Don't Pass This By

By far, Under the Overpass by Mike Yankoski has been the best book I’ve received from a publisher so far (Yes, it’s true. Waterbook Multnomah sent me the book in exchange for an honest review). Right now there are 10 books by my bed with bookmarks in them. The competition for my time is high, but Under the Overpass consistently made it off the stack and into my hands.

Let me introduce you to the two main characters in this gem of a memoir—Mike and Sam, two college-age guys who are homeless. They didn’t loose their jobs. They didn’t succumb to addiction. They didn’t get kicked out of their parent’s houses. They chose to live on the streets to find out what it would be like to fully rely on Christ for all their needs. Intense, right? I would never want to go on that adventure, but I sure did enjoy reading about it. Traveling from Denver to DC, Portland to San Francisco, Phoenix to San Diego, they slept through rainy nights and panhandled in over 100 degree weather. They got ignored and they got loved. Sometimes the people who you would expect to love them the most treated them the worst, and vise versa.

What I loved about Under the Overpass was the story. I wasn’t reading a book about how to help the homeless. I was reading a story that involved a lot of homeless people—a story that caught me up and made me want to keep reading. It was within that story I saw some of the issues that homelessness brings. I saw interactions that were helpful and encouraging and I saw reactions that were harsh. It made me want to act like the people who were loving toward Mike and Sam, and to make sure I didn’t act like the people who ignored them and treated them like they weren’t human. That’s way more life changing than reading a book telling me facts about homelessness, in my opinion.

Whether you read it because you’re looking for an interesting story or you read it to be inspired, I think you’ll be glad you read Under the Overpass.

Here are Some Books that you Should Read

The last few blogs I’ve posted have been about books that were sent to me from the publisher for reviews. They weren’t amazing. I don’t want my blog to be only about book that are okay, and ignore the books I’ve been reading that I have absolutely loved. So I thought I would write about a few books that I would whole-heartedly recommend. Today I’d like to tell you about two middle grade/young adult series I’ve recently read.

The first is The Wind on Fire Trilogy by William Nicholson. It consists of three books, starting with The Wind Singer. There are three books in the series, which seems like it would be obvious seeing as it’s a trilogy, but you don’t know how many “trilogies” that I’ve read that end up having four books in them. What is the world coming to?

The reason I so whole-heartedly recommend this series is the fantastic creativity in the books. Remember the first time you read The Voyage of the Dawn Treader? Well, I don’t. I was way to young to remember that. However, I do remember the last several times I’ve read it. I love the way each island is totally different from the others and has it’s own culture and intrigue. This series is much the same. It focuses on three children—Kestrel, Bo and Mumpo—who come from a society much like the kind you see in The Giver or City of Ember—very regulated, no room for going against the leaders of society. They find out that life in the city isn't as great as it seems, and they leave to save the ones they love. As they travel they encounter cultures that are vastly different from their own, or from any that I’ve read in other books. Each time they came to a new place I was floored anew. How did Nicholson think of such things? That’s just the first book. The next two are wonderful as well, but I won’t get into what they are about, lest I give away what happens in the first one.

The second series on my must-read list is the Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. So far there are three books in the series, but I don’t think it’s claiming to be a trilogy, so more might be one the way. I’ve read the first two, and I’m looking forward to the third one in a big way.

The feel of the book reminds me a bit of A Series of Unfortunate Events. Four insanely talented kids who are alone in the world respond to an ad in the newspaper for gifted children and find themselves in a mission to save the world. They have to go undercover as students at the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened to stop the headmaster from taking over the world through controlling the minds of everyone. Good times indeed. What I especially love about these books is how each of the four children have their own set of unique abilities. One can figure out patterns and riddles like a genius, one is the handiest girl you’ll ever meet, one can remember any bit of information he’s ever come across, and one…well, you’ll have to get to the end of the book to find out about her. All of their skills and personalities are necessary to completing their mission-a theme that is dear to my heart.

So there you have it—some exceptional books to entertain and enlighten. I’ll continue to post my review on the books that publishers send me (I’m now getting books from three different publishers!), but I’m going to try to take the time to write about the books that I’m reading on my own.

The Scoop on The Secrets Beneath by Kathleen Fuller

When I first heard about The Secrets Beneath by Kathleen Fuller I was pretty excited. It’s about an Amish girl who sees a man digging in the yard of the house next door and tries to find out what is going on. There were three reasons I thought I would like the book. One, it’s about the Amish. I love the Amish. I even wrote a research paper on them in college. Two, it’s a mystery. Mysteries are totally fun and intriguing. Three, it’s “juvenile fiction” (a term only Christian publishers use. I figure it was middle grade – late elementary). I love middle grade to young adult books. It’s what I mostly read. I was ready for a fun read.

I was sorely disappointed. The Amish-ness of the book was lacking. Instead of giving us a peek into the rich culture of the Amish, Fuller portrayed them as slightly old fashioned, up-tight and conservative people. There is so much more to Amish culture that she could have shown us but didn’t. Then there was the issue of the mystery. It wasn’t intriguing. I honestly didn’t care what was going on at the house next door. The suspense wasn’t there. There was more suspense about if the main character’s mother was going to give her a scolding than what was buried next door.

Then there’s the issue of the writing. Mainly it came down to the fact that the author did way too much telling and not enough showing (which is the cardinal no-no of fiction writing). Here’s an example of what I mean. “Bekah wasn’t surprised that her mother would offer hospitality. That was the Amish way.” If I wanted to have someone tell me directly what the “Amish way” is, I’d read a textbook on the Amish. This is a novel, so I should be able to glean what goes on in Amish communities by seeing it happen, not by the narrator pointing it out to me. The problem isn’t just that it’s written for children. There are plenty of children’s authors that do a fine job of bringing out themes and even information in a creative way.

All in all, this book had real potential, but it didn’t reach it. If you’re looking for a fun way to read about the Amish or introduce your children to Amish culture and good books, look elsewhere.

I was sent a complimentary copy of this book to review for Thomas Nelson.

The Skin Map

I’ve signed up for a program in which I receive free books in exchange for book reviews (see www.booksneeze.com for more info or to sign up for yourself). You know me, I can’t pass up free books!

First up is Stephen Lawhead’s The Skin Map, the first book in his new Bright Empires series. It’s about a group of people who travel via ley lines—portals that lead to other times and places. Some people are in search of a map originally tattooed on a man’s torso, while others are looking for loved ones who have gone missing in the midst of their own inter-dimensional travel. It’s somewhat of a mix between National Treasure and The Time Travelers Wife, and I found it entertaining. Less of a sci-fi or fantasy book, it feels more like a historical novel, taking place in England, Prague and Egypt. I must say though, if you find it hard to keep up with plots that don’t follow a linear time-line, you may find The Skin Map confusing (ie, if the flash-sideways in the last season of LOST mystified you, this may not be the book for you).

The Skin Map felt as if it were merely a setup to the next books in the series. The suspense didn’t kick in until page 330, leaving 70 pages to bring up questions that won’t be answered until later. I wish we could have gotten more closure or more info on why the characters are traveling through time and searching for the skin map so frantically. I suppose the open-ended ending is there to keep you reading the series, but I think even in a series a book should have it’s own story that rests on itself. At the end of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone we don’t know everything behind Lord Voldemort’s return, but there is a complete story with a beginning, middle and end. The Skin Map seemed to only have a beginning and middle. Even so, I give the book 4 stars.

Cain and Abel

For the past five years I've been on a literary journey of my own choosing. I'm reading all of Madeleine L'Engle's books in the order they were published. I don't read her books exclusively, and she was very prolific, so it's taken me awhile. Right now I'm reading her 29th book out of 63. Some books are young adult novels, some are novels for adults, some poetry, some memoir, some books of prayers, and some theology.

There are certain books that I eagerly look forward to and others that I pick up only because they are on the list and I've committed to reading them all. At least once I've made a comment like, "I'm not really looking forward to reading this one" to a friend. That friend has responded with, "Then why don't you skip it?" But reading the books that I'm not naturally drawn to is what makes this journey rewarding. It teaches me things about faith and about Madeleine L'Engle that I wouldn't know if I only stuck to the books I'm most drawn to. And each time I read one of the books I am less than excited about I find a treasure.

The book I'm reading right now is called Ladder of Angels. In it Madeleine retells familiar Bible stories, and next to each story is an illustration by a child from somewhere throughout the world. Let's just stay this was not one of the books I was desperate to read. I mean, I know these stories. I grew up in Sunday School and have read them over and over in the Bible. And really, do I want to see a bunch of pictures by kids I don't know personally? But I started reading it and was, of course, pleasantly surprised. Some of the pictures are astounding! I am so impressed by the kids' artistry. And the oh-so-familiar Bible stories are fresh with Madeleine's words. One of my favorites so far has been the story of Cain and Abel, so I thought I would share it with you here.

There had never been children before.

Eve did not know what was happening to her, with her belly swelling and movement within it and then a great ripping and tearing. There was terror and there was pain.

And then, Cain, squalling, red-faced and angry at the indignity of birth. The first child. He would have preferred simply to have been formed of dust.

When Abel was conceived Eve understood what was happening, so perhaps it was easier to hold Abel, to gentle him against her breast, knowing that the hungry lips were searching only for milk, not trying to bite and hurt and destroy.

The two children romped like lion cubs. They vied for love. They loved and hated and were jealous. But it was all easier for Abel.

So Cain hit him. There had never before been death. He did not know why Abel did not get up and hit him back.

He did not know that he had brought death into the world, and that, as he would bear its mark, so would we.

Cain resented Abel, and bequeathed us his death.

I suppose it's a little dark for me to say this has been one of my favorite stories in the book thus far. It's not that I love reading about the first murder. It's just I found this story so interesting. I've read the account in Genesis 4 so many times, but I'd never thought about how scared Eve must have been when she was pregnant with the first child ever. Or that Cain might not have realized that when he attacked his brother it would end his life. They had experienced animals' deaths, but I wonder if the first family realized the same thing could happen to them.

I've got quite a few mores stories to go in Ladder of Angles, and then I get to move on to a young adult novel! It's a fun journey. What are you reading these days?

A Tropical Paradise?

I wrote a devotional for a prayer guide that a group in my church is putting together this summer. I thought I would share part of it here on the blog.

When I was in college my roommate and I had a picture of one of the tropical islands in the Maldives on our dorm room door. It had gorgeous white sand that stretched out to meet beautiful turquoise water. There was something about the picture that soothed me. Yet at the same time it gave me a deep longing.

When I am tired and stressed out and I just want to get away from my life I think about going to a place like Maldives. Something in me aches for more than what I find in my daily life. I think that getting to a place like Maldives will make it go away. Yet I’ve been to beautiful places before and it doesn’t make the ache going away. It makes it even worse.

C.S. Lewis knew about this ache too. In Mere Christianity he writes, “If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world.”

We call tropical islands "paradise", another word for heaven. When I’m honest with myself I realize that’s what I’m looking for—a little piece of heaven on earth. But to expect heaven before our time on earth is over is setting ourselves up for disappointment. You’re not going to get the fulfillment you’re looking for in this life. Not completely. That sounds a little depressing. And if this life is all there is, it would be depressing. Thankfully we have HOPE. We have a promise that this is not all there is. Read what Paul writes in Romans 8:20-25.

"Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And we believers also groan, even though we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, for we long for our bodies to be released from sin and suffering. We, too, wait with eager hope for the day when God will give us our full rights as his adopted children, including the new bodies he has promised us. We were given this hope when we were saved. (If we already have something, we don't need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don't yet have, we must wait patiently and confidently.)”

It doesn’t matter where we are, whether it is in the suburbs of LA or a gorgeous tropical island. There are certain longings in our life that will never be fulfilled on this side of eternity. That ache will always be there until we are united with Christ in heaven. One day, as followers of Christ, we will have all our longings fulfilled. We will finally be complete.

They Never Came Back

So there I was, on the elliptical machine at my gym, wondering if the woman two spots down could hear my quick breaths, indicating that tears could be forthcoming at any moment. I had just finished reading Caroline B. Cooney's novel They Never Came Back and I was thinking, "This is exactly the type of novel I want to write."

I found the book while I was strolling through the library's section of new novels for children and teens, and the sparse words on the back of the book caught my attention.

Cathy decided on facts. "I don't live here in Greenwich," she told him. "I live in Norwalk."

"You look like Murielle," he insisted.

She asked the logical question. "And who is Murielle?"

This caught my attention because I thought it might be similar to the novel that I'm writing. In case you don't know, my novel is about a girl who shows up at her new school and to everyone else she looks like another girl who already goes to that school. She has, in fact, replaced the girl and continues to trade places with this girl, pretending to be her, until she can figure out how to make it stop. I thought They Never Came Back might have a similar situation in it, so I checked it out. Anything that sounds like it could be remotely similar to my book gets my attention because 1) I want to see how the author handles the situations we share in our novels and 2) I find the topics interesting (that's why I'm writing my own novel about it).

As it turns out, the book's plot was nothing like mine. It's about a teenager who looks like a girl who was lost to her family when she was put into foster care years before. The question throughout the novel is whether the high school girl is really the little girl who was lost five years ago or just someone who looks like her.

I'm so glad that the book gave so little information on the back because I probably would not have read it if I knew what it was really about. I have my list of what I tend to look for in books. I like them to include one or more of the following criteria:

-Novels that mess with time and space

-Books written by Madeleine L'Engle

-Memoirs about random events in life like not buying anything unnecessary for a year

-Books written by Donald Miller

-Novels that take place in pre-modern England

-Novels that have modern day characters who turn out to be wizards or demi-gods

-Books (both fiction and non-fiction) that incorporate faith in a creative non-cheesy, non-preachy way

-Books about Amish people

-Novels with other worlds or magic

-Young Adult novels that take place in the future after most of civilization has died off and now humanity is making a new start

-Historical Fiction*

You may notice that foster care is not a part of the list. It's not something that I usually read about. Yet I'm so glad I read this novel. Along with foster care there were other fantastic themes in the book-identity, family, God, how our personal choices affect those around us, etc. The reason why I say it is the type of novel that I want to write is because it has such a wonderful mixture of entertainment, faith-filled themes (it is not a "Christian" book), lighthearted relationships (ie high school crushes) and thought provoking concepts. I think I may have found a new favorite author. I can't wait to check out Cooney's other novels.

*If any of these genres interest you and you would like some recommendations let me know. I would love to share my favorites with you.