Bridge to Haven

by Francine Rivers
Jodi's copy hardcover 459 pages
genre: Christian fiction, relationships

Loved it! Rivers is a wonderful author. I don't even want to write a synopsis . . . just my post-its.

page 24 - I cried when Mitzi played ragtime at Marianne's funeral, especially when her son got embarrassed. This probably has a lot to do with planning my mom's funeral . . . what would *she* like? What is expressive of her?

page 38 - (I love Mitzi!) Mitzi says to a pouting Abra, "I've never lied to you and I never will. I know it's your choice to believe me or not, but you'd better understand this: what you believe sets the course of your life." There's more, but sometimes a person just needs a good talking-to. This is a wonderful scene.

page 96 - Zeke (and Joshua) knowing that all they can do for Abra is pray. "What would it do to both of them if Abra followed the deceiver rather than the lover of her soul?"

page 110 - When Dylan yanks Marianne's cross necklace off Abra, I wanted her to scream and run . . . fast.

page 139 - Zeke is talking with Mitzi about Abra. "Hodge (her son) seemed to be torn between mortification and pride. He adored his mother, but said she drove him insane at times. He admitted once he never knew how his hardworking, somewhat-shy, prim and proper father had even met her, let alone married her." Besides the fact that I love Mitzi, I love the torn feeling that children sometimes have in regard to their parents!

page 162 - (Jodi's flag) - When Joshua and Zeke are talking about Abra, Zeke says, "She knew what we told her about the Lord, Joshua. That's different from knowing Him." Amen! Knowing about and knowing personally are very different.

page 169 - Though this is a work of fiction, there are emotions and scenarios that ring very true. "She looked away. Had Dylan ever loved her, even for a second? She'd only seen lust, sarcasm, and fury. She'd stayed because she was too ashamed to call for help. She'd stayed so she wouldn't have to hear how she'd made her own bed and would have to sleep in it. She'd stayed out of fear. She'd stayed because she didn't know where else to go. She'd stayed for a hundred reasons that made no sense, not even to her. Now, she felt lost. And the feeling had nothing to do with location."

page 201 - (Jodi's flag) how a woman feels wearing attractive undergarments . . . even if no one else sees them . . .

page 275 - I love how the old hymns that Mitzi made her learn come flooding back into her mind! This recurring theme is powerful!

page 367 - When Abra is in the motel room in the dusty desert town, after crying and remembering hymns, she thinks, "You can have it, God. I'm so tired of the fight. Do whatever you want. Burn me to ash. Turn me to a pillar of salt. Wash me away in a flood. I don't want to hurt anymore. I don't want to hurt anyone else. I just want . . . I don't even know." Then she sleeps a deep and peaceful sleep. I love God!

page 383 - (Jodi's flag) When she and Joshua are talking, she says, "I've been such a fool, Joshua." He didn't deny it. "No one sees with eyes half-shut, Abra. Your eyes are open now."

page 430 - I love her breakthrough! "You love me, Lord. In spite of my stubborn and rebellious heart." Then she asks Joshua to baptize her, then and there. Great scene! The joy in the character's entire being is so very evident.

Book club tonight! I look forward to discussing this.

Proof of Heaven

by Mary Curran-Hackett
Hennepin County Library paperback 291 pages
genre: realistic fiction

A friend recommended a *different* book by this title, but I was curious about this, so I got it. The story centers around Colm (pronounced "coll-um" like the architectural feature) and his mother Cathleen. Colm has a mysterious illness which causes him to die - literally - and the many emergencies which have brought him back to life have made Cathleen desperate for a miracle cure. Her brother Sean, a firefighter, vacillates between being the strong male figure Colm needs and an escapist alcoholic. For the most part, I liked the story. It raises a lot of questions about family and faith. Dr. Basu was my favorite character.

page 91 - "Throughout her life the battle between what her mind was capable of knowing and what her heart was capable of feeling waged on. She admired people who knew for sure whether they did or didn't believe in God or in heaven. She was drawn to Monsignor because he had such confidence in his own opinions." The Monsignor is not a very flattering character, especially in opposition to Sean's disbelief, but I like the character's observation about certainty.

page 135 - "As she sang, she tried to remember the last time she had done such a thing. Mothers can never know the last time they will rock their children to sleep, sing them a final lullaby, pick them up and carry them on their hips, or even bathe them, she thought. Babies grow into children without notice. They grow out of such habits without mention, without mourning their passing or loss. No one ever seems to remember the last times." How true! As parents, we are so eager for the next phase of growing up . . . and so quick to forget the old phase. I miss cuddling a sleepy boy.

chapter 32 - I wasn't sure what to expect, but this wasn't it. It made me want to know more about Pierce's story. The ending wasn't really satisfactory to me.

The Poet

by Michael Connelly
audioCDs 12 discs collection of Jeff Beaudoin
genre: murder mystery

Things I liked:
similarity to Criminal Minds (tv show) with profiling
his H.S. crush on Riley
literary allusions / Poe stuff

Things I didn't like:
romance between him & the FBI agent - NOT convincing!
PTL for pedophile network
technology is SOOOO outdated
him helping Warren out . . . just no

Of Noble Birth

by Brenda Novak
Hennepin County Library audiobook 10 discs
genre: romance, historical fiction
read by Alison Larkin

Liked: romantic tension, character development (at least for Alexandra and Nathaniel), adventure

Disliked: stupid decisions by characters, lack of realism in parts (e.g. Nathaniel being romantically inclined mere hours after escaping the torture and deprivations of a month in the Hulks)

The Lost Boy

by Greg Ruth
PRMS paperback 190 pages
genre: YA mystery graphic novel

Weird book. Walter disappeared a long time ago. Before he did, though, he left tape recordings of his observations and investigations. Nate finds the recordings fifty (?) years later and tries to figure things out. Creepy characters, lots of otherworldly experiences. Interesting, creepy story.

Not sure why this has been in "draft" form for weeks . . . I'll publish without worry.

High Blood Pressure for Dummies

2nd edition
by Alan Rubin
Hennepin County Library paperback 320 pages
genre: non-fiction, self-help

My cardiologist laughed and said I was a goofball (or something along those lines) when I told him I had gotten this book. But as always, I found this Dummies book very helpful. I didn't read it cover-to-cover, but focused on the chapters I was most interested in:

ch. 9 - Choosing Foods
Go for high potassium foods, try low-fat or fat-free options, snack on carrot or celery sticks and rice cakes. Page 139 had lots of great ideas:

I also used the info to calculate "ideal" weights. For a woman who is 5'6" (me), a target weight is 130 pounds. 10% variance in either direction is 13 pounds, so I should be in the 117-143 pound range. Wow. I don't think I've seen 143 pounds since Nick was two years old . . . but I'm heading in the right direction!

For a man who is 6'1", the ideal weight is 184 pounds. The 10% variance of 18.4 pounds leaves the range at 165.6-202.4 pounds. I have no idea what Louie weighs right now!

One resource that I made note of while I was reading was the Health Record at www.lifeclinic.com but that entity has become part of another entity and I couldn't find any free record sheets to print out.

Another tool is the DASH booklet at nih.gov but I feel as though I already have enough info about that.

ch. 10 - Keeping Salt Out of the Diet
This is what I'm really struggling with. I love the taste of salt! The recommendation in this book was to avoid foods that have 180+mg of sodium per serving. Ideally, I should look for those that have 35mg or less per serving! I don't read labels as much as I should, but I've been getting better about it. Boy, the foods I like have a lot of sodium. I should eat "very low sodium" foods. Read labels - another piece of advice I noted. Make sure salt substitutes aren't high in potassium (which seems to contradict the chapter nine assertion to seek high potassium foods, except I think that was referring to foods that have it naturally and not as an additive).

ch. 12 - Lower Blood Pressure with Exercise
So much here that I need to work on! There was a plan for using walking as a primary tool. Time a one-mile walk and make a goal chart. There was a sample on page 187 but I'm too lazy to scan it. I may just grab a cell pic and make my own. It's pretty simplistic. Basically, level one is doing a mile in 30 minutes. Then I would decrease the time it takes and increase the distance walked. I may give this a try. My Fitbit has been a great tool for me, but I like new challenges.

Now I can finally return this book to the library! I had to blog about it before relinquishing it.

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

by Eleanor Coerr
PRMS hardcover 63 pages
genre: based on a true story . . . YA

I vaguely knew about this story, but had never actually read it until this school year. Sadako was young and living in the Hiroshima area when WWII ended. As the radiation sickness took away her running speed, then her strength, then her life, Sadako's hope for healing came in the form of folded paper cranes. Her classmates took up her cause when she was unable to fold. She died in 1955. Sad story.

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer

by Michelle Hodkin
Hennepin County Library hardcover 452 pages
genre: teen paranormal mystery with romance

A freshman highly recommended this book to me and I respect her so much that I had to read it. It was interesting in terms of keeping my interest. The author's language choices were wonderful. The main things I disliked: the occult-oriented focus (ouija board, rooster blood, etc.) and the ending leaving the entire story open-ended. Because Mara has so many hallucinations (and can kill people with her thoughts), it's hard to know what's real and what's not. And I'm a bit curious about what happened to Jamie after he was expelled from school. I kept waiting for Mara to kill Anna and Aiden, but I suppose the author needs them to be the bad guys in the next book. Noah Shaw was a very fascinating male character and I understand why the freshman loves this book so much. There's plenty of desire without actual sex.

The Postcard

by Tony Abbott
PRMS hardcover 359
genre: YA fiction, mystery

I read this one because a student returned it with water damage and I wondered if I should replace it or get rid of it. What a weird book! Jason goes to Florida to help his dad deal with grandma's death and estate. Dad is struggling with his own issues and Jason reluctantly unravels a mystery about his grandma's past. Dia is a great character (teen babysitter who prods Jason forward and calls him lots of different names). This book is peopled with some very odd characters and an intriguing history. Still, I think I'll delete & donate without replacing. Many of my readers would have trouble getting into this one and sticking with it.

The Son of Neptune

by Rick Riordan
PRMS hardcover 513 pages
genre: YA action adventure, mythology

Percy has "lost" eight months of his life when he stumbles upon Camp Jupiter. The Romans take him in, but he especially befriends Hazel and Frank. The unlikely trio go on a quest to rescue the god of death, Thanatos. Great fun, though it dragged a bit in places. Frank and Hazel are wonderful characters. I wonder how the Sammy / Leo drama will unfold . . . I need to read book 3!

The Raft: the courageous struggle . . .

by Robert Trumbull
Hennepin County Library audiobook 5 discs
read by Grover Gardner
genre: non-fiction autobiography / memoir

This was a very interesting account of three men during WWII who had to ditch their plane at sea and survived for 34 days in a rubber raft. It bothered me that the pilot "told" the story (Robert Trumbull) and called the other two men "boys" and "lads." His "of course, I was in charge" attitude bugged me, too. Yes, he was the oldest, the pilot, and had senior rank, but the tone (in the text, not just the reader's voice) was condescending (IMO). When I realized that this account was actually published in 1942, I thought about the era and realized this was a very intriguing period piece. I almost want my dad to listen to it to get his perspective. Gene Aldrich was my favorite of the three men. He caught most of the food, had a go-getter attitude, and believed in the power of prayer.

On Amazon, this review caught my eye:

Thoughts from a relative of two of the men

By L.A. Pastula on April 26, 2007

Format: Audio CD

Thanks everyone for the great reviews!! I must however point out that being the neice of Anthony Pastula and Gene Aldrich that this book is somewhat misleading, basically because it is from one person's viewpoint that had to be the hero. The plane, btw, didn't exactly crash. After being told several times by both my Uncles that they were running out of fuel, IT RAN OUT OF GAS!!! Not something the hero of his book would confess to I suppose. My Uncles were also not helpless, uneducated, weaklings as they are sometimes made out to be either. They weren't that GREEN. They also had nothing to do with this book, because obviously, their recounts of their time at sea didn't match Dixon's. They both chose to step out of the spotlight and go on with their lives. For those that did wonder in the other reviews, they not only remained the closest of friends but they became brothers-in-law! Gene married Tony's sister. To add to that, Gene's sister married Tony's brother and that's where I come from! It is truly by the grace of God and Gene's strong personal belief in the Lord that he shared with the other two men that saved them.

 

 

The Puppy Diaries: Raising a Dog Named Scout

by Jill Abramson
Hennepin County Library audiobook 4 discs
read by Beth MacDonald
genre: non-fiction, dogs

I'm glad this was short because it kind of bugged me. The most interesting parts are that the author's sister wrote the Fancy Nancy books. I also liked the German Shepherd parts. I'm not a fan of goldens. I'm also not a fan of people who over-obsess about their pets. I love my dog, but I'm not a head case about her health and well-being. This was a bit much for me. All the trainers, theories, seminars, etc. I suppose a lot of it was simply research for this book, but it came off as very overdone. MacDonald's vocal work was fine.

Snapshot

by Lis Wiehl
Hennepin County Library hardcover 274 pages
genre: mystery, historical fiction, drama, relationships

I'm really not in the mood to blog. I like this book and I am glad to be aware of Lis Wiehl as an author. We read this for book club (Spirit of Life Church). Her notes in the back were quite interesting - her father was one of the FBI investigators of JFK's assassination. In this story, the FBI agent takes his young daughter to a civil rights march in Fort Worth a year after JFK's murder. A prominent civil rights leader is shot to death and a black man is arrested and put in jail for the crime. Forty-something years later, this man contacts the FBI agent asking for help to avoid execution. Photographs that the agent took that fateful day and his own conviction that justice was not done lead him to ask his adult daughter to help solve the crime. Lots of twists and turns and interesting characters.

pg 42 - Lisa's friend Drew mentions a vacation in Hawaii. "The image of warm sand and sunshine filled her with longing." I can relate!!! Our weather has been challenging.

ch 10 - I love how the computer geek Gertz helps Lisa and has fun digging up info for her.

pg 115 - When Lisa goes to meet Molly Carter, it makes me sad that her reaction to the church is what some people really feel. ". . . with their schedule, church was far down the list of things to do every Sunday."

pg 153 - She calls her adult son and asks him if she was a good mom (essentially) as she questions her role in his life. He laughs (of course) and says, "My mommy misses me . . . I miss you too. Yes, you hugged me enough. And I love you, mom."

pg 173 - When Molly's family is talking about what it was like to live in fear in the South during the 50s and 60s . . . that is so incredibly hard for me to relate to. I can't fathom having to watch what I say, how I say it, etc. There is so much privilege I've had growing up as a white person in this country in the 60s- now.

pg 242 - I was so afraid that Stanley was going to kill Lena (Madeline)! Especially when he talked the young employee to let him go upstairs without announcing his presence. He was so creepy evil . . . I like how this scene turned out.

The Lady Most Likely

by Julia Quinn, Eloisa James, & Connie Brockway
Hennepin County Library audiobook 7 discs
read by Rosalyn Landor

Interesting to have three authors write a three-romance book. Nice fluffy stories to escape with. Alec captures the heart of the beautiful buy shy Gwendolyn Passmore, Captain Neil Oakes finally makes his love known with Katherine Peyton, and Hugh Dunne ends up with the person he should have started with - Georgina Sorrell. Horses, balls, etc. I love these historical romances that are lovely albeit completely unrealistic.