Thanks to Mindbuck Media for letting me have an early access look at this book. This book is available to read on June 9.
Title: A Week at Surfside Beach
Author: Pierce Koslosky Jr.
Genre: Short stories, realistic fiction
Plot: Each chapter of the book is a different family’s, or families, week at a group of beachside houses, Portofino II in Surfside Beach, South Carolina over the course of a rental season. For most families, it’s a week of discovery, whether good or bad. There are many feuding families who use the beach as an escape. Though, the week doesn’t often go as planned. During their week at Surfside Beach, they find some sort of forgiveness. Whether it’s a father forgiving his son, parents realizing what’s important in life, or finding a person to talk to. For others, it’s a simple week away from life, or a break form the what the future holds. For two retired couples, it’s a rest from an uncertain future at a company, or a break from treatments. The beach rental can bring out the best in people, or sometimes the worst. Through it all, there is something that connects everyone who goes there.
Rating: 4.0 – a great collection of short stories
Opinion: Since I moved to Oregon, I’ve always enjoyed going to the beach/ocean. It’s somewhere I try to go at least once a year. There are many a time where I wish I could swim in the ocean like some of the characters. This book brought the beach to me in a new way, through the eyes of others. Though I wish I could go to boardwalks like the characters. It was fun to see how others take to close quarters and to not always getting their way, and it’s not always a good thing to witness. Though, it’s a growing opportunity for them. It’s a good learning experience for the characters, and the reader. It’s a chance for everyone to learn how to adapt to things not going their way. It’s good for the readers to learn about different lifestyles and to think about what they would do in that sort of situation. Some of the weeks were heartbreaking, others made me laugh, others were good for learning about life. This was a great first book for Pierce. I highly enjoyed this book. It’s one I’ll have to read again. This is a good book for those who enjoy going to the beach and good beach side stories.
Plot:1 (Green Rider): Karigan G’ladheon was running away from school. She was running for fear of punishment for fighting with another student. While in the middle of the Green Cloak Forest, she met dying F’rygan Cobblebay. F’rygan was a Green Rider, messengers for the king. He begs her to take his messages to the king. She accepts his promise, takes his horse, and starts towards the king’s castle. Not long after Karigan starts her journey, she is pursued by soldiers intent on killing her. As she continues on her way, Karigan realizes there are many strange things in the world. There are ghosts, and one in particular is following her. Her horse seems to know the way more than she does. She gets captured by Weapons, the king’s most elite and loyal soldiers and guards, who have loyalties elsewhere. Karigan barely escapes thanks to the ghost. More ghosts join him and propel Karigan into the king’s castle. She informs Captain Laren Mapstone of F’rygan’s fate. While Karigan rests and recovers, she learns that the letters she carried were of a plot to overthrow the king. Will anyone believe the letters? Will there be a call to action? Will there be enough time? Can Karigan and her new friends save the kingdom?
2 (First Rider’s Call): With the kingdom safe for the moment, Karigan returned to finish school. She wanted nothing to do with Green RidersNot long after she returns, she finds herself riding into town in nothing but her nightgown. Karigan gives up and returns to join the Green Riders. While at the castle, she realizes that magic has become unpredictable, unreliable. Green Rider’s abilities have gone haywire. Blackveil, where dark magic is contained, has a breech in its wall. Its dark magic is seeping into Sacoridia. The breech is growing larger every day. Many are sent to see if the breech can be fixed. All the while, Karigan is being visited by Lil Ambriodhe, the first Green Rider. Captain Mapstone has been in hiding in her room and refusing to come out. The mythical Elitians have made themselves known. What does Lil want? Its Lil there to help? What do the Elitians want? Can they help? Can the breech be fixed? Will magic be contained again? What can be done about the breech and the magic escaping?
3 (High King’s Tomb): A new threat has made itself known in Sacoridia. Mornhaven the Black was responsible for the breech in the wall. Thankfully, Karigan pulled him into the future with the help of Lil Ambriodhe. But now another threat is growing. The descendants of the Acrosia empire, who once tried to take over and rule Sacoridia, are now showing themselves. They call themselves the Second Empire. Over the years they’ve embedded themselves in Sacoridian society. Where they’ve placed themselves, no one is certain. The king sent Karigan on an errand to deliver a message to the Lord of Mirwell, find any source of magic book or scroll, and buy new Green Rider horses. While on her errand, she has Fergal, a Green Rider trainee, with her. He is brash, irresponsible, and rubs Karigan the wrong way. Slowly, they open to each other. While buying horses, Karigan sees the death god’s horse. Karigan and Fergal receive a letter about a rendezvous point near Mirwell. They see that the future queen, the king’s fiancé, has been taken hostage. Karigan thinks of a plan that can save the future queen. While saving the queen, she learns of another plot to take over the kingdom. Will Karigan save the queen in time? Will the plot be stopped? Will the Second Empire be stopped?
4 (Blackveil): The Elitians have shown themselves again. They want to go into Blackveil to see what remains of their ruined kingdom and city of Argnthyne. Their king wants to make a joint mission to go with the Sacoridians. The king accepts. They have until the spring equinox to arrive at the breech of Blackveil. Captain Mapstone and the king want some of the members of the Sacoridian team to be Green Riders. Karigan is asked to go. Two other Green Riders join, as well as three soldiers. The night before they leave, Karigan is asked to go to a royal ball. While there, Karigan looks into a looking mask a gymnast was wearing. She sees a vision of the future. How true is the vision? The next morning, the leave for Blackveil. They arrive the night before the spring equinox. The Elitians arrive the morning of. All of them are nervous. Almost immediately, the dangers of Blackveil make themselves known. The further they travel, the greater the dangers become. Unbeknownst to the group, another group is also traveling to Argnthyne with a darker purpose. Both groups wish to find the Sleepers, ancient Elitians who took an eternal sleep. Karigan’s group wishes to save them them. The other group wishes to use them for their dark purposes. Who will arrive at Argnthyne first? Will Argnthyne still be there? What will become of the sleepers? Will everyone be able to escape?
5 (Mirror Sight): Karigan was thrown into a new world after the events of Blackveil. She shattered the looking glass and everything went black. She woke up and was pulled from a coffin at a circus. She runs away into an unfamiliar city. Karigan is captured and brought to a house. A few days later, she awakes from a drug induced sleep with a cast on her wrist and bandage on her leg. The head maid commands her to stay in her room to heal. Karigan rebels and is punished. Slowly, she finds little ways to rebel. She learns she’s been takin in my a professor of history and archeologist, and is his ‘niece’ for the time being. Over time, Karigan learns she was brought to the future. She is appalled at what she sees. The people have been taken over and suppressed by an emperor. She learns that the professor, her ‘uncle,’ is part of a resistance movement. His assistant, Cade, is also a part of the resistance. In exchange for information about the forbidden past, Karigan learns of what happened to her Sacoridia. Soon after, she asks to join the resistance. She helps to plan an attack on the new capital. Will the plan succeed? Will Karigan be able to return to the past? Or will she stay in the future?
6 (Firebrand): Karigan has returned to the past, to her Sacoridia. Its been months since the trip from Blackveil has returned, Karigan was declared missing, then presumed dead until she reappeared during a royal celebration. It took her some time to readjust to life and to heal. Too short of time after she healed, the king asked her to go on another mission. This time, she is asked to join the Elitians again and look for the p’hedrose, a moose, human centaur looking creature. Her friend, Estrel, asks to join to help look for her father. Everyone agrees to let her come. A few days before they leave, ice and snow creatures attack the castle. Their journey leads them north, near where the Second Empire are thought to be hiding for the winter. After Karigan, the Eleatian Enver, and Estral leave, the king begins to act strange. The now queen brings it up to Captain Mapstone. Together, the learn that the king has been replaced with another, an aureas slee, a creature of ice and snow, who assumed the form of the king. When aureas slee is ousted, he disappears, leaving the kingdom to look for the true king. The true king was taken tot the aureas slee’s lair. Thanks to some magical creatures, he escapes with others who were captured, but captured by the Second Empire. He becomes a slave and forced to dig a tunnel. To where, he has little idea. Karigan, Enver, and Estral have run into some problems. They have found some clues as to where Estral’s father is. Estral is desperate to find him and sneaks away. Karigan rushes after her friend. They find more clues, but not before they are captured by the Second Empire as well. Karigan and Estral are separated. Kerigan is tortured for information and Estral is forced to watch. Both are strong and give up no information. The girls learn that the Second Empire is trying to find a way into the hells. They seek to control the dark forces there. Will Karigan, Estral, and the king escape? Will the Second Empire succeed? Will someone find the king? Will there be a strong enough force to stop the Second Empire?
Rating: 3.5 – a good series, can’t wait for the next book (hopefully)
Opinion: This series was recommended by a friend of mine. As we enjoy a similar taste in books, I thought I’d give the series a try. I do agree with her in the fact that the books plod along for the first 3/4 of the book and really pick up in the last 1/4. But lots of interesting things happen in the book to keep you reading. With Green Rider, the main plot ended earlier than I thought it would. I kept reading because I was curious about the author would end it. Mirror Sight was the slowest of the books. But with the ending of Blackveil, I was intrigued for the first part, until I found out what I wanted to find out, then the plot started to drag until the last quarter. The fun thing about high fantasy books like theses, with all the made up names, you can say it however you want. My friend and I talked about the books often, we agreed about the pronunciation most of the time. Kristan Britain did a good job with the world building. There were compelling reasons for why things they way they were. Kristan did her research and provides explanations for how things came to be. The only thing I was miffed about was the relationship between Karigan and the king. Well that, and how the end of Mirror Sight worked. It’s one of the downsides of dealing with time travel. I haven’t read many books that have dealt with time travel, but this wasn’t the better ways to handle it, in my opinion. These books are good for those who love fantasy books. It has excellent use of magic and a highly developed world. Kristan is a highly descriptive author, which took me a little to get used to. I’d highly recommend this series for any fantasy lover.
Plot: Bud Frazer is a ranch hand from Eastern Oregon. In 1938 he decides to leave his family’s ranch and head for Hollywood. He hopes to become a stunt rider for the movies. On his bus ride down, he meets and befriends Lily Shaw. Lily is a screen writer hoping to make it big in Hollywood. She is the outspoken, confident one. She helps Bud get set up with his first apartment in Hollywood. Through some of her friends, Bud finds his first job. It’s not much, but Bud works as a stable hand, cleaning stalls and taking care of the horses. The horses are well taken care of. Bud learns more of the world of Hollywood. He is amazed and awed by it at first. As he learns more of the movies, the less he enjoys. The owner of the ranch starts letting Bud work more of the horses and taking them to movies. Another company starts hiring work hands. The pay is better. They let more people ride. Bud is saddened when learns of trip wires. Trip wires are what they sound like. Horses run towards the wires and trip over them. After helping in a few movies, Bud finally gets to be a part of a bigger movie. During the big scene of the movie, they use trip wires. The scene goes to pieces. Bud finally sees the horror and carnage. He decides that the stunt rider life isn’t for him. But what of Lily? They’ve become good friends. Will he leave Lily in Hollywood? Will he be accepted back at home? Where will he go from there?
Rating: 3.0 – a good book about old Hollywood westerns
Opinion: This was a slow and steady read. I enjoyed learning about Hollywood movies. I knew a little about trip wires from another horse book, but I didn’t know how widely used they were. It was nice to know that not all of the Hollywood horse ranchers wanted their horses to be used so rough. It was also nice to know about the writing side of Hollywood. Lily worked hard to become a writer. It’s always been tougher for women to make it, much harder in the 30’s. This was a good story about growing up and learning about life. Sometimes your dreams aren’t all they’re cracked up to be. What we want in life doesn’t pan out the way we think it will. It’s a hard lesson, but a good one. This book was a good book about life, horses, and old Hollywood westerns. Molly Gloss is also a local author for me. It’s nice to support a local author. She’s a great author and knows her history and local places in Oregon. This is another great book for those who love histories and horses.
Plot: Richard is a well known, accomplished pianist. He can no longer play. He just had to cut his tour short. Richard has retreated to his house, alone and frustrated. Richard can no longer use his right arm. He has ALS. Richard is resistant to the changes. He is slow to hire people to care for him. He wants to keep his independence. Karin is his estranged ex-wife. She is a piano teacher supporting their college age daughter. When Richard can no longer take care of himself and his care takers cannot be there when he needs it, Karin becomes his unwilling caretaker. They quarrel for days until they ignore each other, unless Richard needs it. Slowly, they start talking and listening to each other. As Richard’s ALS progresses, Karen is forced to do more and more for him. Some intimacy returns to their relationship. Karin’s friends and Richard convinces her to go on a weekend trip. Their daughter begrudgingly returns home to care for her father. While there, Richard loses the ability to walk completely. Their daughter is forced to take him to the hospital. Then they begin to talk again. As Richard continues to lose more muscle control and voice, he seeks forgiveness from Karin and their daughter. But will it be in time? Or will his offers of forgiveness be in vain? Doctors can offer Richard ways to extend his life, breathing tubes, artificial lungs, etc. but will Richard want that?
Rating: 3.0. – a slow and steady read about a man’s journey of forgiveness
Plot: This was another book I read for a class. Of the choices I was given, this one seemed the most interesting. I was intrigued by the protagonist being a musician and learning more about ALS. At first, I thought the book a bit dramatic. It took me a little to get into the book. I tried not to get too attached to Richard because I knew ALS isn’t curable. But it was inevitable because you can relate to his need for forgiveness. It is also easy to relate to Karin and their daughter. They are hurt by Richard’s betrayal and deal with in their own way. It is only when they can see Richard making efforts that they start to forgive him. At the end, I got upset along with the characters because I’d grown attached to them all. I felt what they were going through. The author does a great job going through what Richard and Karin are going through and thinking about. The author knew what she was writing about. I was curious about how the author knew so much about ALS and the process of the disease. Lisa Genova is a neuroscientist who’s turned to writing. She’s also written books of Alzheimer’s and other neurological diseases. This book is good if you’re looking for a book about forgiveness, loneliness, and coping with loss. This book also teaches about ALS and how to best provide for their help, if and when they want it. This was a good book and I recommended it, though some tissues might be needed.
Plot: Ashima is waiting to meet her future husband, Ashoke Ganguli, in Calcutta, India. It’s an arranged marriage. He seems nice and not long after they are married, they move to Massachusetts where Ashoke has taken a professor job at MIT. Ashima is scared and withdrawn. She rarely leaves their apartment. They are soon pregnant. As per Bengali tradition, they wait for their parent’s letter to see what their child’s name will be. But the letter never arrives. It is news to Ashima and Ashoke that they have to name their child before they leave the hospital. In Bengali culture, it can take weeks to name the child. Ashoke quickly decides to name their child, a boy, Gogol. As Gogol grows up, the story’s point of view switches to him. When he starts school, he refuses to be called by his official name, Nikhil, which his parents switch unofficially on papers. He struggles with finding balance between American culture and his parent’s Indian culture. He gains a sister, Maxine. As he grows older, he starts to distance himself from his parents and their culture. Even when they visit family in India, it doesn’t feel right to him. When Gogol starts college, he legally changes his name to Nikhil, or Nick for short. He is unsure of his major at first. That changes when they visit the Taj Mahal during a trip to India. He switches his major to architecture. After arriving home late after his train was delayed, he finds his father pacing anxiously. Only then does he learn of how he earned his birth name. After some relationships and the death of his father, Nick bows to his parent’s request and marries a Bengali woman whom is the daughter of his parent’s friends. They settle into a routine. They travel and become distant. His wife has an affair. They divorce and Nick goes to discover who he really is.
Rating: 3.0 – this was a good read about another culture
Opinion: I enjoyed this book. I read it for two different college classes. While it wasn’t the most thrilling book, it’s really good. I learned a lot about Bengali culture. If I was unsure of something in the book, I asked a coworker, who is Bengali. She happily answered all of my questions. This book shows the struggle of second generation immigrants, those who’s parents immigrated from another country. It shows the struggle they can face. They often struggle with two different cultures, their parents and the country’s they now live in. They struggle with the stereotypes of their parent’s home country and keeping up with a second language. It was nice to read a book from a second generation author and is Bengali herself. So she writes from experience. I enjoyed reading the book written through the eyes of a second generation person. This book is also a movie by the same name. I think the movie is a very good adaptation of the book. It stays true to the book. If you’re looking for a book about another culture, then I highly recommend this book. Or if you’re looking for a book about second generation people, then this would be a great book for you.
Plot: At the Palais Garnier, there are rumors of a ghost causing accidents. He is the Opera Ghost. A mysterious accident cause the leading soprano, La Carlotta, to leave. She’s had enough and storms out during a dress rehearsal. This propels a chorus girl, Christine Daae, into spotlight. He taught Christine to sing when she came to live in the dormitory attached to the Opera after her father died. The Opera’s new patron is the viscount de Changy, Raoul. He and Christine were childhood sweethearts. He hears her sing on stage the night after La Carlotta leaves. Raoul goes to meet her after the show. They rekindle their relationship. The Opera Ghost starts emerging from the shadows. He sends letters to the theater management and actors to tell them his demands. The managers ignore his demands in order for La Carlotta to return. The Opera Ghost retaliates with his harsh punishments. La Carlotta is embarrassed deeply when she starts croaking on stage. The Opera Ghost drops a chandelier on the stage and whisks Christine away to his secret layer. There, Christine learns of the Opera Ghost’s past and what lies under his mask. The Opera Ghost releases Christine a few days later. Raoul proposes to Christine. They keep it a secret for as long as they can. Somehow the Opera Ghost finds out and kidnaps Christine. Raoul tries desperately to find Christine. A regular to the theater, called the Persian, promises to take Raoul to Christine and the Opera Ghost. But will he get there in time? Can he get past the Opera Ghost’s traps? Will Christine stay with the Opera Ghost? Or go with Raoul?
Rating: 3.8 – a more in depth look at the world renowned play
Opinion: The style of the book was older so it took me a little bit to get into. I’d seen the movie version of the play and fallen in love with that. Then I got the privilege to see they play. I was glad to learn more about the characters in the play and movie. It was interesting to learn that the Phantom had a name, Erik. The Persian confused me at first. Since he wasn’t included in the play or movie, it upset me for a little bit but I was curious to learn how they took his part in the book and wove it into the movie and play. I enjoyed the book and fell in love with the characters all over again. I noticed all of the parts from the book that the movie included. The play included a couple nods from the book, too. Although the style of the book is different than what I’m used to, I enjoyed this book. I loved the book for the more in depth learning about the characters from the movie and play. There were plenty of changes in the movie and play, but I was okay with that. It was more dramatic in different ways and I enjoyed that. If you want to know more about the beloved play and its characters, then I high recommend reading this book.
Thank you Macy of Macy Thoughts for this wonderful book review!
Title: Mere Christianity
Author: C.S. Lewis
Genre: Christian nonfiction
A Christian nonfiction written originally as a radio script in the height of WWII, Mere Christianity is book that delves into the intricacies of Christianity in a tactful and engaging manner. In it, Lewis pulls apart the major yet ambiguous topics of the religion in a methodical and organized manner. Divided into four topical sections, Mere Christianity makes it convenient for readers to follow along and keep track of what they learned and where.
The first section uses humans’ inherent sense of right and wrong to introduce readers to the possible existence of a higher order being, namely God. The second section delineates some of the core truths of what Christians believe such as the broken state of the world, who Jesus is, and the significance of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross. In the third, Lewis explains how Christianity’s view of particular topics such as morality, marriage, forgiveness, pride, and faith affects Christians’ behavior towards them. In the last section, Lewis tackles some of the deeper theological questions surrounding Christianity like God’s relationship with time and the purpose for Christianity’s existence.
I found Lewis’s arguments digestible and applaud him for building them almost entirely off logic. His frequent usage of everyday analogies and examples to succor his explanations was an additional helpful technique. These attributes will especially advantage readers who have minimal knowledge about the religion, meaning you absolutely do not need to be a Christian to read, understand, and appreciate Mere Christianity’s teachings.
Founded upon Biblical facts, thought-provoking, and timeless in relevance, readers of all spiritual backgrounds, not just newbie or mature Christians, will certainly gain an invaluably deeper understanding of themselves and God after reading C.S Lewis’s Mere Christianity.
About contributor: Macy Lu a 19 year old writer in my second year at the University of California, Davis. She enjoys thinking deeply about a multitude of things, she loves creative writing, and she dislikesroutines. Her dream job after college is to be a novelist. Her dream job for life is to be a faithful follower of Jesus. You can learn more about her at http://macythoughts.com/blog.
Plot: Luther is a on the run from his past. He’s done some things that he’s not proud of. Now his family wants nothing to do with him and his anger. His anger and obsessions have turned him into a werewolf. Luther runs into Matt, mad scientist Dr. Culbreton, and robot Hibbs 3000. Together they find a way to help Luther overcome his anger issues and be rid of his werewolf self. To do that, Luther must confront his past which he wants left in the past. The three travel to help Luther deal with his past and find the root of his problems. They tackle other monsters, including zombies, vampires, and other werewolves. When Luther is finally ready to face the root of his problems, he becomes trapped in a fire. The only way out is to let go. Will Luther be able to let go? Will he be able to make amends with his family? Will he overcome his anger issues? Will Luther ever be able to be rid of the monsters in his life?
Rating: 3.0 – a simple way to explain different ways Christians tend to fall away
Opinion: This was an entertaining book. Matt found a simple way to explain some of the ways Christians tend to drift, or tend to fall into categories of thinking. I liked the idea of using monsters and fantasy to explain parts of Christianity. It’s a way to explain to people outside of Christianity that Christians get caught up in different ideas, too. Matt uses fantasy and sci-fi and humor to help explain some difficult things about Christianity. It’s an easy read and a fun book. I enjoyed it and its simplicity. It’s a fun read that uses humor and fantasy to explain Christianity. Though the ideas are simply put, the point is still there. I enjoyed this book immensely. I highly recommend this book to those who want an easy read that combines Christian fiction with fantasy.
Title: The Reason: How I Discovered a Life Worth Living
Author: Lacey Sturm
Genre: Memoir, Biography
Plot: Lacey Sturm is the former lead singer of rock band Flyleaf. She tells her story of growing up with a single mother and taking care of her younger siblings. Life was never easy with a strict mother and living near poverty and moving a lot. Music kept her sane during all this. She fell in love with jazz, then started singing. Slowly she moved towards rock music. Still, Lacey was depressed and angry. When she was a teenager, she moved in with her grandma. They fought constantly. Finally, Lacey didn’t see an end and sought to end her life. Dispute everything, her grandma convinced her to come to church with her. That night she planned to end it all. But God had another plan for her. One of the pastors at the church felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit about someone feeling suicidal and spoke up about in church. Then found Lacey after the service and they talked. Something changed in Lacey after that. She decided to keep living. After that, Lacey talked of how her life changed for the better.
Rating: 4.5 – a great testimony and a story of how God can change a person’s life
Opinion: This was a great testimony. I am a fan of Flyleaf. I wanted to learn more of how Lacey came to Christ. I had realized how heart rendering it is. It goes to show how God can change a person’s life. Lacey is a very passionate person. She used music to fuel her passion, her anger, and her sadness. After she came to Christ, Lacey used passion and her music to help bring others to Christ. She can relate to those going through depression and suicide. It’s nice for people to know that there are others like them. If you listen to her music, you can hear her passion and her faith. I highly recommend this book for those who are struggling with depression, anger, or suicide.
Thank you Oli for this incredible book! If you’d like to know more about Oli and her work, check out her review and her website Adventures in Arabic.
Title: The Boy who Harnessed the Wind
Author: William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer
Genre: Biography, Inspirational
Plot: When famine hits Malawi William’s family have to use the $80 that should have paid his school fees to buy food. He tries to keep up with his education by studying at a local library, where he sees a photo of a wind farm in America. If Americans can use wind to generate electricity why can’t he…
Rating: 4.0 – Really uplifting with a wonderful sense of place. William’s voice shines through.
Rating: I thoroughly enjoyed this book. You get a real feel for Malawi and rural life there, but without long descriptive passages. The authors don’t shy away from how tough life is for people, but it is told with real affection and respect. In a lot of ways it reads like a novel, the pacing is great, and while it is an emotional roller-coaster (I cried) you never really doubt that the ending will be happy. You get a sense for who William is both as the boy the book is about and as the man writing it. However his two friends are less distinct characters and while the paragraphs about how, exactly, he makes a windmill and generator out of junk are quite short I certainly found the parts about overcoming technical challenges less interesting than the bits about overcoming emotional challenges. I’d recommend it for anyone looking for a feel good read.
A Bookworm's Book Reviews 