Reading Challenge Book Reviews Week Ending May 1, 2010

American Wife, by Curtis Sittenfeld
100+ Books, Buy One and Read It, Chunkster (550 pages Regular Print)

A unique book to say the least. Not what I expected. Not really the story I had thought it was going to be. It was almost a memoirs of a fictional First Lady. It started slow, and for that matter, ended abruptly. At times the writer would explain a couple days of the main characters life in minute detail, but then skip years, decades even, of her life. The author NEVER covered any portion of the elections taking place.

Still, one goal the author definitely accomplished... I HAD to finish the book, I had to know what else happened!!

I'm not sure I would recommend this book, but I wouldn't go against it either. A good enough book>

The Yada Yada Prayer Group, by Neta Jackson
100+ Books, Support Your Local Library, New to me Christian Author, First in a Series

This book, along with the rest of the series, was recommended to me by my BFF. She thought I'd like them. Well, I LOVED it! I was sucked in and wanted to read it and know what else happened. In many many respects I can relate to the main character. Her, at many times, lukewarm faith, feeling not quite adequate for the task at hand. Yes, I can relate. Her internal voice, the arguments she has with herself, Yup, I can relate! I am not even going to "review" the book further, because I just don't think I can do it justice and because I feel too much connection to it. So I'm just going to leave it at this: I felt a DEFINITE connection to the character of Jodi, and cannot WAIT to read book #2!!

Divine, by Karen Kingsbury
100+ Books, Support Your Local Library

Another incredible Karen Kingsbury book! If nothing else, this challenge has given me an incredible love for 2 things, Christian fiction, and specifically, Karen Kingsbury's work!

Mary Madison was rescued again and again by people, from the streets, from a life of slavery not once but twice, and many other horrors, but it wasn't until one man shows her the way to being rescued by Christ that she can finally pull her life together and make something of herself. And when she does, she makes something of herself in SPECTACULAR fashion! She goes to college, earning multiple degrees, and opens several women's shelters in the DC area to help women like herself. On top of all that she appears before several senate and congressional groups to help secure funding and further causes to help keep women safe.

All this leads her to meet Emma, a woman just finding her way OUT of a life much like Mary's once was. Mary knows she can help her, if Emma will just hold on long enough to listen to Mary's story.

A beautifully written story, told in long periods of flashbacks as Mary tells her story to Emma. The reader is pulled back to the story of Emma just frequently enough to remember that Mary is no longer the victim, but the helper trying to give Emma the tools. It is heartbreaking to read both Mary and Emma's stories, and at the same time, uplifting to read them both finding Christ at their darkest hours. I truly cried for them. At times it was hard to remember that this was a work of fiction.

The Parting: The Courtship of Nellie Fisher, by Beverly Lewis
100+ Books, Support Your Local Library, New to Me Christian Author, First in a Series

This is a new author and a new type of book for me.

A story about a young Amish woman who has lost her sister and is being courted for marriage by a young man.

As much as I enjoyed this book, I find it VERY difficult to review or describe the book in short order. I found the mannerisms and language of the Amish quite unique, as I have had pretty much NO experience with the Amish before. It was an enjoyable and moving story and I look forward to finishing the series.