The Christmas Box, by Richard Paul Evans

A story of love, loss, and realization, this book will remind you to cherish what matters most in your life. The music of the music box was a little too far for my suspension of disbelief to stretch, but the story is meaningful and enlightening nonetheless.

The Life of Our Lord, by Charles Dickens

A famous author, Dickens, takes the time to tell the story of our Savior in his own words and for his children. The story was well written, had tidbits of extra interest to keep the children engaged, and drew from the scriptures.

I didn't love Dicken's personal additions to or interpretations of scripture, and given that it's not a fantastic classic that the world can learn from, I'm saddened that Dicken's posterity went against his express wishes and published it. (They 'technically' weren't violating Dicken's exact words, but desecrated the spirit of what he wanted for this manuscript, which was to have it kept solely for his children and grandchildren and etc.) I feel I'm doing the author a disservice by opening the cover and reading words he didn't want me to see. I couldn't shake the feeling and it colored my perception of the story every moment I was reading it. Those of you who won't feel the qualms seeping into your soul, sent express from Dicken's ghost, may enjoy the book a great deal more than I.

Ender's Game and Ender's Shadow, by Orson Scott Card

The tale of two young geniuses are brought to bear here, complete with inter-galactic warfare, mind games, social adeptness (and in-adeptness), political masterminding, and the stories of their heart-wrenching backgrounds.

Ethical problems are presented and discussed from multiple viewpoints. The science of God and man are brought to highs and lows. The plot and main characters are a pleasant puzzle that is placed piece by intriguing piece into view.

These two novels are partners - parallel to each other but told from the viewpoints of different characters - the tactical genius and the social genius.

These are excellent reads and would be great for discussing the concepts while reading along with a child.

Prayers for Sale, by Sandra Dallas

Hello, life. How are you today? How does yesterday make you feel? How does the unexpected of today alter your choices? Told by an elderly lady who welcomes a young bride into her dredging town in the Colorado mountains, this novel lends perspective to each day we live and to our lives as a whole.

The novel is all about life and death, forgiveness, and quilting. I've pieced many baby quilts and made a few larger quilts too, though I'm still working on the first large 'pieced' quilt. The dedication, time, and energy spent on quilting - and the importance of quilting to the lives of those women - was a new concept for me. One of the quilts plays a central role in the main story of forgiveness that is threaded throughout the book, and one of the fabrics in the story is a symbol of love, family, status, and friendship.
You will laugh and cry, learn and awe as you read this tale of vision and love. Enjoy.

Goose Girl and Enna Burning, by Shannon Hale

What fun! The tragic story of the betrayed goose girl is retold in fabulous fashion by Hale. Added to the mix are beautiful reminders of what nature is and how closely it is tied to us. Wind is the element of note in this novel. Love, friendship, fate, deceit, honor, and the eventual triumph of truth are all present. Ani is the princess/goose girl, and one of her worker-friends, Enna, is the subject of the next book.

Enna Burning is a much more dramatic book by nature of the fire that pervades the tale, as contrasted with the wind in Goose Girl. The cleverness of the problems faced and solutions to solve age-old (if virtually unknown) problems are intriguing for those who like a puzzle.

The journey and incredible friendship of Ani and Enna are the stuff of lore and legend. The risks and sacrifices willingly undertaken are a testament to the blessing of friendship and the power it has to overcome adversity.

Every Last One, by Anna Quindlen

Wow. Anna Quindlen has quite a tale here. The main character is a mother of teens, and her approaches to life, both before and after The Event, are valuable lessons for the rest of us. She deals with a staggering amount of sorrow and draws us through her grief and reflections on life in a masterful way, gradually building a beautiful picture of both who she was and who she will be.

Friendship is a big theme in this book. The friendships of her children bring her joy and concern. Her own friendships are discussed at length - how past friendships have evolved to where they stand now, how friends from before The Event deal with the changes in her life, and how new friends are found through change.

Caution: spoiler, this paragraph only: I love the way Quindlen discusses adultery, the depravity of it and the nagging, awful, never-knowing-ness of wondering about the extent of the consequences.

I highly recommend this book.

Taking Charge of Your Fertility, by Toni Weschler

Q: What do you call people who use the rhythm method for contraception?

A: Parents.

Which is often true, as Weschler adeptly points out. She then proceeds to explain how a woman can be aware of and in tune with her body and recognize the signs of ovulation so that she can scientifically and accurately pinpoint the phases of her cycle.

You want to get pregnant? Great - here's the way. You don't want to get pregnant? Great - this method, the Fertility Awareness Method (or FAM) will show you how to do that too. Scientific studies show that FAM is as effective as leading birth control methods. Do not confuse FAM with the rhythm method.

Is pregnancy not an issue for you? Great - learn more about how your body works and what it's trying to tell you. Be in synch and understand the signs of ovulation, menstruation, and pregnancy.

Knowledge is power, and this book gives its readers a lot of both.

This Is Not Chick Lit

 

The cover of this book presents a complex paradox to the reader, clearly stating that it is exactly what it says it is not.  And both the visual and the textual statements are true, to a certain degree, as all the short stories are written by women and some are about love. 

After reading the introduction I was drawn in, and upon completing the first story I was shocked and intrigued.  Shocked by the language and intrigued by the incredible level of the writing.  It was extremely well done, and I was willing to brave another story, even two, to enjoy more of the incredible writing.  Honestly, the writing is beyond what I consider good, syntax that engaged, presentation that excited, thought process that entertained. 

The topics and story lines are thoughtfully considered and worthwhile, but the shock factor was there in all three stories that I read: crude, and some sacrilegious.  I did not read on and chose not to attend the book-group discussion on this book.  I even dropped out of that particular book group - of the three months I was a member, this collection was the second book that didn't fit my definition of good literature, and the one discussion I attended was not as well participated in or as deeply thought out as I like.  Tat makes me sound like a snob.  Really I just have a different book group already that I feel is better for me - I'm an established member, it meets on a better day, they mostly read books I like, and they arranges for refreshments differently (everybody brings something to share, as opposed to the host serving a dessert).

The verdict: the writing of this book is like biting into the most delicious delicacy in the world, then finding out partway through that doggy poop is one of the ingredients.  Despite all that is incredible about it, I just can't recommend it.