My book club at church decided to read Unlockedby Karen Kingsbury. I’m not a huge fan of most Christian fiction because it’s so lighthearted and shallow, but I would say this novel was a few steps above. It turned out to be a great choice for a book club because it covers several themes; autism, marital strife, self-esteem issues, bullying, suicide, lost friendships, and more. And it’s based on a true story. Worth the time, great for a book/discussion club.

On my way to book club, I realized I was early so I decided to swing by the library. I ended up with another Karen Kingsbury, Oceans Apart. This book has to do with the fall-out of a one-night, extra-marital affair…and the little boy who’s conceived as a result. Karen Kingsbury does a pretty good job of handling this topic, except for the declaration of the boy’s mother that she loved the father of her child. Ummm, you knew him one night, hun. But, okay.

Cleopatra’s Daughter, by Michelle Moran was one of those can’t-put-it-down books. This little history nerd loved it! I learned a lot about Cleopatra and her children, and Rome; it’s customs, rulers, and history. Moran is one of those rare authors who’s able to stay close to historical accuracy while fleshing out the characters and surroundings of that time. I can’t wait to check out her other books.

Last, and by far the least, was the book Loving Mr. Darcy by Sharon Lathan. I love Jane Austen and this is nowhere close. Lathan snatched the characters from the pages of Pride and Prejudice and plunked them down in a cheesy Harlequin romance novel. I read two chapters and stopped. And that says a lot because I’m usually one to plow through no matter what, just to say I’ve finished it. If you have a hankerin’ for more Jane Austen, find my previous entry on Darcy’s Diary. Much better read.

I read a lot of books and not all of them are worth the time it takes to post about them. These are two exceptions. I found Living Fearlessly by Sheila Walsh in a thrift store and thought it looked interesting. Plus it was only a quarter so I felt it was a risk worth taking. I know that God placed that book in my path because it really spoke to me. If you struggle with control, fear, and anxiety, put this on your to-read list. A keeper for sure.

Shame Lifter by Marilyn Hontz is a book that I should probably read every year or so. I honestly think that everyone can benefit from reading this book. Marilyn talks about the shame she dealt with in regards to a difficult relationship with her father and from a sexual abuse experience, but if those aren’t situations you have dealt with, please don’t let that put you off. Shame is a mighty tool of the devil and I firmly believe that everyone deals with some degree of shame. Marilyn talks about how to rid yourself of shame and also how to guard yourself from becoming a person that shames others. Powerful stuff.

I love shopping for books at the thrift store because I never know what I’ll end up getting and I love the variety. I love the opportunity to purchase and read books that I would normally never give a second glance. Fun.

The first book I read was Betsy and the Emperor by Staton Rabin. I like anything to do with history, so this was worth my time, but I don’t know that I would recommend it as a great read. It would be good for a child/teen who’s learning about Napoleon or anyone who’s interested in historical fiction and has some time on their hands. I’ll probably keep this one and have the boys read it some day. The book is written from the perspective of Betsy Balcomb, who lived on the island that Napoleon was banished to after his defeat. The book takes a few liberties, but overall stays very close to the real life events regarding Betsy and the Emperor. Interesting enough and safe for children.

The next book – probably the best of this lot – was Love in the Driest Season by Neely Tucker. I couldn’t put this book down and it had me in tears at points. Mr. Tucker writes about the struggles and triumphs of the adoption of his Zimbabwean-born daughter, Chipo. You fall in love with Chipo at the very beginning of the story, and find yourself rooting for this unlikely family who have to overcome great odds in order to be together.  This book would be appreciated not only by those interested in adoption, but for the cultural insight, the day-in-the-life-of-an-international-journalist aspect, and the up close and personal look at the AIDS epidemic and the toll it’s taking in Zimbabwe.

My least favorite book in this stack has to be The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier. Two stories, set centuries apart, are woven together in Southwest France. Ella is an American of French descent who has followed her husband to France. Haunted by a disturbing dream, she decides to trace her ancestors with the help of a local (male) librarian. As the pieces of her past come together, her marriage begins to unravel. The book switches back and forth between Ella’s modern-day quest and her ancestor, Isabelle’s life story, set in the dark days of Huguenot persecution. The book had some interesting aspects that appealed to me, such as the customs and manners of the French people, and the background of the first French Christians and how they suffered. However, I have little taste for books that take marital infidelity lightly which leaves me less than impressed with this The Virgin Blue. Overall, I felt it was a forgettable book with an outcome that I could predict a mile away.

Last, but not least, was Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. I’m a sucker for a book that melds a good story with lots of facts and information. I like to put a book down feeling like I’ve learned something. Shanghai Girls fits the bill perfectly, in my opinion. Lisa See tells the story of two Chinese sisters who start out as wealthy, spoiled girls living in the lap of luxury in Shanghai, to lower-class, mature women, in L.A. Growing up, the girls were comforted and coddled by their parents, only to find one day that their father has gambled away their wealth and freedom. The girls are forced into arranged marriages to a pair of brothers whom they are lead to believe are wealthy. Initially, the girls plot to escape their marriages, until the Japanese invade China and the sisters must flee from their country into the waiting arms of their new husbands in America. After a long detainment on Angel Island, they are released to their new family only to find that they were deceived as to the wealth of their husbands and in-laws, and must embark on a life of hard work and drudgery to survive. More than anything, this book spoke to me about the roles that we assign ourselves and those around us and how we often trap ourselves in those roles. We choose to play them out to the bitter end instead of having the courage to change and improve ourselves. While the sisters always remain close, and care greatly for each other, their relationship is never as close as it could be simply because of the misunderstandings and false impressions that they harbor through the years. Powerful, interesting, and entertaining, I’d recommend this book to anyone – in a book club or flying solo.

I recently finished All Together in One Place by Jane Kirkpatrick. It’s the first book in the Kinship and Courage series. I generally don’t buy much Christian fiction because the stories always seem the same and the characters and plots feel flat and predictable. This book, while predictable in some places, felt very real to me. The characters were realistically flawed and the plot is based on a true story.

We start out following one couple who decided to sell their home in Wisconsin and move West. As they join a wagon train, we meet more characters and are soon swept up in their lives as well. Partway into their journey, a cholera epidemic takes the lives of about half of the travelers, including most of the men. The rest of the men either abandon them or go on ahead to pave the way. The women quickly realize they have to band together in order to continue forward and reach their destination.

I thought this book was a great picture of those who follow Christ. When they first set out on their journey, the women have to leave many of their possessions, packing only what can fit into the wagon. Then, as they reach the first river, they find that in order to move forward they have to leave behind even more. Further still, they realize that in order to leave the flat ground and climb the mountains, they must leave behind even more much-loved items, sometimes resulting in some heartbreaking decisions.

The main character, Mazy, longs for her easy, predictable life in Wisconsin and is heartbroken to move West. It takes her a long time to be happy where she’s at. I think she finds though that only by leaving the comfort and familiarity of home behind is she able to become someone she never dreamed she could be. She really bonds with the other women and builds a kinship that she’s never had before.

I don’t know that I’ll rush right out and buy the other books, but I’ll definitely keep an eye out for the sequels. This book certainly gave me some food for thought.

I just finished reading Experiencing the Spirit: The Power of Pentecost Every Day by Henry and Melvin Blackaby. This was another thrift store purchase, one I almost didn’t make, but I’m so glad I did. As someone who grew up in a “slain in the Spirit” church, and felt very uncomfortable in that environment, I’ve been wary of much talk of the Holy Spirit. So it was much to my surprised that I enjoyed this book so much and couldn’t put it down. It’s not about the Holy Spirit being an emotional experience, but as a way to prepare us to do God’s work.

Some excerpts:

There are some who want to enjoy all the fruit of the of Pentecost without an assignment. But that isn’t biblical. The whole purpose of Pentecost was to enable us to do His will. Too many people want an experience without an assignment. They look at all the signs, wonders, and miracles, but they forget that these things accompany the assignment of God. The miracles have a purpose in the heart of God, and that purpose is not to satisfy our curious and egocentric nature. Yet we have a whole generation trying to tell us we can have the experience of Pentecost without an assignment. They’ve missed the whole point of Pentecost.

If you’re more concerned about the talents you don’t possess than about those you do, you’re of no use to God. But once you come to realize that God doesn’t need your talents, you’re ready for Him to express His power in your life. He’s looking for obedience.

Overall, what I took away from the book was that the Holy Spirit is what enabled Jesus to do what he did and that same gift is available to us, if we are obedient. The Blackabys talk about how we should be careful not to assign too much importance to spiritual gift inventories, for example, because if God calls us to do something we need to be totally relying on him and not any preconceived notions of what we are or aren’t capable of doing. If God calls, and we respond, he will equip us.

Words to live by, I think.