This review is part of a book review program with Bethany House. The Bethany House book review program is simple: I request a book from the links they send via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer’s site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers
Book three of the Kincaid Bride series, Over the Edge starts with a blazing gun fight between outlaws and a fiery woman. If that's not bad enough, her runaway husband rides to the rescue and even in her crystal-clear rage, she misses him with the bullet she intends to shoot him with.
Seth Kincaid doesn't remember his bride, or the child that inarguably inherited his eyes. Actually, he doesn't remember much of anything of the events that happened after he fought in the Civil War. All of a sudden, he has a family: a wife that's spitting mad, a loud yet adorable baby boy, and a surprise brother that finds him at the most unexpected (and opportune) moment. Needless to say, he has a lot to sort out. But while Seth is willing to make things work, his wife seems more intent on shooting him.
Check out the trailer for the book here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeSzqacHzQM&list=UUOTCh77FT1ZAyg-Mrj97HWw&index=2&feature=plcp
Even though I was hesitant to start a book without reading the first two of the series, I started in right away, highly intrigued by the plot line the summary on the back of the book promotes. But as I kept reading, the less interested I became.
I think it's more than some of the interesting quirks each character possesses, it's more that all of the characters seem very two-dimensional (only because there is slightly more than just one-dimension, but just the tiniest bit). Instead of reading about characters that are very real in spite of the fact that they live on the page instead of in reality, I read about characters that had a single-minded determination to stay flat on the pages rather than springing up and taking on a life of their own.
The male characters, in particular, seemed very unrealistic. Each had about one real character trait and there wasn't any depth to them, which is a shame because I felt they had so much promise. Rafe, the older brother, is a control freak that treats his wife like a child (and she lets him!); Ethan, the middle child, is a smiling guy, that's it; and Seth is reckless and crazy, with a strong attraction to his "scary" wife (I've never heard a guy admit that out loud about a woman they're supposedly in love with). There's promise in each character trait, but without fleshing it out just right, you get what you read in this book (unrealistic , frustrating, and boring characters).
The plot, too, seemed a bit scatter-brained. It wasn't very focused and I found myself wondering why certain scenes kept jumping around and why some were even included in the book. It finally figured itself out, but I wasn't convinced - it definitely wasn't believable to me at every turn, which lost my interest at times.
While parts of the book were intriguing, I wouldn't want to read it again. I find I'm not particularly inclined to pick up the previous two books in this series either. Maybe it's a one-time fluke, but I wasn't overly impressed. I would rate this (on a 1-10 high/low scale) about a 3-4. The author has promise, but I think the two major things she needs to work on are: 1) character development and believability, and 2) plot structure/organization.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
Relentless Pursuit, Ken Gire
This review is part of a book review program with Bethany House. The Bethany House book review program is simple: I request a book from the links they send via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer’s site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers
This book can pretty much be summed up on the cover, where it says: "God's love of outsiders including the outsider in all of us" and is accompanied by a cover with four sheep on it, one way off to the side and away from the other ones (a pretty great image, if I do say so myself).
Gire's approach kind of caught me off guard. I should just know by now, having read several books that have caught me in such a state, that I need to stop having preconceptions about the books I receive in this program. I don't really know what I expected, but I think it was something more along the lines of a manual.
I got a story book instead. Including several stories about C.S. Lewis, Francis Thompson, his own life, and many others, Gire writes with an engaging voice about relatable topic matter. He uses the stories he tells throughout each chapter in order to present a clearly understandable point to illustrate the titled theme of his book.
While I have to say that this isn't the best book I've ever read, it's certainly not on my list of bad ones either. Gire is engaging, humorous at times, clear about where his pursuit of the topic is going throughout the book, and interesting enough to hold my attention.
Out of a 1-10 (low/high) rating, I'd rate this book around 6. There are great points that Gire makes, and if you're feeling as if you're an outsider, this is definitely a good book to read to gain a (most likely) new perspective on things. I know I learned/realized a few things about myself when I read it!
This book can pretty much be summed up on the cover, where it says: "God's love of outsiders including the outsider in all of us" and is accompanied by a cover with four sheep on it, one way off to the side and away from the other ones (a pretty great image, if I do say so myself).
Gire's approach kind of caught me off guard. I should just know by now, having read several books that have caught me in such a state, that I need to stop having preconceptions about the books I receive in this program. I don't really know what I expected, but I think it was something more along the lines of a manual.
I got a story book instead. Including several stories about C.S. Lewis, Francis Thompson, his own life, and many others, Gire writes with an engaging voice about relatable topic matter. He uses the stories he tells throughout each chapter in order to present a clearly understandable point to illustrate the titled theme of his book.
While I have to say that this isn't the best book I've ever read, it's certainly not on my list of bad ones either. Gire is engaging, humorous at times, clear about where his pursuit of the topic is going throughout the book, and interesting enough to hold my attention.
Out of a 1-10 (low/high) rating, I'd rate this book around 6. There are great points that Gire makes, and if you're feeling as if you're an outsider, this is definitely a good book to read to gain a (most likely) new perspective on things. I know I learned/realized a few things about myself when I read it!
Friday, September 7, 2012
Visions of the Coming Days, R. Loren Sandford
This particular book review post is part of a book review program with Bethany House. The Bethany House book review program is simple: I request a book from the links they send via email, then I read the book they send and write a review on this blog and a retailer’s site (such as Amazon). If this sounds like something that interests you, you can get more information and/or sign up here: www.bethanyhouse.com/bookreviewers
R. Loren Sandford writes about (well, you probably guessed this from the title) the future (and in relation, kind of about the end of days). Everyone believes something about what's coming and/or how the world will end and this is another view to fit into that category.
I have to tell you that I'm a skeptic. I believe that the word will end, yes, but I'm skeptical of the people that preach, sell, warn, and tell others about their theories on how the world will end, what will happen, what we will/will not become, blah, blah, blah. It all seems a bit crazy to me most times. For instance, a zombie/vampire apocalypse? I guess I'll believe it when I see it, otherwise I'm not buying what you're selling. A nuclear war tearing us apart, however, is much more believable to me.
But I don't know. Can anyone really know? ... I guess those are just some of the thoughts that run through my head when I hear other people talking about the end of the world and what they think/"know" (I'm a skeptic, remember?) will happen.
Stanford, however, completely blew any preconceived ideas about what he had to say right out of the water for me. I was surprised that I not only agreed with a lot of what he wrote about, but that I had been thinking along the same lines for some of the topics he discusses.
Coming from an admitted skeptic, I don't think I need to say that this makes me recommend this book wholeheartedly. It also makes me want to look into everything he said more in-depth and generate discussion with my peers and those around me about his views, how they line up with a Biblical perspective, and how practical application (if it's indeed needed based on what Stanford wrote) can be applied.
I'm not sure what else to say except that this is a must-read. Everyone needs to read this, because it's insightful, thought-provoking, and exceptionally well-written.
R. Loren Sandford writes about (well, you probably guessed this from the title) the future (and in relation, kind of about the end of days). Everyone believes something about what's coming and/or how the world will end and this is another view to fit into that category.
I have to tell you that I'm a skeptic. I believe that the word will end, yes, but I'm skeptical of the people that preach, sell, warn, and tell others about their theories on how the world will end, what will happen, what we will/will not become, blah, blah, blah. It all seems a bit crazy to me most times. For instance, a zombie/vampire apocalypse? I guess I'll believe it when I see it, otherwise I'm not buying what you're selling. A nuclear war tearing us apart, however, is much more believable to me.
But I don't know. Can anyone really know? ... I guess those are just some of the thoughts that run through my head when I hear other people talking about the end of the world and what they think/"know" (I'm a skeptic, remember?) will happen.
Stanford, however, completely blew any preconceived ideas about what he had to say right out of the water for me. I was surprised that I not only agreed with a lot of what he wrote about, but that I had been thinking along the same lines for some of the topics he discusses.
Coming from an admitted skeptic, I don't think I need to say that this makes me recommend this book wholeheartedly. It also makes me want to look into everything he said more in-depth and generate discussion with my peers and those around me about his views, how they line up with a Biblical perspective, and how practical application (if it's indeed needed based on what Stanford wrote) can be applied.
I'm not sure what else to say except that this is a must-read. Everyone needs to read this, because it's insightful, thought-provoking, and exceptionally well-written.
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