The Beginning of Everything
This book is littered with stereotypes and gruesome exaggerations. They were annoying and redundant, but I forged on. I was determined to finish this book even though I felt rather disconnected from the characters seeing as how they were so cliche.
Then the last 40 pages happened. Suddenly Ezra became real. I had already known the plot twist, which I thought was fairly obvious, but there is an instance before the twist and then after that just really got me. I felt terrible for Ezra. I even started to remember his name.
The book has lots of smart lines. Great quotes from famous authors and great side bar concepts. I just wish the characters would have been a little more real throughout and less stereotypical.
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Lost my Reason to Breath after reading this...
Reason to Breath
So this book is basically Twilight except no vampires and the main girl gets beaten every so often at home. It starts out like a typical high school day at Forks except, I don’t even know where it takes place to be honest… then a mysterious boys moves to the school and he is only interested in her, even though there are plenty of beautiful girls. Emma is a loner and really only has one friend and focuses on school and sports to get a scholarship, so of course Evan only wants her. He never turns into a vampire, werewolf, or mystical creature which is a letdown – but he does go away just like Edward in New Moon for about 3 months or something. She even has Bella-esq nightmares while Evan is away. Totally adorable. Then he comes back and everything’s ok! Even though she dated another guy and almost had sex with him, but didn’t so it’s all good.
This is also the longest book in the world. I thought it was near the end about 3 times during the book, except the first time I was only at about 46%. I actually started to look forward to when the character would have a conflict with her Aunt because that’s when the book was interesting. It was too repetitive teenage love, Twilight for me to actually get invested. I felt like Emma was rather flat. I didn’t really care about her. The abusive scenes felt real at times and it made me anxious. It really helped push the book along. I got tired of just watching teenagers go to parties and get ready to go to the mall. It seemed like the abuse was really a back story that Donovan brought in every so often.
There were moments where I believed in the relationship between Emma and Evan – although more often I was unconvinced and bored.
Notice how most of my review is about a teenage relationship. That’s because this is what the book is. Don’t go into this book thinking you’re going to see the real struggles of a girl being abused. If you want those type novels then read Julie Ann Peters. Her stories revolve around conflicts that many teens go through and they are vivid and real. They help you grow and see things in a different light and hopefully, teach you lessons for life. This book, does not. Unless you use it as a How-To-Not-React-To-A-Friend-Being-Abused manual.
This book really could have been about 200 pages shorter if there wasn’t so much ooey-gooey-love story mixed with a love square for a bit. I won’t be reading the next story because I just don’t care enough to know anymore more about her life, which is sad because I should be rooting for her.
So this book is basically Twilight except no vampires and the main girl gets beaten every so often at home. It starts out like a typical high school day at Forks except, I don’t even know where it takes place to be honest… then a mysterious boys moves to the school and he is only interested in her, even though there are plenty of beautiful girls. Emma is a loner and really only has one friend and focuses on school and sports to get a scholarship, so of course Evan only wants her. He never turns into a vampire, werewolf, or mystical creature which is a letdown – but he does go away just like Edward in New Moon for about 3 months or something. She even has Bella-esq nightmares while Evan is away. Totally adorable. Then he comes back and everything’s ok! Even though she dated another guy and almost had sex with him, but didn’t so it’s all good.
This is also the longest book in the world. I thought it was near the end about 3 times during the book, except the first time I was only at about 46%. I actually started to look forward to when the character would have a conflict with her Aunt because that’s when the book was interesting. It was too repetitive teenage love, Twilight for me to actually get invested. I felt like Emma was rather flat. I didn’t really care about her. The abusive scenes felt real at times and it made me anxious. It really helped push the book along. I got tired of just watching teenagers go to parties and get ready to go to the mall. It seemed like the abuse was really a back story that Donovan brought in every so often.
There were moments where I believed in the relationship between Emma and Evan – although more often I was unconvinced and bored.
Notice how most of my review is about a teenage relationship. That’s because this is what the book is. Don’t go into this book thinking you’re going to see the real struggles of a girl being abused. If you want those type novels then read Julie Ann Peters. Her stories revolve around conflicts that many teens go through and they are vivid and real. They help you grow and see things in a different light and hopefully, teach you lessons for life. This book, does not. Unless you use it as a How-To-Not-React-To-A-Friend-Being-Abused manual.
This book really could have been about 200 pages shorter if there wasn’t so much ooey-gooey-love story mixed with a love square for a bit. I won’t be reading the next story because I just don’t care enough to know anymore more about her life, which is sad because I should be rooting for her.
Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Pastor David Hudon
[Originally posted Fridy, May 21, 2010]
Due to the impending day of October the 13th, not 1988 but 2013, I felt it was appropriate to revisit one of the most inspirational people in my life.
Due to the impending day of October the 13th, not 1988 but 2013, I felt it was appropriate to revisit one of the most inspirational people in my life.
Pastor David Hudson
PASTOR- COMMUNITY UNITED
RICHWOOD, OHIO
PASTOR- COMMUNITY UNITED
RICHWOOD, OHIO
I met Pastor David Hudson two years ago at the old Community United Church on a Wednesday night service, which only had about ten people attending. Even though, on approach, you would think Pastor David is an intimating man, standing 6’8”, he will hardly look you in the eye as he shakes your hand while greeting you. I still remember how quick our first few handshakes were. He is probably the shyest person you will ever meet, until he begins preaching about Jesus. When Pastor David starts preaching the word of God he gets loud, he moves around a lot, and he even uses props sometimes to aide his sermon. Pastor David is one of the most influential people in my life and I hope his story inspires you as much as it does me.
Growin’ up, I didn’t have a relationship with God. I just went to church. It was Thursday night. October the 13, 1988. It started out as a normal Thursday night, me and my buddy was driving to church [pause] recklessly, might I add. I sat in the last pew in the back, way in the corner. I got this feelin’ in my heart; Jesus was callin’ me to the alter. I left behind a friend that day in the pew but, I gained a best friend who come into my heart and will never forsake me. I was cryin’ like a baby all the way up to the alter. I've got a Pentecostal background and I've seen it all. We can't confine God. I guess that’s the good thing I like about God: he's unpredictable.
I always stress in church that it’s not about religion. It’s about havin’ a relationship with God. God knows everything about us. He knows the very intent of our heart. I believe he wants us to express our heart, he wants us to communicate with him. I believe he wants us to speak what is in our heart. We oughta serve God while we have the chance. I’m not perfect either. When I preach, I’m not just preachin’ to the church. I’m preachin’ to myself too. Some people think I get to excited and loud when I preach. But, I can’t help getting’ excited about the Lord. If they don’t like it, well. I’m sorry. They say Preacher, "why do you get all excited?" If you have to ask, you probably don't understand.
There's a lot of people who do not know Jesus. Jesus is within you and I. There's coming a day when, the bible says, the love of many will wax cold. The bible says in the last days the perilous times shall come. I believe we're in those days. We've got to work now. You are the only Bible that some people may read. You are the only church service someone may attend. You can win a soul to Christ without saying a word, amen, because they see the life you live. They see the example you set. Sometimes if you're not careful, you can miss out on God.
There’s a lot of churches across the land today, amen they have everything. Amen, everything they have is a little more perfect than what we have. Amen, they have a better program, singers, speakers, amen praise God but if they don't have the spirit of God they're just gathered together in vain. That’s my heart intent: any time we gather in together in his house I want Jesus to pass by.
It’s Proverbs 29 and 18, “Where there is no vision the people perish, but he that keepth the law, happy is he.” My vision will never change. This is what I stand for, [holding a picture frame] it says: “I will do great things through you, if you will only trust me.”…As clear as a bell I heard those words. And you say, Preacher you done lost it. I will stand on my dying breath on that word. He will do great things through me, if I will trust him. If you have a vision, if you have a goal in your life, if you have something you’re striving for to obtain, it doesn’t matter that you’re in the lowest valley in your life. Yes it affects you, yes it hurts, yes this flesh is tested at times, yes we cry, yes we’re confused. Amen, but praise God the whole time. Our eyes should be fixed upon that goal. You say, Pastor Dave! I didn’t hear God say that to me [referring back to the frame.] Well that’s alright. Noah’s wife didn’t hear God tell Noah to build a boat either, but she got on didn’t she?
Pastor David plans on fighting the local school board about teaching Evolution to the kids in school. Even if he does not win the battle, he says that he won’t give up. He also says that just by going to the school board and making an argument he will be making more people aware of God. And by making more people aware of God he can possibly help more nonbelievers become saved. Although Pastor David has a full time job and is raising four children, with his wife Angel, he has just begun his seventh month in the new church building. Community United outgrew the old church, unfortunately, and they hoped the new building would be more accessible and comfortable to the church members. The new church building has already reaching full capacity on Sunday, and Wednesday night services average around thirty people. Pastor David hopes that his church never gives up on a vision and that he can continue to witness “seeing people’s lives change.”
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Blood Roses (the Noctivagas Chronicle) Review
I received Blood Roses by Jason T. Graves for an honest review.
The writing style is very polished and presented great. Very few grammatical errors throughout the entire book. Through the beginning I get a very Dan Brown feel from The Da Vinci Code. But why would an old, wise man entrust teenage girls with an important Vatican book (which later doesn't even matter) in the first place?
Graves also reminds me of Creighton with all of the scientific facts he spills out onto the pages in the beginning to give you background. I find this overwhelming in the beginning and really disengaged me from the book.
I couldn't connect with the characters at all. They felt very fake to me and the dialogue between the family just seemed odd at times. One of my biggest quirks is that I have no idea who the intended audience is. The author writes smart and uses big vocabulary, so if it's intended for YA then I think it would go over their heads. If it's intended for more adults then I would see the adult audience growing impatient and annoyed with the twins. The girls are presented as teenagers, but obviously that's a big age range. They act severely juvenile at times, but other times are smart and sophisticated. I don't understand why the narrator will refer suddenly to one of the sisters as "the girl" instead of simply saying her name in many places.
Another side note, the boys at their school act very elementary. I realize boys are immature in high school, but not to this extreme.
A few parts gets really hazy. The writing seems rushed and not fully developed. Other places are overdeveloped and drawn out.
***** spoilers below ****
Mars is very irrational. She acts stupidly annoying and does things that just don't make any sense. Forcing Marcus to kiss and then bite her got a serious eye roll from me. She likes Marcus and then she forgets all about him, then she falls in love with Adrian because....well there is no reason.
And then, the epilogue. It comes out of nowhere and it's almost all exposition. It just seemed like a very rushed ordeal and like the author just said, "hey I'm almost done! Let's end this."
I'll rate this book on Amazon as a 3, but overall I was rather annoyed with the book and not very interested in it. I'd rather see Graves write to a more adult audience with adult characters due to his rich vocabulary and his great polished writing. Polished writing is definitely needed in YA books, but that requires characters to be more fully developed.
The writing style is very polished and presented great. Very few grammatical errors throughout the entire book. Through the beginning I get a very Dan Brown feel from The Da Vinci Code. But why would an old, wise man entrust teenage girls with an important Vatican book (which later doesn't even matter) in the first place?
Graves also reminds me of Creighton with all of the scientific facts he spills out onto the pages in the beginning to give you background. I find this overwhelming in the beginning and really disengaged me from the book.
I couldn't connect with the characters at all. They felt very fake to me and the dialogue between the family just seemed odd at times. One of my biggest quirks is that I have no idea who the intended audience is. The author writes smart and uses big vocabulary, so if it's intended for YA then I think it would go over their heads. If it's intended for more adults then I would see the adult audience growing impatient and annoyed with the twins. The girls are presented as teenagers, but obviously that's a big age range. They act severely juvenile at times, but other times are smart and sophisticated. I don't understand why the narrator will refer suddenly to one of the sisters as "the girl" instead of simply saying her name in many places.
Another side note, the boys at their school act very elementary. I realize boys are immature in high school, but not to this extreme.
A few parts gets really hazy. The writing seems rushed and not fully developed. Other places are overdeveloped and drawn out.
***** spoilers below ****
Mars is very irrational. She acts stupidly annoying and does things that just don't make any sense. Forcing Marcus to kiss and then bite her got a serious eye roll from me. She likes Marcus and then she forgets all about him, then she falls in love with Adrian because....well there is no reason.
And then, the epilogue. It comes out of nowhere and it's almost all exposition. It just seemed like a very rushed ordeal and like the author just said, "hey I'm almost done! Let's end this."
I'll rate this book on Amazon as a 3, but overall I was rather annoyed with the book and not very interested in it. I'd rather see Graves write to a more adult audience with adult characters due to his rich vocabulary and his great polished writing. Polished writing is definitely needed in YA books, but that requires characters to be more fully developed.
Yearly Harvest (Review)
Yearly Harvest was intriguing. I really enjoyed the concept and the ideas behind the story line. With a good editor this book could have been really good, but it falls short in some aspects.
At times the book is very drawn out, focusing on details that really don't seem to contribute that much to the story. Other places I was shouting (in my head) asking for more details and wanting Callaway to keep writing. Like at the end! I wish the book could have been more...finished? I want to know all the details about this snake creature and figure out what the causes for it is.
Sometimes the townspeople talked forever. It was a bit unrealistic to me. Especially with the crazy mother. I don't understand her motives for telling Jin all that information knowing Jin was a journalist. I feel like a lot of the dialogue should have been broken up because after two paragraphs of dialogue it just started reading as exposition.
Besides those negatives, I did enjoy the book. Very interesting. I found it ironic that the book is about a story that Jin didn't want to publish and yet, here it is -- published.
At times the book is very drawn out, focusing on details that really don't seem to contribute that much to the story. Other places I was shouting (in my head) asking for more details and wanting Callaway to keep writing. Like at the end! I wish the book could have been more...finished? I want to know all the details about this snake creature and figure out what the causes for it is.
Sometimes the townspeople talked forever. It was a bit unrealistic to me. Especially with the crazy mother. I don't understand her motives for telling Jin all that information knowing Jin was a journalist. I feel like a lot of the dialogue should have been broken up because after two paragraphs of dialogue it just started reading as exposition.
Besides those negatives, I did enjoy the book. Very interesting. I found it ironic that the book is about a story that Jin didn't want to publish and yet, here it is -- published.
Rapture (Rapture Trilogy, #1) Review
Rapture was very interesting. Although it was slow to start, Simpson raises some really good thoughts in this book. I will definitely be interested in finishing this series and I assume his writing skill will grow. Some things I would like to see this author work on is just slowing down.
The high action scenes go way too fast, and things aren't explained the best. Simpson focuses on too much exposition rather than showing the story. I would really like to see into Sam's mind and emotions as these things happen. Plus, Simpson seems to thrive off things happening "unbelievably," this seems to be one of his most overused words in the book. There are a lot of things that just happen, or just work out and they aren't given much thought. I'd want that slowed down and really cracked open. For example, early on Simpson writes "The demons came for him." This is a perfect spot to slow down time. Explain the feelings that Sam feels. Explain the sounds, the wind, the smell... ect. Instead we are just told that Sam can feel them, but we never see how the feeling effects him or what it may feel like to Sam.
Also, cliches need to be avoided. When I see cliches in a book I want to "rip my heart out and roast it in a wild mushroom sauce for dinner" (Peter Dully Jr, an amazing professor). Simpson used the phrase "old habits die hard" three or four times within the novel and each time I cringed.
Another few small irks for me, Gabriel is not a female. Although some say angels are gender neutral, Gabriel is always seen as male throughout the Bible. Also, some of the books of the bible that are quoted are not complete. It should be 1 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, ect, not just Thessalonians/Corinthians.
Also -- something really minor, but it bugged me because I'm a horse person. Sam is able to bring a few quarts of water for his journey of 200 miles with 3 people and 2 horses. One horse will drink 10 gallons of water on a cool day. Clearly he is not adequately supplied for this journey.
Aside from all of these, the book did really grab me. It was the whole idea that really made this book absorbing.
The high action scenes go way too fast, and things aren't explained the best. Simpson focuses on too much exposition rather than showing the story. I would really like to see into Sam's mind and emotions as these things happen. Plus, Simpson seems to thrive off things happening "unbelievably," this seems to be one of his most overused words in the book. There are a lot of things that just happen, or just work out and they aren't given much thought. I'd want that slowed down and really cracked open. For example, early on Simpson writes "The demons came for him." This is a perfect spot to slow down time. Explain the feelings that Sam feels. Explain the sounds, the wind, the smell... ect. Instead we are just told that Sam can feel them, but we never see how the feeling effects him or what it may feel like to Sam.
Also, cliches need to be avoided. When I see cliches in a book I want to "rip my heart out and roast it in a wild mushroom sauce for dinner" (Peter Dully Jr, an amazing professor). Simpson used the phrase "old habits die hard" three or four times within the novel and each time I cringed.
Another few small irks for me, Gabriel is not a female. Although some say angels are gender neutral, Gabriel is always seen as male throughout the Bible. Also, some of the books of the bible that are quoted are not complete. It should be 1 Thessalonians, 1 Corinthians, ect, not just Thessalonians/Corinthians.
Also -- something really minor, but it bugged me because I'm a horse person. Sam is able to bring a few quarts of water for his journey of 200 miles with 3 people and 2 horses. One horse will drink 10 gallons of water on a cool day. Clearly he is not adequately supplied for this journey.
Aside from all of these, the book did really grab me. It was the whole idea that really made this book absorbing.
Memory's Wake Review
This is going to be a hard review to write without spoiling it, but I will try my best.
The artwork in Memory's Wake by Selina Fenech is awesome. It took me a long time to read because I caught myself looking at the drawings for extended amounts of time and even going back and looking again. Drawing is a skill I wish I possessed.
*spoilers below*
I do feel disconnected from the villain. The biggest villain was really Memory's lost memories. Thrall seemed like a very small concern to me due to this disconnection. I also felt disconnected from the characters at times because things happened too easily for them. Memory finds El and then poof they decide to help each other out, poof they are friends, poof they are sisters.
I really wanted to see more of Will. He was a dark mysterious guy that lurked out of the woods to help in desperate times but nothing really comes out of him. He just disappears. Why? The feeling throughout the whole book was that he wanted to be with Memory. I think this is a series though, so I'm sure he comes back.
The world Fenech created was very real. I could visualize it. Some people complained of grammatical errors, and maybe I have a different version than those who purchased, but I didn't come across many. It was clean writing but it did have a few sentences that were a bit confusing to read.
I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this book. If you like magic in books then you'll probably enjoy this book. The romance within the book isn't unbearable like many other YA books either.
The artwork in Memory's Wake by Selina Fenech is awesome. It took me a long time to read because I caught myself looking at the drawings for extended amounts of time and even going back and looking again. Drawing is a skill I wish I possessed.
*spoilers below*
I do feel disconnected from the villain. The biggest villain was really Memory's lost memories. Thrall seemed like a very small concern to me due to this disconnection. I also felt disconnected from the characters at times because things happened too easily for them. Memory finds El and then poof they decide to help each other out, poof they are friends, poof they are sisters.
I really wanted to see more of Will. He was a dark mysterious guy that lurked out of the woods to help in desperate times but nothing really comes out of him. He just disappears. Why? The feeling throughout the whole book was that he wanted to be with Memory. I think this is a series though, so I'm sure he comes back.
The world Fenech created was very real. I could visualize it. Some people complained of grammatical errors, and maybe I have a different version than those who purchased, but I didn't come across many. It was clean writing but it did have a few sentences that were a bit confusing to read.
I'm glad I had the opportunity to read this book. If you like magic in books then you'll probably enjoy this book. The romance within the book isn't unbearable like many other YA books either.
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