Mitch is a former student of Morrie who is stricken with ALS
that slowly takes over the body. Mitch didn’t keep in contact with Morrie after
college but rather only remembered him once in a while and began their Tuesday
visits only after seeing a Nightline episode of Morrie talking about his
experience with ALS on a late night show.
Mitch seems very selfish and busy when we meet him in the
beginnings. But as his Tuesday visit’s continue with Morrie his mind is
expanded and sets the time to self reflect and question Morrie who is in turn
sharing with him his experience with dying. Morrie is a very gentle person who
thrives off energy whether from a dance beat or a smile.
Mitch Albom does his very best to relay the mental
perspective of life from dying eyes and an active mind. It was a very
interesting reading this and helps remind us that we are human but we can make
the best we have and love those around us. There wasn’t any climax or suspense
but just the plain truth.
This book would be educational for students who
wanted to study someone’s perspective that had a terminal illness. It could
also teach them how disease’ can infect and deconstruct the body slowly. Or to
show adifferent kind of narration and
voice.
I have never heard of this book or author but Goodreads put on my list of things that might interest me. Now I did not finish it due to inappropriate material that seemed unnecessary. It is way weird when your main character is panting after a evil, pain inducing God. Just plain weird in my book.
I liked the main character though despite her weird obsession. Yeine is of royalty at a distance. She grew up in Darre a small village that does well for itself. Her father was killed in a hunting accident and her mother annexed herself from the royal palace to be with her love even though he was from a poor village. She was assassinated later on in Yeine's life. She is around 16 when her grandfather summons her to the kingdom without an explanation as to why. Upon her arrival at Sky city she is greeted but is chased by Nahadoth the evil God because she bears no mark on her forehead of what he rank is.
Evading the evil God she attains the mark and meets two siblings who have had a feud over the throne throughout their childhood. Without friends, soldiers, and influence over the people she rallies all she can attain to win the battle for royalty. During her search for assistance and knowledge she learns her mother was not the loving woman who raised her but a ruthless ruler with a knack for winning.
Don't get me wrong I liked the story and some of the characters. However I was not a huge fan of the inserts in the middle of a story. I was reading along and it would show a break saying. "Hold on let me back up and explain." Just as someone is retelling the story but remembers the background information as they go along. Its not a terrible technique I just felt like it was a little overused. I wouldn't recommend it just because of the sexual material that started halfway through the book. I did enjoy the first half though.
At first it seemed slow and too detailed on the surroundings at times but it wasn't too bad. Ged is a wizard but is originally taught by the town witch who recognizes his powers. Like anyone else gifted in magical ways the curiosity begins innocently of learning how to control animals and the elements.
The town witch though also taught him crude things that he didn't enjoy. However, a story was rumored of his ability to help his town when in dire need using his powers.
A famous wizard, Ogion, visited shortly after the incident to examine him and rename him. Though Ged was thirteen he was past his naming day and the Wizard renamed him and later on is known as 'Sparrowhawk'.
Due to ignorance of the balance that must be maintained when using magic he conjures a dead spirit to prove his power to an enemy; resulting in the dead spirit attacking him because it seeks to control his body and powers. There is no protection from this spirit but the hunter becomes the hunted and he is aided by his best friend Vetch who also helped him while at the Wizard school.
I liked the stories characters, yet I came to like Vetch more than Ged. It always had something going on but I couldn't really feel the suspense in myself. The vocabulary was basic except for the made up languages which I always enjoy.
I liked that magical power was gained by knowing every things true name. I did like that it didn't end with a cliffhanger. I feel like it was original by the ways the wizards gained powers and that they would wear out over time. It had some original ideas and creatures as well.
I cannot believe that I forgot to blog about this since I chatted people's ear's off about it.
This series follows two protagonists; Han Alister who is the gruff streetlord who unknowingly captures our other protagonist Raisa Ana-Helena the princess heir.
What would a princess and streetlord share? Power, brilliance, and to keep Raisa on the throne. There is always someone to defeat and sometimes they distrust and hurt each other throughout the story. There are certain wizards who have taken control over the Queen and seek to put their own magical children on the throne.
Han does his best to keep his mother and sister fed and clothed by collecting plants and specialty items to sell at the traders market. While collecting in the forest with his best friend Dancer a wizard tries to discipline him for not bowing when he passed by. In the end Han takes his amulet so that he will never use it against him and the chase ensues as the Bayars (Wizard Family) seeks to take it back.
Not only is he sought by the Bayars but some street murders have been committed and he has the blame despite his innocence. With the city patrol and Bayars after him they strike back and burn his attic room with his sister and mother in it.
Raisa recognizes that her mother is being controlled but is also of Demonai blood and tries to seek refuge at Marisa Pines Camp when her mother arranges a forbidden marriage for her. Her royal guard and childhood friend Amon looks after her protection and takes her to military school to hide while assassins and once thought friends seek to end her life.
I simply love fantasy. I found the characters realistic and I liked the fact that they didn't always get along but also hurt each other which is more realistic. The plot is simple but there is a lot packed into each book. The writing style was for YA but I would find words not normally used and the description of the room and non important details were kept short and precise. I normally feel like with a series that authors lose their touch after the second or third book in.
However I love this series because the high quality was kept to the end. I greatly respect Cinda William Chima for the hard work that is evident in her series. This would make a great Christmas present. And if you could send me one that would be nice too! Ha ha ha ha ha ha.
Comment below and tell me some of your favorite books and I will select one to read and review!
I just finished this book yesterday. Its definitely a quick read and there isn't a specific plot to follow. And you might wonder, "Well then why should I read the book?"
Good question. Not only is it cute but it teaches that a lover isn't just a one night stand or a call lover. Rather a lover is a person who puts their whole heart and mind into a relationship for good and bad. There is more to love than just sex.
While reading you learn about the authors life and observations about trust and forgiveness. While reading it I also thought about my own marriage. There were times when my opinion and understanding differed from the authors but overall I agreed with his definitions and examples of all the words that make up lovers.
There are many funny moments included but nothing can make the reader feel so raw about it except the truth. It's that emotional connection we create as a reader that causes us to get angry, sad, or laugh out loud and this book touches on a very personal subject for everyone. I was impressed with the vocabulary and the great examples to teach what the words really meant.
I don't believe it matters what our expectations out of life and love are. He boils it down to where it can apply to everyone and educate those who've never caught onto the concept. It is also a quick read. It took me a few days because I was reading it on my breaks at work and at night before bed. Spread the love and share a book. :)
Sorry there has been nothing but static lately. We graduated from college, had to find jobs, move and get settled. Now that all that chaos is over and handled I will get back in to reviewing books. I haven't been not reading of course. I always need a story to read. I actually finished the "Seven Realms" series that I will review later this week. I also read, "The Screwtape Letters". I am going to the library to pick up more books to read as well. Sorry about the non vacancy but I'm back! :D
My husband and I have thoroughly enjoyed reading Card's works and when I saw Stonefather on the shelf at the library I couldn't resist. Okay well when it comes to books I'm easy and can't control myself anyways so maybe that means nothing. Anyways, I read it in two days. Its a short book but I liked it better than Pathfinder. Its appropriate for any age which is nice.
Stonefather is about a young man, Runnel, who has no purpose in his village and deprived of positive attention in almost any form. Inspired by desire to go outside the village he heads towards Mitherlough a great city where he is accosted by soldiers and harsh women because of his ignorance. Lark shows him pity as he carries water for her and he is then added to the staff for Lord Brickel who is a stone mage but limited to cobblestone.
Shortly after being introduced and shown where he was to sleep in the attic he is suddenly ill from being high and feeling the wood of the house continually trembling. As a solution to prevent sickness he sleeps in the basement at the hearth.
Lord Brickel finds that the foundaiton of the house is now a solid slab of flagstone whereas it was only pieces previously. Discovering that Runnel is a stonefather he tries to find out what Runnel knows. While they are talking Demwor is suspicious of their whereabout's then discovers the magic Runnel has been doing but blames Lord Brickel instead not knowing Runnel is a stonefather. Therefore, Runnel seeks a way to free Lord Brickel and making the water mages in Mitherlough accepting of stone mages and not prejudice.
The plot is the same as all the other stories but he did an excellant job at making it feel new and magical all over again. I wished it gave more back story about Runnel in the beginning so that you get a feel for the character right away but thats a preference not law. I know it didn't say on Goodreads that I was currently reading it but I just wanted to read it. A writer can write a good story but taking the same old plot and making it feel new and exciting is skill and expertise. Orson Scott Card you did well again! :D
Write a comment below that includes your favorite Card book or one you are wanting to read. Thank you!
Above here is a video clip of Autumn discussing parts of her life and the book which are synonymous.
This story is about a woman growing up in a psychotic home due to her mothers bipolar disorder and lack of help for the condition at the time. It is interesting to see how the bipolar disorder can cause people to turn into different extreme factions of themselves. Fearing her angry mom ut stuck at home fending for herself and trying to help with the kids she is a witness to all the horrible actions of her mother and the close minded judgment of others in the community.
Following her mothers story in the beginning turns towards Autumn herself as well as she recognizes the small behaviors and thoughts she herself began to deal with. I can't imagine how frustrating it is to be stuck in your own body knowing at some points you are doing something wrong or waking up and finding a closet stuffed full of yarn and having no idea where it came from and what it was for.
Shortly before her mothers suicide Autumn is married to Dana and they together struggle through the disorder with medication concoctions, mental hospital visits, and the variety of behaviors that tagged along with her.
Initially I was hesitant to read the book because some of my family members are dealing with the bipolar disorder but I haven't been too close since no one in my immediate family suffers from it. I have known to call those suffering on their grey days to cheer them up or just listen to their thoughts which are sometimes scary but hey we are family. :)
Contained in this book is some dark and scary stuff. I almost put it down after the first few chapters because it was a little overwhelming but I kept on hoping that the tide would change for Autumn. Her hope came from a very unlikely source. Her father's friend David was a pig farmer and sometimes pigs develop a ear tail biting habit and he would give them a vitamin supplement to help them and they would stop. When Autumn's father confided in him after his wife's suicide his friend explained that his kids were suffering from a pig disease. Ha ha ha ha ha ha. Not something you really want to hear. Her father submerged himself in research of the disorder and recruited David to formulate a solution through vitamins and minerals.
A year to two later they found the right combination and Autumn tried it and has been symptom free for 10 years. There is a greater amount of events in the book than this simple explanation but its great.
I like this book a lot and it was originally lent to me by my mother in law but she will have to buy herself another one because I'm not giving it back. Now this vitamin concoction is called EMPowerplus or in the US as Q96.
My mother in law gave me this book and a bottle of it. I was a little unsure by what she meant but I think she had good intentions. :D ha ha ha ha ha. Anyways these vitamins have also helped those that suffer from chronic headaches and migraines as well. Since I have a bottle and during Aunt Flo's visit my emotions sway like a weed in the wind I decided to experiment and try it myself. I will give it a while to see if it helps to keep my stabilized during Aunt Flo's visit. ;) Read it love it and BUY it! :D
I wasn't dying to turn the page like Enders Game. I did like the abilities that were introduced in this story and how they could interact and counteract one another. Rigg was a very likeable character. I did actually laugh out loud a few times which means that it is very comical in dialogue and action.
Rigg is a young man accused of killing his best friend,Umbo, brother and is chased out of town shortly after his fathers death. Filled with grief and anger he heads towards the biggest city on a mission to find his sister. When leaving the town he discovers that he was actually a rich kid with money and jewels despite his humble upbringing. Rigg is a pathfinder that shows him people's tracks that have been around for thousands of years floating in the air. Umbo join's Rigg after reconciling on the outskirts of town and confess their abilities to each other.
While Umbo suffers from the youngest sibling syndrome of not enough attention and envies Rigg for his ability that causes strife throughout the journey. Along their way of finding Rigg's sister they meet Loaf and Leaky who take pity and teach the 'privicks' how to behave in a city. Caught by soldiers, captains and official multiple times they still elude imprisonment and death.
Rigg's mother plots to kill him and his sister causing Rigg and Param his sister to ban together and escape from her fatal web. The world they live on is sectioned into different plots with a wall that fills them with fear and misery when they get too close. With a horde of authorities on their trail they seek to accomplish the 'impossible' task of crossing the wall with many unknown factors.
Overall I liked it but it wasn't as good as Ender of course but still worth your time.
Sorry I haven't been so consistent we are moving soon and family has come to visit off and on so things have been a little crazy if you can imagine. :) Anyways, down to the dirty.
The Wolverine is being released this month on the 26th! Comic fans or followers of good movie series need to check it out! Reread the comics and stay updated of when your local movie theater will be showing it because I definitely will be. :)
This is your moment to ask someone on a date to see an awesome movie and they will think you brilliant for recognizing such a great movie to share with them. :)
Below are links to some of my favorite book shops. This is one of the biggest shopping holidays is the 4th of July running behind Christmas, and New Years.
Barnes & Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com
They has a Summer Select Reading Books BOGO 1/2 off.
Then the Summer Clearance 80% off.
You can also get the third 'Classic' book you order for free if you buy two. If your low on the classics you can easily stock up now.
Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=
For you Kindle people there are 100 books for under 3.99! Killer deal people! I had one I would be stocking up on it for sure.
They are also having a 50% select books sale.
They also have a feature of Bargain Books where you can shop by price if you are on a budget like myself.
Powells
http://www.powells.com
They have 30% off on some popular series right now.
Seems as though 30 is their favorite number since they are also selling young adult favorites for 30%.
What are you book noser's doing? Its time to crack your card out of the ice block and splurge on books that are not usually as cheap as they are now. Happy shopping! :D
This is the third installment of the "Angelus Trilogy" with Katherine and Jay Harper. Both of their memories have been wiped so they try to clear their minds but are constantly re-wiped due to a variety of methods. Jay Harper is a gruff man that prefers to take care of business quickly despite it's messiness at times. Harper is assigned to the task of helping Astruc a wayward priest and his side kick Goose. Unbeknownst to Harper is that he is only a tool in Astruc's bigger plans to reveal that the prophecy is closer to being fulfilled than expected.
Katherine deranged from medication to keep her under control and wakes up pregnant in a house surrounded by trees with an few swiss officers checking on her regularly. Without her memories she is disturbed by what is occurring. With the news that she was raped by the bad guys makes her not want to have the child. Anne is the officer watching over Kathrine constantly that causes personal feelings to get close to Anne's duty as a guard.
While Harper puts the pieces together of Astruc's plans and his memories begin to overwhelm him he tries to right his wrongs and overtake Astruc before he prevails. Katherine is unsure of why they are in such protected custody placed in a small town with only a few people and the diner lady delivering to their house since neither Anne or Katherine cook.
What Katherine does discover is that someone is after Max, her son, but all the training and guards don't stop the bad guys from breaking into the area and lighting everything up in flames until they get Max. The last part leaves us hanging with Katherine trapped in a safe and the vault door cringing apart slowly holding onto Max tightly.
Overall, it had a good plot and was always action packed. If there wasn't something going on it was building quickly with explanations along the way. The characters were well developed and changed overtime which I liked. However, the language is heavy with swear words if thats not your thing. I hope you check it out if you like action, mystery, and love all wrapped in one.
I feel as though this was a very intimate story about a disease that wreaks havoc in countless families all throughout time. Hazel (Hazel Grace) was bought a few extra years of her terminal situation by a miracle drug. She was entered into a group for testing of a drug called Phalanix and it has kept back her cancer to a minimal amount. She hasn't attended public school in a long time but rather on her non-busy schedule she was able to graduate from high school and begin her college education. She feels like a grenade. There isn't anything keeping her from hurting her family when she dies. A while ago the family found themselves in the hospital with Hazel gasping for breath and she felt like she wasn't going to make it and so they prepared for her to die telling each other it was okay. Even though not everything was okay she still survived to be the comforter for a fellow sufferer.
She hated attending the support group listening to this monotonous story of how Patrick lost his balls as an inspiration for those to keep fighting. One night she went to take a seat and a new guy joined the group to only stare at her with apparent fascination. Annoyed by Augustus' blatant obsession she strikes back with one upraised eyebrow and death stare. Needless to say he surrendered.
Hazel and Augustus were pulled closer together by a shared favorite book and try to contact the author of the story. Cancer perks are amazing and help them out in their pursuit.
They are both riddled by cancer and fall in love. Yes, they are young and teenagers but it wasn't puppy love that their friend Isaac experienced. It was the true unabashed forever love. The hardest thing of this book is the statement when Hazel says she won't be able to be with Augustus anymore because he died. Ripped from the Earth was a by product of cancer that heroically gave his last wish to the love of his heart. I'll let you read to find out what wish it was.
I was disappointed that I could guess the twists and turns but it showed a rawness that I haven't experienced with characters before. Yes, it is a bit predictable but you won't be reading just for the plot but for the characters. No fancy words were used but only the hard truth in simple words. I do hold different beliefs than the characters but I didn't let it stop me from respecting them as people. This is a great book to share with those that don't know a lot about how hard it is to live through or with cancer. After reading this book I decided that I wasn't strong enough to handle the things the characters did. And I have a deeper respect to those who battle it. Sadly a true point made by the character is that dying from a sickness isn't heroic and it draws only pity and immortalizes those who do.
You can follow John Green on twitter @realjohngreen. Or follow his vlogbrothers online. Author: J. Feistner
Oh my, Oh my. To start out it wasn't what I expected in a very good way. Siri and Vivenna are sisters and royalty of Idris that is considered a rebel kingdom against Halladran and their God King an Immortal.
The God King and the other Gods in Halladran are kept alive by taking the breath of others that is also called, "BioChroma" that enhances the awareness of sight and identification of the power level others have with their BioChroma.
Siri and the royal family of Idris have a partiuclar trait that cannot be replicated by others and thats the power of changing the color and length of their hair. This helps both princesses prove their identities when entering Halladran.
Vivenna the eldest was betrothed to the God King before her birth to quell the turmoil of the rightful ruler of the land. Upon the time to send Vivenna who has prepared for 22 years her father decides to send the youngest in her stead because he loves Vivenna too much and Siri is quite the handful.
Siri shocked into submission by the news was promptly shipped to Halladran when she returned from gathering flowers in the forrest. Vivenna disoriented from the removal of Siri seeks a new purpose for her life and vows to help her sister escape from the monstrous God King and sets out with Palin to Halladran.
Siri infuriated and scared because she didn't pay attention to her lessons feels like a barbarian in their bright flashy society. After a week of isolation she is presented to the God King and instructed to strip herself and bow on the floor until he bids her to come so that they can have an heir. The God King however never bids her towards him but rather sits silently watching her then leaves after a short time.
Vivenna meanwhile seeks out her father's informants from Halladran for information and is found by Denth, Tonk Fah, and Jewels. Lemex the only informant they found was near death and bestowed his thousands of breath upon her without her permission since BioChroma is a sin in her religion. With the great amount of BioChroma she is able to attend court and sneak glances of her sister.
After multiple events Vivenna is reduced to begging on the streets for food until Vasher an assassin finds her and asks her aid to help stop the war between Idris and Halladran. Halladran had grown greedy and wanted the trade routes that Idris held and used their 'rebel attitude' as a scapegoat.
Siri behind kingdom walls maneuver's her best between the plots in court to find out why she and the God King are in danger and why everyone is so worried about them having a child. Trusting Bluefingers ends up being a trap and he tries to tie her to an alter and kill her.
Vivenna and Vasher find Siri and the God King in the end and escape the deaths that were planned by Bluefingers. Many within court were killed in the plots and they did their best to stop the people from crying out for war.
I was enthralled by this book. I read it in three days because I couldn't put it down. There is nothing inappropriate that occurs or is described but cuts off before the event but it is implied. Their swear words are different from our and their dialogue is rather witty and comical. My husband often found me giggling to myself reading in the chair and would roll his eyes. There is always something going on. Its fast paced and intriguing. At first some things are unknown but its explained when necessary. I would highly recommend this book to anyone needing a good fantasy book. Ages 12 up.
Here is a video of how one artist painted the cover which was really cool. By: J Feistner
Overall it was good. Claudia is the head strong female lead outside the prison in a false 17th century area and Finn is more level headed but inside a living prison. It starts out in the belly of the beast with Finn experiencing an 'episode'. His oath brother Keiro watches over him despite his selfish thieving ways. Finn explains to Keiro that he feels like he wasn't born in Incarceron the metal prison world. Rumor has it that only person was ever able to escape from it and no one has come in. The prison reuses people, animals, bug, and structure parts to recreate people. Nothing is wasted. In a raid lead by Keiro is when Finn decides to take a hostage. Luckily he picked a woman that is in a high position outside their sector and in trade for her they give his clan gold, clothes, weapons, and last of all a crystal key. Finn takes nothing from their ransom except for the crystal key that has the same symbol as the one tattooed on his wrist. Perplexed and excited he toys with it eventually making contact with Claudia.
Claudia was betrothed at a young age to Giles who experienced an 'accident' a few years before their marriage and his half brother then became heir and the betrothal was transferred to him as well. Claudia is the daughter of the Warden of Incarceron. They are rich and lack nothing. Despite her riches she is unhappy and uses her rigorous study skills to crack the code for the gate to Incarceron. Her father is distant and rarely shows a liking towards her. Claudia with the help of her Master Jared break into his secret office and find the crystal key. She replaces the real key with a hologram and takes it searching for the gate. Alarms sounding and panicked she flee's the room before being found by her father. Jared and Claudia study the key and make contact with Finn. After seeing Finn through a hologram from the key Claudia suspects that Giles never really died but was put into Incarceron. Upon digging for information the Queen future mother-in law gives warnings to Claudia of sticking her nose in the wrong places.
Once Claudia and Finn make contact they try to find the gate to Incarceron with Finn looking from the inside following child stories of Saphique who was the one that escaped. And Claudia breaking into her father's office and 'off limit' rooms. Its not until the wedding day that Claudia rips her wedding dress to shreds discovering her father isn't really her father but rather he took her out of Incarceron so that he would have a daughter. Enraged from the discovery she breaks into his office and finally discovers the gate right before Incarceron itself is trying to kill Finn and his adventure buddies.
Overall it was good. It had a simple plot and somethings were not predictable. I would say that its good for ages 12-15. There wasn't any inappropriate material which was enjoyable as well. The characters were well developed but they didn't seem to change as a person. Either way its a good book for the readers who don't like reading books with females in it since it contains both sides. Below is the youtube video of Catherine Fisher telling her version of the story.
Reading this was like experiencing that slimy weird taste that cooked mushrooms get for the first time. And I haven't tried them since. I feel odd not liking it because so many love this book and applaud the writer but I wouldn't be honest if I went along with the crowd.
Holden is a sixteen year old boy filled with angst and seeking adventure in New York. He seems to be plagued by laziness in turn results in multiple school flunk outs. His parents are very well to do and have previously suffered the loss of their younger son. Holden describes his distaste for inconvenient conversations, stuck ups, swear words inscribed on the walls and stalls, people who can't communicate, chick flicks, and hearing about how his friends got laid by girls he knew.
Thats not even close to a whole list of all the things Holden hates. Alas, He ends up leaving Pencey a prestigious school for boys. The school Christmas break is coming soon but he is kicked out early and returns to his home city hoping to camp out at friends places until he can return home on the official day of the school vacation schedule. Along the way he pays a prostitute to talk to him then gets scammed out of money from her pimp. He gets drunk with a friend who doesn't even care about him but rather gets annoyed with him and tells him to grow up.
He is desiring some female tail and "buzz's" one of his lady friends and takes her out on a date then realizes that she is shallow and that he doesn't like plays with romance. He donates money to a pair of nuns he shares coffee with. The taxi cab drivers also get majorly annoyed when he tries to ask them where the ducks go for the winter. In the wee hours of the night he finally sneaks into his sisters room and they catch up. Then he tells her that he is running away to the west and she tries to go with him. When she tries to follow him lugging a huge suitcase he consents to staying home and then it ends.
Maybe I'm too much of a positive patty but all the negativity of his displeasure at the world made me angry. Holden did not change as a character at all. I sensed no growth or desire to achieve anything. Plot? If it was to show the view of a hormonally deranged young man on the cusp of maturity it did well. Even then it missed a climax. The swearing was abhorrently excessive as well which also nagged at me. The language was very simple minded. Overall I was disappointed.
This provides the nuts and bolts with a rough sketch of directions for those new to marriage or trying to become one with a spouse. It's easy for many authors to get in your face about this topic and say that its only one way and not another. On the contrary Mr. Paylietner was openly honest which provided many moments of laughter.
He acknowledged that males and females are different for a reason and that we should treasure our differences instead of trying to mold each other into a spouse we want. It also reveals the tenderness that men really have and though it doesn't take a lot to keep them happy he provides 52 ways or approaches to make yourself and your spouse happy in the marriage you have. Below is an example of the many hilarious statements made:
"There is a great verse I love to display during my presentation to dads and husbands. I suggest that it might be a good life verse for all men and then click the PowerPoint to reveal Proverbs 5:18-19:"Rejoice in the wife of your youth. . .let her breasts satisfy you always. May you always be captivated by her love" (NLT). When that verse hits the screen, I can count about three seconds and there's a riffle of chuckling through the room. (Men are really just a bunch of little boys, and thats good to remember"(p. 32).
Now, I myself couldn't help from giggling like an immature girl when reading those lines and when I shared this excerpt with my husband we were both rolling with laughter. Its not a sappy book in anyway but a book full of reminders that also make us laugh at the same time.
The formatting was well done for the book as well. There is no exact order you have to read the one to two page lessons, so you can skip around depending on what you feel like. Plus, if you are in a hurry at the bottom of each lesson is a few short lines that are the synopsis of the lesson itself and underneath that is a quote.
I picked a quote that I felt could encompass the tone and knowledge contained in this book. Here it is: "'Beside every great dad is a great mom.'-Ken Canfield (1961-)" (p.35).
What sets this book apart is the humor, and self honesty the author shares about his own life. Its easy for someone to write a book and share other people's problems, triumphs, and sorrows but it's different when they write using their own. The taboo topics that were addressed professionally were: sex, porn, loss of love, and loss of faith in each other. Lets face it life happens and I enjoyed having a bit of advice and things to ponder about that are not always discussed in a family. He supports his claims with the scriptures appropriately. In no way did I feel like there was a sermon going on. You could tell that there was a lot of forethought in the placement of scriptures.
This book would be great for to-be-newly-weds, those in a rough patch, or seeking for answers. It will be published this upcoming august and plan on sharing it with a friend of ours who are going to be married and a copy for myself.
Overall: It's like that healthy comfort food you enjoy. For myself it's apples and peanut butter.
The plot is simplistic and contains mainly Dor, Sara, and Victor who's lives are in serious need of changing.
Character Roundup:
Dor
Dor was different from others in size and perspective. He is also responsible for observing time and putting effort into tracking it. His lesson to learn takes a greater amount of time for him to accomplish but he still changes his stars.
Sara
Sara is the typical teenage nerdy girl that doesn't have a fun experience in high school. Right off the bat she is impatient for time to go by so that she go places and meet people. Though we are given background information on both characters there wasn't a friend connection between myself and the characters.
Victor
Victor is dirty rich and only cares about keeping his dynasty from others in the future and freezing himself until a cure for kidney cancer is revealed so that he could live again and continue to reign with all his money. Talk about one shallow guy. He didn't even tell his wife that he was going to freeze himself and leave her instead with large amounts of money hoping she wouldn't find out. The personal change with Victor was a bit harder to imagine since he seemed so flat in the beginning by being obsessed with his money and work. Accordingly he did change and returned to his wife but it was still not as believable as Sara and Dor.
Theme: Enjoy the small moments and focus on what really matters in your life primarily your family.
Tidbits: There are repeated religious allusions throughout the book. I seriously thought the book would end with how Sara and Victor changed their minds but when I read about For running back to Alli his wife and dying with her I was thoroughly pleased to see that not just Sara and Victor got a second chance.
Hints
Sara Lemon's last name is to reinforce her negative and sour outlook she has on others and herself. By no means is she a terrible person but doesn't quite comprehend the entire picture of the world like many others.
Victor's wife "Grace" is also a subtle hint to being saved and that no matter what we can always be redeemed through grace which is what he did. Victor's code word to his assistant to back out of the freezing is "Grace"but it isn't until realizing the repercussions his actions would have on others if he continued on his previous course did he use grace to change his ways.
