Category — books

2011 Reading Challenge

Jennifer has

read 44 books toward her goal of 125 books.

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44 of 125 (35%)

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Well, I almost made it. For some silly reason my consumption of books drastically reduced around the end of August. Funny how getting a job can do that to a person.

I suspect that had I had the same amount of free time in the last 4 months of the year that I had in the first 8 I would have made that goal. Or upped it (again) to a higher one.

This year I am planning to go back to a more modest goal. Perhaps my original goal for last year… 50 books.

We’ll see if I make it.

If you know me on Facebook, you may have read recently that I like to read.  I have been averaging a book a day on my non-ministry-work days for a few weeks, and some on work days too.  I guess you could say I am a book lover.

With that in mind, I have recently joined a couple of book review sites, so I will be posting reviews of books that I read form time to time.  With my rather skewed taste in books, it’s going to be a rather mixed bag of books – just know that I gave you fair warning.  Herein lies my first review… the Alexia Tarabotti series by Gail Carriger.

The first book in this series is Changeless.  In Changeless you meet Alexia, a spinster daughter of a silly English Mama, and a dead Italian Papa.  And did I mention that she has no soul?  Apparently there are a few people roaming around that have been born bereft of an afterlife.  Who knew?  Upon first meeting her, you also find that her lack of a soul renders immortals mortal.  That is, she makes vampires & werewolves mere human mortals at a single touch.

It really does sound like a bad joke: A werewolf, a vampire, and a ghost walk into a bar, or something like that.  But it’s not a joke, and it’s most definitely not bad!

Brief Synopsis: Vampires, and Werewolves are a part of accepted society in Victorian England.  So accepted, in fact, that one of each are advisers to the Crown!  Much of the fashion has been guided by the Vampires – cravats and scarves, high-necked gowns and pale skin – much to the detriment of the Werewolves.  Apparently it is a challenge to the were’s since it is difficult to run about in wolf-form fully clothed.  No, the two species don’t like one another, but they have learned to co-exist in polite society.

Contrary to popular belief, not just any vamp or pup can bite someone and change them – it takes a hive queen or an Alpha wolf – and not just anyone can be changed.  Nor can just any dead person linger after as a ghost.  It would seem that you must have an excess of soul.  That is why they tend to target the more creative of society – actors, musicians and the like.  Into this mix of humanity and supernatural is tossed a half-Italian spinster.  Not only does she not have the excess of soul, but she has a complete absence of soul.  None at all.  Most of the supernaturals don’t much like her kind – after all, preternaturals used to hunt supernaturals.  They have been used by the Templars for centuries to destroy all supernaturals that can be found!  But Alexia is a proper English lady… she would rather not go hunting down people that hold such a wealth of knowledge in their heads – that just isn’t civilized.

Book 1 – Soulless – finds Ms. Alexia Tarabotti getting tangled up in the affairs of the Bureau of Unnatural Registry, and of their Chief Minister in Charge of Supernatural-Natural Liason for the Greater London Area, Lord Maccon.  She is only trying to help solve the mystery of why a vampire attacked her without knowing what she was (as all hive queens instruct their new vampires of her exitstance almost immedietly), and avoid the boredom of spinster-hood.  There is an attraction, however, which greatly adds to the storyline.  They do eventually discover where the vampire came from, and why he knew nothing about her, and she helps in the capture of a group that is endangering the entire supernatural society – vampire and werewolf alike.

Ms. Carriger wrote the book that she wanted to read, but couldn’t find anywhere, and I am so glad that she did!  It has a great storyline, wit in spades, and adds in a liberal sprinkling of steampunk fun that all combines to make this series hard to put down.  The characters are well developed and highly likeable, and while she does make sure you know that the married characters rather *ahem* enjoy one another, she doesn’t go into explicit detail.  This is Victorian England after all!  That simply isn’t spoken of in polite society.

If you are looking for a fun, quick, engaging read and have any interest in Victorian England, steampunk or paranormal stories, I highly recommend this series.  I will warn you, however, once you start you may be hooked!

I recently received a book in the mail to read.  It’s called Primal: A Quest for the Lost Soul of Christianity.

Wow.

If you are looking for something that will help pull you out of that spiritual funk that you have found yourself in, check it out.  While Primal may not be the answer, it will point you back to the answer.

What does that mean?  It means that Mark Batterson has written a book about getting back into that relationship with God that we need to have.  He has included ideas and personal anecdotes that will help spur you onto good things and remind you of many of the ways you can build – or re-build – your relationship with Jesus Christ.  He focuses on compassion, wonder, curiosity, and power in our relationship with God, and reminds us of why these are important.

It’s that time of year when we have been going, going, going with a slow-down that hits right after Christmas and a time for looking at our lives and re-evaluating things.  Is there a better time for a refresher course on getting in touch with our Creator?

If you are floundering out there somewhere feeling like you need to draw closer to God, I recommend picking up Primal – it will show you a way back into that relationship.  It will remind you why we need a Savior and how to take part in that Great Commandment that Jesus gave us – to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind & strength, and to love others.  After all, is there a better way to share God with others than through relationships?  Our lives should proclaim Him, but if we aren’t strengthening our relationship with Him, our lives won’t be talking very loudly.

So, where can you pick up your copy of Primal?

It is available at booksellers nationwide on Dec 22, 2009, just in time to be the first book you read in 2010 – or perhaps that quieter week after Christmas.

Personally, I like to get books through Amazon.com.  Other places that I often shop for books are CBD,  Borders.com and BarnesandNoble.com

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Oh, and the legal stuff – I received this book for free to read and review.

This is a great resource for those who enjoy reading, but don’t want to pay the high prices that the bookstores often want. Basically, you post books that you have and want to get rid of, and others browse through the available books and order the ones that they want.

For every book that you send out, you get a credit for a book to order. The only cost at this time is to ship the books – and they get the media mail discount. They provide you with the label, you just wrap it around the book & ship it out.

We have posted some books, and one of them was requested the next day. I shipped it out, she received it, and I got a credit applied to my account that I used to order a book for my husband. This is great! It saves money, as he can get books for free to read when he travels instead of buying them at epensive airport bookstores, and I am clearing out our over-filled library one book at a time – and I don’t feel bad for throwing books away.

If you have too many books laying around, or you want to get some new-to-you books, check out PaperBackSwap.com

If you are looking for a great gift for a family on your list – or your own kids – you need to take a look at a new book by Sara Ann Denson called Christmas Turtles. This great story is about Sara’s own grandmother, and the wonderful turtle candies that she used to make every year when Sara was growing up – even though her grandmother couldn’t eat them herself!

This is a wonderful and heartwarming story that may bring back fond memories for you Moms, Dad’s and Grandparents, and it includes a recipe for turtles and a wooden mixing spoon to help you create new memories of your own!

Christmas Turtles is available from Purple Sky Publishing, and if you use the coupon code “cottagegiftspecial” you can save 15% on your total purchase. Hurry over to check it out – there may still be a few autographed copies left to order!

Christmas Turtles is also available at Amazon.com, Barnesandnoble.com and borders.com, however the 15% off coupon is good only at purpleskypublishing.com

Do you want more info about the author & illustrator?

Sara Ann Denson has been a nationally published author since the age of 18. In 1995, she received the first place One-Act Play Award at the annual Alabama Writer’ Conclave and she went on to publish three books of scripts and play along with various magazine credits. She currently lives in Jefferson City, Missouri with her husband, Boyd, and their two sons, Samuel and Gideon. She is a member of the MOMpack.

Tara McMillen as always had a special love for art. Tara is a painter who has done numerous murals in the Kansas City area. Her attention to detail and her intuitive nature makes her the perfect illustrator for children’s books. Tara has been married for seventeen years and has two wonderful children, Ericka and Kyle, who have also been blessed with their mother’s artistic ability.

For additional information regarding the author and illustrator, as well as other authors and illustrators employed by Purple Sky Publishing LLC, please visit purpleskypublishing.com