About two weeks ago, I learned that Chonda Pierce was releasing a movie called LAUGHING IN THE DARK. It's a one-night showing--Tuesday, October 27--only. Curious about the movie, I did an online search about it and found that she'd also written a book with the same title. I immediately ordered it and began reading it as soon as it arrived.
As usual, Chonda Pierce tackles a difficult subject--depression--with humor, lightness, and hope. I had no idea until I started reading this book that she had dealt with [severe] depression. I have watched Chonda's videos for as long as I can remember and have laughed and laughed and laughed and laughed through every single one. Her story is a true testament to the fact that we never know what the person next to us is going through--just because he/she has a smile on his/her face and/or is laughing doesn't mean that all is well in his/her world/life.
In today's world, "depression" is a dirty word in the context that the people around us don't want to deal with our sadness. Depressed people are difficult people to be around. To those who have never dealt with it, they seem to think that if a depressed person would JUST quit focusing on the negatives in his/her life, he/she wouldn't be depressed anymore. Or the depressed person should JUST pray more...or JUST worship more...or JUST read the Bible more...or JUST get filled with the Holy Spirit...and the list goes on and on.
I've heard it from those around me, "JUST 'get over it'"! Honey, if I could "just get over it," don't you think I would have already?! Who in their right mind WANTS to live in a constant state of sadness--severe depression?!
Chonda's story brings a very serious subject into the light and discusses it laughter, but great tact and the realization that EVEN Christians can have severe depression and we need to be supportive rather than judgmental of those who do.
Thank you, Chonda, for your openness and honesty. I can't wait to see your movie on October 27.
Allen Longstreet's THE GAMBIT is a fast-paced novel full of political intrigue as well as romance and a fascinating plot. As one who is not a big fan of anything political (that's why I only gave it 3 stars--don't hate), it took some doing to get me into this story. Thankfully, it's a really good story with not a LOT of politics. As the back of the book states, 7 different characters tell this inter-twining story, making it more interesting than your average book told from just one character's point-of-view. I admit that I would like to know more of what happened to the other characters in the story beyond Rachel--and Owen. Grey, in particular, is an absolutely fascinating character. If Longstreet chooses to do a sequel to THE GAMBIT, I truly hope he chooses Grey as his major protagonist!
Then again, I do need an idea for National Novel Writing Month 2015 (NaNoWriMo) that begins in about two weeks....! :)
I also need to say that as his first major published novel, Longstreet demonstrates a wonderful, successful future career as a popular--by popular, I mean famous--author. I can't wait to see what he writes next!!! And next....and next.....
My very sweet friend, Kim Ray, told me about Brene Brown's book DARING GREATLY and I immediately bought the book and started reading it. The only reason it has taken me so long to read it is because there is so much that Brene gives the reader to think about! Her book is full of the research she has conducted and the results of her research that all proves that we are much better off in life when we do choose to Dare Greatly and to have the courage to be vulnerable.
After reading a few of the other reviews on Brene's book, I have to admit that the book is a bit of a challenge to read. But it's because she presents a thesis and then proceeds to share several examples to illustrate her thesis. It's challenging because she has so much wonderful information to share and as a reader, I want to absorb everything she's saying and not miss anything!
In all seriousness, if I could give BUTTERFLIES by Susanne Chervay more than 5 stars, I so would. 18, but still struggling with the severe 3rd degree burns from falling into a fire pit when she was only 3 years old. She continues to have to have complicated surgeries. As most girls in their teens can attest, we all struggle with our self-image: Am I pretty? Am I pretty enough? Will anyone ever love me (besides my family)? Will a boy ever like me enough to want to kiss me? To want to hold me?
This beautiful coming-of-age story tells of Katherine who is almost 18, but still struggling with the severe 3rd degree burns from falling into a fire pit when she was only 3 years old. She continues to have to have complicated surgeries. As most girls in their teens can attest, we all struggle with our self-image: Am I pretty? Am I pretty enough? Will anyone ever love me (besides my family)? Will a boy ever like me enough to want to kiss me? To want to hold me?
Katherine's feelings of insecurity are heightened by her very real scars that she is unable to hide regardless of what she wears or how many surgeries she has or even how she chooses to wear her hair.
My heart goes out to all young women dealing with low self-image/self-esteem, but my heart breaks even more for all young women who can't see beyond the scars to how very beautiful they are.
This beautiful book is a MUST-read and not just for teen girls, but for all girls--and boys, too. The struggle is real and just because Katherine has real, horrific burn scars does not lessen the reality that all girls deal with believing they're ugly or not good enough or just not enough.
What really tore my heart to shreds is the fact that Katherine's sister Rachel struggles as well. While this is not Rachel's story (it would be so amazing for Susanne Chervay to write this story again using Rachel's point-of-view), we do get enough of Rachel to understand that Rachel has always been her sister's greatest support (besides their mom) which means that Rachel has had to put her own life on hold as she is so desperately needed by Katherine. The beautiful part is that Katherine "gets" it. But so does Rachel.
I LOVE this book. Thank you, Amanda Coburn, for "talking me into" getting this book when we had your Usborne Books online show. I do not and will not ever regret the money spent on this amazing book. It's sure to be a Christmas present, so everyone I give gifts to, be ready to receive your copy!
If you know me and/or have read much of anything I've written lately, you know that I have been studying JOY and all things to do with joy and happiness, so (and as a Christian) choosing to read Jennifer O'Neill's THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS: 21 SPIRITUAL RULES TO SUCCESS was a no-brainer (especially I got it for my Kindle for next to nothing). I would give the book more than 3 stars if the author wasn't a psychic. The title includes the word "spiritual," so as a Christian, I was thinking of "spiritual" in terms of the Christian faith. Thus I was disappointed when I realized, about halfway through the book, that Jennifer is a well-known psychic. Normally I do a little research on authors before I read a book by a new, unknown (for me) author, but this time, I was so drawn to the title (and the sunflower on the cover) that I didn't bother learning anything at all about the author. As a woman of faith, I am not happy to learn that Jennifer is a psychic. With that being said, though, Jennifer doesn't write this book with psychic overtones--such that would (or could) offend a person of the Christian faith. She writes it simply about real life and the real way to spiritual happiness. I find no fault with the way she wrote the book or with what she says in the book. In fact, I'm sure I will not only refer to Jennifer's book often, but that I will definitely re-read it every couple of months, at least. Her "spiritual rules to success" ring true and I know that everything she says makes absolute perfect sense. If we all pursued happiness as Jennifer suggests, the world certainly would be a brighter, happier, sun-shiney place full of shining, happy people!!!!
I did NOT expect to like James Patterson's ZOO. So why did I buy it then...and read it in two days? Curiosity. I'd seen the previews for the televised version and I admit it: I was very curious. But as usual, I prefer reading the book first when I know a tv show or movie is based on a book. There are a few things about ZOO that are little unrealistic that takes away from any level of reality, but suspending reality is the whole point of a good book, right? With that being said, though, I honestly don't think that Oz and Chloe would have recovered as quickly as they do after the lion attacks in Africa. Chloe does shake a bit and Oz gets her to talk in an attempt to help her calm down--you know, giving her something else to focus on, but it's just difficult for me to believe that it would have worked as well as it appears to do. Personally, if I had just not only witnessed such a savage lion attack, watching my friend die a violent death, I feel pretty confident that a panic attack would be warranted and would not be kept at bay just because I am able to talk to someone else to get my mind off what just happened. You know what I mean?
The other thing that really ticks me off about ZOO by James Patterson is that Oz has been telling everyone for years that animals were going to turn on humans, but he himself keeps a CHIMPANZEE in his own home!!!! And he acts surprised when Attila, the chimp, goes bezerk!!!! He puts his head in his hands and moans that he just doesn't understand why Attila would do this. Really?! Seriously?!
One other thing....how much did Michael Ledwidge do in the writing of this book? Was the book really written by Michael but because James Patterson put his seal of approval on it, the book got his name? Why does a big-name author like James Patterson need a co-author? Why does he HAVE a co-author? I'd love to know more about this cohort writing team. I admit that I've done no research on this book even though normally I don't begin reading a book without having done some research on the book and/or on the author. So I'm completely clueless as to who Michael Ledwidge is....and why he is mentioned on the cover of the book as a co-author with James Patterson. If I were to have a chance to interview Patterson about this book, that would be the first part of my interview!
Why is the book titled ZOO, btw?? They do call the animals-attacking-humans ZOO at one point, but even the guy telling Oz that has no idea why. Apparently it's an acronym, but no one knows what it stands for. The only two animals in the whole book that go rogue in or from a zoo are the two lions (a male and a female) in the Prologue to the story (201).
That brings up another question....throughout most of the story, they talk about how the animals attacking are all males, but yet in the very beginning of the book, it's a male and a female that kill together and then escape the zoo. Neither of these animals is mentioned again in the whole book.....If they're important enough to be in the Prologue, why don't we see them again??
Oh, and the book opens--the whole first half of the book--with LIONS attacking and eating humans, but then it's DOGS. Patterson throws in racoons, bears, and rats, and the chimp comes back into the story--briefly, but according to Oz's findings, it's ALL animals. Does Patterson only focus on lions and dogs because there just isn't enough time or space in a novel like to this to tell the story of all the animals attacking, killing, and eating humans??? It just seems that if Oz's theory is truly true, as it appears to be, then more animals would be included as part of the story of animals killing and eating humans.
If you do choose to read ZOO, you should go into it with your eyes wide open. This is an apocalyptic story. In an apocalypse, there is no respecter of persons--except, of course, for the protagonist of the story itself. Some parts of this story are very difficult to read, but at the same time, those characters come and go as quickly as the pages of their story. They aren't developed enough to FEEL anything emotional regarding their deaths beyond the "that's awful" that we all feel when something terrible happens to someone. I'm definitely curious to see how the tv show handles this book and the horrific scenes described.
Why am I so drawn to such horrific stories?????
*As a side note, I don't know if Patterson gets a little lazy with his wording or if he is just having a little fun, but he throws in the following:
"Strapped into the wailing, shuddering army helicopter..., we...swung low as a sweet chariot..." (198).
"'The bombing campaign was nothing more than a lot of sound and fury, signifying jack *@&#'" (317).
"...Charles Groh and I were...trying to brainstorm. It was more of a light brainshower--we were too spent and frazzled to stir up a storm" (334).
"Alvarez hoisted his new toy to his shoulder, ready to blast the dog to kibbles and bits" (346).
"'What's the story, morning glory?'" (348).
"'Surely you're joking.' 'No siree. And don't call me Shirley'" (349).
Hmmmm....so the movie version of this book was nominated and won several Academy Awards....interesting. I'm not saying it didn't deserve such recognition; I haven't seen the movie yet. I'm only saying that based on Joanne Harris' book, I'm not sure why a movie would receive such accolades. I'm certainly going to watch the movie as soon as I can get my hands on a copy--it has Johnny Depp in it, for heaven's sake!!! :)
The book CHOCOLAT by Joanne Harris is quite good. It held my attention enough that I kept reading and read it in just a few short days, in spite of the fact that I've been really busy finishing my semester. I especially love how this book demonstrates how one person CAN make a difference in the lives of others.....and that influence can be positive or negative, depending on the type of person we CHOOSE to be. That part makes this book super-great and well worth the read.
It is a story like IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, but without the main character contemplating suicide in order to realize her impact on those around her.
I spent a lot of time wondering about my impact on others....am I someone who demonstrates true JOY as I want? My life's goal is to live a life of JOY--showing the Joy of the Lord. I know that I have trouble when I get frustrated showing that joy--or when I get angry--or stressed. But do the people around me see Joy shining through me more than anything else?
I think we all wonder, at least to a degree, about our impact on those around us. The few people I've known in my life who don't wonder also don't care. And their lives are the saddest--and the ones I try to avoid simply because they don't care at all about the negative ripples they're creating in the world around them. I sure don't' need THAT in my life!!! The priest in this story radiates negativity. Where we should be seeing love and acceptance, he oozes ugliness. It's really a sad state that the priest represents of so many people in this world today. And not all negative people are men/women of the cloth; he simply is one representation of intolerance and lack of empathy towards his parishioners.
I guess that's what makes this story one so well worth reading--and I'm sure watching....the fact that it says so much about life--about how we should be around others and that we should be aware of the influence we have on those around us, even if we don't realize it.
I'm enough of a romantic, though, to be disappointed that the romance isn't as hot and steamy as the previews for the movie make it out to be. I spent the whole book on the edge of my seat as I waited for Roux and Vianne to demonstrate evidence of electricity between them. The only time that happens is when they fool around. There isn't any indication prior to or after that incident to demonstrate chemistry between the two. It sounds as if the movie takes that relationship to a higher level than the book does. Well, at least when I watch the movie, I guess I'll get to see more of that and not be so disappointed! :)
