vast amount of life in the oceans, so I call these book reviews “Diving Into A Sea of Books”. As with diving into an ocean looking for interesting objects, diving into books means you come across mixed results: over here, a book you don’t bother to finish, over there, a “treasure”—one that you like so much you can’t wait to reread it, and over there, a book you read and think, “Meh”.
In Beach Devotions Laura Van Gatz uses photographs and wording to transport the reader to the beach, in this case, a lake beach. I’ve never been to a lake or ocean beach, so reading this slender book of devotions acted as a chance to vacation in a different world and see what it has to offer, albeit vicariously.
Each two-page devotion features an item or activity commonly found on or done on a beach, such as sea glass, playing volleyball, or a natural event, such as a thunderstorm. Every natural or material item or activity provides spiritual food for thought.
The author’s tone is that of a friend/guide who wants you to enjoy the beach world she knows. She is never condescending, and freely admits the times she has messed up in her relationship with God.
If you are looking for a devotional book that’s a bit different, or want to read a volume which takes you into a slower pace, try Beach Devotions.
In my original book review of Rambler, I believe I referred to NAMI as the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. I also indicated the group is a support group for patients and their loved ones.
Please note NAMI actually stands for: National Alliance on Mental Illness. While the group is a support group, it also involves health-care providers, and researchers. Local chapters of NAMI offer educational classes and support of various kinds. I made these corrections in the original post as well.
I thought I checked the facts before posting the book review, but obviously not well enough! My apologies to NAMI and to the author of Rambler, Linda Schmitmeyer.
I'm Joanna, a busy married mum of two beautiful boys aged four and three. I'm sharing my experiences as I navigate the wonderful world of motherhood! Mistakes, routines, mum / life hacks, cleaning, beauty...little bit of everything!
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