The Girl in the Glass

Author: Susan Meissner
Genre: General Fiction
Publisher: Waterbrook
Pages: 328

Having only read one of Susan Meissner's books before this (A Sound Among the Trees, Click Here to read my review), I was already familiar with her writing style, but wasn't sure what to expect from the story itself.
As before, Meissner drew me into her story world completely with descriptions and settings and details so vivid and sensory that it felt like I was actually there. Reading writing that skillful is always refreshing, and I totally want to take a trip to Italy now.
The story itself was somewhat... how shall I put it?... foggy. I don't mean the plot. The plot was very easy to follow. The message of the story, however, not so much. Basically it comes down to some of the characters being people who see the world as black and white with no in-between, and the rest of the characters being people who see the world as a blend of hundreds of shades of gray, and different people making decisions based on their different perceptions. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Personally I tend to lean more towards being a black and white person, but I can still allow room for gray areas where needed. Unfortunately, the theme of this story seemed like it was so gray that there was nothing solid, nothing that you could grab hold of and take away from the story other than a vague, hazy notion.
Definitely a feel-good story, but not one that offers a solid moral to take away, in my opinion. Nothing wrong with that, but if you're looking for a book with a strong, clear message, this might not be the best choice.

I received a copy of this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for my review.

Resurrect

Author: David E. Stevens
Genre: Action/Thriller
Publisher: Monarch Books
Pages: 374

I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this book when I requested it, since I don't have a lot of experience with this genre. But I have to say, it kept me engaged and intent from the first to the last page. The author doesn't waste a minute getting to life-and-death action, and rarely stops for a minute for the rest of the book.
In all honesty, were it left to me I wouldn't categorize this as a 'Christian' book. Sure, one of the central characters claims to be an 'Evangelical Christian' (though she doesn't exactly behave like one), there are a few references to faith and spiritual issues throughout, and I expect that the author is probably working towards some kind of faith-based conclusion over the course of the trilogy as a whole, but by itself Resurrect comes across more as just a good action/thriller. Not that I have a problem with that, per se, it's just something that I think readers ought to be aware of.
This book was very frank and no-nonsense in presenting the facts, which makes for a very clear and vivid read... though at times it got a little overly frank for my personal tastes. Some parts of it were also a tiny bit over-technical, leaving me feeling a little like a deer in the headlights, but I was always able to follow the important facts of what was happening. (I do have to mention, though, that I was greatly disappointed when the author - who should know better - called a magazine a 'clip'. Ach!)
But on the whole, this book was a thrilling, edge-of-your-seat adventure from start to finish. Let me know when they decide to make the movie! Seriously, in spite of the few overly-frank moments, there was nothing that I considered unclean or indecent - even when one of the characters takes off on a profanity-laced tirade, the author simply says that he 'let loose a string of expletives' without reproducing any of them. You have to admire an author with that kind of taste. And the humor sprinkled throughout the book was absolutely delightful.
I wouldn't recommend the book for young readers; it was definitely intended for an adult audience. But personally, I loved it and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!

~*~

I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my review. A favorable review was not required, and my opinions are entirely my own.

10 Christians Everyone Should Know

Various Authors
Edited and Compiled by John Perry
Genre: Biography
Publisher: Thomas Nelson

I really loved this book. It's a compilation of excerpts from the Christian Encounters series, basically condensing and hitting the highlights from 10 of the Christians featured in that series. If you're curious about some of these historical figures but aren't sure you're curious enough to buy a complete biography of them, this book would be perfect for you! Or, if you just want to have a few quick and basic facts about these people on hand for reference, this book would also be perfect.
Personally, I've had my interest and curiosity aroused by reading this book, and I'm now eager to get the complete biographies of several of these people so I can learn more. The time spent reading this book was time well-spent, that's for sure!

I received a copy of this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for my review. A favorable review was not required. My views are my own.

Mockingjay

Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Post-Apocalyptic
Series: The Hunger Games
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 496

Okay, since my last review consisted almost entirely of incoherent blather, I shall do my best to make this one more sensible, objective, and useful to the general readership.
Well, I finally finished The Hunger Games trilogy. And, much as it galls me to say it, I'm a fan.
The series tells a story that is very dark, violent, and brutal - not exactly light reading. But in the process it also tells a story of human resilience, and the incredible feats that can be accomplished by just a few good people who take the initiative to stand up against evil and tyranny.
I love the realism of the characters - they make mistakes, they struggle, they make foolish decisions, they hurt each other. But they also help each other, pay for their mistakes, apologize to each other.
Before reading The Hunger Games I'd only read one book that was in first-person present tense, but I really liked the sense of immediacy it created. Well... most of the time I liked it. When a swarm of grotesque mutts is chasing you through the sewers, immediacy is not exactly a pleasant sensation. : )
I was extremely worried for the last half of the book or so, wondering how on Earth the author was going to take all the disaster in the story and bring it to a satisfying ending. I won't spoil it with details, but I will say that I was satisfied and happy. It was intriguing to me, though, to look at how scarred and damaged the surviving characters were. They will never be 'normal' after the trauma of all they've been through... and yet they're surviving, making their way through life and dealing with the scars of the past as best they can. It makes me think of Frodo after he destroys the Ring - only these characters don't have the Gray Havens to sail off to. They just have to hang onto each other and make the best they can of it. To me, that speaks volumes. Yes, those characters will never be the same, they can never go back to the way they were. But their sacrifice wasn't in vain. They did it for a cause, and in the end, in spite of all they'll have to suffer and all the scars they'll have to live with, it's worth it. As a writer, that's a message I would love to communicate through my own stories.
I doubt I'll get it done as clearly or powerfully as The Hunger Games trilogy did, though.

Catching Fire

Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: Eh... still don't know for sure. We'll stick with post-apocalyptic.
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 490

I don't know what to say about this book. It kept me riveted from cover to cover, and I'm already reading the next one because I absolutely cannot wait to find out how things turn out.
But even though it was a fantastic read, I can't pretend to have enjoyed all of it. A good portion of it kept me in agony trying to figure out how the characters were going to get out of whatever situation they were in, or how things could possibly turn out okay in the end. And I still don't know, so enough of trying to review this book when I have the second one to read!

The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins
Genre: I honestly have no idea. Post-Apocalyptic maybe?
Publisher: Scholastic
Pages: 374

So, I finally got around to reading this. I know, I know, the entire rest of the world had read it months ago. That's kind of the reason I hadn't. I just have this passionate aversion to following the crowd, so if the crowd is reading a runaway-best-seller, I'm going to be avoiding said bestseller.
But, after the raving recommendations of several friends whose judgment I trust (and because my brother is dying to see the movie but I don't want to see it without reading the book), I decided to relent. My thoughts?

Oh. My. Goodness.
This book is completely unlike anything I have ever read - as evidenced in part, I'm sure, by my inability to assign a genre to it above. The story and characters are completely engrossing, utterly captivating. I don't remember the last time a book has kept me on the edge of my seat like this one did!
Set in post-apocalyptic North America, the story follows the main character Katniss on her forced journey to the Hunger Games - a sadistic ritual bloodbath labeled a sport by the iron-fisted government. The goal: Kill or be killed. As if that's not bad enough - it's not even that simple.
I don't dare try to say any more than that for fear of giving something away, but I will add that I was surprised at how clean the story was for a work of secular fiction. There were a few brief instances of nudity, which I obviously disliked, but there was no sexual connotation to it at all which is one consolation... I guess. In fact, though it wasn't stated as such in so many words, some of Katniss' thoughts and internal monologues even suggest a belief that sex is something reserved for marriage - an amazing find in a secular book! Of course there was a good deal of violence in the book, but it wasn't gory or glorified or anything disgusting like that.
I would feel comfortable recommending this book to anyone eighteen or older. Recommending it to anyone younger would depend on the individual person. One word of caution: make sure you have the sequels on hand when you start reading The Hunger Games. Once you start reading it you won't want to stop, and once you reach the end you won't want to wait for the second one. I'm already reading Catching Fire, and it shouldn't take me long to get through it... since I can't seem to put it down.

The Art of The Fellowship of the Ring

Author: Gary Russell
Genre: Entertainment
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Pages: 192

This is another one of those great books made just for browsing through and enjoying at your own pace, in your own way - whether that's reading it cover to cover or not. The Art of the Fellowship of the Ring is filled with everything from pencil-drawn concept art to stunning full-detail paintings, costume ideas, CGI scenes and figures, and more. It's so cool to see the ideas that the designers and directors started with before the full glory of the movies ever existed. And there are hundreds of pictures to enjoy - enough to keep any LOTR fan busy for hours and hours on end.

The Bad Beginning

Author: Lemony Snicket
Genre: Children's General Fiction
Series: A Series of Unfortunate Events
Publisher: HarperCollins
Pages: 162

After the recommendations from several friends, I decided to finally get around to giving this book a look. I'm glad I did. The author's sense of humor is delightful, as is the story he tells. The content is clean, and the story is straightforward without being dull. The author manages to create a creepy, scary villain without carrying it too far like so many authors who seem to forget that they're writing a book for children. And I love the way he paints the relationship of the siblings.
This is a fun story that I would feel perfectly comfortable letting my little sister read - which is high praise, coming from me - and I definitely intend to continue following the lives and events of the poor, miserable Baudelaire orphans in the rest of the series. ; )

LOTR - The Making of the Movie Trilogy

Author: Brian Sibley
Genre: Entertainment
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Pages: 191

This is another one of those fun books that you can read cover to cover if you want to, but in my opinion is better suited to browsing - read a bit here and a bit there, gaze at photos and drawings, and turn pages as the fancy strikes you.
I love this book! It contains snippets of conversations among the cast and crew, memories shared by various actors and production staff, behind-the-scenes looks at casting, set-building, costume design, and more. Plus tons and tons of pictures.
This book would make a fabulous addition to any LOTR nut's library. Great for browsing through with a group of your LOTR-nut friends, too!

Serpent of Moses

Author: Don Hoesel
Genre: Fiction, Suspense, Archaeology
Publisher: Bethany House
Pages: 313

For quite some time during my teen years, I seriously considered becoming a biblical archaeologist. So needless to say, I love a good archaeology novel.
Serpent of Moses was certainly not the best book from that genre that I have read. It sort of gave me the feeling of being dropped into the middle of a story that was already underway, but I was able to put the pieces together and follow the flow fairly easily.
And, I have to say, the setup was rather cliche and predictable - happy-go-lucky and slightly irresponsible archaeologist; exotic, gorgeous, brilliant girlfriend whose field of expertise happens to be very beneficial; old friends all over the world who just happen to have skills and positions to be of tremendous (and convenient) help; a particularly close old friend who happens to be former CIA and has a few favors he can call in; and a creepy European bad guy who's insane. None of that is particularly original and anyone who's read a few archaeology novels (or seen Indiana Jones) has seen that kind of setup before.
I wasn't sure about some of the implications of events in the story, as far as biblical accuracy is concerned (I can't really explain what I'm referring to without giving something away). The matter can really be considered open to speculation, since the Bible doesn't actually give specifics in this case, but I don't know that I would agree with the direction the author's speculations took.
All that being said, if you like archaeology novels (or Indiana Jones) and don't mind a few cliches (the genre is what it is, after all) I think you'll enjoy this book. I think I might have enjoyed it more had I been familiar already with the central cast of characters, present in other works by Hoesel, but this was my first time reading his work. And while, like I said, this wasn't the best book I've read in the genre, it has definitely aroused my interest, and I fully intent to investigate this author's work further.
I received a copy of this book free of charge in exchange for my review.