Ramblings-n-Writings » book related

Losing Out on Books

Kara_S — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:58:14 +0000

I know that many of you out there enjoy reading about the new books that are hitting the market and sometimes stop by here before heading to the library or buying a book.

I’ve mentioned in the past that one of my goals as a book reviewer is to always read the book before posting anything about it. Without reading the book, I feel as if I can’t recommend a book 100% and I may let down some of my blog readers by recommending a book that isn’t up to par.

Unfortunately, you may have noticed that during the past month, I’ve had to post only the publisher’s information about a book and not an actual review. Now, I’ve done this in the past when time is running short but the book has either been read or halfway completed. Having read part of a book, I generally feel safe recommending it to my readers.

Starting in July, I’ve failed to receive books that I’ve requested from publishers. The main reason? A year ago I changed my mailing address to a PO Box because of my living situation (sharing a mailbox with my former in-laws, etc.). While I consistently give the correct address in my communications when I request books, some publishers are failing to change the address in their databases.

If you’ve ever moved, you know that the US Postal Service will forward mail from your old address to your new address for one year. After that, the mail gets returned to sender as an invalid address. That’s what is happening to my books and I’m so disappointed.

If I was requesting books directly from the publisher, I would have some resources to turn to in order to solve the problem. But, alas, the requests go through a 3rd party.

One aspect of the address change thing that I fail to understand is how a bunch of mail order catalogs can automatically send copies of their catalogs to my new address without my ever telling them to change the address. Yet when I tell other organizations to change my address, I lose out on receiving one of my favorite things – books.

Maybe I should start reviewing mail order catalogs instead …

Mandie Book Comes to Life

Kara_S — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 23:10:12 +0000

Do you remember reading the Mandie books when you were growing up? Or maybe your girls or granddaughters have read the series? Here’s the description of the first book …

Amanda Shaw, Mandie for short, is almost a teenager, and she is certain God no longer loves her as she watches her father being lowered into his grave. Mandie’s move into a neighbor family’s home, when her mother remarries, does not soften her grief. Her only comfort is the promise from her father’s faithful Cherokee friend, Uncle Ned, to watch out for her and be a friend.

Will Mandie be able to escape her new and nearly intolerable home situation? Will she find her long-lost family? When she finds a mysterious key, she hopes it will unlock the door to a secret tunnel and her own family’s history. This wholesome, entertaining series for young readers is a delightful mingling of suspense, tears and joy. Recommended for ages 8 to 13.

I remember getting Mandie books for my birthday, Christmas, good grades on my report card, and probably other occasions. I was growing up at the time when author Lois Gladys Leppard was writing the series so it was always a looooong wait between each book. It probably wasn’t as long as it seemed, but to a little girl wanting to know what mystery happened next, it seemed like forever!

(According to the Mandie website, there’s 40 books in the series. If your daughters (elementary – middle school age) haven’t read the books, I highly recommend them.)

Anyway, I found out the most interesting piece of information via Facebook today. And, by the way, this totally made my day! Someone made a Mandie movie!!! In fact, there’s a sequel that is scheduled to start production very soon. (I learned this fun fact from one of my former students who is on the film production crew for the sequel – how cool is that?)

The first movie is about the first book, Mandie and the Secret Tunnel. From what I’ve been told, the movie follows the book’s plot fairly close. And the preview trailer makes it look like a great movie.

Since I have the entire series of Mandie books gracing a shelf in my office, I had to order the DVD. I feel like I’m 12 years old again waiting patiently for the next book to come out. And, I know that others of you who enjoyed the series or have little girls who enjoy would love to watch the trailer and other movie/production clips. I’m including the trailer here but make sure you go to the Mandie Movies site to see more.

MANDIE and the SECRET TUNNEL Trailer from Owen Smith on Vimeo.

*This is not a paid review, but merely ramblings of my own about something that made my heart glad.

Review: Breathe by Lisa T. Bergren

Kara_S — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 20:02:10 +0000

To make a new life, she’ll have to learn how to breathe again…

By the time Dominic and Moira St. Clair get their ailing sister, Odessa, to Colorado Springs in the winter of 1883, she is nearly dead. Odessa has been seriously ailing for the past year from consumption, an illness that claimed the lives of four of her younger brothers, prompting her father, to send his only surviving children west to chase the cure.

Moira is beautiful and dangerously headstrong; and pugnacious Dominic is charged with establishing a new arm of the family business–a business he doesn’t want.

Several days after her arrival, Odessa witnesses what she fears is the murder of miner Sam O’Toole, friend and neighbor to the charming Bryce McAllan.

What’s more, Sam leaves her a poem containing clues that seem to direct her to his mine, which is purported to carry a fantastic vein of silver. But if she is ever to rise from her bed again, she must first concentrate on conquering the giant that threatens her─consumption. Indeed, she must learn to breathe again─daring to embrace her life, her future, and hope in her God.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Breathe, go HERE

MY THOUGHTS

Quite a few years ago, I read Lisa Bergren’s Northern Lights series. Having not read anything recent by this author, I was intrigued to find out if her books were as good as I remembered.

They were.

A couple of things stood out to me about Breathe. The opening scene, which you can read through the chapter link above, immediately pulled me in to the story. Odessa St. Clair suffers from consumption (what we call tuberculosis today) and at times, you could feel her agony as well as determination to take one more breath. I imagine that the feeling is much like someone who has severe asthma. Wishing her to conquer the disease is what made me continue to turn the pages.

The story focuses on the St. Clair siblings, as it should, but at times I found myself wishing for a little more description or detail especially about their surroundings. The secondary characters in the story are well-developed to the point that I could sense the growing animosity of the St. Clair siblings towards the sheriff.

Overall, Breathe is an excellent read. The story line may be cliche’ at times (it is a romance!), but it’s clean and even appropriate for teenage girls. Breathe is not “preachy” either. God is present in the story, but only as He naturally fits in the characters’ lives – no forced preaching scenes, long spiritual discussions etc. If you want to introduce a friend to Christian fiction, but she doesn’t want to be preached at, suggest that she read Breathe.

The Library Beckons

Kara_S — Tue, 26 May 2009 04:25:09 +0000

We’re heading to the “big city” library today. While I love our local, small town library in Spencer, I get really excited about going to the “big city” library in Charleston.

Guess what? The big city library has 3 floors of books! Three floors!!! Three biiiig floors – like one floor is twice the size of the small town library. (The small town library could probably fit inside my house. Things might be a little tight, but it would fit.)

The only gripe I have about the big city library is the layout is confusing. Couldn’t they start the Dewey Decimal system at the front door with the 000′s, then 100′s, then 200′s? Nope, that would be too easy! They have special sections that repeat poor Mr. Dewey – oversized books, reference books (can’t check out), reference books (can check out), W.Va. stuff, new releases, not-so-new releases-but-still-new etc. Does your library do that?

Over the years I’ve learned to pay close attention to the card catalog. Besides having a call number, each book also has a location stating the floor and section. Now when I plan my library list … wait, what?! You don’t plan your library list? I sure do!

Since the big city library has limited parking (Who wants to pay for a meter when there’s free 15 minute parking? Oh, and there’s that whole parallel parking thing. I live in the country and don’t intend to parallel park my car again. Ever.) As I was saying, since the parking is limited, I always go online the day before and use the library’s online catalog to plan my list.

I search for books by author, title, keyword, or subject. (The online catalog is identical to the catalog system in the library.) Sometimes I hop over to Amazon to read more about a book that sounds interesting.

If I find a book I want, I write down the call number and location (the most important part LOL). And if I plan enough in advance, I place a hold on the books I want and have the books waiting at the circulation desk when I walk in.

I like to think I’m being frugal – by planning in advance, I save time in the library plus money in the meter (25 cents for 30 minutes. No thanks.). And by checking the catalog ahead of time, I save needless driving to and from the library (small town is 25 miles one way, big city is 60 miles one way) if books aren’t available.

And, don’t worry, I still like to browse around the library stacks and pick up random books. Browsing the big city library is cool because they have books on just about every topic. Plus browsing means I don’t have to think like Sherlock Holmes to find Dewey #737.4 oversized book.

Do you access your local library’s online catalog at home?

P.S. – The teacher in me says that showing your kids how to browse the online catalog at home might alleviate some of the nightmares caused by Junior needing a real book, not the Internet, as a research source for an English paper. Imagine a teacher actually expecting a high school freshman to get a book from the library. *gasp* What a mean teacher!

And The Winner Is…

Kara_S — Wed, 20 May 2009 14:36:19 +0000

The winner of Mary Byers’ book Making Work at Home Work is *drum roll please* commenter #5 – LaDonna!!! She says…

I am a Distributor and Team Leader for a company that produces Gourmet Candles, Bath Products and (coming soon) a top line Mineral Makeup. I can do Retailing, Fund-raising and Team Building. I am always looking for information to help me be even more productive. I think I would glean a lot from this book!

LaDonna’s website is Dakota Heart Scents. Stop by and visit her when you have a few extra minutes.

I enjoyed reading about the different kinds of work you ladies do at home. Let me encourage each of you to purchase a copy of Making Work at Home Work – you won’t regret it. It’s available from Amazon for $10.18 and Christian Book Distributors for $9.99.

Oh, and here’s Random.org’s results:

Random Integer Generator

Here are your random numbers:

Timestamp: 2009-05-20 14:16:02 UTC

For the Love of Reviewing Books

Kara_S — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 12:02:07 +0000

As you can tell by the number of book reviews this past month, I’ve started reading a lot more books for review. I love being exposed to new authors and new stories. And I enjoy sharing my insight and opinions about the books.

I try to set aside time each day to do a little reading. Sometimes, even with the best of intentions, life just gets in the way, and my reading time disappears. If I miss a day or two, I know I have to make up that time by spending a morning or afternoon reading.

Once I finish a book, I often let the book germinate in my mind. I don’t write my review right away. Usually there’s one aspect of the book that stands out to me and that’s what I like to write about in my review. For some books, it’s the characters, others it’s the theme/message, and others it’s the storyline. When I initially finish a book, it’s hard to separate the wheat from the chaff, so I let the book germinate. In 2 or 3 days, the idea I remember from the book is what I emphasize in my review.

My favorite books are those that teach me something as an individual. Not teaching in a preachy way, but through example. When an author creates a character that I can identify with and then throws that character into a situation that causes an inner struggle that I’ve been through or am going through, I love it. (Yipes, that’s a wordy sentence.) Personally, I believe every book should teach something.

Okay, so that last paragraph is a rabbit trail…Going back to my finding time to read…

At times it is hard to keep up with my book schedule (publishers like book reviews posted during certain time frames). Sometimes I’m a couple of books ahead; other times I finish a book on the day of its tour. I try to not overwhelm myself with books, but the inevitable tends to happen.

I say all that to say that any book that is featured on Ramblings-n-Writings has been read by me. I know some book bloggers post the promotional material without reading the books. I’m not comfortable doing that. Personally, I’ve purchased and read books based on other blog reviews, and I’d like for my blog readers to know they can trust the books features here. If I don’t agree with a book or am uncomfortable recommending it, my review will say so. I believe in honesty and integrity. If you see the promotional material for a book without a review from me, consider the book recommended (life probably got in the way of my review).

Do You Know How Book Covers Are Created?

Kara_S — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 20:48:26 +0000

Occasionally, I have the opportunity to create a book cover for a non-fiction book. My covers are always stock photography based, meaning they start with a photograph taken by someone else. I choose the specific photo because it reminds me of something in the book. Then I add graphical elements, fonts, and colors to make the cover unique. You can see some of my cover designs at Skala Creative.

Over at The Seekers, Janet interviewed James Griffin who has been creating book covers since 1976. Thirty-two years ago, he started creating covers, dare I say, the old-fashioned way … pre-computer. *gasp* Now his process includes a computer. Jump over to The Seekers to read how a man who can lay claim to 3,000+ covers creates them. And he makes those beautiful painting-like covers gracing the front of many fiction books!

Christy Nominees on my shelf

Kara_S — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 14:28:09 +0000

The Faith ‘n Fiction question from My Friend Amy is:

The 2009 Christy Award Nominees were recently announced. Today’s assignment is to look at the list of nominees and share with us whether or not you have read any of them. If you haven’t read that particular novel, have you read anything by that author? Have you read all of the books in any category? What are your favorite books on the list? Are there any books you haven’t heard of?

Here’s the list of nominees:

CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Beyond the Night by Marlo Schalesky • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Finding Stefanie by Susan May Warren • Tyndale House Publishers
Zora and Nicky: A Novel in Black and White by Claudia Mair Burney • David C. Cook

CONTEMPORARY SERIES, SEQUELS, AND NOVELLAS
Sisterchicks Go Brit! by Robin Jones Gunn • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group
Summer Snow by Nicole Baart • Tyndale House Publishers
You Had Me at Good-bye by Tracey Bateman • FaithWords

CONTEMPORARY STANDALONE
Dogwood by Chris Fabry • Tyndale House Publishers
Embrace Me by Lisa Samson • Thomas Nelson
Tuesday Night at the Blue Moon by Debbie Fuller Thomas • Moody Publishers

FIRST NOVEL
Blue Hole Back Home by Joy Jordan-Lake • David C. Cook
Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler • Bethany House Publishers
Safe at Home by Richard Doster • David C. Cook

HISTORICAL
Shadow of Colossus by T.L. Higley • B&H Publishing Group
Until We Reach Home by Lynn Austin • Bethany House Publishers
Washington’s Lady by Nancy Moser • Bethany House Publishers

HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy • Barbour Publishers
From a Distance by Tamera Alexander • Bethany House Publishers
The Moon in the Mango Tree by Pamela Binnings Ewen • B&H Publishing Group

SUSPENSE
By Reason of Insanity by Randy Singer • Tyndale House Publishers
The Rook by Steven James • Revell
Winter Haven by Athol Dickson • Bethany House Publishers

VISIONARY
The Battle for Vast Dominion by George Bryan Polivka • Harvest House Publishers
Shade by John B. Olson • B&H Publishing Group
Vanish by Tom Pawlik • Tyndale House Publishers

YOUNG ADULT
The Fruit of My Lipstick by Shelley Adina • FaithWords
I Have Seen Him in the Watchfires by Cathy Gohlke • Moody Publishers
On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson • WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group

MY ANSWER:

I haven’t read any books in the Contemporary Romance category, but I have read a book by Susan May Warren – The Perfect Match, which I thought was enjoyable. As far as the Contemporary Series, I’ve read some of the SisterChicks books (lighthearted, make you laugh, but drive home the message) and a book by Tracey Bateman that I don’t remember the name of. And in the Contemporary Standalone, I’ve not read any of those or the authors.

First Novel: I read Rain Song by Alice J. Wisler a couple of months ago and really enjoyed it. Wisler created amazing, believable characters, and to me, the characters make or break a book.

Historical, my all time favorite category, has two books that I’ve read. Until We Reach Home is a book that I struggled to “get into” at first. I’m so glad I finally did read it in entirety because now it’s one of my favorite books from the past year. I’ll even go so far as saying it’s a favorite out of all the books I’ve ever read. I really want to read it again (rare for me), however my mom has my copy. LOL Washington’s Lady is a book that I started reading quite awhile ago, but haven’t taken the time to finish (too many review books). I love how Nancy Moser weaves a tale around people from history that we’re familiar with. Her writing style is beautiful and makes me think I just finished a personal conversation with the character. I’m glad I’m not a judge for this category because I’d have a really hard time choosing the winner!

Historical Romance has a book/author that I really want to read – Calico Canyon by Mary Connealy. (I’m not sure if this is the first book in her series or not.) I’ve heard great things about Connealy and her writing as well as rave reviews for this series. I plan to read it soon (if the local library ever gets their copies!). On the other hand, Tamera Alexander’s From a Distance is an awesome book! I adore her characters and walk away from her books a different person. Tamera is definitely one of my favorite historical authors. Personally, I hope From a Distance wins because it deserves the award!

For the final three categories (Suspense, Visionary, and Young Adult), I’ve not read any of those books or authors. Suspense is a “new” genre to me that I’m finding I like a lot. So, I think I’ll wait to see which book wins and pick up a copy.

I heart surprises

Kara_S — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 23:02:54 +0000

The UPS man showed up today. The Farmer went out to meet him and do dog patrol (why do dogs always like the UPS man?). He brought back a nice size box … for me!!!

I hadn’t ordered anything recently. And the box was too big to be a blog tour book.

I looked at the return address – Zondervan. It was books!!!

Yep, books as in plural. 5 lbs of them. Three ARCs (Advanced Reader Copies) and a copy of Mary DeMuth’s Daisy Chain. I was quite excited.

I missed signing up for Daisy Chain’s blog tour, so I was hoping to snag a copy somewhere. Now I don’t have to. Guess what I’m reading tonight?

Did you get anything exciting in the mail or via delivery today?

Biblical Fiction: Good or Bad?

Kara_S — Sat, 21 Feb 2009 20:39:00 +0000

This week’s Faith ‘n Fiction question from My Friend Amy is:

One of area of Christian fiction that is thriving is Biblical Fiction. Biblical fiction, in case you don’t know, is when an author takes a story from the Bible and imagines more of the details. Tosca Lee’s Havah would be a recent example of Biblical fiction.

What I want to know today is how you feel about Biblical fiction. Have you ever read any Biblical fiction? Did you enjoy it? Do you think Biblical fiction helps us to understand people who lived during Biblical times better or do you think that it’s unnecessary? Have you ever read any Biblical fiction that offended you?

In my opinion, biblical fiction is an acquired taste. I know some people love it, but others could live without it. I don’t go out of my way to choose biblical fiction, but I don’t mind reading it.

Perhaps the reason I don’t go out of my way is because I feel like the story has to be absolutely true to scripture. I realize the story will be fictionalized, but the facts that we do know from the Bible must be accurate. And as I read, I find myself wondering what’s true, what’s accurate, etc.

However, one of my favorite series of all time is a biblical fiction series – The Lions of Judah by Gilbert Morris (I wrote about the series here.)

Besides the Lions of Judah series, the only other biblical fiction I’ve read that comes to mind is the first couple of books in Brock and Bodie Thoene’s First Light series.

I don’t recall reading any biblical fiction that’s offended me. And after reading the Lions of Judah books, I definitely had a better understanding of the people in biblical times.