Reboot

Life is always a rollercoaster.  At least mine is!  From fighting illness for a few years, to a bad car accident, and then COVID, it's been interesting to say the least.  I've read through it all, I just haven't posted my reviews.  Some books I read and didn't even write a review at all!  However, I've decided to come back to post my reviews here and on my Goodreads account.  This is only a small blog with extremely limited readership, but it doesn't really matter.  I like to put my reviews out there in case they help someone.  Maybe I'm crazy?

Along the way, I've discovered mysteries!  I have to admit, I'm really enjoying them!  I never thought I'd like mysteries because, you know, someone dies.  But I found cozy mysteries leave out the gruesome details.  I like that.  A lot.  I see enough gruesome details in my job, I don't need to see them in my books.

I've also read about half of the Julia Quinn Bridgerton series.  I will review them at some point.  Truthfully, they weren't good enough to make me want to watch the Netflix series.  One or two books stand out as pretty good, but mostly I don't find them to be all that noteworthy.  I'm surprised they were picked up to be made into a series.  

I also am planning to review Preston and Child's Pendergast series as well.  I've only read eight of them.  A friend of mine has read them all and has informed me that they gotten to be more like Lovecraftian horror with a healthy dose of dimensional travel thrown in so I don't know if I will actually finish the series.  I don't like horror.  Especially horror in the Lovecraft vein.  I also am not a fan of taking an otherwise pretty solid series into the realm of...mysticism is the best word I can come up with.  Although, truth be told, some of that is already showing up in the last two books I've read.  And, no, I wasn't happy to see it hinted at there either.

As I am doing this reboot around the holidays, it is likely I will review a few holiday romances.  I have revealed before that I'm a sucker for holiday romances.  Really holiday books in general.  I love Christmas!  So any book that deals with the holidays will probably be something I enjoy.  Given that, I will review a few.  Maybe not all of them, I've read quite a few!

If I decide to do any type of reading challenge or anything of that nature, I will post about it here.  I probably won't do anything more than set a goal for myself.  The really big challenges with all the specific items you have to read to complete the challenge are fine, but they tend to suck the joy out of reading for me.  The last few years I've simply set a small goal.  This year my goal was to read only sixteen books.  I've read more than that of course.  I don't like to set super high goals because that too sucks the joy out of reading.  If I have to rush through two books a week to meet my goal, that isn't enjoyable.  I'd rather just give myself a relaxed goal and then read past it if time permits.  Some years I can read thirty or forty books.  Other years I'm lucky to eek out twelve.  And that's okay.  Reading is about enjoyment and not about attaining a number.

I hope you enjoy the upcoming holiday season and find time to do a little reading.  I'd love to hear about what you're reading.  I have a long list of books I want to read, but I'm always willing to add to it!  Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Happy reading!

The Mistletoe Promise by Richard Paul Evans

I'm already in the mood for Christmas!  OK, fine, I was never really out of the mood for Christmas.  Still...

My favorite Christmas activity is watching all the Hallmark Christmas movies.  I love them!  And one of my favorites (Top 5) just happens to be The Mistletoe Promise.  Which, incidentally, is not out on DVD/BluRay.  This hurts my heart.  Hallmark, are you reading this??

Anyway...

As previously stated, The Mistletoe Promise was made into a Hallmark movie.  As soon as I found out it was based on a Richard Paul Evans novel, I just had to snap it up.  I'm glad I did.  As is so often the case, the book was so much better than the movie.  Sadly, Hallmark actually gutted the story.  The Hallmark movie barely resembles the book.  I understand why Hallmark did it, but I still like the book much better.  (Not to worry, I'll still buy the  movie if it comes out on DVD/BluRay.)

As for the book:

The Mistletoe Promise is not a long book by any means.  I easily read it in just a few hours.  Honestly, I couldn't put it down.  Richard Paul Evans's writing is easy to read.  The prose flows easily and is simply enjoyable.  Neither scholarly nor elementary, the writing hits the Goldilocks zone -- just right.  It's perfect for a weekend read.

Likewise, the plot and pacing of the book are also in the Goldilocks zone.  There is some depth to the plot, but the book never gets too weighty.  Yes, the issues that give the story depth are heart wrenching, but because the author doesn't dwell on them and drag them out they don't detract from enjoying what is ultimately a great and relaxing weekend read.

I really did like the characters in The Mistletoe Promise.  Elise is believable and relatable.  She is very much every one of us.  In Elise I saw facets of myself, as I'm sure others will too.  Elise was well written with compassion and understanding -- something all of us want, which is why I was drawn to her.  Nick was also a good character.  He wasn't as well rounded as Elise, nor did he enjoy the same character development, but he was still a good character and was exactly what the story (and Elise) needed.

All things considered, I would recommend this book to anyone.  There is nothing objectionable -- no profanity, no sex, no questionable morals or ethics.  This book is a simple, sweet, utterly enjoyable read.  A perfect holiday read, but also a book that can be enjoyed any time.  Just because the story is set at Christmastime doesn't mean it should be limited to Christmas time.

Happy reading!

Pestilence by Laura Thalassa (The Four Horsemen Book One)

A book about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  I've seen that before.  A romance book about the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.  Now that's a new one.  To say I'm intrigued is a vast understatement.  How would one even work romance into a story featuring the Four Horsemen?  Love is completely at odds with everything the Four Horsemen represent.

I finished the book with mixed feelings.  First, let me be exceedingly clear on one point:  This book strays so far from the Biblical Four Horseman they are unrecognizable as the entities of Revelation.  The four Horsemen in this book and the Four Horsemen in the Bible share a name.  That's it.  This book is for entertainment only.

Setting that aside, what really troubled me about this book was that Sara seemed to suffer from Stockholm Syndrome.  Of course I'm not exactly sure, short of being taken prisoner, how you could write someone willingly into the presence of Pestilence.  And for there to be romance, one does need to spend time in the presence of one's love interest.  So I pushed the Stockholm Syndrome complaint out of my mind and kept reading.

I can say that I did like the characters.  I work with firefighters and some of them are like Sara.  Some really are in this profession because they care about people and want to help.  So the compassionate side of Sara's personality did ring true for me.  As did her toughness.  You can't be a woman in what is still considered a man's profession and not be tough as nails.  Given what the author put Sara through, it certainly was a good choice on her part to give Sara that backstory.  It also made her compassion towards Pestilence a little easier to understand.  Additionally I liked that Sara wasn't a whiner.  She got hurt physically and mentally, but she didn't whine about it.  She acknowledged it, dealt with it and moved on.  Frankly, once I discarded the Stockholm Syndrome argument, her growth as a character was very well written.

Pestilence was also well written.  His changes were of an existential nature and they made sense.  Who wouldn't question their duty to exterminate a "bad" race when several times compassion is offered without expectation of repayment?  And who wouldn't be torn when that same race showed abject hatred and cruelty?  Watching Pestilence wrestle with his changing certainty about his cause actually made me think more than once about my own reactions to some of the things humanity does.  It's easy to have a knee jerk reaction and fall back on habitual thoughts.  But are those thoughts right?

The writing itself was fine.  Points for using a few words not normally used in books targeted for mass market.  However... the language!  In some cases, yes, there was a need because that is exactly how those types speak.  But in general, there was a lot of the use of the F-word and taking the Lord's name in vain that I could have done without.  But it wasn't so bad that I gave up.  I just started skipping those words.  Other than that, I can't really complain about the writing.  Obviously it wasn't horrible; I read the book in two sittings!

The story itself was intriguing.  I found the story to be of a more cerebral nature than of an action nature.  To be sure, there was some action, some of it gruesome, but that action was needed to push the story along.  The heart of the story, the truly important part of this story, is how Sara and Pestilence changed.  Thankfully that part of the story wasn't lost in a quagmire of unnecessary action.

All things considered, I recommend this book for adult readers that can overlook profanity, sex, and some gruesome scenes.  I will say this about the sex:  It is not super graphic nor is it disgustingly or cheaply described.  Sure, I've seen better descriptions but I've also seen a whole lot more offensive descriptions.  As these things go, it's not terrible.  The violence in the book is only what is necessary, however, it isn't pretty.  It is not super graphic, but neither is it easy to read.  I will say if you are easily upset or offended, don't read this book.  Otherwise, enjoy just be forewarned.

Note:  I read this book a year or two ago and wasn't going to post a review until all the books had come out and I had reviewed them all.  I've decided not to wait.

Book Clubs, Etc.

It's been awhile.  A long while actually.  A lot of non-book, life stuff has been going on.  Illness, family illness, work, and just plain being busy has kept me away from blogging.  I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about.  We all have a lot going on.  Despite all that life stuff, I've still been reading.  I haven't reviewed everything I've read, but I do have a few reviews ready to go. 

During my sabbatical, I came to a few conclusions about reading.  Specifically the things we do that make reading a chore instead of fun.  There are three things that I realized were making my reading life hell:  blogging/reviewing, book clubs, bookish social media.  One would think those things would enhance the reading experience, and maybe they do for others, but for me they made reading so stressful I just didn't have any real interest in reading.

After about six to twelve months of no blogging/reviewing, I realized I was enjoying my reading time more.  I enjoy reviewing books for my blog, but I realized I was getting to caught up in feeling like I had to review every single solitary book I read.  Within the first three months away I was stressing because I had read four books and hadn't reviewed a single one of them.  I kept worrying about how I was going to remember enough to write a review.  I worried that I might confuse them and write a jumbled review about all the books when I thought I was only writing about a single book.  Then I worried that I wasn't reading the kind of books people wanted a review of.  And then I worried that I wasn't blogging right anyway.  And on, and on, and on...

Then around about month six I realized none of it mattered!  I realized I don't do this blog for followers or money or notoriety.  I do this to share what I've read with whomever might happen upon my blog.  I don't advertise my blog.  This blog is more like my online reading journal.  Reading Journal Lite, to be exact.  To be sure, it is nowhere near as exhaustive as my paper reading journal, but I never meant it to be.

I took some time to mull over exactly why I started this blog and what I intend to accomplish with it.  The answers were actually pretty easy to come by when I just took a moment to think about it.  I started this blog to share.  Nothing else.  I don't want to monetize it nor do I have dreams of becoming internet famous with it.  That realization brought up the question of exactly what I wanted to accomplish with the blog.  The answer was the same.  I just want to share.  I assume the people coming here already have an idea what the book is about, so this is a place to share about my experience reading the book.  Did I like the writing style the author uses?  Did I enjoy the plot and the pace of the plot?  What did I think of the characters?  That's it.  I only want to share my experience. 

Once I had all this settled in my mind, it was once again enjoyable for me to read.  In fact, I began to look forward to reading again.  And if I wanted to write a review that was fine.  But if I didn't, I no longer felt that guilt.  Blogging was no longer a chore.  It was something I knew I would come back to when I was ready.

Now about the time I settled the whole blogging issue, I got involved in a book club.  (Cue the ominous music.) It started innocently enough.  I thought it would be nice to gather and talk about whatever book we read that month.  Seems innocent, right?  Well...

Here's what I learned about book clubs:  You know those judgmental people you encounter in so many other aspects of your life?  They're in book clubs too.  Maybe you're more introverted.  Great!  Guess who's going to be going out once a month to gather with people you don't see except for when you go to book club and don't interact with unless you're at book club together.  Do you work full time and have a busy life to boot?  Well guess who now has to finish a book by a certain date?  I learned I do not like to be told what to read and when to read it. 

I tried to like book club.  Honest.  But it just wasn't for me.  I do not like hanging out with people that really are just strangers.  I did meet two people that I actually liked, but other than comments here and there on Facebook we had no interaction outside of book club.  My time is limited.  I work full time and what precious little free time I have, I'd prefer to spend it with people who want to actually be my friend.

And then there was the demands of book club.  It isn't that the "demands", such as they are, were onerous, I'm just not real good with the whole being told what to do thing.  It's like checking books out from the library.  I don't like to be told I have to read anything in an allotted amount of time.  Nor do I really relish being told what I have to read.  Not mind you, that the book club selections were awful.  After all, the books were put to a vote.  And the books to be voted on were books that were there because we voted to move them from being presented for consideration to being contenders.  So honestly it's not the book club's fault I was feeling unfulfilled. 

After about eighteen months, I just pulled the plug on it.  It just wasn't for me and I was not about to read The Handmaid's Tale.  That was one that didn't get a formal vote.  It was thrown out as a hey what do you think thing and some people said it would be good to read it and the next thing I know we're reading it.  I have some serious issues with that book.  If other's want to read it, that's fine with me, but after an executive decision to read The Hate U Give, I wasn't really wanting to read another book that didn't make it through the voting process.  It just seemed like the controversial books never got a vote.

So my conclusion on book clubs was that they are great for other people.  I'm clearly not the type who needs to be involved in book club.  My personality is simply not geared for it.  The book club I was involved with, I would recommend it to anyone looking for a book club in this town.  For the most part, the women are great and the books chosen were usually good books.  So, it's not the book club at all.  The problem is all me.

Leaving the book club, brought a sense of relief to me.  I no longer had to read anything on a schedule.  It was an amazing feeling.  Now I'm reading more than I'm watching TV.  I'm reading a book every other day and I'm loving it.  Reading is fun again!

Which brings me to the last thing that made reading a chore for me.  Bookish social media.  You know what I'm talking about.  Things like Booklr, Bookstagram, Facebook reading groups, etc.  Those are great things -- for someone not me.  For me, they again made reading a chore.  Trying to keep up with them all was just too much.  I found I spent more time reading/looking at the various accounts and groups than I spent actually reading a book.  There was that pressure to be an active, contributing member when all I wanted was to just read my book.

My solution was to just turn off the notifications and if I happen to be scrolling and see a post or pin or whatever, great.  However, I no longer strive to be an active member.  I don't know how people who post that they read hundreds of books a year have time to also post twenty or thirty times a day.  It boggles the mind. 

Ultimately we're all different.  I know there are people out there who might be reading this who are surprised by my reactions to these things.  I also know there are people out there who have a similar experience.  I'm certainly not saying these things are bad.  This is just how they affected my reading life.  How do you feel about these things?  Does your experience parallel mine?  Do these things actually enhance your reading enjoyment?  I'd be interested to know.

Already Home by Susan Mallery

I am not even going to try to be coy.  I loved this book!  I had never read a Susan Mallery book before this, but if her other books are this good, I will be reading more.  I saw this book at the library and it just intrigued me.  So I looked both ways to be sure nobody saw me take a romance book and then fled to the checkout.  It turns out I liked this book so much I just ordered a copy for my home library and I will read it again the moment I get it.  I'm not too proud to say I'm counting down the six days until it gets here!  I could have had it Monday, but I am just too cheap to pay the extra for two day shipping.  I'm sure that says something about me, but I won't think about that!

I enjoyed the author's writing style.  Of course, you never know what you're going to get when you pick up a romance.  Sometimes the writing is subpar and other times it's just ok-ish.  This author's writing style is simple yet not boring nor too elementary.  It certainly is not challenging, but neither did I feel the need to take out my red pen and mark all the mistakes.  Perhaps I didn't mind the simple writing style because I loved the plot.

As for the plot:  Already Home certainly held no surprises.  I figured out everything pretty quickly and knew exactly where we were headed.  Despite that, I thoroughly enjoyed the journey.  It was akin to going on a road trip.  I know exactly where I'm going, but I enjoy the drive to my destination nevertheless.  Susan Mallery made the trip to the end of this book just amazing.  I can't say what exactly it was that made me love it so, but I can't deny I truly did enjoy it.  I believe it was the author's ability to handle even very tough subject matter with kindness and avoid the pitfall of over sentiment.  I feel Ms. Mallery did a very good job of adequately addressing some incredibly tough subjects without being preachy, condescending or crass.  And trust me, those things could have easily happened. 

I also truly enjoyed the characters themselves.  Each character was pleasingly unique and wonderfully kind in his or her own fashion.  Ms. Mallery did a fantastic job of creating complex, yet easy to understand characters, and that made it so easy to appreciate each character's growth throughout the story.  I also was extremely happy that each character was well rounded and grew with the story.  Even the minor characters had a bit of growth.  However, the main characters especially grew within the story with grace, kindness and love.

What truly impressed me about this book however was the depth of the story.  Yes, it was a romance and there was certainly that aspect.  But the other issues explored throughout the story were deep and resonant.  None of them were easy issues.  And I would venture to say that most readers will have experienced at least some of these issues in their own lives.  The writer never made the story apologize for these issues.  Instead she wrote wonderful, strong characters that met their challenges and grew from them.  I absolutely loved the story's exploration of the most human of relationships -- the family. 

All things considered, I would highly recommend this book.  I would strongly encourage you to move it to the top of your reading list.  That being said, I will say the book deals with some very intense issues and some people may have a very hard time with that subject matter.  The author does not go into gross and gory detail, nor does she belabor the point.  However, if you are easily triggered, you may not want to read this book.  I will admit this book brought me to tears several times as most of the things dealt with in this book have been a part of my life.  However, don't let this scare you away.  I would say that anyone who reads this book will enjoy it and will be better for having read it.   

November 9 by Colleen Hoover

I saw a picture of this book on Tumblr and the caption mentioned that the book would be released on November 10th.  That intrigued me, so I decided to find out what November 9 was about.  The description of the book intrigued me even more, so I bought the book as soon as I could get out to the bookstore.  I am very glad I did.  Having never read a book by Colleen Hoover, I wasn't really sure what to expect.  In all honesty, I had never heard of this author up until I saw the picture of November 9.  However, I do believe I will be reading more Colleen Hoover books now.

Overall Ms. Hoover's writing style is pleasing.  She uses a good mix of varied sentence structure and complexity to keep the reader from becoming bored and her vocabulary is satisfactory.  I found her writing easy to follow but thankfully not simplistic.  The only thing that I had to get used to was the story switching from one narrator to the other.  Thankfully it was easy enough to follow as each chapter had its own narrator and did not switch between narrators in the middle of a chapter.

I enjoyed the characters in this book.  They were well written and easy to identify with.  Even when I really wanted to dislike a character, in the end, I couldn't.  The characters were real.  In each character the reader can find a bit of themselves.  Even the most unlikeable character, Fallon's father, I ended up at least understanding and being able to peacefully coexist with. 

As far as the story goes... Wow.  That's really all I can say.  Just...wow!  The story explores so much and the characters grow so much!  This book beautifully illustrates the complex dynamics between individuals and family members.  Ms. Hoover does a great job of giving the characters a story that allows them to develop and learn about themselves.  And the plot?  Let's just say I never saw it coming.  I suppose perhaps I should have, but I didn't, and that made the end of the book have so much impact.

I really can't say enough good things about this book.  If you read no other book in the coming year, you must read this book.  My only caution is that this book does have certain topics that are not suitable for younger readers.  Nothing that is terrible or over the top, but nevertheless, I would not recommend this book for anyone under the age of a mature mid-teen reader.  But don't let this scare you off!  This book is amazing and should be one of the first books you read in 2016.  I enjoyed the book so much, I will likely read November 9 again in the new year.

A Gift From Bob by James Bowen

Anybody who reads this blog regularly, or knows me even a tiny bit, knows I love reading Christmas books.  Nothing beats curling up with a seasonal book on a cold day.  I also enjoy books about animals.  A Gift From Bob fulfills both criteria.  I admit at first I was a little leery of a book about a man on the streets.  I wondered how on earth a book about a man who is one minuscule step above homeless could possibly make for good holiday reading.  I'm glad I took a chance on this book.  A Gift From Bob truly is one of the most uplifting books you could read this season.  And the best part?  It's non fiction!

I have to admit I like the author's writing style.  James Bowen's style is not pretentious nor is his style elementary.  I would say Mr. Bowen's style is simple but compelling.  At no time did I find myself distracted by the author's style.  I appreciated the fact that it felt as though he were sitting in front of me telling his story.  This conversational style pulled me in and really helped me enjoy the book.

I especially enjoyed how well he enabled me to know the other people populating his story.  Not only did he do a very good job of helping me visualize where this part of his life took place, he also made it very easy for me to make a connection with the people who were an integral part of his life. 

The story itself, if you will, had me completely engrossed.  I can't say that I know anything about the struggle of the homeless.  I certainly never gave much thought to how, or even if, they celebrate the holidays.  Neither have I considered how one goes from sleeping in the park to reintegrating into a more traditional mode of living.  Mr. Bowen's story gave me a glimpse into the life of the homeless and certainly made me far more aware of the role I can play in assisting those that I encounter.

Additionally, A Gift From Bob made me think about what "Christmas spirit" really means.  This book also helped me to refocus on the important things of the season.  It really is less about the price tag on the gift and much more about the thought that goes into it.  And truly, when things look as though they are at their worst, if you just slow down for a moment and refocus, it turns out things aren't ruined after all.  But most of all, this book helped me remember that the gifts really aren't that important.  It's all about who you spend your Christmas with.

All things considered, I would recommend this book to everyone.  There is nothing at all bad in this book.  In fact, I would encourage everyone to read this book regardless of the time of year.  Of course if you can read the book during the Christmas season, I would certainly encourage you to do so.  I will be reading this book again next Christmas and I will probably do so first thing in the season.  Just like A Christmas Carol, this book should be read every year and should kick off the beautiful season that is all about love, joy, peace and the greatest gift man has ever known.

Trading Christmas by Debbie Macomber

'Tis the season!  Well the season for reading Christmas books, that is.  And believe me, I have plenty in my stack to read!  Because I like Hallmark Christmas movies so much, I decided to start with a sappy sweet Hallmark-esque book.  As Trading Christmas had been made into a Hallmark movie, I figured this was a good one to start with.  Let me just say, the book and the movie only share very loose similarities.  Very loose similarities!

Overall the book was fine.  It really is only a short story, not even a full length novel.  The author's ability to write clear, concise sentences with acceptable vocabulary was about what I would have expected from a bestselling author in this genre.  Certainly, the writing isn't scholarly, but I don't expect scholarly from romance.  In fact, from a purely technical aspect, I find Debbie Macomber to be one of the better romance writers.  Her style isn't complex, but it is sound and enjoyable. 

Likewise, I found the characters in this book appealing.  Although this wasn't a full length novel, I had no problem enjoying the characters.  I found the characters to be real and easy to identify with.  The only character that wasn't as well developed was Heather, Emily's daughter.  Of course, she was a supporting character, but she was still flat and, frankly, not very likable at all.  I truly enjoyed the character of Bernice Brewster.  Although another supporting character, she was quite enjoyable and entertaining.  Flamboyant and dramatic, she was still lovable and made me smile every time she showed up in the story.  As Charles and Ray's mother, she brought fun and humor to a story that would otherwise have suffered from being too serious.

The story itself was also easy to identify with, in as much as, it is a story about the changes a family faces as a child grows up and Christmas traditions are turned upside down.  Now perhaps few people would have dealt with these changes quite on the level of trading residences, but that doesn't matter.  It does happen in "real life" so at least it is still believable.  And honestly, I enjoyed this perhaps unorthodox way of dealing with change.  It opened up a lot of avenues for the story to develop that otherwise simply wouldn't have been there.

Perhaps my only real complaint is that the story felt rushed.  I attribute this to the fact that this isn't a full length novel.  However, that does detract some from my enjoyment of the story.  I do believe the story would have been better served had it been written as a full length novel. 

All things considered, I do recommend this book as an enjoyable Christmas read.  Due to its abbreviated nature, it would be very easy to cozy up in a blanket and read this story in one sitting.  There really isn't anything objectionable in this book so I can safely say anybody could read Trading Christmas with no worries whatsoever.  However, that being said, I do believe this book will appeal mostly to the mid-30s and beyond set.

At Home In Mitford by Jan Karon

Sometimes you just need a nice book.  A book that is sweet and serene without all the things that I don't like about this world.  There are plenty of things I do like, but it seems the entertainment industry, including books, focuses on nothing but meaningless sex, gratuitous violence and vulgar language.  My life is stressful and sometimes I just need to escape to a world that can simply be called "nice". 

And sometimes you miss the people who meant so much to you at one point in your life.  At Home In Mitford is of course the first book in the Mitford Series by Jan Karon.  My grandmother and her sister loved these books.  I'm fairly certain they both  had the complete set. (At least what had been published up to the point of their deaths.)  I now wish I had my grandmother's set.  I chose to read these books because I was missing my Granny and Aunt Elaine.

And sometimes you reread a book because it reminds you of a time in your life that was good.  A brief time in a very hard and hurtful time that was good and there seemed there might be hope for the future.  That is why I reread this first book.  I originally read this book when my son, who is now graduated and in the Army, was in the fourth grade.  We had no money back then.  And by no money, I mean no money.  I was checking books out at the library to feed my insatiable need to read.  My last $20 had gone to pay for my son's enrollment in a city flag football league.  I would take this book to his practices and read.  It was kind of nice really.  It was autumn and the evenings were pleasantly cool and I would read this book and watch practice.  Times were tough, I was still hiding from my son's father, money was tight, and I was deep in depression, but on the cool autumn nights of practice, with this book in my hands, things didn't seem so bad.

So it was with these thoughts and memories that I decided to read the Mitford Series.  I remembered a small amount from my first reading, but I must say I truly enjoyed this reread.  With about 10 years between my original reading and this reading, I of course, bring new understanding and a different outlook to this most recent reading.  Thankfully that did not change my enjoyment of the book.  I still appreciate the kindness of the book.  I love the simplicity and decentness of the book.  Although the author pretty much simply writes about the day to day life of a village priest, the book drew me in and lulled me into a nostalgic state of mind with the beauty of small town American life.

One thing I can say with certainty is that I truly do appreciate Jan Karon's writing style.  What I like about her writing style is that it's not boring.  And by this I mean she clearly has a strong grasp of proper grammar.  Likewise her writing is robust with varied sentence complexity and a good vocabulary.  I appreciate that she is not verbose and overwrought.  Her writing mirrors the dignity of the book she has written.

As for the mechanics of plot, pacing, etc, I find I am perfectly happy with this book.  While the book meanders calmly through every day life in a small North Carolina village, it doesn't lack for plot.  There is a plot, after all life has a plot, if you will.  We don't meander aimlessly through life.  As such, this book does not meander aimlessly along.  Things happen, there are some mysteries to be solved, and a few things from the past that need understanding.  So while the book is not fast paced, it still moves at the speed of village life and that suits this story just fine.

I can also say that the characters are all lovable.  Some, of course, more than others, but each character will endear itself to you in one way or another.  Just like the people you encounter in your own life.  I must admit though, my favorite character is very likely Miss Sadie.  Yes, I do thoroughly enjoy the main character, Father Tim.  He's wonderful and real and very likable.  But Miss Sadie.  She just gets into your heart and you can't help but appreciate the kind, genteel lady with a big generous heart.

All things considered, I can't recommend this book enough.  This book is a soothing balm to my soul once again in a trying time.  But what I like most is that I can recommend this book to anyone.  I can recommend this book to teens or adults and know that I'm not exposing anyone to anything offensive.  I would most certainly not relegate this book to only a beach read or a weekend read.  Certainly this book could be a quick read, but I find I enjoy reading this book bundled up under a blanket with a hot cup of tea.  I love to read this book slowly and just savor the tranquility of Mitford.

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

Anybody who knows me can attest to the fact that I am super excited about the Jurassic World release on 6/12/15.  In preparation for this, I've decided to read Jurassic Park and The Lost World before the movie opens.  I am also planning to watch the first three movies as well. 

Speaking of the movies...

When reading Jurassic Park, I was struck by how little the movie follows the book.  Now, I'll admit it's been decades (literally) since I saw the Jurassic Park movie, and perhaps I've forgotten some things, but honestly it seems the only things the book and movie share in common are the characters and the name.  Beyond that, there is so little that I find similar.  We'll see when I watch the movie again if I'm remembering correctly!

As for the book...

Frankly, I truly enjoyed the book.  This book appeals to me on my nerd level.  It just speaks to my nerdy little soul like few other books can.  There is no point in lying.  I love science.  And this book has just enough real science in it to tickle the fancy and make me think what if.  Of course, this book should not be read if you're looking for complete and accurate scientific detail.  Thankfully I am no paleontologist, nor am I a geneticist, so I am blissfully ignorant of what I am sure are the mangled finer points of each field of study.  For me, this book is just good entertainment.

Of course, I have nothing to complain about with Crichton's writing ability.  I find his writing easy to read.  His technique is varied enough to hold my attention and thankfully he employs a decent vocabulary.  I find his skills of description to be wonderful.  With his descriptions, he enabled me to envision Isla Nublar and all of its inhabitants quite well.  Especially my favorites -- the velociraptors!

Crichton also did a good job with the plotting and pacing of the book.  Although the start was a bit slow, once all the characters were introduced and the reader had all of the necessary background information, the story really kicked into high gear.  And I really enjoyed the last little part of the book that I don't remember from the movie at all.  Perhaps it was in the movie, but I certainly don't recall it.  I really liked how just when you thought it was all over, it was time to go find the wild velociraptors. 

The author also did a great job with his characters.  I feel as though Crichton knew his characters as well as one would know a long time friend.  He stayed true to the character throughout.  It's true you don't see a lot of character development in the classic sense, but I wouldn't expect to.  This book covers a time period of not even 48 hours.  The scope of this book doesn't allow for classic character development.  Rather, this book demands that characters be strong and engaging throughout and Crichton certainly delivered.  The only character I didn't like was Lex (the little girl).  I would have loved, and I do mean loved to have read the part where my true favorite characters, the velociraptors, had a snack of whiny, petulant, spoiled brat little girl.  And truly, not liking the character had nothing to do with the author's ability to create and bring to life a character.  It had everything to do with I just can't stand whiny, petulant, spoiled brat kids. 

And let's just take a moment to talk about the dinosaurs.  I loved them!  By now you know who my favorites are!  But really, I liked all of them.  Crichton just brought them to life with his well researched writing.  The whole idea of the theme park with dinosaurs was great.  And I appreciate the fact that he took the time to do research and make the dinosaurs as accurate as possible. 

All things considered, I really can't think of anything to complain about with this book.  I truly enjoyed the book.  Perhaps I would caution those who may be turned off by gore, but even then, this book wasn't really all that gory.  I just know that some of my regulars on this blog don't care for any description of gore, so I would say if you fall into that category you may want to skip this book.  After all, certain dinosaurs are carnivores and humans happen to be on their food chain thus one must expect a certain amount of the "circle of life" to take place.  Even so, it's not bad at all and I would recommend this book to everyone!

If I Stay by Gayle Forman

I'm sure there isn't a person alive who hasn't heard of "If I Stay". I truly had high hopes for this book. I know a lot of this book's popularity stemmed from the movie hype. Despite that, I honestly thought maybe the book had merit on it's own. Imagine my disappointment when I learned how wrong that assumption was. I thought surely they wouldn't make a movie out of a mediocre book. Obviously I've learned nothing from the ''Twilight'' debacle.

Technically speaking, I had no real complaints with the book. The author's technical ability is about what I'd expect from your typical YA author today. It pains me to say that, but it's true. Although I don't agree with it, it seems the publishing powers that be don't expect much from their YA authors in terms of technicality. Truthfully, I believe the demand for quality writing has all but disappeared across all demographics. However, that is an entirely separate post.

Back to the technical aspects of this book. As previously stated, the author's writing was about on the level of what I expected. The prose was certainly not beautiful as in some books I've had the pleasure to read, but neither did I feel as though a child had written the book. The writing was easy enough to read although I would have preferred a bit more "grownup" writing. Thankfully the author was not a fan of endlessly using the same phrase and her vocabulary, though not scholarly, was sufficient. 

Perhaps the simplistic writing is why the characters felt very shallow and one dimensional. I truly did not connect emotionally with any of the characters. Yes, there were times throughout the book where certain situations made me tear up, but a book like this should have ripped my heart out and stomped on it. Instead I found myself responding emotionally to a line here or there that reminded me of something in my life. For example, at one point Mia states in her narration, ''I'm not sure this is a world I belong in anymore. I'm not sure that I want to wake up." While I understood why Mia was saying this, the tear in my eye was not for a character I really couldn't connect with, but for myself and all the times I've felt like that. 

The premise of this book was so incredibly promising. This book should have been an incredibly emotional read. Instead I was left feeling like that's it? By the end of the book I was completely unfulfilled and incredibly disappointed. I feel like the author really missed the mark. The length of the book seems too short as well, but I wonder if that may simply be a result of a completely unfulfilling read. In fact, I'm almost sure of it.

As for age appropriateness, there really isn't anything horrid in the book. My only caution would be to warn that there is considerable use of the "F-word". There is also mention of premarital sex, but no detail. Ultimately, I'd say this book is safe for its intended audience. 

All things considered, I truly believe there are better books out there that would be more fulfilling. However, if you're looking for a quick, easy read, this book will do. 

Book Challenge 2015 Plans/Suggestions Part I

I've had a few people ask me what I'm reading for the challenge and if I had any suggestions for titles.  I've got several ideas for myself and plenty of suggestions!  I'll list the first 25 prompts/challenges here and then within the next few days do the other 25.

I've also had a couple people ask about the Goodreads group.  You can find that group here:
https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/152458-ultimate-2015-reading-challenge

1.  A book with more than 500 pages.
My choice:  Winter's Tale by Mark Helprin

You could also consider: War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy; A Clash of Kings by George RR Martin

2.  A classic romance.
I honestly haven't decided what I will ultimately read for this challenge, however possibilities include:  Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier; Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen; Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte.

3.  A book that became a movie.
My choice:  If I Stay by Gayle Foreman

You could also consider:  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn; Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card; The Fault in Our Stars by John Green; The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks; The Pelican Brief by John Grisham; Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte; Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte; any of the Lord of the Rings trilogy by JRR Tolkien; The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien; Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck; 1984 by George Orwell; The War of the Worlds by HG Wells; Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand -- the list is endless!

4.  A book published this year.
As we are only in the second day of 2015, I'm going to wait and see what comes along this year before making a decision.

5.  A book with a number in the title.
My choice:  13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher

You could also consider:  Slaughterhouse 5 by Kurt Vonnegut; 1984 by George Orwell

6.  A book written by someone under 30
I haven't really made a decision on this one.  I've heard a lot of people saying they are going to read I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai. 

7.  A book with non-human characters.
My choice:  Animal Farm by George Orwell

You could also consider:  Any vampire book (just look in the section once known as YA); any of the Star Trek or Star Wars series; any of the novels based on Gears of War; any of the Forgotten Realms or Dragonlance series; any of the Lord of the Rings trilogy by JRR Tolkien.

8.  A funny book.
I haven't made a decision on this one either.  I typically don't read humor.  However I do have a book on my nightstand right now that's called something along the lines of How to Tell If Your Cat Is Trying to Kill You.  Perhaps I'll use that.

9.  A book by a female author.
There is such a huge selection, I'm not really worried about even trying to make a decision on this one. 

10.  A mystery or thriller.
My choice:  Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

You could also consider:  Any Agatha Christie book.  This is not a genre I typically read, so I don't have many suggestions here.

11.  A book with a one word title.
I haven't even put any real thought into this one.  I'm sure there are plenty to choose from.

12.  A book of short stories.
My choice:  A book of Edgar Allen Poe stories.

You could also consider:  Sir Arthur Conan Doyle; Joyce Carol Oates

13.  A book set in a different country.
My choice:  A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

You could also consider:  The Hundred Foot Journey by Richard Morais; The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (one of my favorites!)

14.  A nonfiction book.
There are so many choices here that I haven't even thought about this one.  41 by Former President George W. Bush is currently coming to mind, but I may use that for another category.

15.  A popular author's first book.
My choice:  Looking for Alaska by John Green

16.  A book from an author you love that you haven't read yet.
I have no author that I "love".  I base everything on the book and don't really care who wrote it.  This is going to be a hard one for me.  I may modify this to be a book from an author who's book I love.  In which case Khaled Hosseini is a strong contender because I truly love The Kite Runner.

17.  A book a friend recommended.
My choice:  The Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

18:  A Pulitzer Prize winning book.
I haven't really considered this category.  There are many books that would meet this requirement, so I'm not especially worried about making a choice this minute.

19.  A book based on a true story.
My choice:  Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand.

20.  A book at the bottom of your to read list.
I'd have to look at my list on Goodreads to see what is at the bottom.

21.  A book your mom loves.
My choice:  Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

My other choice is any of the Twilight books and those of you that know me, know hell is going to freeze over before I read one of those.

22.  A book that scares you.
My choice:  The Strain by Guillermo del Toro

I started The Strain and got about a third of the way through and had to stop.  That is one creepy book.

23.  A book more than 100 years old.
My choice:  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

You could also consider:  Any of Charles Dickens books; any of the Bronte sisters' books

24.  A book based entirely on its cover.
This will require a trip to the bookstore.

25.  A book you were supposed to read in school but didn't. 
My choice:  Lord of the Flies by William Golding

New Year, New Book Challenge 2015

Cruising around Tumblr a few days ago, I found the ultimate year long book challenge.  This challenge is perfect!  What I really like about it is that it will push me beyond the normal books I read.  I'm sure I'm going to find some really great books that I wouldn't have considered otherwise.

Another thing that is great about this challenge is that it's really flexible.  You can read a single book for each challenge and read 52 books in a year.  However, if you're like me and just don't have time to complete a single book a week, you can use one book to satisfy several categories.  Either way works and either way will still introduce you to new genres.

A few of my friends on Facebook and Tumblr are also doing the challenge and I found a Goodreads group dedicated to this challenge.  I've gotten a lot of titles from that group for the categories that I wasn't sure about.

So, here's the challenge.  If you decide to participate, drop me a quick message.  I'd love to hear what you decide to read and hear about your progress.

The Five People You Meet In Heaven by Mitch Albom

This book has been sitting on my shelf to read for probably five years!  I've always meant to read it, but the pathway to hell is paved with good intentions.  When a friend of mine mentioned he had just started it and then suggested we read it together, I decided to go for it.  I'm glad I did!

This book is an easy, but ever so pleasant read.  The author's writing style is not verbose nor complex, yet it is still engaging and quite enjoyable.  I did not, as I do with so many books, think to myself that perhaps the author should invest in a thesaurus or take a grammar or creative writing course.

I found the character of Eddie (the main character) to be likable.  I was easily able to identify with him.  Perhaps other readers may not, but so much of his story matches mine.  This made him immediately likable.  Even if other readers to not share such similarities with Eddie, I still think his character will be engaging though perhaps not on such a visceral level.

I found as Eddie worked through the five people waiting for him in heaven that his character developed quite nicely.  I suppose one could say that the changes and growth in Eddie's character were hardly surprising, but that in no way detracted from the story.  I found Eddie's responses to his five people to be completely appropriate and even thought provoking.  Of course, I would say the whole point of this book is to make the reader pause and consider.

In addition to truly enjoying Eddie's character, I must admit, I enjoyed the book as a whole.  I enjoyed how the author showed the meeting with the person waiting for Eddie in heaven and then explained the meeting with a flashback from Eddie's life.  I enjoyed the leisurely pace in which Eddie worked through his five people and I loved the lessons he learned from each of his people.

After reading this book, I've thought often about who my five people might be, if this were to be how heaven actually worked.  I truly appreciate that this book did more than just tell me a story.  I love how this book has made me think about things.  Not just "things".  This book has made me think about how I interact with people and made me think about the events my actions may, or may not, set in motion.  It has made me more mindful but it has also opened my mind to a whole new set of possibilities.

Now, I will say that for some, this book may present a problem.  While I would say this book is appropriate for teens and older readers alike, I know that some readers may have an issue with how heaven is portrayed.  Yes, this heaven in no way resembles the Biblical representation of heaven.  I understand that.  I have no problem with that.  I know what my Bible says about heaven.  I know the truth.  However, I know some readers will not read anything that is contrary to what the Bible teaches.  That's fine.  If you are one of those readers, do not read this book.  However, if you are comfortable with reading someone else's non-Biblical interpretation of heaven, I am certain you will enjoy this book.

All things considered, I highly recommend this book.  It is by no means a difficult book to read, but that very simplicity is what allows the reader's mind to really absorb the story and to truly appreciate what this book does.  I promise, the book will make you think.  Please take the time to read this book.  I am the world's slowest reader and I read it in two nights before bed.  Without a doubt, it was time well spent.

An Unexpected Wife by Cheryl Reavis

As usual a too busy life with far more distractions than any one person should have has pushed me into the clutches of another romance novel. I complain about this genre despite the fact that I’m actually grateful for it. The one good thing about a romance novel is that I don’t have to think about what I’m reading, it is quick reading, and if I happen to put it down for an extended time, it is easy to pick up again.

This book is from the Love Inspired division of Harlequin. I quite literally just figured out who publishes the Love Inspired line of books when I typed the preceding line, and that really explains so much! I chose this book from the Love Inspired books because I don’t need or want to read something that amounts to nothing more than poorly written porn.

Unfortunately, I was not very impressed with this book. As I have spent the last 20 years actively participating Civil War era living history I determined before even reading the first page that I would not judge this book on it’s historical accuracy or proper portrayal of the period in question. As a Daughter of the Confederacy I further determined that I would not judge the book based on its portrayal of Reconstruction. Had I judged the book on any of the foregoing, the book would have received negative stars. Of course one look at the cover art told me historical accuracy wasn’t this book’s strong suit anyway.

I will say that the author’s ability to write in a coherent manner was appreciated. With romance books it is so hit and miss when it comes to author ability. Cheryl Reavis thankfully writes in an engaging style that doesn’t leave me feeling as though I’ve just read a grade school book. Certainly the writing is not scholarly, but that is hardly to be expected in any of today’s mainstream books.

The characters in this book were about what I would expect in the romance genre. Unfortunately, I found the main characters to be less than engaging. Don’t get me wrong, they were OK. I simply found the character of Sergeant Major Perkins to be far more appealing. In all honesty, I am hoping to see a book written for Sergeant Major Perkins! I do believe that would be a very good book.

While the main characters didn’t catch my attention as much as they should have, I will say that at least the author did allow them to develop. In fact, Kate (the female lead), truly seemed to grow up and come into her own through the course of the book. With Robert (the male lead) we had to take the author’s word for the changes in his character through other character’s thoughts and conversations, but even at that, the way it was written just worked.

The plot was OK. I don’t like to write much about plot because I don’t want to spoil the books I review for other readers. Please forgive my vagueness. All I can really say about the plot is that the climax of the story seemed rather farfetched and quite engineered. Yes, it served it’s purpose, but I truly believe there were better options available to the author.

All things considered, I’m not sure I would recommend this book. Certainly it wasn’t horrible, but neither can I say it was even average. This book simply didn’t work for me. However, should you find you want to read the book, I can assure you there is nothing in this book that a reader might find objectionable. In fact, this book is safe even for a teen to read.

The Innocent by David Baldacci

I had never read a book by David Baldacci prior to this. I honestly had no idea what to expect. And I had no other reading material handy when I started this book. It is unfortunate, but I have become very skeptical of new authors. And by new, I mean new to my experience. It is my understanding that Mr. Baldacci is in fact not new to the literary scene.

A funny thing happened when I picked up this book. I couldn't put it down! I read the first half in one sitting! Admittedly this is one of about three books that I've read from this particular genre. That being said, I claim no extensive or technical knowledge of this genre. But I do know books and I do know what makes a good book.

I can't really complain about Mr. Baldacci's writing style.  It certainly doesn't follow the structure, usage and vocabulary of the classics, but neither is it so sophomoric as to be laughable.  (I'm sure my usual readers know to which author I refer, thus I will leave it alone and spare you my usual rant.)  I found Mr. Baldacci's writing style easy to read and varied enough so as not to become boring.

Mr. Baldacci's characters were interesting and I would say unique.  Of course with my limited experience in this genre, I suppose there is the chance that these characters are really not all that unique for this given genre.  However, for my limited experiences, I found the characters unique.  And one thing that doesn't rely upon my experience of the genre is character development.  I will say that the character development was about what I would expect of mainstream literature.  It was not exactly surprising, but neither was it completely flat or nonexistent.  Given the structure of the story, I would say that the development fit the setting and plot.

And the plot...  Well now here is the sticking point for me.  I don't know if I've simply read too much for my own good or if writers are just that predictable lately.  I found the plot, twists and all, to be rather predictable.  I also found much in this book to be rather far fetched.  In the opening sequence, Robie (the main character) pulls off what seems to be a rather impossible assassination.  And then in the space of a few pages, pulls off another seemingly impossible assassination.  Now, I'm no spy nor am I an assassin (obviously), but these scenes really lacked a feeling of reality.  It was as if Robie was larger than life., a demigod amongst mere mortals.

Now fast forward to Robie's return home and the introduction of the other main character, Julie.  Julie is introduced as a teen from a troubled home that still manages to excel in school and stay out of trouble despite being in and out of the foster system.  She sneaks out of her foster home as though it is nothing and apparently has done this fairly often.  Again, this all lacks that ring of authenticity so necessary to make it believable.

The circumstances that then bring Robie and Julie together simply are over the top.  In fact, everything is over the top.  I don't want to give away anything by getting too detailed, but the problems that Robie and Julie face as they work through the mystery that brought them together kept me thinking that if Robie was the professional he had been presented as at the start of the book, then most of what happened to him and Julie really shouldn't have happened. 

Despite this, I still liked the book.  Maybe the plot was a bit over the top.  And, yes, I could predict when the next problem was going to crop up and what that problem was going to be.  I found by the time I closed the book, predictability and all, I still enjoyed the book.  Somehow, and in a way I simply can't explain, the book worked for me.  Perhaps, it was the fact that I did with this book what I do when I watch any of the Fast and Furious movies:  I simply threw away the laws of physics, ignored the little voice in my head that said, No way!  That wouldn't fly.  The cops would be all over that in a hot minute! and just enjoyed the book for what it is:  entertainment.  Not everything has to be realistic to be enjoyable.  If that were the case, there wouldn't be a science fiction of fantasy genre at all and fictional books dealing with the military, FBI, CIA, law enforcement, etc. simply wouldn't exist.  So, when you read this book, give the little voice in your head the day off and just enjoy the book. 

As for the audience this book is appropriate for:  I would say very mature older teens and adults.  There is no graphic sex, however there is a lot of killing.  As I often say: a really whole lot!  And some of it is disturbing.  In fact, my son is 17 and I would not hand him this book and tell him it was a good book and give it a read.  I would also recommend that some of my gentler readers simply not even attempt this book.  If you don't enjoy shows like Criminal Minds, I wouldn't recommend this book for you.  If Criminal Minds makes you uncomfortable, read something else.

All things considered, The Innocent by David Baldacci will make a good weekend read this winter.  And if you like it enough, Mr. Baldacci has plenty of other books both in his series about Robie and in his other series.  You will certainly not lack for reading material if you wish to explore more of his books.

Fifty Shades Darker by E L James

I actually liked the first book in this series. (Review here: http://thewellreadfloridian.blogspot.com/2012/10/fifty-shades-of-grey-by-e-l-james.html ) I wish I could say the same for this second book. In James’ first book she had at least a passable vocabulary. In this book, I did not see the same. At least there were still a few complex sentences scattered about the book. Despite that, it seemed the overall writing went downhill. I also noticed more repetition in this book. If I read the phrase “inner goddess” one more time I swear I will gouge my eyeballs out with a spoon!

Further, the book simply did not hold my attention. It took me weeks to read this book. That is uncommon. I simply could not get into this book. Frankly I found it boring. The author in no way caught my attention in this second book as she did in the first. In fact, I only finished the book out of pure stubbornness. I paid good money for this book, so by God I’m gonna finish it!

Now I will say that the characters did show a bit of development in this installment of the Fifty Shades series. I can’t say that they developed in any surprising way. As with the first books the characters and the character development was clichéd and very predictable.

The one thing I was very thankful for was that this book was not quite as “educational” as the last. Admittedly it was still quite sexually explicit, but to my relief, it didn’t embarrass me this time. Perhaps because the sex was more vanilla in this book?

I still would not recommend this book or this series for the younger reader or the timid reader. Neither would I recommend these books for the easily offended. And, if you’re open minded and don’t mind graphic sex, I’d only recommend this book if you’re truly interested in reading the whole series. Frankly, I fear this series will go the way of the Twilight series it was based on -- steadily downhill with each installment.

Fifty Shades of Grey by E L James

Frankly I'm embarrassed to admit I read this book and mortified to admit that I liked it! I almost didn't write a review. The temptation was great to just let this be my dirty little secret. And dirty it is indeed!

I originally picked this book up for the same reason I read the Twilight series: I never tear apart a book unless I've read it. I refuse to parrot what others are saying. So, off I went to Barnes and Noble. I should have gone where they don't know me. The girl that always helps me was shocked I would read this. I was simply humiliated. Nevertheless, I bought the book.

Given what I knew of the book going into this, I knew I would be judging it on the same scale as all other mind candy. Well, to my great surprise, I actually began to enjoy the book. Certainly I am not saying this book possessed some great hidden literary gem, but despite myself, I still started to enjoy it. Maybe what helped was that I was super excited to see fanfic go mainstream.

That said, kudos to E L James for possessing at least a passable vocabulary and the ability to use complex sentences once in a while. The writing style wasn't scholarly, but it was better than your average romance. I will say that some phrases were a bit overused, but nobody's perfect and this isn't a classic, so it's forgivable.

The story itself was pretty much what I expected. It was cliched and certainly some parts were obviously borrowed from Twilight, but that's to be expected when this is a Twilight fanfic. I can't say the story really broke any new ground, other than the obvious. (More on that later.)

The characters were fine. Again, cliched, but this is romance. You won't find many characters that aren't cliche in romance. Face it, if you read romance this type of character must have some draw for you. I admit the tortured, battered male soul is my undoing. Frankly it is one of the biggest draws for me when reading romance. And Christian Grey has it in spades.

Now for the elephant in the room: This book was practically pornographic! And the subject matter was a bit shocking. About the only word I can use to describe this aspect of the book is "educational". I had no idea...

Obviously I would not recommend this book for the young, those who are offended by explicit sexual content, and those who are not open to alternative lifestyles. If you fall into any of these segments of the population, do yourself a favor and read something else. For the more adventurous, go ahead, give it a try. Just remember, it's romance not classic literature.

My Men Are My Heroes by Brad Kasal and Nathaniel R. Helms

This is one of those books that manages to succeed despite its failings. The story this book has to tell is one everyone should hear. Yes, the book’s poor execution detracts from the readability of the book, but I would encourage you to slog through the antiseptic prose and lack of personality to reach the important underlying story. Understand that this book isn’t as much about Brad Kasal as it is about his men. The title of the books is My Men Are My Heroes. It is not I Am My Own Hero. If you can remember that as you read the book, the book starts to make a little more sense to you and becomes more readable.

Kasal’s story is one that reminds us of those things that are truly important in life. This book does not focus as much on the actions in which Kasal took part, but more on the life beyond those actions -- both before and after. Sitting comfortably on our couches at home, it is easy to forget that the time a Marine spends at war is quite limited compared to the number of years in which he lives outside of the war. Yet that time becomes a defining moment for these men that inevitably affects every aspect of their life and the lives of those who interact with them. And that is where this book succeeds.

This book does a good job of helping the reader better understand the Marine as a whole. This book takes you from the young man who dreams of becoming a Marine to the battle tested warrior and beyond. It gives a fuller picture of the Marine and his mindset. And that mindset isn’t an egocentric “it’s all about me” mindset. Again, reference the title of the book.

Take the time to read this book and consider what Kasal’s story is really about. This isn’t a war story so much as it is a life story. Of course when you’re a battle tested warrior, I suppose it is safe to say that your life story is indeed a story of war and its far reaching affects on your life. That my not be a war story in the classic sense, but it is still a story of war nevertheless.

Beauty by Robin McKinley

A retelling of the story of Beauty and the Beast.

Where to start? It isn’t often one stumbles upon such a wonderful book! From the technical to the mundane, this book delivers! And to think I could have so easily missed out! I found this book in an antique store. I always check out the books, but I almost skipped over this small knot of books in favor of going back out the truck to wallow in my back pain misery in peace. I’m glad I toughed it out just a little longer.

One thing I like about older books is that the authors don’t seem to have dumbed down their writing for an almost illiterate audience. Released in 1978, this book impresses with it’s varied vocabulary and use of beautifully complex sentences. It is refreshing to come across a writer who actually knows proper grammar and usage! This book was an absolute joy to read. The vocabulary and sentence structure drew me in and wrapped me up in the story, completely obliterating the memory of all the other books that fail so miserably in this area.

And the story itself was very well told. Obviously, this being a retelling of the Beauty and the Beast tale, I knew what to expect. I knew where the story was headed and had a fairly good idea of the stops along the way. Despite that, the story drew me in and simply captivated me. I thoroughly enjoyed the parts of the story the author added. Although some of the story was the author’s original spin on the tale, those parts fit seamlessly and truly added so much to the story itself. Frankly, I would use this book as an introduction to the Beauty and the Beast tale if I had to introduce this story to someone who had never encountered the story of Beauty and the Beast.

Even the characters were wonderful. The characters in the book stayed true to the characters in the original tale, however the author imbued them with such deep personality! Even the author’s original characters didn’t disappoint. Sometimes in a book like this it is easy for the author’s characters to pale in comparison to the well known characters of the tale. Not in this case. The author took care to round out and build up the new characters until they had the same substance and appeal as those that had been in the tale all along.

Don’t miss this book! And don’t do yourself the disservice of thinking that a retelling of a fairy tale can’t really be all that great. This book has easily been one of the best books I’ve read in years. I can’t begin to praise this book enough. From its originality (yes, even a retelling of a classic tale can be original!) to its technical prowess, this book delivers on all levels. And unlike some retellings of fairy tales (ala A.N. Roquelaure's, aka Anna Rice's, disgusting Sleeping Beauty trilogy) this retelling of Beauty and the Beast is completely safe for older teens and adults alike.