Review: Fyodor Dostoevsky

So...apparently this book has been sitting on my shelf for...uh, maybe a year now.    Like I mentioned before, I'm a bit behind in my book blogging review goodness.  But I was excited to remember I hadn't yet read this book as I was in the mood for a biography; I've really enjoyed the other books in the Christian Encounters series by Nelson Books as well.  They are usually shorter biographies and easier reads...and with a brand new baby, my brain isn't exactly up to full functioning capacity at this point.  I'm sure you understand.  I chose to read the biography of Dostoevsky by Peter Leithart because I'm a big fan of the classic Russian writers (although Tolstoy is my favorite).

While Fyodor Dostoevsky was interesting, I was a little disappointed in the style.   It is written in a narrative style (which admittedly, typically make biographies easier to read), and Leithart jumps around chronologically so that it actually gets a little confusing.  If you do not have a good understanding of Dostoevsky's life before you pick up this book, you will probably still be a little confused as to the general timeline of his life.  However, the detail in explaining his literary views and his initial rise to fame, as well as his disgrace with the Russian government and his reemergence as a Russian authority on literature is amazing.  Obviously, Leithart knows and understands a great deal of Dostoevsky.  It would just be nice if the book covered a bit more of the basics and possessed more chronological clarity.  It is good, however, to have a better understanding of the immense struggles and hardships Dostoevsky faced at various points in his life; I think when we understand more of a writer's life, we understand more of his writing.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Review: A Change of Fortune

Woo!  Back with another book review.  I'm on a roll here...but don't expect anything too elaborate from me...

I've mentioned before I really like Bethany House's selection of historical fiction so whenever I get an email from them about reviewing books, I honestly want to ask them to just send me all of their historical fiction available.  I can zip right through them and they are typically very light reading as well.  Sometimes, it's just nice to melt away into a story!

I recently finished A Change of Fortune by brand new novelist Jen Turano.  It's the story of a British heiress who was swindled out of her fortune and in turn lost her fiance and comfortable lifestyle in England.  Lady Eliza crosses the Atlantic to search out the man who stole her money; she plans on confronting him, recovering her fortune, and returning to England. 

After arriving in America, she is hired as a governess and must disguise her true aristocratic status, but becomes friends with the daughter of a socially-active family and is then thrown into the path of the wealthy Beckett brothers as well.  Hamilton Beckett is the elder brother, a widower with two unruly children, and the hopeful future son-in-law of almost every mother in New York City.  He, however, has no intention of remarrying any woman, but when he and Eliza find themselves caught up in the same mystery, he reevaluates his feelings even as she plans to return to England.

For a first-time author, Turano did a good job of weaving the story together.  I wish there were more historical references included throughout the narrative, but it was still amusing and entertaining throughout.  I read the entire book in just over two days...I'm thinking she also left the door open for some follow up novels based on some of the other main characters!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Review: The Conviction To Lead

So admittedly, I've been slacking off in book reviews as of late...pregnancy and birthing a child simply took priority.  But now that my daughter is almost three months old, I'm slowly starting to figure out what our new normal is, and I'm feeling less and less zombie-like each day (well, for the most part).  I've missed reading as much as I used to do, so I'm making a point of trying to read a little bit each day (at least, as much as my daughter will let me).  First up is Albert Mohler's The Conviction to Lead.

First off, my rule about books in general is that if a very large picture of the author takes up a good portion of the cover, I'm not very likely to enjoy it...which is why I was a little disappointed when I saw Dr. Mohler's face smiling back at me when I picked up the book.  But I tried not to hold that against him when I started reading. 

The Conviction to Lead has a subtitle of '25 Principles for Leadership that Matters'.  Okay, just another little nit picky thing: I realize 'matters' is referring to 'leadership', but it sure as heck through me for a loop when I first read it, thinking there was a blatant subject-verb disagreement on the freaking cover.  Maybe if it was phrased differently so there wasn't that tricky prepositional phrase beginning with 'for'.

But I digress.  Onto the meat of the book.  Let me preface this by stating that I believe Dr. Mohler is a genius.  I have been in his personal library a few times, and it is nothing less than ah-mazing.  The man reads an insane amount of books, newspapers, journals, magazines, etc.  And what is really admirable is that he reads so prolifically; he doesn't focus on any particular genre.  Pretty impressive...so needless to say, the man is a lot smarter than me.  And yes, sometimes I have no earthly clue what he is saying, but he also is a very gifted communicator; he does an exceptional job of expressing his points in this book.  His use of examples from history was one of my favorite aspects of the book.

He systematically lays out twenty-five different principles of leadership (such as conviction, passion, credibility, etc) and delves into each one.  For the most part, the book reads like an easily-flowing conversation...but for some reason, I thought he might have included more of a 'how-to' aspect at the end of each chapter.  He does offer advice and encouragement on how to improve leadership skills in several chapters, but in more of a back-door way.  It's definitely not a '25 Steps to Better Leadership' kind of book.  And in all honesty, I think the book got a little better toward the end.  My favorite chapters discussed reading (surprise, surprise) and social media.   Yes, Dr. Mohler encouraged his readers to be active on twitter.  Whoops....better get on that.

The only other caveat is that this book about leadership is definitely applicable to a Western audience, but probably wouldn't work so well in some other cultures (the chapter on time specifically).  But other than that, I was glad I challenged myself to read more of Dr. Mohler's writing.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Love on the Line

Rural switchboard operator Georgie is proud of her independence in a man's world, which makes it difficult when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder and become her supervisor.  Luke is more than he appears, however.  A Texas Ranger working undercover, he's after a gang of train robbers, and dealing with telephone wires and the difficult switchboard operator is not something he wants to be bothered with.  But when his work as a Ranger puts Georgie in danger, he must choose between his job and much more.

I usually enjoy Bethany House publications, and Love on the Line was a fun read; I learned a great deal about switchboard operations, no doubt!  One thing I really enjoy about historical fiction is the amount of research an author typically puts into their story.  As a preface to the book, author Deanne Gist thanks all the individuals at various museums and societies who helped her prepare for the book.  I had no idea there was a museum for things concerning switchboard operations.  Another fun bit about this book was that the setting was a town in rural Texas with German heritage.  Gist also explains some German traditions and even allows the characters to speak some German words and phrases.  Don't worry- if you don't speak any German, you'll still be able to figure out the meaning of the words through context.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

A Wedding Invitation

I'm back with some more book reviews!  I'm not normally a fan of modern fiction because I generally prefer historical fiction or classic literature.  However, I choose to review A Wedding Invitation by Alice J. Wisler since the main characters either worked in refugees in the Philippines in the 1980s or were refugees themselves.

Samanthan Bravencourt enjoys her quiet life in in Washington, D.C. after returning home from teaching English to refugees in the Philippines.  She receives an invitation to her college friend's wedding, she heads to North Carolina to celebrate and reconnect with old friends.  When the wedding turns out differently than she expects, a chance encounter leads her to Carson, a former fellow teacher in the Philippines who broke her heart.  Sam is soon forced to choose between her comfortable life and helping Lien, a young refugee girl who needs her help.  But helping the refugee girl will require working with Carson again, and Sam isn't sure if her heart could handle it.

What I liked about this book is that many people who read it may never have understood what a refugee is; after reading this story, perhaps they will be encouraged to learn more about refugees and their plights.  To me, the story was secondary to the issues highlighted about refugees.  The author apparently taught in the refugee processing center in the Philippines in the 80s; after learning that, I had a great deal of respect for her.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

Forsaking All Others

Camilla Fox is rescued from a near-fatal snowstorm by Colonel Charles Brandon of the United States Army after she fled her home in an effort to escape from a faith she no longer called her own.  Eager to reunite with her daughters, Camilla tries to determine how she assure her children will not grow up with Mormon teachings.  Colonel Brandon offers his assistance, but as he begins to develop feelings for Camilla, she determines to return home to her mother's home and to continue her efforts to be reunited with her children.

I'll be honest, this book was uncomfortable and a little weird to read.  I don't think I've ever come across any type of historical fiction which addresses Mormonism and specifically, the issue of polygamy.  In the book, Camilla flees because she refuses to share her husband with a second wife.   I honestly am not that familiar with all the teachings of Mormonism and I don't think the author did a very good job explaining the basics of it.  She did, however, do an excellent job providing some interesting historical facts and Brigham Young and the building of the temple in Utah, but I still felt a bit lost and confused and not sure what bits of Mormon faith she includes to trust as accurate or dramatized.  I also was concerned that she develops this budding romance between Camilla and the Colonel when Camilla is still married; it was just a little uncomfortable at times. 

Apparently, this book is in a series called 'The Sister Wife Series'... honestly, I think the show about sister wives on cable is more than enough more me.  I don't plan on reading the other books. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale House Publishers as part of their book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Out of Control

I just love when the mailman brings me a book from Bethany House Publishers to review.  They are the perfect Saturday afternoon read.  Recently, I received Out of Control by Mary Connealy; I don't think I've ever read anything by this author before, but I did enjoy reading this fun little book.

The story is that of Julia, a young woman who loves studying geology and other natural sciences.  Her home life isn't exactly the most comforting or consistent of places, so she finds her peace in long walks and studying the fossils and rock formations in the cave near her father's house.  But when someone steals the rope she uses to climb out of the cave, her world will be changed forever.

The man who owns the land where the cave is located returns to the cave one last evening to try to make his peace with the place which tore his family apart when he was just a boy.  As Rafe approaches the cave, he hears a woman crying for help and is forced to enter the cave where so many memories haunt him.  As Rafe and Julia try to track down the man who is lurking about Rafe's land, they eventually must choose between each other and their families.

It was an intriguing story, full of danger, humour, and even a little bit of history.  While at certain spots the writing style didn't seem consistent with the rest of the book, it flowed easily and the plot unfolded nicely.  It was definitely a good Saturday afternoon read!

I think this book is going to be the first in a series of stories about the women who marry the Kincaid men.  There are three brothers in the family, so I'm guessing the next story will be about the middle brother Ethan and then finally the youngest brother Seth.  You will probably be able to read the other two stories without reading this book first, but I'm guessing that it will help you understand the back story better if you start with Out of Control.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."