Randy Alcorn - "Lord Foulgrin's Letters"

     Ok, so I admit, I bought this book not, because of a desire to grow my spiritual life, but merely because I shared his last name for 26 years of my life.  For all of 30 seconds, I felt famous.  Shallow?  Maybe, but it was still worth reading...

Lord Foulgrin's Letters

     This book was written in the same vein as C.S. Lewis's, "Screwtape Letters," which I do own, and DO intend to read; I've just not quite gotten there yet.  This is the story of Jordan Fletcher and his family.  Each everyday vignette is followed by a letter from Lord Foulgrin to his subordinate Squaltaint instructing him to destroy, confuse, deceive, and distract Jordan and his family at every opportunity.  Squaltaint is specifically assigned to Jordan to keep him from learning the truth about God, to distract Mr. Fletcher from doing anything that would honor the Lord, as well as to do anything to destroy "the maggot-feeder" in all areas of life.

     The author writes in the Afterward that he has spent much time in prayer and Biblical study regarding fallen angels, their abilities, their motivations, as well as their realm.  He also   As with anything in the spiritual realm, it's hard to translate it into words.  As Mr. Alcorn states, he does his absolute best to present his work truthfully, but he is human and thus prone to error, so don't take this work of fiction as truth.  He also quotes G.C. Berkouwer saying, "There can be no sound theology without a sound demonology."  I think there is something to that; one must understand their enemy in order to oppose him. 

     I think that while this isn't totally an original idea for a book, it is very creative.  I personally had a little bit of a hard time with some of the book, not too much with the content, but with his style of writing.  It was a little cliche' for my taste.  There were a very few ideas/statements that I thought were a little on the "overly conservative" side of the spectrum, but there's nothing wrong with that at all, it's merely my humble opinion of things.  Overall I think it's worth reading just to give you a different perspective on the battle in which we are entrenched, but from which we will one day emerge victoriously. 

     Amen and let it be so!

       

   

Flavia Bujor - "The Prophecy of the Stones"

The Prophecy of the Stones: A Novel


     Flavia Bujor is a young french writer who had this book published by the age of fifteen.  I've never had anything published with the exception of this "self-published" blog and an essay or two (if you call Mom's refrigerator "published").  So I may be a really awful, hypocritical human for saying this, but this book is terribly overrated!  I literally had to force myself to finish it so I would be able to: 1. say that I finished it, and 2. give my readership a review on the entirety of the book.

     I would be horrendously wrong to not give her credit for writing a very creative story, and have it published all before she even finished high school.  I give her "mad props" for that.  This is a story with two main plot lines, and a very few subplot lines.  Story one is about three, fourteen-year-old girls named Jade, Opal, and Amber.  It's set in what appears to be medieval Europe, but resembles something more like "Middle Earth" replete with Tolkien-esque creatures.  Story two is about another fourteen-year-old girl nicknamed "Joa" (Jade, Opal, Amber - a creative acronym if you ask me) who lives in modern day Paris and is dying of a horrible sickness.  She has dreams of another world which is the one where Jade, Opal, and Amber reside.

     The three girls are given three stones on the occasion of their fourteenth birthdays and find that when they all hold their stones, close their eyes, and think about the same thing, stuff happens.  I enjoy some fantasy fiction, for sure, but this particular one is not my cup of espresso.  The reason being that the characters were underdeveloped as were their dialogue and motivations for taking the actions they did, the story was lacking sufficient descriptions leaving giant plot holes everywhere, and there was no real conclusion.  Ms. Bujor made an excellent attempt at trying to build a complex set of story lines, but didn't quite pull it off,  nor did she really tie the ones she had going together very will.  As I said before, I'm impressed that it was written by so young an author, but I think it could have really been a lot better with some editorial guidance.  Better luck next book, Missy!

     My advice to survive the summer, stay inside and read!  It works, I promise...

    

  

Mark Haddon - "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"

     So, how does one describe "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"?  I would start with: curious, intelligent, heart-warming, creative, eccentric, and just down-right greatness!  Mr. Haddon has crafted an exquisite work that definitely keeps you on your mind on it's toes and your heart on a rollercoaster.

     It is the story of 15 year-old Christopher, who is quirky to say the very least.  The story begins during one of his late-night wandering spells, Christopher discovers that his neighbor's dog, Wellington, was murdered.  Christopher loves animals; he feels like he relates to them better than he does to humans.  He determined to become a detective, in the same vein as the great Sherlock Holmes and discover who killed Wellington.  Christopher's mother passed away a few years previous, and he lives with his father in a small English town; he goes to his school, likes the color red, hates the color yellow, and wants to sit for his A level maths test (something like AP math here in the States).  He worms his way into your heart through his tale.  It's true!

     Although the story is written as Christopher's book about being a logical and observant detective, it also includes a look at his everyday life.  In some ways he's very organized and methodical, and in other ways, he's total chaos.  For instance, as a child he made a timetable for his toy train set to follow, but he totally flies off the handle if someone touches him.  I cannot emphasize enough just how much this character not only LEAPT off of the pages, but also how much I want to hug him.  (No, I've not TOTALLY lost my marbles, I'm just lacking in the creativity department today.  Not enough coffee, I suppose...

     I read in Mr. Haddon's bio that earlier in his life, he had spent some time working with autistic children.  It really shows through in this book that he understands them.  Because it's a narrative, you really get a glimpse of what it must be like inside one of those kids' heads.  I realize it's a work of fiction, but it is still really neat to read.

     I seriously cannot think of one negative thing about the book! I did have some difficulty in understanding a few of the English terms like, A level maths, but that is no fault of the author. I realize it's not a lot of fun to read a review with nothing in the "Cons" column, but I really really really enjoyed it and have been recommending it to all of my friends.

Please, taste and enjoy!

                   The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Janet Evanovich - "Twelve Sharp"

     I'm currently struggling to decide if I want to continue feasting on my Stephanie Plum novels, or if I want to stop completely.  My rationale being that I've just flown through number twelve and, as of yet, there are only sixteen Plum delights on which to sustain my voracious appetite for clumsy women, sexy law enforcement agents, doughnuts, psychotic kidnappers, and the other random chaos in which hilarity ensues.  (That one's for you, Rum Fitts.)

     As always, our heroin, Stephanie is dropped smack-dab (I have no idea where that phrase came from, but it seemed appropriate in this context...) into the center of a crazy man's scheme, a too tight pair of leather pants, an adult store mishap, a bar brawl, and the newly renovated Stiva's funeral home.  In this episode, Ranger is accused of kidnapping his daughter, Julie.  Did he do it?  Did his dark side finally get the better of him?  I'll let you find out in this scintillating story of Stephanie Plum at her best.  I do have to say I was a little disappointed that she managed to own only one vehicle throughout the entire book; she didn't even sustain ANY too permanent damage to it.  Strange, right?  

Twelve Sharp (Stephanie Plum, No. 12)  

     Stephanie is definitely "sharp" in this story; she manages to keep her wits about her in the midst of all the craziness that is "The Burg" and the Plum family.  I think the highlight of this work is not only the ongoing tension between Steph, Joe, and Ranger (Yum! *lip lick*) , but also Grandma Mazur and Lula's stint in "The What" band.  I'll let you get an idea of what that may look like to you, and then I'll recommend that you read the book and totally obliterate your own picture with something more asinine that only Mrs. E could conjure.  
     Things between Stephanie and Morelli heat up right at the end, but I don't want to spoil a great thing for you.  I'll keep this review short and sweet simply because I'm afraid I'll spill the beans...

     Until then...

Stephenie Meyer - "The Host"

     Boy, does this girl know how to write a love triangle or what!?!?  I read all of the Twilight books, and have to admit that it was the kind of reading that goes something like: "One more chapter," and the next time you look up and it's 4 a.m., and you wonder how that happened and how you're going to peel yourself out of bed in a few hours, all the while debating if it's worth it to even TRY and sleep because you will be tired no matter what at this point, and if you forgo the iota of sleep you may or may not get you will probably be able to finish the book completely which would give you an excuse to go to the used book store and buy the next one, hoping you don't run into anyone you know as you fiend for the next little bit of the story...
WHAT?!?!?! It's not like it was that way for ME?!?!  It was merely a hypothetical situation.  (or was it? - you decide...) 

     I didn't feel the need to utterly devour The Host the way I did the Twilight series, but it's still worth the read.  Stephenie says this is her first novel for adults, but honestly, it's not too far off the "teen scene."  There is a little less "high school" going on, and a few more in-depth themes woven throughout the work.  It's a beautiful blend of the sci-fi and romance/adventure genres.  I'm not a huge sci-fi reader, but despite the alien invasion premise, the story is very easy to relate to.  It's set mostly in the desert of Arizona, and centers around a group of humans who have managed to not only survive the invasion, but also to escape detection.  Though it is a bit of a stretch to relate to hiding from aliens, it's not too much of a stretch to imagine yourself hiding yourself and your family from bad guys.  That seems plausible to me; I've never had to do that, thankfully, but I could imagine what it would be like.               The Host: A Novel

     Right off the bat Ms. Meyer does a stunning job of constructing a love story, as twisted and triangle-shaped as it may be.  It's not an original idea to write about "body snatching aliens," but it is a novel idea (pardon the pun) to make the body snatching alien "go native" and join humanity's side (at least as far as I know).  I like the how the love triangle is constructed and complicated by the fact that it's between three bodies, but four entities.  It will make you think!

     It was, I felt, a little redundant in some areas of the plot.  The plot definitely moves forward at a fairly paced jaunt, but it seems to linger a little in some seemingly random places.  I feel like the book could have been about a hundred pages shorter, but, hey, I didn't dream up the story.  I like all the inner monologue that takes place throughout the story.  There is a lot of it due to the fact that one of the main characters only exists inside another character's head/body.

     My recommendation is to read it for yourself.  I don't think it's in my top 10 or anything, but it's not all that bad.  It's an interesting idea for sure, and it really gives sci-fi another facet, that's usually missing (the love story...I don't want to be THAT girl, but I also don't really crave sci-fi in general.)  I feel like she's made science fiction a little more "female friendly."

     Let me know what you think!

Loraine Despres - "The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc"

     I had this book recommended to me by "Smokey," a very good friend of mine, and moved it up in my reading que to "next" while bumping my next Stephanie Meyer book down to "next next."  It took all of five whole days to read it cover to cover, and even re-read some of her witty little quips out loud to my dear sweet, patient hubby.

The Scandalous Summer of Sissy LeBlanc: A Novel

     I was hooked at the beginning by it's vaguely similar qualities to "The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood," a very special book to me for sentimental reasons.  It's reminiscent of my beloved Ya-Ya's in that it is set in a small town in Louisiana (near New Orleans) and takes place mostly during the early 1940's-1950's, and it is a story of a strong woman in a time when that was truly a novelty and even a threat.

     On a very un-Ya-Ya note, there are some ***VERY "ADULT" SCENES*** in this delicious and entertaining tale.  (It's wouldn't be a very "scandalous summer" without them, but be warned this gets graphic in spots and deals with some very mature issues!!!)  You've been warned...
 
     I like that Mrs. Despres deals with some very real and inflammatory issues of the time, such as desegregation, as well as some very provocative, age-old issues like adultery and murder.  I know, sounds pretty heavy for summer chick lit, but there's plenty of brainless fluff and cute wit to keep it light.

     I admit that reading this was a bit of an emotional roller coaster experience for me, ranging from embarrassment, horror, and frustration to pride and joy.  (Thank you, Mr. Stevie Ray for providing me just the right words I needed AND for such a classic song).  I think my favorite thing about this book is Sissy's own literary endeavor, The Southern Belle's Handbook.  Okay, it's not exactly something the character wrote, but it's an ongoing train of thought in her head, and it's pretty cute, though somewhat misguided and possibly even manipulative?

     This is the story of Sissy LeBlanc, wife, mother, fundraiser, hell raiser, and very charmingly unpredictable and outrageous "Southern Belle."  I use that term loosely, but it still fits, even if it's only in her mind.  The other main characters include Peewee (her husband), Parker (high school sweetheart), Borree (her father-in-law), and Clara (her cousin).  There is a rather large "supporting cast" that is typical of Smalltown, Deep South.  The character developement is a little lighter than I generally prefer but is still effective. 

     While there is levity, humor, happiness, and a few snicker-worthy moments, there are just as many, or more, terrifying, overwhelming, and downright aweful moments that comprise this twisted tale of tangled triangles of love (or at least lust).  She starts out as a pretty normal teenager, takes some twists and turns somewhere along the way, and things end up a little differently than she had originally planned.  (Can anyone else relate?)  Some of the scandalous, sticky situations she finds herself in are self-induced, some are out of her control, but regardless, she must deal with them, and take them on headfirst.  (Just as is necessary in real life sometimes)  It's interesting to see how she deals with each situation with gusto; all the while she continues to amend and update her handbook for living.  Even though I wanted to walk away at some exceptionally disheartening points, I could not tear myself away from the novel.  I couldn't wait to see what happened next!  
   
     I do recommend reading the book fully before making your assesment.  If you had asked me at the two-thirds mark what I thought of the book, I would have answered, "It stresses me out, and yet it still keeps me flying through the pages trying to find some resolution!"  Once the drama unfolds completely, it has unexpected resolutions, and makes for one heck of a conclusion.  Check it out if you're into a somewhat gritty (even smutty at some points) snapshot of scandalous Sissy at her best.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!!!!!


                                                                               

Charles Dickens - "A Tale of Two Cities"

     One memorial service, one and one - half months, three mini vacations, and one VERY LONG Brit. lit classic later, "The B!+@h is Back" - Sir Elton John  (I thought I'd stick with the British theme one second longer).

     The way this came about is mainly because I needed to soothe my conscience.  "How?" You ask.  Toward the end of my senior year of high school I was supposed to write a book report on this timeless classic.  I had a perfect GPA (no, seriously), a bad case of "Senioritis," and no desire to ACTUALLY read this book.  I know, it surprises me too.  I did, however, write a report worthy of a B+ based on the CliffsNotes version of it.  Sorry Mrs. Brown!  A full decade passed before I decided that it was time to make amends.

     It actually took FOREVER to read this book, partially because my brain hasn't had to digest Victorian English and it's extensive vocabulary for just under the ten year mark, and also because I've had an extremely full plate over the past month and a half.  I discovered that it's difficult to read classics when there is anything else going on in your life (music, work, cats, car sickness, etc) which is probably why I've never read it until now.

 A Tale of Two Cities

     That's right, I still have my mom's copy from 1962.  An interesting side note: Whoever worked for Scholastic Publishers the year that this edition went to print should lay off the drugs.  The reason being that one of the MAIN characters, Sydney Carton, has his name spelled as such.  If you read the summary on the back of this edition it's written Sidney Carton.  Hmm...  Now, enough about my personal life, and on with the show.

     When I first began the story it was like pulling teeth to read.  I didn't understand a lot of the language (or much of the history of the French Revolution, for that matter).  Lately I've mostly only consumed books that don't take much brain power to digest.  I have to admit, once I got through the first 364 (of 468) pages, I began to see where it was going, and to actually WANTED to finish it.  Sad, right?  Anyway, as I began to get a picture of what it was like to be there in Late 1700's France and England, according to Chuck, it started to make a little more sense.  I do own up to visiting http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/twocities/for some extra comprehension, and I actually made a 96% on their quiz too!

     I must admit, that despite all the difficulties, I really enjoyed the way Dickens weaves together this twisted and somewhat dark tale of kharma, altruism, and a love triangle set with the bloody French Revolution as it's backdrop.  I'm not saying that I am ready to jump into another classic right away, or that I like a book to take +/-  1-1/2 months to complete, but I am saying that I feel like I've made amends with my conscience and have the bragging rights to say that I've now read one of literature's greatest.

     The characters in this book were written in such a way as to represent a people group ("Jaques" the mender of roads), or to act as a full personification of a character trait (Lucie displaying ultimate gentility and compassion; Madame Defarge is a prime example of one who will stop at nothing to extract revenge whether it be deserved or otherwise).  Dickens even uses their names to help convey the depth or extent of their portrayal of a trait (Mr. Stryver strives for a better position in life).

     The plot is very well written to where the different plot lines and plot points are so delicately weaved into the story that when the end comes, it catches you off guard.  At least it did in my case.  I do have to say that I'm glad I finally read it, and enjoyed it (at least the end).  It was really hard to get through a lot of it because I had trouble seeing where it was leading me, however; in the end it was worth it.

     I hope you enjoyed my brief and fairly inarticulate opinion of one of literature's greats.  Please come back for my next episode right here at the same bat time on the same bat channel.

Until then, my friends Adieu...