Search
Search results
Kelly J Tyrrell (3 KP) rated Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again in Books
May 21, 2018
Truly Inspired
Contains spoilers, click to show
This is a book review for the not-yet-released Inspired: Slaying Giants, Walking on Water, and Loving the Bible Again by Rachel Held Evans. This book is available in stores June 12th, but you can pre-order it at rachelheldevans.com.
I should start by saying - I filled out an application to be on the Launch Team for this new book, so I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the Publisher.
I first came across Rachel Held Evans when her book A Year of Biblical Womanhood crossed upon my Goodreads page. I thought, "Now there's a crazy idea", and while it was, the writing was not. The writing was wonderful! I followed along to grab Searching for Sunday, too.
So as any good 21st century fan, I started following Evans on Facebook, where I saw polls for naming a new book. A new book?? Yay! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get to be reading it a month in advance of release.
"Bible stores don't have to mean just one thing."
Inspired is largely about the importance of stories. Not just Bible stories , but our own stories, too. Stories like how your Grandpa had to quit smoking to get Grandma to go out with him. Stories like how you met your spouse over $0.25 tacos. Stories like how your great-uncle got kicked out of military school necessitating not one, not two, but FOUR rosaries at his funeral.
There are stories about who we are, where we come from, what we're willing to fight for, and what we've learned along the way. There are stories of good news and bad, and who we make community with. And the Bible is no different. Rather than dissecting all of the stories of the Bible, Evans divides the book into genres of stories. There are Wisdom stories, stories of deliverance, Church stories, and of course, Gospels.
"The good news is good for the whole world, certainly, but what makes it good varies from person to person, and community to community."
This theme of interpretation is recurrent through the whole book. Bible stories, gospel stories, war stories - none of them have one singular meaning. For Evans, growing up in a tradition that took the Bible as literally true and the inerrant Word of God, one singular meaning was not only suggested, but preached everyday. And though I grew up Catholic, and not Evangelical Protestant, I can relate.
Leaving the Catholic faith in my late teens to re-emerge as a Progressive Protestant in my thirties has been an eye-opening experience to say the least. I've never known anyone who takes the Bible literally (or at least if I did, I didn't know it). Not until I started homeschooling did I ever meet a person who actually believed in Creation. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that it has never occurred to me to take the Bible literally.
But I am, overall, an academic person. I love to read, analyze, and over-think everything. But since I did not grow up with the Bible's cast of characters like old friends, I was thirty-years-old before I started attending Bible studies at my local church. Instantly, I was sucked in to the weirdness and messiness of the Bible. Which made me ask - how does one even take the Bible literally?
"The truth is, the bible isn't an answer book. It's not even a book, really. Rather it's a diverse library of ancient texts, spanning multiple centuries, genres, and cultures, authored by a host of different authors coming from a variety of different perspectives...No one has the originals."
You could almost say that God delighted in canonizing inconsistencies, trusting that we could use our [God given] intellect to figure out what it needed to mean.
Because, things change, don't they? A historical, analytical approach to studying the Bible tells us that time, place, and context matter. The Epistles of Paul were not written to us. They were written to the church in Corinth, or Thessalonica, or Ephesus. And by church, I mean incredibly small groups of people, gathered in someone's house, illegally I might add. They weren't written to the 2.1 billion of us, flaunting our religion around the world like we own the place.
Indeed, Inspired was so good, and covered such a rich variety of story types, that if I keep talking, I'm going to ruin it for you. So, I guess I'll leave you with this. If you have ever read the Bible and thought:
...how could God just leave Tamar like that?
...how could God call David a man after his own heart?
...Jesus sure does touch a lot of people he ain't supposed to, what's up with that?
...what's so bad about being a tax collector, anyway?
you should probably read this book. NOT because this book answers any of those questions. It doesn't. It doesn't even try to. Rather, Rachel Held Evans in her Southern mama wisdom, helps remind us that maybe having all the answers isn't actually the answer. Maybe reveling in the magic of the Bible is the Hokey Pokey. Maybe that IS what it's all about.
I should start by saying - I filled out an application to be on the Launch Team for this new book, so I received an Advanced Reader Copy from the Publisher.
I first came across Rachel Held Evans when her book A Year of Biblical Womanhood crossed upon my Goodreads page. I thought, "Now there's a crazy idea", and while it was, the writing was not. The writing was wonderful! I followed along to grab Searching for Sunday, too.
So as any good 21st century fan, I started following Evans on Facebook, where I saw polls for naming a new book. A new book?? Yay! Never in my wildest dreams did I think I'd get to be reading it a month in advance of release.
"Bible stores don't have to mean just one thing."
Inspired is largely about the importance of stories. Not just Bible stories , but our own stories, too. Stories like how your Grandpa had to quit smoking to get Grandma to go out with him. Stories like how you met your spouse over $0.25 tacos. Stories like how your great-uncle got kicked out of military school necessitating not one, not two, but FOUR rosaries at his funeral.
There are stories about who we are, where we come from, what we're willing to fight for, and what we've learned along the way. There are stories of good news and bad, and who we make community with. And the Bible is no different. Rather than dissecting all of the stories of the Bible, Evans divides the book into genres of stories. There are Wisdom stories, stories of deliverance, Church stories, and of course, Gospels.
"The good news is good for the whole world, certainly, but what makes it good varies from person to person, and community to community."
This theme of interpretation is recurrent through the whole book. Bible stories, gospel stories, war stories - none of them have one singular meaning. For Evans, growing up in a tradition that took the Bible as literally true and the inerrant Word of God, one singular meaning was not only suggested, but preached everyday. And though I grew up Catholic, and not Evangelical Protestant, I can relate.
Leaving the Catholic faith in my late teens to re-emerge as a Progressive Protestant in my thirties has been an eye-opening experience to say the least. I've never known anyone who takes the Bible literally (or at least if I did, I didn't know it). Not until I started homeschooling did I ever meet a person who actually believed in Creation. I guess what I'm trying to say, is that it has never occurred to me to take the Bible literally.
But I am, overall, an academic person. I love to read, analyze, and over-think everything. But since I did not grow up with the Bible's cast of characters like old friends, I was thirty-years-old before I started attending Bible studies at my local church. Instantly, I was sucked in to the weirdness and messiness of the Bible. Which made me ask - how does one even take the Bible literally?
"The truth is, the bible isn't an answer book. It's not even a book, really. Rather it's a diverse library of ancient texts, spanning multiple centuries, genres, and cultures, authored by a host of different authors coming from a variety of different perspectives...No one has the originals."
You could almost say that God delighted in canonizing inconsistencies, trusting that we could use our [God given] intellect to figure out what it needed to mean.
Because, things change, don't they? A historical, analytical approach to studying the Bible tells us that time, place, and context matter. The Epistles of Paul were not written to us. They were written to the church in Corinth, or Thessalonica, or Ephesus. And by church, I mean incredibly small groups of people, gathered in someone's house, illegally I might add. They weren't written to the 2.1 billion of us, flaunting our religion around the world like we own the place.
Indeed, Inspired was so good, and covered such a rich variety of story types, that if I keep talking, I'm going to ruin it for you. So, I guess I'll leave you with this. If you have ever read the Bible and thought:
...how could God just leave Tamar like that?
...how could God call David a man after his own heart?
...Jesus sure does touch a lot of people he ain't supposed to, what's up with that?
...what's so bad about being a tax collector, anyway?
you should probably read this book. NOT because this book answers any of those questions. It doesn't. It doesn't even try to. Rather, Rachel Held Evans in her Southern mama wisdom, helps remind us that maybe having all the answers isn't actually the answer. Maybe reveling in the magic of the Bible is the Hokey Pokey. Maybe that IS what it's all about.
Daniel Boyd (1066 KP) rated The Beatles: Eight Days A Week - The Touring Years (2016) in Movies
Oct 24, 2017
Four Lads Who Shook The World
Last night the Ron Howard directed Beatles documentary, Eight Days A Week: The Touring Years, premiered in London. As much as I would have loved to attend the premier, I have just started a new year at university and couldn’t afford to go both financially and educationally. Therefore I had to settle for going to see it in my local cinema, but it was still an awesome experience. From six o’clock, the cinema streamed the premier in London, hosted by John Bishop and Edith Bowman and featuring interviews from Ron Howard, Paul and Ringo. Then the cinema auctioned off a poster for the film for charity, (which went for £100 if you are curious,) then finally the film started.
It is a fantastic insight into what went on during the years of Beatlemania while the Beatles were on tour and what they were like as people in those more innocent days. The music is of course fantastic, but even for someone who isn’t a massive Beatles fan I think that this documentary is still relevant and tells of an important piece of recent history in an exciting, stylish way.
There are some gripes I have with the movie though, the first one being a case of some revisionist history. The only talk about the group taking any form of drugs was a blink and you’ll miss it mention of them smoking dope on the set of Help, there was no mention of them smoking a joint in the toilets in Buckingham Palace while waiting to receive their MBE’s, there was also no mention of the fact that John returned his MBE and they didn’t even mention the amount of acid they took whilst in India and in the later days. Also, all of John’s more offensive behaviour has been vastly censored and toned down. There is footage of the Beatles first American concert at the Coliseum in Washington D.C, where Paul introduces the band and asks the audience to ‘clap their hands and stomp their feet,’ as Paul is saying this John appears to be impersonating a handicapped person doing exaggerated clapping and stomping movements, which is something he did repeatedly during their first American tour, but in the film they cut away to the audience during this to avoid showing John being offensive. We also never see the footage from their Royal Variety performance, when John told the people in the poor seats to clap their hands and the rich people, including the Royal family, to just rattle their jewellery. I don’t know why they are trying to make John look like an innocent saint when he was never like that, he was always rebellious and cheeky and was never afraid to say what was on his mind. The second gripe I have is more of a personal one in that us hardcore Beatles fans were promised a story that had never been told and while there was some footage that I hadn’t seen before, I wasn’t exactly mind blown by the story that the footage told as there was very little in the film that I didn’t already know about. However despite these minor gripes the movie is fantastic, an immense story told by a master filmmaker about the greatest band in history, what’s not to love?
It is a fantastic insight into what went on during the years of Beatlemania while the Beatles were on tour and what they were like as people in those more innocent days. The music is of course fantastic, but even for someone who isn’t a massive Beatles fan I think that this documentary is still relevant and tells of an important piece of recent history in an exciting, stylish way.
There are some gripes I have with the movie though, the first one being a case of some revisionist history. The only talk about the group taking any form of drugs was a blink and you’ll miss it mention of them smoking dope on the set of Help, there was no mention of them smoking a joint in the toilets in Buckingham Palace while waiting to receive their MBE’s, there was also no mention of the fact that John returned his MBE and they didn’t even mention the amount of acid they took whilst in India and in the later days. Also, all of John’s more offensive behaviour has been vastly censored and toned down. There is footage of the Beatles first American concert at the Coliseum in Washington D.C, where Paul introduces the band and asks the audience to ‘clap their hands and stomp their feet,’ as Paul is saying this John appears to be impersonating a handicapped person doing exaggerated clapping and stomping movements, which is something he did repeatedly during their first American tour, but in the film they cut away to the audience during this to avoid showing John being offensive. We also never see the footage from their Royal Variety performance, when John told the people in the poor seats to clap their hands and the rich people, including the Royal family, to just rattle their jewellery. I don’t know why they are trying to make John look like an innocent saint when he was never like that, he was always rebellious and cheeky and was never afraid to say what was on his mind. The second gripe I have is more of a personal one in that us hardcore Beatles fans were promised a story that had never been told and while there was some footage that I hadn’t seen before, I wasn’t exactly mind blown by the story that the footage told as there was very little in the film that I didn’t already know about. However despite these minor gripes the movie is fantastic, an immense story told by a master filmmaker about the greatest band in history, what’s not to love?
Whatchareadin (174 KP) rated Don't You Cry in Books
May 10, 2018
Quinn wakes up on Sunday morning to discover that her roommate, Esther, is gone. Quinn isn't sure what she should do. The window to the fire escape was left open, but there is no note or sign of where Esther could be. Should she go to the police or wait for Esther to return? When Quinn starts to find things that make her question the integrity of her roommate, she's not sure if she wants her to be found.
A few hours away on the shores of Lake Michigan, Alex, an 18 year old boy is on his way to work at the local diner. He's cleaning dishes, when the most beautiful girl he has ever seen walks in. It's all he can do to concentrate on his work and not watch her watching whatever it is she is looking at outside the window. Who is she and where did she come from? Alex is determined to find the answers to those questions.
This is the first book I have read by Mary Kubica. I have heard nothing but great things about all of her books. Recently, I won a copy of her most recent book, [b:Every Last Lie|32735394|Every Last Lie|Mary Kubica|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486762991s/32735394.jpg|53325365], and wanted to read something else of hers to get a feel for her writing style. When I first started the book, I dove in head first, I was very intrigued from the start and wanted to know what was going to happen.
I will say, that I found out what was going to happen about a third of the way through the book, although I was surprised at the end that I wasn't completely right. That is why I gave the book 3 stars.
What would you do if you found your roommate missing? A girl who you thought was one of the sweetest people you had ever known. Then you found evidence that maybe she wasn't so sweet after all, and maybe it was a good thing she was now gone. Quinn enlists the help of her friend and co-worker, Ben, who also knows Esther to help her get to the bottom of the mystery. When stranger and stranger details start to emerge, Quinn has no choice, but to go to the police for help. But will they help, or will they just assume, Esther has gone of her own free will and doesn't want to be found.
For Alex his motive is quite different. His life is not filled with much excitement, so when a new face appears in town and can shake up his boring world a bit, he's all for taking a chance on getting to know this girl. She is quite a change from dealing with his alcoholic father and the agoraphobic woman, Ingrid, who he frequently brings food to from the diner. But this girl won't tell him her name(he calls her Pearl because of her bracelet) or where she came from or why she is here. So he makes assumptions and tries his best to get to know her and find out who she is.
Are Esther and Pearl the same person? That is the question that plagues us through the whole book. You will have to read it to find out!
A few hours away on the shores of Lake Michigan, Alex, an 18 year old boy is on his way to work at the local diner. He's cleaning dishes, when the most beautiful girl he has ever seen walks in. It's all he can do to concentrate on his work and not watch her watching whatever it is she is looking at outside the window. Who is she and where did she come from? Alex is determined to find the answers to those questions.
This is the first book I have read by Mary Kubica. I have heard nothing but great things about all of her books. Recently, I won a copy of her most recent book, [b:Every Last Lie|32735394|Every Last Lie|Mary Kubica|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1486762991s/32735394.jpg|53325365], and wanted to read something else of hers to get a feel for her writing style. When I first started the book, I dove in head first, I was very intrigued from the start and wanted to know what was going to happen.
I will say, that I found out what was going to happen about a third of the way through the book, although I was surprised at the end that I wasn't completely right. That is why I gave the book 3 stars.
What would you do if you found your roommate missing? A girl who you thought was one of the sweetest people you had ever known. Then you found evidence that maybe she wasn't so sweet after all, and maybe it was a good thing she was now gone. Quinn enlists the help of her friend and co-worker, Ben, who also knows Esther to help her get to the bottom of the mystery. When stranger and stranger details start to emerge, Quinn has no choice, but to go to the police for help. But will they help, or will they just assume, Esther has gone of her own free will and doesn't want to be found.
For Alex his motive is quite different. His life is not filled with much excitement, so when a new face appears in town and can shake up his boring world a bit, he's all for taking a chance on getting to know this girl. She is quite a change from dealing with his alcoholic father and the agoraphobic woman, Ingrid, who he frequently brings food to from the diner. But this girl won't tell him her name(he calls her Pearl because of her bracelet) or where she came from or why she is here. So he makes assumptions and tries his best to get to know her and find out who she is.
Are Esther and Pearl the same person? That is the question that plagues us through the whole book. You will have to read it to find out!
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Price of Privilege (Price of Privilege, #3) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
While this is most definitely one of the darkest books I’ve read, I am in awe of the author’s magnificent way of transmitting Julia’s emotions to the reader.
**If you have not read the first two books, please be aware of spoilers**
Julia Elliston is about to face her Goliath and her entire world is crumbling in front of her eyes. Her dream of living happily ever after with Edward is snatched away almost the moment it begins. Julia and Edward are forced to return to Lord Pierson as news of the scandalous vicar has reached the village where Edward served. But before they can even begin to settle into their new life, Macy has returned to “collect his wife”. Using his notorious skills of manipulation, Macy has set in motion the charges that will destroy the entire Pierson family, and return Julia to his safe keeping. Lord Dalry brings forth his old school friend Mr. Whitney to fight her case. We meet another friend in this book, Jameson, the fetching butler. Edward offers Jameson a job after his father decides to replace him. Jameson adds some much needed humor to this story. As she prepares for her court date, Julia comes to hate herself for the mistakes that she has made. But with Isaac’s help, in the most touching and tragic way possible, she comes to see herself as God sees her and loves her. She becomes a new person walking in the love and acceptance of the Father. A place that I hope we can all achieve. As tensions grow and truths are revealed, everyone has very severe choices that must be made. How will Lord Pierson protect his daughter? Will Edward be charged with crimes he didn’t commit? Is there anyway Isaac can free Julia from this monster? Has Macy paid off everyone so he will walk free and claim his wife? But most importantly, will Julia’s faith stand firm throughout the trials and the hardships?
I have had completely mixed emotions about the entire story in general. I have come to realize, however, that it is because I prefer a more lighthearted book. The conclusion of the Price of Privilege Trilogy went above and beyond my expectations. It was also hard for me to relate with Julia in a lot of ways. Her decisions and reactions in specific situations are the complete opposite of how I would think to react (Although I don’t have a blood thirsty husband, who could at any moment snatch me away). I also remain uncomfortable with the portrayal of some of the romantic scenes. They are brief and few, but I feel as if they were a little too provocative without being graphic. That being said, as our story concluded, I was moved to tears. The emotions I was reading were very easy to grasp onto. The series as a whole is very dark and depressing, too much for my own emotional health to handle in 2 ½ weeks. (I need about a week just to process everything now.) I wasn’t sure about the books at first, but I am glad I stuck with it. My congratulations to Jessica Dotta on her first series, I look forward to reading any future works!
I received a free copy of Price of Privilege (Price of Privilege Trilogy Book 3) from Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.
**If you have not read the first two books, please be aware of spoilers**
Julia Elliston is about to face her Goliath and her entire world is crumbling in front of her eyes. Her dream of living happily ever after with Edward is snatched away almost the moment it begins. Julia and Edward are forced to return to Lord Pierson as news of the scandalous vicar has reached the village where Edward served. But before they can even begin to settle into their new life, Macy has returned to “collect his wife”. Using his notorious skills of manipulation, Macy has set in motion the charges that will destroy the entire Pierson family, and return Julia to his safe keeping. Lord Dalry brings forth his old school friend Mr. Whitney to fight her case. We meet another friend in this book, Jameson, the fetching butler. Edward offers Jameson a job after his father decides to replace him. Jameson adds some much needed humor to this story. As she prepares for her court date, Julia comes to hate herself for the mistakes that she has made. But with Isaac’s help, in the most touching and tragic way possible, she comes to see herself as God sees her and loves her. She becomes a new person walking in the love and acceptance of the Father. A place that I hope we can all achieve. As tensions grow and truths are revealed, everyone has very severe choices that must be made. How will Lord Pierson protect his daughter? Will Edward be charged with crimes he didn’t commit? Is there anyway Isaac can free Julia from this monster? Has Macy paid off everyone so he will walk free and claim his wife? But most importantly, will Julia’s faith stand firm throughout the trials and the hardships?
I have had completely mixed emotions about the entire story in general. I have come to realize, however, that it is because I prefer a more lighthearted book. The conclusion of the Price of Privilege Trilogy went above and beyond my expectations. It was also hard for me to relate with Julia in a lot of ways. Her decisions and reactions in specific situations are the complete opposite of how I would think to react (Although I don’t have a blood thirsty husband, who could at any moment snatch me away). I also remain uncomfortable with the portrayal of some of the romantic scenes. They are brief and few, but I feel as if they were a little too provocative without being graphic. That being said, as our story concluded, I was moved to tears. The emotions I was reading were very easy to grasp onto. The series as a whole is very dark and depressing, too much for my own emotional health to handle in 2 ½ weeks. (I need about a week just to process everything now.) I wasn’t sure about the books at first, but I am glad I stuck with it. My congratulations to Jessica Dotta on her first series, I look forward to reading any future works!
I received a free copy of Price of Privilege (Price of Privilege Trilogy Book 3) from Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. in exchange for my honest review.
BookwormMama14 (18 KP) rated Dawn at Emberwilde (Treasures of Surrey, #2) in Books
Jan 2, 2019
★★★☆☆ - "I've been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow."
A new story, a new mystery and a new adventure. Dawn at Emberwilde is a charming story of a young woman who is offered a new life. What will she do with the choices laid before her?
"And yet the very sight of her
dislodged his sense of time and space."
- Dawn at Emberwilde
(Location 3620)
About the Book
Isabel Creston has grown up at Fellsworth School, training for a teaching position. Knowing she would someday become a governess. She has resigned to her lot in life, but her spirit wishes to soar free. When an unexpected visitor shows up at Fellsworth School, life as she knew it changed forever. Unknown relatives have been searching for Isabel since the death of her father. They were finally able to track her down and open their home to her. Filled with apprehensions, Isabel and her younger sister, Elizabeth, travel to their new home of Emberwilde. With stories of the Emberwilde Forest being haunted and of her past that differ from her own knowledge, Isabel does not know who or what to believe. When not one, but two men begin to occupy her thoughts, her heart is thrown into a tumult whirlwind. Will she embrace the endearments of Mr. Bradley? Or find comfort in the silent strength of Mr. Galloway? Who is she really? Will she find herself in the forest of Emberwilde?
"The important thing to remember is that no experience is ever wasted. It is being used to fashion you into the person you are meant to be, and to move you to the place where you are supposed to go."
- Dawn at Emberwilde
(Location 3115)
My Thoughts
I have to admit that although I did enjoy the overall story line, I was a bit let down with Dawn at Emberwilde. First of all I was under the impression that this series would have treasures such as gems and jewelry playing a significant role. In the first book (The Curiosity Keeper) we have the mystery of the Bevoy (a giant ruby), which was a thrilling tale! However there is no mystery of that kind in Dawn at Emberwilde. Don't get me wrong though, there is plenty of mystery and devious behavior to make a good story. But of a fashion that I was not quite expecting. I kept waiting for something else into come into play (like a chest of gold). Although, I suppose the treasure itself is supposed to be Isabel Creston. While the outline of this story was good, I felt that the pace could have been a bit quicker. The last 80 pages are full of action and I really couldn't put it down until I finished it. But the first 240 pages or so were not nearly as exciting. This book had a Cinderella feel to it, being a rags to riches type of story. The description of the clothing and styles was extremely detailed. The cover is exceptional, depicting the Emberwilde Forest perfectly! With its sense of haunting and mystery. Recommended if you are looking for a nice book to occupy some down time. These books can stand alone. There was very little reference to The Curiosity Keeper in Dawn at Emberwilde.
I received a free digital copy of The Curiosity Keeper from NetGalley courtesy of Thomas Nelson, Inc. in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
A new story, a new mystery and a new adventure. Dawn at Emberwilde is a charming story of a young woman who is offered a new life. What will she do with the choices laid before her?
"And yet the very sight of her
dislodged his sense of time and space."
- Dawn at Emberwilde
(Location 3620)
About the Book
Isabel Creston has grown up at Fellsworth School, training for a teaching position. Knowing she would someday become a governess. She has resigned to her lot in life, but her spirit wishes to soar free. When an unexpected visitor shows up at Fellsworth School, life as she knew it changed forever. Unknown relatives have been searching for Isabel since the death of her father. They were finally able to track her down and open their home to her. Filled with apprehensions, Isabel and her younger sister, Elizabeth, travel to their new home of Emberwilde. With stories of the Emberwilde Forest being haunted and of her past that differ from her own knowledge, Isabel does not know who or what to believe. When not one, but two men begin to occupy her thoughts, her heart is thrown into a tumult whirlwind. Will she embrace the endearments of Mr. Bradley? Or find comfort in the silent strength of Mr. Galloway? Who is she really? Will she find herself in the forest of Emberwilde?
"The important thing to remember is that no experience is ever wasted. It is being used to fashion you into the person you are meant to be, and to move you to the place where you are supposed to go."
- Dawn at Emberwilde
(Location 3115)
My Thoughts
I have to admit that although I did enjoy the overall story line, I was a bit let down with Dawn at Emberwilde. First of all I was under the impression that this series would have treasures such as gems and jewelry playing a significant role. In the first book (The Curiosity Keeper) we have the mystery of the Bevoy (a giant ruby), which was a thrilling tale! However there is no mystery of that kind in Dawn at Emberwilde. Don't get me wrong though, there is plenty of mystery and devious behavior to make a good story. But of a fashion that I was not quite expecting. I kept waiting for something else into come into play (like a chest of gold). Although, I suppose the treasure itself is supposed to be Isabel Creston. While the outline of this story was good, I felt that the pace could have been a bit quicker. The last 80 pages are full of action and I really couldn't put it down until I finished it. But the first 240 pages or so were not nearly as exciting. This book had a Cinderella feel to it, being a rags to riches type of story. The description of the clothing and styles was extremely detailed. The cover is exceptional, depicting the Emberwilde Forest perfectly! With its sense of haunting and mystery. Recommended if you are looking for a nice book to occupy some down time. These books can stand alone. There was very little reference to The Curiosity Keeper in Dawn at Emberwilde.
I received a free digital copy of The Curiosity Keeper from NetGalley courtesy of Thomas Nelson, Inc. in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are mine alone.
My rating 2.5
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. </i>
There is often a preconception that self-published books are not as good as those printed by world famous publishers. Yet, given a chance, there are a few that surprise you. Unfortunately, there are many issues with Laura Foster’s debut novel <i>Crimson</i>. The actual concept has promise of appealing to a range of readers due to falling into a variety of genres: fantasy, science fiction, young adult and paranormal/horror. Where the novel suffers is within the writing style and obvious lack of proof reading.
The storyline concentrates on a homeless young girl whose frightening nightmares have led her to believe she is in grave danger. Dawn Pearson, who the reader is led to believe is only twelve or thirteen years of age, is determined to get as far away from the creature in her dreams as possible. With the help of Mike, a friend she makes on the street, she narrowly escapes being captured by the red-eyed, irascible monster she has named Crimson.
While the pair flee, Dawn and Mike become aware of another terrifying beast, although neither understand why Dawn is being hunted. It soon manifests that Dawn harbours an ethereal power, suggesting that she is far from the human she believed herself to be. As the thrill of the chase heightens, readers are left with questions: who is Dawn? Who is the Crimson? Which characters can be trusted?
It is not clear what the target age group is, however the youthful ages of Dawn and Mike make it suitable for a young adult audience as well as adult readers in general. Dawn and Mike’s relationship, although sudden, becomes a key aspect of the story. For once a friendship between a male and female has no romantic connotations attached, thus not detracting from the surreal circumstances of the plot. Both Dawn and Mike show admiral traits of selflessness – something that ostracizes them from the remainder of ignoble characters.
Sadly, the dramatic climax spirals into confusion. Ever changing plot directions make it unclear who the heroes are, and perplexing scene descriptions make it difficult to picture what the author had in mind. This was a more prominent issue toward the conclusion of the book, resulting in an unsatisfying ending.
One of the major problems with the writing is the constant switching of points of view. Although written in third person, a narrative still speaks from one character’s perspective. This can change from character to character, but usually separated into different chapters. In <i>Crimson</i>, however, Foster alters the viewpoint from paragraph to paragraph. This occasionally makes the text difficult to follow.
As with any lengthy body of text, printing errors can occur – nobody is perfect. On the other hand, the amount of typos in <i>Crimson</i> makes it hard to believe that it had ever been proofread in the first place. Some mistakes are clearly typing errors that are (probably) not the author’s fault, however the repeated misuse of words such as seized/ceased and wondered/wandered are not easy to forgive.
Overall, the premise was there, the writing not so much. It is understood that Laura Foster is currently working on a sequel to <i>Crimson</i>, but its success rests on how well this first book is received. If people can tolerate the errors pinpointed above, then the author has nothing to worry about, yet as it stands, it does not look promising.
<i>I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads. </i>
There is often a preconception that self-published books are not as good as those printed by world famous publishers. Yet, given a chance, there are a few that surprise you. Unfortunately, there are many issues with Laura Foster’s debut novel <i>Crimson</i>. The actual concept has promise of appealing to a range of readers due to falling into a variety of genres: fantasy, science fiction, young adult and paranormal/horror. Where the novel suffers is within the writing style and obvious lack of proof reading.
The storyline concentrates on a homeless young girl whose frightening nightmares have led her to believe she is in grave danger. Dawn Pearson, who the reader is led to believe is only twelve or thirteen years of age, is determined to get as far away from the creature in her dreams as possible. With the help of Mike, a friend she makes on the street, she narrowly escapes being captured by the red-eyed, irascible monster she has named Crimson.
While the pair flee, Dawn and Mike become aware of another terrifying beast, although neither understand why Dawn is being hunted. It soon manifests that Dawn harbours an ethereal power, suggesting that she is far from the human she believed herself to be. As the thrill of the chase heightens, readers are left with questions: who is Dawn? Who is the Crimson? Which characters can be trusted?
It is not clear what the target age group is, however the youthful ages of Dawn and Mike make it suitable for a young adult audience as well as adult readers in general. Dawn and Mike’s relationship, although sudden, becomes a key aspect of the story. For once a friendship between a male and female has no romantic connotations attached, thus not detracting from the surreal circumstances of the plot. Both Dawn and Mike show admiral traits of selflessness – something that ostracizes them from the remainder of ignoble characters.
Sadly, the dramatic climax spirals into confusion. Ever changing plot directions make it unclear who the heroes are, and perplexing scene descriptions make it difficult to picture what the author had in mind. This was a more prominent issue toward the conclusion of the book, resulting in an unsatisfying ending.
One of the major problems with the writing is the constant switching of points of view. Although written in third person, a narrative still speaks from one character’s perspective. This can change from character to character, but usually separated into different chapters. In <i>Crimson</i>, however, Foster alters the viewpoint from paragraph to paragraph. This occasionally makes the text difficult to follow.
As with any lengthy body of text, printing errors can occur – nobody is perfect. On the other hand, the amount of typos in <i>Crimson</i> makes it hard to believe that it had ever been proofread in the first place. Some mistakes are clearly typing errors that are (probably) not the author’s fault, however the repeated misuse of words such as seized/ceased and wondered/wandered are not easy to forgive.
Overall, the premise was there, the writing not so much. It is understood that Laura Foster is currently working on a sequel to <i>Crimson</i>, but its success rests on how well this first book is received. If people can tolerate the errors pinpointed above, then the author has nothing to worry about, yet as it stands, it does not look promising.
Sophia (Bookwyrming Thoughts) (530 KP) rated MARY: The Summoning (Bloody Mary, #1) in Books
Jan 23, 2020
I don't know the precise reason why I actually requested The Summoning in the first place. I do know that I must have been really intrigued by the idea of a retelling of Bloody Mary and maybe just wanted a break from the influx of YA books that have some type of romance running about. Or, I just wanted to measure Hillary Monahan's debut novel with a scare-a-meter.
The first in the Bloody Mary series follows Shauna O'Brien, who decides to join with her 3 friends, Jess, Anna and Kitty to summon Bloody Mary, a legend that has been around since the 1960s with rumors that the person is someone who died near the end of the Civil War by the name of Mary Worth. As a result of summoning Bloody Mary, the spirit manages to go free from its rightful place within the boundaries of a mirror and begins to haunt the 4 girls, Shauna being her main victim.
Possibly what Mary so scary is the very fact she pops out everywhere almost and locks doors/windows. As the author so puts it in a sentence...
<blockquote>Mary was appearing without a summoning, manipulating objects, haunting glass, and skipping from surface to surface.</blockquote>
I did have a problem with Mary's abilities though. While it certainly puts a wow to the scare factor, Mary seems a little... too powerful. Reflective object manipulation? That's almost everything if you ask me. Computer/Tablet screens, washers/dryers, refrigerators, windows, doorknobs, lambs, flash drives, scissors, transportation, sinks, etc. So not only does the haunted have to live in isolation to protect everyone they love, but s/he have to live smelling like poo and crap for the rest of their lives because they can't take a decent shower?
<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nfP1y5PZpOs/U49rNV8em4I/AAAAAAAADZo/XHTD2iwNTxs/s1600/giphy.gif"; border="0">
Somehow, I don't think Mary qualifies as a ghost now. More like a demon in my humble opinion. While that may scare readers at first, eventually some will catch on and Mary won't be as scary.
The Summoning is basically the ultimate friendship test for the main characters – Jess, Anna, Kitty and Shauna have been best friends for quite awhile, so when Shauna begins to see Mary everywhere, they have to try to work together to get rid of the ghost. <spoiler>Apparently this test failed, because Anna gets taken. Once you're gone, you're technically gone. It's not like doing anything would have brought Anna back. Although I did like her, so it was actually sad to see her get taken through the mirror by a ghost.</spoiler>
So the ultimate question from the beginning: how well can Hillary Monahan scare me? Quite well, but I managed to sleep very well. While I'll certainly applaud on what a chilling twist on an urban legend The Summoning was, Mary needs to be toned down a bit to make her more believable.
----------------
Advanced Review copy provided by Disney Hyperion for review
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Original Review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/arc-review-mary-the-summoning-by-hillary-monahan.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
The first in the Bloody Mary series follows Shauna O'Brien, who decides to join with her 3 friends, Jess, Anna and Kitty to summon Bloody Mary, a legend that has been around since the 1960s with rumors that the person is someone who died near the end of the Civil War by the name of Mary Worth. As a result of summoning Bloody Mary, the spirit manages to go free from its rightful place within the boundaries of a mirror and begins to haunt the 4 girls, Shauna being her main victim.
Possibly what Mary so scary is the very fact she pops out everywhere almost and locks doors/windows. As the author so puts it in a sentence...
<blockquote>Mary was appearing without a summoning, manipulating objects, haunting glass, and skipping from surface to surface.</blockquote>
I did have a problem with Mary's abilities though. While it certainly puts a wow to the scare factor, Mary seems a little... too powerful. Reflective object manipulation? That's almost everything if you ask me. Computer/Tablet screens, washers/dryers, refrigerators, windows, doorknobs, lambs, flash drives, scissors, transportation, sinks, etc. So not only does the haunted have to live in isolation to protect everyone they love, but s/he have to live smelling like poo and crap for the rest of their lives because they can't take a decent shower?
<img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-nfP1y5PZpOs/U49rNV8em4I/AAAAAAAADZo/XHTD2iwNTxs/s1600/giphy.gif"; border="0">
Somehow, I don't think Mary qualifies as a ghost now. More like a demon in my humble opinion. While that may scare readers at first, eventually some will catch on and Mary won't be as scary.
The Summoning is basically the ultimate friendship test for the main characters – Jess, Anna, Kitty and Shauna have been best friends for quite awhile, so when Shauna begins to see Mary everywhere, they have to try to work together to get rid of the ghost. <spoiler>Apparently this test failed, because Anna gets taken. Once you're gone, you're technically gone. It's not like doing anything would have brought Anna back. Although I did like her, so it was actually sad to see her get taken through the mirror by a ghost.</spoiler>
So the ultimate question from the beginning: how well can Hillary Monahan scare me? Quite well, but I managed to sleep very well. While I'll certainly applaud on what a chilling twist on an urban legend The Summoning was, Mary needs to be toned down a bit to make her more believable.
----------------
Advanced Review copy provided by Disney Hyperion for review
Original Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Original Review posted at <a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/arc-review-mary-the-summoning-by-hillary-monahan.html">Bookwyrming Thoughts</a>
<a href="http://bookwyrming-thoughts.blogspot.com/"><img src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cG5gfBqJVzk/VA5BIojjZ9I/AAAAAAAAD1g/7srLUfpAGEU/s1600/banner.png"; /></a>
BankofMarquis (1832 KP) rated Glory (1989) in Movies
Apr 14, 2020
Well acted with tense battle scenes
Every now and then, I'll watch a specific scene in a movie and when it is complete, I say to myself - "that person just won the Oscar." Such was the case for a young "up and coming' actor in the 1989 Civil War film GLORY.
Directed by Richard Zwick (LEGENDS OF THE FALL) Glory tells the true story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry of the Union Army in the Civil War - the first all black infantry - and stars Mathew Broderick (FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF), Cary Elwes (THE PRINCESS BRIDE), Morgan Freeman (on his way to becoming well known), Andre Braugher (in one of his first screen appearances) and Denzel Washington (who won an Oscar for his work).
Zwick does a wonderful job putting a unique spin on a standard story - ragtag group of soldiers band together, they go through bootcamp together and shift from a disparate group of individuals to a solid team - and then prove their worth in battle. This could have easily been a "paint by numbers" film but Zwick makes it something more, putting the emphasis on the soldiers and the obstacles they need to overcome and downplaying the danger and the violence. Don't get me wrong - the action sequences are intense and well made, they just aren't the point of the film.
The point of the film are the men who are involved - and the 5 leads are tremendous. Morgan Freeman shows the grace and leadership and authority that he would bring to many, many pictures. Elwes shows that he can command a screen, if given a chance and Denzel sparkles in his scenes. This picture shows a true movie star being born. But the real surprises for me on this viewing is the work of Matthew Broderick, playing a very different character than the light comedy performances we had seen from him in films like FERRIS BUELLER and on the stage that we would come to know him as in such musicals as THE PRODUCERS. This film shows that he has some wonderful acting chops and is just at home with a dramatic role as he is with a light comedic role.
But...the actor that really stood out from the others in this showing is the great Andre Braugher in his first Major Motion Picture appearance. He would go on to shine brightly in such roles as Detective Pembleton in HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS and currently is starring as Captain Holt in BROOKLYN 99, but in Glory he was an unknown commodity and his portrayal of free, educated black man Thomas Searles - a childhood friend of both the Broderick and Elwes characters - who must adjust to being one of "the men" with this collection of uneducated former slaves and live in a tiered relationship with 2 men that are his peers and friends is heartbreaking to watch. Even though I was thrilled with Washington's Oscar (he does have the "Oscar scene" in this film), I thought Braugher's performance was just as good - maybe even better.
All of this leads the audience to a finale that is intense - and intensely personal - for you are invested in these men as they face insurmountable odds and most certain death.
I've been re-watching quite a few movies lately, and GLORY is one that hit me harder - and is better - than I remembered. Well worth checking out.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Directed by Richard Zwick (LEGENDS OF THE FALL) Glory tells the true story of the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry of the Union Army in the Civil War - the first all black infantry - and stars Mathew Broderick (FERRIS BUELLER'S DAY OFF), Cary Elwes (THE PRINCESS BRIDE), Morgan Freeman (on his way to becoming well known), Andre Braugher (in one of his first screen appearances) and Denzel Washington (who won an Oscar for his work).
Zwick does a wonderful job putting a unique spin on a standard story - ragtag group of soldiers band together, they go through bootcamp together and shift from a disparate group of individuals to a solid team - and then prove their worth in battle. This could have easily been a "paint by numbers" film but Zwick makes it something more, putting the emphasis on the soldiers and the obstacles they need to overcome and downplaying the danger and the violence. Don't get me wrong - the action sequences are intense and well made, they just aren't the point of the film.
The point of the film are the men who are involved - and the 5 leads are tremendous. Morgan Freeman shows the grace and leadership and authority that he would bring to many, many pictures. Elwes shows that he can command a screen, if given a chance and Denzel sparkles in his scenes. This picture shows a true movie star being born. But the real surprises for me on this viewing is the work of Matthew Broderick, playing a very different character than the light comedy performances we had seen from him in films like FERRIS BUELLER and on the stage that we would come to know him as in such musicals as THE PRODUCERS. This film shows that he has some wonderful acting chops and is just at home with a dramatic role as he is with a light comedic role.
But...the actor that really stood out from the others in this showing is the great Andre Braugher in his first Major Motion Picture appearance. He would go on to shine brightly in such roles as Detective Pembleton in HOMICIDE: LIFE ON THE STREETS and currently is starring as Captain Holt in BROOKLYN 99, but in Glory he was an unknown commodity and his portrayal of free, educated black man Thomas Searles - a childhood friend of both the Broderick and Elwes characters - who must adjust to being one of "the men" with this collection of uneducated former slaves and live in a tiered relationship with 2 men that are his peers and friends is heartbreaking to watch. Even though I was thrilled with Washington's Oscar (he does have the "Oscar scene" in this film), I thought Braugher's performance was just as good - maybe even better.
All of this leads the audience to a finale that is intense - and intensely personal - for you are invested in these men as they face insurmountable odds and most certain death.
I've been re-watching quite a few movies lately, and GLORY is one that hit me harder - and is better - than I remembered. Well worth checking out.
Letter Grade: A
9 stars (out of 10) and you can take that to the Bank(ofMarquis)
Rick Astley recommended Greatest Hits by Al Green in Music (curated)
