And here are some coupon codes for you to use by Februay 18th:
Coupon #1:
Coupon Code:get5off
Coupon Password:bookcloseouts.com
Deal:Get $5 off an order of $25 or more
Expires:February 18, 2008
Coupon #2:
Coupon Code:get10off
Coupon Password:bookcloseouts.com
Deal:Get $10 off an order of $50 or more
Expires:February 18, 2008
Enjoy and happy reading to you!
Also, let me know if you are interested in writing for this blog. I need more reading contributors to do some contribution writing. =o)
Christy invited me to join the book club. I thought the best way to introduce myself would be to share my thirteen books that had a profound influence on me.
Thursday Thirteen #1
1. Ulysses, Dubliners, Portrait - I love James Joyce. I love his arrogance and belief in himself. I love that he worked, raised four children and supported his partner. I probably wouldn't have liked him in person, but his work is amazing and his life is honorable. What else can you say about a person? And the books? They're amazing.
2. Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien - I read this book for the first time when I was sick with scarlet fever for six weeks. As a young child, this book had a profound influence on me and my life. I learned about honor, friendship, trust and love.
3. The Dark is Rising (series) by Susan Cooper - Another series I found as a child. I'm not sure what the call of this series was, or still is, but I love the simplicity of good vs. evil as depicted here.
4. Earthsea by Ursala Le Guin - I was given these books when I was in high school but I didn't read them until I was a junior at UC Berkeley. I love the profound way that Ged deals with his "dark" and the lesson - we must confront what we fear, confront our dark, to be free of it.
5. Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling and Mitford Series by Jan Karon - I found Jan Karon after the Columbine "incident". As a therapist, I was overwhelmed by my own reactions and needed to be available for other people's reactions. I needed to find a place where things make sense and are safe. That's Mitford. I found Harry Potter after 9/11 for similar reasons. At least the first four books are wonderful escapes.
6. In the Electric Mist with the Confederate Dead by James Lee Burke - Have you read James Lee Burke? You owe it to yourself. He has a wonderful way of showing the struggle of life without ever giving into the despair. His characters are real, full blooded, passionate and very imperfect. I like this particular book because of the interactions between the Confederate captain and the main character. (Heaven's Prisoners is my second favorite and Black Cherry Blues is a wonderful book.)
7. The Roads to Freedom by Jean Paul Satre - My father used to say that I was a "decent" person until I met Satre. (I wish I had met Satre.) This book series is about another imperfect person who tries to do the right thing and fails over and over again. Finally, he decides to be himself, do what is in his heart and soul and he is free. Beautifully written, these books changed me in a deep fundamental way.
8. Happiness (tm) by Will Ferguson - The premise of this book is that an book editor pulls a manuscript out of the slush pile that is the true self help book. People truly lose weight, find inner peace, and achieve happiness. Now what? The book is very funny and profound, in it's own way. You'll laugh.
9. Lives of the Mayfair Witches Series by Anne Rice - This series came out when I was first getting to know my husband. We read these books together. Although I cannot delineate it right at this moment, these books had a profound influence on our life.
How about 3 Non-fiction books
10. Ultrametabolism by Dr. Mark Hyman - Dr. Hyman believes that food is information and what we eat informs our body about the environment, our safety and the world through the food we eat. I know this is true for bees (I'm a beekeeper), so why wouldn't be true for us? He also believes what I know is true: Losing weight is more complicated than burn more calories than you eat. This book is complicated so he wrote a more friendly starter book called Ultrasimple Diet. If you want to lose weight, check it out. The ideas and science are good.
11. This year I will.... by MJ Ryan - I picked up this book in January and have read a chapter a day all year. When I finish the book, I start over at the beginning. I have learned more about change from using this book than all of my studies, research, a Master's degree in Clinical Psych combined. If you'd like to change anything in your life, I'd encourage you to read a chapter a day.
12. When things fall apart by Pema Chodron - As a therapist, I gave this to clients when their lives fell apart. The book is profound in that it acknowledges that everyone's life falls apart. In the moments and hours of that wreckage, you find your humanity. Most people found relief in knowing that life is supposed to fall apart and come back together again. There are great tools, interesting ideas, but more than anything, comfort in knowing you are not alone.
13. Kitchen Table Wisdom by Rachel Naomi Remen - I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Remen right after 9/11. She had such wonderful perspective on the glory and beauty of the human spirit. You can find that wisdom and delight in these pages. The book reads like a novel with short stories about life, people and the way of the world. When my heart feels dark, I reach for this book and am warmed by it's light.
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Labels: books, favorites, humor, influential books
I think it is beneficial there are people like the SCORE! reading tutors available if you need some extra help when it comes to reading. You can't do much of anything if you are unable to read signs, directions, manuals, recipes, etc.
Their statement is this, "We'll work with your child to get her up to grade level, or to read at a level beyond her wildest expectations. Through a customized learning experience and the guidance of our Academic Directors, your child will build the skills and confidence needed to turn the page."
That says it loud and clear to me. Their goal is to help the child have the skills AND confidence to want to read. If a child is struggling with reading they learn to resent it and SCORE! realizes this, so they work on both sides of the issue. It's an excellent program, definitely look into it if you find your child need a little extra push towards the reading rainbow. =o)
Disclosure:
This post has been sponsored.
Labels: books, children, reading, tutors
Let me first explain how I went from writing about a book a week to a book a month.I'm not really a slacker. I promise.
But the music portion of Bring Me Up has gone crazy and I'm having a very hard time keeping up with it while also making deadlines for the other publications I now write for...
And so.
I have indeed finished another book.
Hmm, it makes it sounds as though reading it was a chore when I phrase the finish that way, but truly this book was very good and I loved every page.
The book and movie have the same title "The Pursuit of Happyness" but it was the book that came first and inspired the big screen portrayal. Essentially the autobiography of a man named Chris Gardner; "The Pursuit of Happyness" discusses how he went from having next to nothing to becoming a wealthy and famous New York stock broker.
Wealth can be measured in many ways and unfortunately most of us think of money before we think of anything else. I think what impressed me the most in this book is that Chris Gardner never lost sight of real wealth. From the time he was a kid, maybe because he didn't know any better, he decided that being a good person and making sure his Mom was happy was the only thing that really mattered.
Now owner and CEO of Christopher Gardner International Holdings with offices in New York, Chicago, and San Francisco; Gardner started off as a child moving from house to house, never knowing his father and watching his Mom get taken in by abusive men time and time again. The movie didn't explain his childhood much at all, but I think it is a crucial part of the story because it further explains why his love for his son ran so deep and why he wanted to rise above his obstacles so badly. The ambition this man had and still has is admirable and that is an understatement.
As a single, homeless, jobless man with a toddler son...you can imagine life was not at all easy. The circumstance which led to him being in that situation really weren't in his control as they happened so quickly, but he did not give up. Not only did he not give up, but he took leaps and bounds to get past these setbacks.
It was his firm determination, insanely astute logic skills and deep love for his son that eventually landed him into the Dean Witter Reynolds training program. He would race to work from homeless shelters and use every spare dollar to pay for care for his son while he went through his internship learning bucket loads but making nothing financially.
I cannot even begin to tell you how impressed I am by this man and his accomplishments. I loved the movie, but the book was even better.
I highly suggest reading this one.
Go out or hit up Amazon and purchase "The Pursuit of Happyness" by Christopher Gardner. It could very well change your entire outlook on life.
Labels: books, inspirational
As much as I thought this book would rock and as much as I wanted to delve into it and have it be a new favorite, I just couldn't stop wondering when it would be over. I like the premise of "Songs from the Black Chair: A Memoir of Mental Interiors" by Charles Barber because I'm very interested in reading about and discussing mental disorders and such. However, this book had a twist, because the author telling the story is actually dealing with his own anguish of being haunted by the suicide of his best friend whilst trying to help everyone else around him as their psychologist.I guess I thought it would be more of a self-discovery book or more of hearing how he has helped his patients. Going into it with that assumption was a mistake I couldn't seem to back pedal from...
As someone has struggles with depression I had been hoping for insight from the outside. Instead, I remained on the inside hearing how the doctor was also struggling with his own issues stemming from childhood and forward.
With that in mind, I realize this would be an excellent book for someone who does not struggle from a mental health problem. It could help them to understand how deeply rooted depression can be and what goes on in the mind of the people who are feeling it. Though at times the context is raw and extremely emotional, I do think it was helpful for the author to write it all down and finally close those chapters.
Labels: books, mental health, psychology
A little bit mystery, a little bit sci-fi and a whole lot of inquistive character development kept me glued to "The Consciousness Plague" from beginning to end. For those interested in medicine, serial killers and msyteries you'll find this book a quick read and you'll wish it didn't have to end so soon.Paul Levinson out did himself with this story. It is written perfectly. There are a lot of in-depth discussions which involve how the brain communicates and remembers things. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to understand the dialogue, but Levinson wrote it in such a way that I was able to make sense of it and enjoy it.
Phil D'Amato, our main man, is a NYPD forensic detective. There is a serial killer plaguing his area and the person(s) are strangling women, stripping them and leaving them for dead. At first there doesn't appear to be a motive or connection between the women. In fact, there doesn't even appear to be a suspect until much closer to the end of the book.
There is another storyline that develops throughout and that involves a flu epidemic that is spreading worldwide. The newly developed antibiotic Ominin seems to kick the bacteria within a week's time, but there is one extreme side effect. It messes with your memory and people are forgetting hours of their days.
Can you see how Ominin could complicate the murder case?
Oh and it does.
The twists and turns that this story takes were rivetting and I may end up reading this one again later down the road. There is some holes in the story with the secondary events and characters, but they can be forgiven overall.
My score:
Solid B+
Labels: books, drama, medicine, mystery, sci-fi
This book took me awhile to read. The time it took was not longer just because I have had less time, but also because it is about a culture of which I am not very familiar. "House of the Winds" by Mia Yun is a story which at times drug along, but at other times was quite insightful.The story takes place in different parts of Korea over time, but for the most part in the city of Seoul. Seoul is in South Korea and is their capitol. We follow this particular family through their struggles caused by the Korean War, as well as through their own personal strife.
The story is told by one of the daughters of the family. She basically narrates while recounting memories, not necessarily in order. She tells about her mother, lack thereof father and her siblings; a brother and sister. Since this is a story of memories there were often times when I wondered if pieces were elaborated or spun into a fairytale quality. It could have just been that Mia Yun has a unique and beautiful way of describing things, even when they are frightening memories.
***spoiler alert***
I folded down corners of some pages that I wanted to share excerpts from, because I found them thought provoking and interesting.
In one instance, she was remembering something her mother had told her about happiness. She recalls this during a period of time when her older sister had runaway from home.
"About happiness. Happiness is not something one grabs out of the air and rubs all over like honey. One had to strive for and work for it."There is also a section when they mother and children had to move again because their father was still missing in action and mother couldn't afford the house. When they moved into the much older, much smaller house, the grandmother visited and she brought a box of matches and cakes of soap. The tradition being that wealth would spread like wildfire and multiply like soap bubbles. I thought that was very cute and will probably be using that sentiment for friends in the future. =o)
Last but not least, I enjoyed when our narrator discussed her feeling about books. She was reading profusely, all the time, waiting for her older sisters magazines and getting her hands on any book she could find.
"Then I began to find words I read in books fanciful and elusive - sunlight streaming through my fingers. They could pass right through me and leave me still hungry and empty." She further goes on to say, "A word was a tricky thing. It could change meaning from one sentence to another. A word could betray me, fail me and confuse me. But I discovered if words are put to music and a voice sings them, they become permanent. This this way, the words form a link from one day to another."Like many other parts of the book I really connected with the way she wrote and explained her feelings. She endured so much and yet rarely complained about it because she could find beauty elsewhere.
Some of the book I still don't really understand. Why is it important to celebrate someone 100 days after their death? What is so special about Carp that eating them is sinful? Why were men taken to fight in the war, never to return, and yet their parents were told nothing? And how can a country be so divided internally whilst also hating all of their neighboring countries? But then...how is that any different than the quirks of my own culture and country? Perhaps not different, perhaps not at all.
Labels: books, culture, family
So I can't read as fast as I can find and listen to new music, but I typically read a book a week depending on the size of it. This week I have finished "If Andy Warhol Had a Girlfriend" by Alison Pace. And it was such a great read. There were at least a dozen, if not more, instances in which I was laughing out loud at how Pace described things. Particularly, the secretary that the main character couldn't stand...she said she looked like a Velociraptor from Jurassic Park! Every single time she mentioned that character, she would refer to her as the velociraptor. HA! Excellent visual of a creepy dinosaur sitting behind a desk. Love it!
Alison Pace is an excellent author. Reading her book was like sitting in a cafe and listening to her tell a story like we were old childhood friends. Plus at the beginning of each chapter, she quoted Andy Warhol. I now know that he was completely and wonderfully absurd.
"Isn't life a series of images that change as they repeat themselves?" - Andy Warhol
***spolier alert***
Jane Laine. She worked in an art gallery in New York. Her boss was a complete psycho trip who clearly had issues. The main attraction at this gallery are Ian Rhys Fitzsimmons' sculptures. Jane claims she doesn't understand them or why their are so special, it's too abstract for her and she believes that Ian could very well just be a fraud.
Jane finds out that her boyfriend of two-years has been cheating on her. Everything about that break-up is just a disaster. Jane is beside herself, rightly so, and she feels like her life is going nowhere.
When her crab of a boss pulls her into his office; she thinks she is going to get fired. Instead of getting the axe, her tells her that he wants her to accompany their artist extraordinaire on a trip around the world for an art festival.
Predictably enough, Jane and Ian fall in love while working together during the International Art Fair. By the end of the book, after many laughs, she understood more than just his art, she also understood what she had been searching for all the while.
Not wanting to speak for everyone I will say that I have felt this way and I'm sure many other people have felt this way, too."But Inside I'm Screaming" by Elizabeth Flock
It's no secret that many people in the world suffer from overwhelming stress at some point in their life. Many people also suffer from severe anxiety and depression. There is no shame in that fact and no one should be judged negatively if they wall in one or all of those categories.
This book is about a reporter who suffered a nervous breakdown on the air. It was in that moment that she reached the very end of her rope. Perhaps she has been hanging from the thinnest shred of a thread on that rope for some time and it finally just snapped.
***spoiler alert***
Isabel tries to kill herself. After being released from the hospital she is admitted into a psychiatric facility called Three Breezes. She meets a lot of other people there are are all dealing with their own issues. While she is being treated there she learns how to cope better with the stress and anxiety in her life. She also begins to really see who she is and why she has been caught in the same destructive patterns for so long. She realizes she is constantly wanting love from her father, acceptance from her Mom and the approval of a man in her love life. Rather than being strong enough to steer her own life, she constantly gets herself involved with someone who makes all the choices for her. She has constantly tried to make everyone else feel better, most blaming herself for why they don't. And most of all she realizes that none of those things matter, what matters most is that she needs to love herself. SHE needs to love HERSELF. Everything else falls into place after that.
As Isabel begins to heal and blossom she also starts reaching out to other patients at the facility. One patient in specific is a child, Peter, who she feels a connection to because she sees herself as a child in him. The interaction between those two is very touching.
At times the book was very hard to read. Elizabeth Flock did not try to hide the grim and frightening details of mental illness and the road to recovery. Unfortunately, it all seemed very true and real to me and often times I felt like it was written about me...I am Isabel. The parallels were alarming. But maybe that is why it felt so good to get to the end and know that Isabel has a long way to go, but that she is going to be okay...as long as she keeps going and as long as she loves herself.
Labels: books, Elizabeth Flock, mental health
Though I finished the book a couple days ago, I haven't been able to write about it yet, because I'm not sure how to say what I want to say.
"Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" by Gregory Maguire is one of the hardest books I have ever read. The language and the extensive plot are incredibly complex and I had trouble following the storyline. Embracing the challenge, I finally did finish the book and am happy about that triumph.
With that said, I would only recommend this book to someone who absolutely LOVES to read and is interested in learning the history of the Wicked Witch of the West and her place in Oz. I do admit to a strong sympathy for her now. Following her from birth to death in the novel is quite eye-opening to say the least.
Parts of the story are a bit racy, which surprised me. The themes involve culture, society and religion in addition to magic. You read about Elphaba (the wicked witch), her family which includes two siblings, her peers (including Glinda) and of course the great Wizard of Oz. (Who is just a huge creep, by the way).
The ending suited the book and I am happy to have read and finished it. If you can get past the complexity and you enjoy reading then give it a whirl.
Currently, 30 chapters into "But Inside I'm Screaming" by Elizabeth Flock which I will probably finish tonight. =o)
Labels: books, literary fiction
In addition to being a music fiend, I also LOVE to read. And yesterday I finished a great book; another Dean Koontz pick called "Forever Odd."
Odd Thomas is the name of the main character and he can see dead people. Laugh if you must, but this is not as cliche as Sixth Sense. In fact, this is a gift in which people come to Odd for resolution or sometimes even for reasons he doesn't quite understand. In addition he has a gift of psychic magnetism which guides him to the right places at the right time.
The book begins when Odd wakes in the middle of the night to find the spirit of Dr. Jessup in his room. He isn't scared, but he is alarmed because Dr. Jessup was perfectly alive earlier that day. So he follows Dr. Jessup to his home and finds his murdered body. Dr. Jessup's son is nowhere to be found. Thus the plot thickens and we follow Odd throughout the book searching for Danny (the missing boy) and dealing with the three sick people who have kidnapped him. The sickest being Datura, the woman who befriended a crippled Danny and took advantage of secrets he told her about Odd's supernatural gifts.
I won't get into the rest, because it was such a good read I would rather you find out for yourself. But I will tell you that despite many of the grim details, Koontz is a very funny writer. There were quite a few times in which I was laughing at how he described things. He is a vivid writer with a phenomenal imagination.
And next on my reading list is "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West" by Gregory Maguire.
Labels: afterlife, books, drama, mystery
Since I finished school I have been a reading fiend.
There have been so many books that I have let pile up and it has been quite enjoyable to start dwindling down the stack.
On Saturday I finished "Everyone Worth Knowing" by Lauren Weisberger. She also wrote "The Devil Wears Prada." Bette Robinson is the main character in this book. She's on a journey of self discovery and she morphs into this woman she isn't very proud of with very little privacy and a huge credit card bill. Haha. She is aware that she did not want to be that person. It takes some time for her to get out of the materialistic world of knowing all the right people and being able to get into the fancy, elite New York clubs. Eventually, she finds herself in a room of close friends and family, celebrating her birthday. It ends there, in that room, and I can imagine the feeling that must have swelled within her at that sight.
I don't know how she held out as long as she did working in the PR position she had landed in after quitting her job at the bank. But Bette had the life of a rock star for quite some time. Until she realized that labels on your jeans really don't matter and being able to get on a jet and sip champagne at any given moment, yes it was quite nice, but so not necessary. Especially if being that person meant disappointing everyone who ever meant anything to you. Ah Bette, you made an excellent character in a book, I really loved reading along as you blossomed. =o)
And so now I am already over 200 pages into another book, haha. My brother will shake his head when he reads this, but it is another Dean Koontz book. This one is called "Forever Odd" and though like "Intensity" it does involve a murder, this storyline is far less gruesome. In fact, I think the reason I can't put this book down is because the main character Odd (yes, his parents named him that, strange people) can see spirits and help them find closure with what they left behind upon dying. In addition, he refers to a magnetic feeling he has, like he is being pulled places to help people in danger. It is a very interesting book and I'm pretty sure I'll finish it tonight after Heroes. =o)
Labels: books, chic book, love
I had a nice relaxing weekend for the most part.
Friday night consisted of drinking an entire bottle of wine. Beringer White Merlot. It was very, very good. No, I didn't get plastered and didn't have a hangover the next morning. But let me tell you something, I felt very relaxed and happy. I know, it's not good, there has to be moderation, but I was home and safe and clearly...I like wine.
Afterwards I finished a great book by Nora Roberts called "Dream Makers." It was actually two stories in one, and they were separately titled "Untamed" and "Less of a Stranger." Definitely chick books, love stories, but it wasn't like a Harlequinn romance or anything. Just nice love stories. My favorite was "Less of a Stranger."
I have already started a new book "Everyone Worth Knowing" by Lauren Weisberger. She also wrote "The Devil Wears Prada." I'll let you know how it goes.
Labels: books, chic book, love
I finished the book "Don't Kiss Them Good-bye."
We all know how I believe in spirits being here on earth. It's not that I believe people don't go to heaven or hell. I do believe that, but I also believe spirits remain connected to their loved ones on earth. And if you are open to it, you can see them or communicate with them. It may be that they persuade you to take a different route to work. You chalk it up to "a feeling" or "intuition" whereas I will say it is one of my guardian angels.
Allison DuBois, author of "Don't Kiss Them Good-bye," calls them her guides.
This book was absolutely fascinating and I am so happy that my Mom let me borrow it. It opened my mind and my heart even more and I feel very blessed to know that I have a gift. No, I'm not a profiler or a psychic like Allison, but I do rely on a sixth sense a lot and I do see spirits. It isn't frightening to me. This is something that has always been a part of my life; something completely normal.
If you interest is piqued, I recommend the book. It is non-fiction, but it is extremely profound whilst being entertaining.
Toby, Wayne, Danielle and I went to Saigon on Main Street to eat lunch today.
Toby asked if I could drive, otherwise I probably wouldn't have gone. Which I think he knew. And he did admit when we got there that having me drive us all to lunch is the only sure way he would know if I actually eat.
Truth is...I am slowly slipping away. I'm just not hungry and when I am hungry I can't seem to keep the food down.
I weigh less now than I did in my senior year of high school.
This has to be contributing to my fatigue.
My friend Mike is now level 61 in WoW. I am only level 18. But he probably plays far more than I do. Seeing as how I haven't found the gumption to play more than once a week. I used to love that game. I do still. I just don't have the...I don't know what to call it.
Work is still going well. I'm all hooked up with my new hardware and software. My office is still kind of bare. I would buy a plant, but I have never had a plant survive. Maybe a BetaFish.
I should be getting a new chair. (Though I don't need one). And maybe bookshelves. (Though I said I'd just take some book ends). I am feeling very spoiled by these guys.
I finished another book. "Intensity" by Dean Koontz. It was a psychological thriller and I very much enjoyed it. It was difficult to read because it was very brutal, obviously since one of the main characters was a serial killer. But I felt compelled to read to the end and make sure he got what he deserved. And Chyna, the other main character, was such a true fighter and survivor that I found her quite inspiring. The build up of her character and the depth in which Dean Koontz wrote her is just awesome. If you like this kind of book, I recommend it.
Last night I started "Don't Kiss Them Good-bye" by Allison Dubois.
We shall see how that goes.
Labels: books
Today I finished the latest Nicholas Sparks book "Dear John."
Nicholas Sparks is my favorite author, but I found this book a little bit disappointing. The beginning was great, there was a blend of emotions while the characters developed. But from the middle on out it was nothing but sadness.
It isn't that I require a happy ending in all of the books I read. But I guess I do require closure of some kind and for me this book lacked closure for John, the main character.
Yes, there is a love story. One between John and Savannah and also one between the very same Savannah and her long-time best friend Tim. In addition, there is a storyline about family members with disabilities. Tim has a younger brother who is severely autistic and John's father suffers from Asperger's syndrome.
***Do not read further if you intend to read the book***
John and Savannah have a beautiful relationship, but the summer they met was the summer he had leave from the military. They were unable to keep their love alive after he went back to war. Now mind you, they tried very hard and stayed together for years. But eventually they grew apart and I couldn't fault either of them for that given the multitude of circumstances. And yes, the demise was made final with a "Dear John" letter.
Savannah ended up marrying Tim. Tim ended up very sick with cancer. And who was it that funded his expensive drugs and hospital stay in order to save his life...you guessed it, John. I just felt bad for John the whole time. His father died, his girl left him and then he saved her husband's life by anonymously donating money.
I did like the character development which involved Tim's brother and John's dad. I am fascniated with neurological disorders and this is the second story that Nicholas Sparks has written which included such ailments. So though this story was quite depressing, it was also very well written and informative.
Labels: books, family, Nicolas Sparks
I love to read and now that I'm done taking classes I will have time to read many books I have been storing away.
Last night I finished "Finding Noel" by Richard Paul Evans. The story was quite moving and there are many parts of it that I would like to share and reflect on because they impacted me greatly.
The story was about finding home, but the main character Macy, didn't realize that is what she had been searching for until the end of the story. She was adopted by a family who treated her like a slave and were abusive in many ways. Her sister Noel was adopted separately and thankfully into a far more loving family. Macy set out to find Noel but ran into many obstacles.
Mark is the other main character. His Mom had died and he was having so many trying situations. He had to use a phone in a snow storm and ended up meeting Macy at a diner.
Mark fell in love with Macy in three weeks flat, if not sooner than that.
They both throughout the course of the book saved each other with their kindness, compassion and love.
Mark never had a good relationship with his father, but on returning home he learns a great deal about the man he felt ostracized from his whole life. And he finally calls him Dad. His Dad's advice to him is 'sometimes it's the fight that makes a thing worth having.'
I think one very true sentiment in this book is that Macy had been through a lot in her young life. And when she meant Mark he was too good to be true. Macy's greatest pain had always come from those who were closest to her. Mark asked Joette (a wonderful woman in this story) how to break through Macy's walls. Joette's response was "With love. Unconditional, unrelenting love."
There is a story of family, tradition, love and hope.
For me, I couldn't have read it at a better time in my life. I love Richard Paul Evans books and that is why I bought it, but this story had all of the elements I needed at this point in my life.
The epilogue contained these beautiful words.
"I've come to know that our families are a canvas on which we paint out greatest hopes - imperfect and sloppy, for we are all amateurs at life, but if we do not focus too much on our mistakes, a miraculous picture emerges. And we learn that it's not the beauty of the image that warrants our gratitude - it's the chance to paint."
Name: Christy
Appreciating and dancing around to all types of music. Movie mania! Reading fiend!
See my complete profile
E-mail Me
Best Book Sites
- Inside Google Book Search
- Books and Talks
- BookLust
- ReadySteadyBlog
- Lesley's Book Nook
- dovegreyreader scribbles
Help People