Frankenstine's Monster ~Susan O'Keefe~

I love books that are written like this one. It just draws you in and doesn't want to let go until your finished with the book. This story is based on the monster's point of view.

The story begins where Victor Frankenstine has chased the monster all the way to the artic and how Victor Frakenstine found another man to take up his mission to kill the monster. The interaction between Captin Walton and the monster shows the timeless battle of Man vs Monster. The only difference in this case is that Monster is more human than monster.

You get sucked into the build-up of the story and how it  actiavely involves the monster that took his father's name Victor and how all he wants is revenge against the Captin, but still be a man non the less and how circumstance changes everything and touches every character in the story.

I felt so bad for the monster who in the end all he wanted was someone that was not afraid of him and  would accept him to be a man and treat him like one. I'm not gonna give clues away but I would suggest that you read this book it's so worth it and very well written.

Writing on my Forehead ~Nafisa Haji~

This was good book that showed how being a Muslim-American is hard for women, even more so just being Muslim-American. This is the story of  Saira Qadar and how she broke the lines between family traditions and being independent.

Saira had gone to college and made many mistakes and her story easily resembles one of her grandmothers lives growing up and going to college instead of marrying. Saira's mother is trying to constantly marry her off and this has caused a riff in the mother-daughter relationship. The estranged relationship to her sister and the gift that she gave her sister.

Saira has made many choices in her life and how they all come ahead to the tragedy in the aftermath of 9/11. Saira's story shows how Muslim-American women who wear the hijab had happen to them in post 9/11. The and of the book leaves it open for another book or to let your imagination to roam.

I was impressed with this book, as seems to be a pattern of late when I have been reading outside my normal area of  subjects I read about. I hope that you enjoy this book as much I as I have.

Dark Song ~Gail Gailes~

Ames is the main character in this story. She's your typical rich kid that you read in books. She was use to having what she wanted and her mother was also use to living life in certain style and trying to maintain what they lost because Ames's father was fired from his job for stealing and this is where the plot changes.

They move to Texas and Ames is ignored by her family while the whole family is transiting to the change of not having everything they wanted. Ames meets Mark a man with a troubled past and this leads to Ames not making the right choices all in the search of love and attention that she's not getting from her family.

Mark is dark, violent and extremely well armed.  He pulls Ames into his violent world with affirmations of love and violent out burst. Much of this book reads as if the writer has tapped into that world of social angst and combined it with an explosive relationship that will only end in tragedy.

Over all it was a good book but one I can see that I won't pick up again. This is more for tween/teen set of readers. I will say that it's well written and the characters relate to each other even when they are moving in and out different stages of Ames's change of social class and then moving to another state.

Kitchen Table Wisdom ~Rachel Remen, M.D~

I got this book from Children's Hospital in Seattle, here in Washington. I read it and cried, laughed, made to in awah and rediscovered the  meaning of healing not just the body but the soul too.

This is a great book about healing , accepting, and embracing death when the time has come. Each story is about a medical conditions and the simple small steps to recovery and redefining who we are and where we want to be in the healing process.

The author has the best understanding in what it means to be a patient or living with a life threatening diagnoses and going through many surgeries and the healing process that one must go through to see the positive side in everything they do.

Petty Magic ~Camille Deangelis~

I got this book from a Face Book friend and Read it Forward. I like the cover and found it very intriguing. Well here is what I thought of the book.

Evelyn Harbinger is a witch that has seen many things during her lifetime. The most prominate time in the book is the present and WWII. Evelyn uses her magic to make herself young to have fun and then runs into an old love that has reincarnated into another man. With this newly acquainted love the adventures and memories begin.

This book doesn't blend that well from the present to the past, there are some moments that had me laughing so hard and crying too. I do hope that the edited version of the book finds that happy compromise between the past and present. The copy I got to read was unedited so I am giving it that benefit of a doubt. Over all it was a good read.

Here Burns My Candle~ Liz Curtis Higgs

                                                        Such a beautiful cover.

 This story is one that most of will recognize as the story from the Bible about Ruth and Naomi, but with a historical fiction twist.

 This story takes place in  the year of 1745 with the Jacobite rising against the King of England in Scotland. You meet Lord and Lady Kerr who live with Lady Elizabeth Kerr's mother in law, sister and brother in law. These characters are well written and you can see them clearly in your mind when you read. Liz Higgins does a great job to illustrate the emotions and details of the characters.

The further you see the secret of the gold that Dowager Lady Marjory has hidden, Lord Kerr's infidelity and Mrs. Kerr's vain and self absorbed attitude towards how things to relate to her. You see how as the war of the "True King" progresses the secrets about Lord Kerr come out and how alliances are broken and life changes for the Kerr women. The lord answers the prayers of Lady and Dowager Kerr in their search for answers on what to do.

As you remember from the story of Ruth and Naomi the men had died and Naomi sent her daughters in law back to their families, but Ruth stayed with Naomi to care for her. Ruth's words always rang true when she said "Your people will be my people and your God my God" (Ruth 1:16).

There is another book to finish the journey that Marjory and Elizabeth began when fleeing from Edinburgh called Mine is the Night. I must forewarn you that you will not want to put this book down and will be sad when you finish it because you want to learn more about what will happen to Marjory and Elizabeth when they make their way back to Tweedsford and try to make a new life being widows and traitors of the King of England.

Conversations with God for Women~ Marcia Ford

                                                     Such a Beautiful Cover...don't you think

 If you could ask God anything what would it be? Many ask for help, salvation, hope and other things.  How about the questions that women want to ask God besides the why me...this books addresses it.

 It's an easy read and puts what God wants from us women in clear understanding. Conversations with God address women in the ministry and how to call on God and Jesus when society and life try to sway or even overwhelm us in our daily lives.

Another great feature about the book is that it's also study guide for women. When you read the questions and the answers that God, Jesus and other women of the bible answer with there are numbers (notes) to correspond with different books of the bible to help one have a better sense of the answers that everyone is giving you.

While reading the book...mainly at night I must say that I do feel that God is with me reading the book and helping me to better understand where he's leading me in his plan, Not mine. I love how the book conveys in very answer that God loves us and wants what is best even if don't see the big picture and how this love is expressed in the bible.

I would recommend this book to anyone woman that wants a better relationship with God and what his plans are for women even if there isn't enough focus on us in the bible God has his focus on us and loves us no matter what. God's love is like the love we have with our children; unconditional. This book reiterates this in every answer that given to the questions.