Stuff Christians Like by Jonathan Acuff

I LITERALLY laughed out loud while reading this book. My sister lent it to me from the shelves of her music pastor husband. I read it aloud to her while she highlighted my hair. So basically I read this book aloud for 2 hours. The time flew by, and we were both laughing. At times she couldn't understand me because I was laughing so hard while trying to read it to her.

Here are a few specific satire sections that cracked me up: "Guide to Food Prayers" (Should you pray before eating a Snickers?), the intro to the "My Bad" section (where he throws his pastor friend under the bus for seeing an R-rated movie), "Finding Typos in the Worship Music" (You know you've done it!), "The Good Morning Flow Chart," and "Putting the devil 'On Notice'" (a new expression to me, but written about with such wit).

If you are a Christian who wants to laugh out loud, then I highly recommend this book!


Want to know more about the book? Read below or check out Jonathan Acuff's website

Author Jonathan Acuff uses satire, not mockery, to "clear away the clutter of Christianity so we can see the beauty of Christ." Here is the full quote from the article he wrote for Relevant Magazine:
Mockery is not the same thing as satire. Mockery always has a victim. Satire doesn’t. Mockery is about wounding someone and leaving a bruise. Satire isn’t that way at all. I define satire as “humor with a purpose.” My purpose is to clear away the clutter of Christianity so we can see the beauty of Christ. I do that with satire, which is a tremendous vehicle for truth. It’s like a big mirror: You take an issue and you blow it up so it’s big enough and obvious enough for everyone to see. Then you stand next to it and ask: “Is that us? Are we OK with that? Is this what it means to be the Church?” The other big difference is that God hates mockery. Satire? I feel He actually exhibits a bit of satire in the Bible. In Psalm 1:1, we’re told “Blessed are those who do not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers” (TNIV). Do you see that? Mockers are related to the wicked. But satire gets a shoutout. In Numbers 11:23, God says to Moses: “Is the Lord’s arm too short? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you.” I don’t speak Hebrew, but I can’t believe God was asking Moses the length of His arm because He didn’t know. I think He was satirically pointing out to Moses that He could take care of him.

Finishing Bloggiesta

The party is over.... and I'm tired!

Goals I accomplished:
1. Write book review for Undercover.
2. Write book review for The Great Gatsby.
3. Write post about 2-day reads.
5. Mini challenge on There's a Book about using stats on your blog.
6. Politely and kindly ask an author for an interview.
7. Make a list of the books I've read in the last year.
8. Update "about me" with genres I like to read
9. Finish reading Jumping off Swings. (I don't know if Natasha counts this as part of Bloggiesta. Anyone know?)
Extras I accomplished:
1. Added my first widget!
2. Found many new book blogs to follow
3. Connected with other book bloggers
4. Wrote book review for Jumping Off Swings.
5. Completed the mini challenge on community (leave comments on new-to-you blogs)
6. Ate Mexican for lunch on Saturday

What I didn't Accomplish/For Another Day:
1. Write post on being a Daniel reader
2. Ask second author for an interview/book giveaway for her upcoming book release.

Time Spent:
9.5 hours (My husband misses me.)

I had a fabulous time!

Heather

Jumping Off Swings by Jo Knowles

Jumping Off Swings tells a story of a teenage pregnancy from four different character's perspectives. We hear from the pregnant Ellie, the father Josh, and their best friends Corinne and Caleb. It's a good book for an adult book club because it can foster much discussion on topics from pregnancy to parenting. (Some of the parenting in this book is awful.)

The worst thing about this book is the language. Wow. Inappropriate language is used throughout the book. Everything from the F-bomb (multiple, multiple times) to sexual innuendos are present. I had chosen this book for my YA Book Club, but changed it since there is an actual young adult in our group, and I don't think it's an appropriate read.

It's another melancholy read. I wish Ellie had had more love and support around her through her crisis.

Heather

2-Day Reads

As I mentioned in my first post, I have never finished a book in less than 2 days. You may be assuming that I'm a slow reader, and this my friends, is true! I have accepted it.

Another correct assumption is that if I finished a book in 2 days, I really liked it!

My 2-day Reads (that I can remember... I didn't keep stats on this stuff until recently)
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Breakfast at Tiffany's by Truman Capote
Cracker Jackson by Betsy Byars
Coming Attractions by Robin Jones Gunn
Listening for Lions by Gloria Whelan
Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher
Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

What books have you read the fastest?

Heather

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Great Gatsby is an American classic written by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is a novel written in the 1920s about the 1920s. It explores topics such as money, the American Dream, dishonesty, and goals. Jay Gatsby is a millionaire who throws extravagant parties in New York. His neighbor, Nick, is our narrator who reveals the story of Jay Gatsby: his background, his dreams, his friends, his life. It is a classic, romance, and mystery. It's one of the best classics I've read, and I recommend it.

Two of my close friends read it after I recommended it, and they had identical responses: "Why did you like this? It's all about affairs." Yes, characters cheat on their spouses; however, sex is merely mentioned and never detailed. It's by NO MEANS a Harlequin romance! There are many only aspects to the books other than sex too. The biggest reason I like it is because of the mystery surrounding Gatsby and the events at the end. (Maybe I should read more mysteries?) The characters are immoral, but the author shows that their actions cause negative effects on their lives and the lives of others.

P.S. The movie does a wonderful job of portraying the novel. I recommend it as well!





Heather

Bloggiesta Update

I am loving Bloggiesta! It's my first one, and it's oh so fun. Thank you Natasha.

Here are a few things that have been happening in my house this weekend:
1) On Friday, my husband looked at me flabbergasted every time I said the word bloggiesta.
2) We went to a pool as a family and enjoyed the hot summer day (not technically summer, I know).
3)Today, my husband finally asked me what a bloggiesta is and listened patiently as I explained it.
4) We ate Little Caesars Pizza for supper since I realized at 4:30 pm that I had not even THOUGHT about what we would eat. Oops.

Bloggiesta is great fun! But note to self: next time, put dinner in the crockpot.

Happy Bloggiesta Fellow Bloggers!

Heather

Undercover by Beth Kephart

I recently read Beth Kephart's first young adult novel Undercover. It is a story about a young high school girl, Elisa. She is gifted poetically, a talent that boys notice and use to their advantage. Elisa writes notes for them to use in courting the girl of their choice. (I found it interesting that there was no mention of payment for these poetic love notes. Are we supposed to believe that Elisa helped all these lovesick boys for free?) Along the way she falls for a boy that she is helping. She spends the winter pining after this boy, teaching herself to ice skate, observing nature, and lamenting her parents' failing marriage.

As I have seen mentioned on other blogs, and I will post it as well: do not read the inside jacket summary. It gives away too much of the story.

This book contains a beautiful passage that I will share with you:
And he said that there were two kinds of chances you take in life, and that I had chosen one. You can love not enough, he said, or you can love too much, and when you love too much, you risk everything, but you also enter into a thing called beauty. (Kephart, Beth. Undercover. New York: HarperTeen, 2007.)
This passage struck me personally, and I am thankful for it.

However, the book as a whole let me down. It was too melancholy for my taste. Elisa has no friends, her parent's marriage is failing, her sister doesn't acknowledge her at school, her mom is distanced, etc. etc. Maybe it's because I just read Thirteen Reasons Why, but I thought, This girl could be suicidal. But don't worry, she's not!

I was disappointed to see Elisa judge her classmate on his large nose. She really dislikes this boy because of his large nose and obnoxious behavior. Maybe she should wonder if he is using his behavior to distract from his nose. Like Cyrano de Bergerac used humor to distract from his large nose (an important part of the story). Also, Elisa has a deformed earlobe that she is embarrassed of and hides under her hair. Her classmate can't hide his nose as easily, so why is she so hypocritical?

I have written a novel, I see. Here is one last thought about the book's content. I was disappointed at the use and heavy implication of Mary Oliver's poem "Wild Geese." The author (and hence Elisa's teacher who gives it to Elisa) advises the reader to forget religion and become like an animal to be able to fully engage in and enjoy life.

Bloggiesta

I am participating in the Bloggiesta hosted by Maw Books. It is a weekend set aside (or making time in the midst of other things) to work on improving your blog. Better blog, here I come!
As for my goals, I am compiling them in my mind as I type. I may add more later. (Orange tasks are done.)
Goals:
1. Write book review for Undercover.
2. Write book review for The Great Gatsby.
3. Write post about 2-day reads.
4. Write post about being a Daniel reader.
5. Complete the mini challenge on There's a Book about using stats on your blog.
6. Politely and kindly ask an author for an interview.
7. Make a list of the books I've read in the last year.
8. Update "about me" with genres I like to read
9. Finish reading Jumping off Swings. (I don't know if Natasha counts this as part of Bloggiesta. Anyone know?)
10. Politely and kindly ask second author for an interview/book giveaway for her upcoming release.

Let the party begin!

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

Princess of the Midnight Ball is a retelling of the Grimm's fairy tale "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." It is my first Jessica Day George novel, but probably not my last!

The widowed king is left with his twelve daughters who harbor a secret they can tell no one. Every morning he discovers his daughters' worn out dancing shoes beside their beds. No matter how many guards keep watch, the girls are never caught sneaking out to dance. Finally their father issues a decree that the first prince to discover their secret will win a marriage to the daughter of his choosing and succession to his royal throne. Thankfully there is a handsome soldier, just home from the war, who happens to be in the right place at the right time. Galen also knows how to knit. That just may help him solve this mystery.

I really enjoyed this book! It's a fairy tale with a lovely romance. It captured the ambiance of life in a royal castle without an immense amount of details. (I'm thinking of how The Goose Girl is similar but is much more detailed. Princess of the Midnight Ball is a much shorter read and more fun!) I really enjoyed a modern retelling of a fairy tale that portrayed the man as the hero. Girl power has its place, but it has been overdone.

Beliefs: Catholicism. The setting is Germany is the early 1800s. Catholic terms such as last rites and archbishop are not only used, but are important to the story. Readers will not fully appreciate the plot unless they have some knowledge of Catholicism.

This book was fabulous! I highly recommend it!

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Wow. I loved this book.

Clay Jensen receives a package of cassette tapes in the mail. He inserts the first tape and hears a voice that has been silent for two weeks: Hannah Baker's. Hannah Baker committed suicide. Before she died, she recorded, in detail, the thirteen reasons why she decided to kill herself. Her directions are clear. If you receive the package of tapes in the mail, then you are one of the reasons. Listen to them all, and then pass them on to the next person in line.

Hannah's tapes take Clay on a tour of their city, a tour of their schoolmates' cruelty, and a tour of a suicidal girl's breaking heart.

Author Chris Crutcher's critique is on the front cover: "Very clever premise, strong voice, perfect suspense. This one will keep you reading. Jay Asher is a fine storyteller."

Ditto.

The Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan

The Sea of Monsters is Book 2 in the Percy Jackson & the Olympians series by Rick Riordan. To review this book, I need to refer to the first book in the series: The Lightning Thief.

In this series, Rick Riordan takes gods, demigods, and monsters from Greek mythology and places them in a completely different setting than we're used to finding them: the United States of America in modern time.

What I like about the books: I am learning Greek mythology. What I don't like about the books: 1) As an English teacher, I disprove of the grammar use. Percy tells us the stories, and he speaks incorrectly (e.g. Annabeth and me hopped on the chariot), 2) They have so much potential to be good literature, but they fall short, 3) They are slow reads. I kept checking to see how much more I had to read. Reading them felt more like an assignment than an enjoyable experience. However, mythology is not a favorite genre of mine, I admit!

Beliefs in the story include: 1) The Greek gods are real. They are alive. And by the way, they procreate with humans to create demigods such as the main character, Percy Jackson. 2) The entrance to Hades is in a recording studio in Hollywood. 3) There is a camp in NYC for demigod children, a place where they train to fight monsters and worse enemies. 4) A "mist" keeps humans from understanding what they see when it comes to encounters with these supernaturals.

On Riordan's website he addresses the issue of learning about Greek mythology. Here is a quote from his interview:

In Western Civilization, we’ve always had an uneasy mix between Classical mythology and Judeo-Christian values. As a culture, we tend to believe in one God, but we also grow up steeped in these wonderful old stories about the Olympians. As long as we recognize them as stories that are part of our heritage and long-since stopped being any kind of serious religion, I don’t see the harm in learning mythology (emphasis mine). If fact, I think you have to know Greek myths to understand where our modern culture came from. It’s part of being an educated member of society.

Click here for the rest of what he had to say.

The Last Song by Nicholas Sparks

I first saw the movie with my sister, mom, and best friend. The movie was cheesy and unrealistic. I checked out the book unsure if I'd actually read it or not. I sat down to take a look at it, and it hooked me.

It is a story about finding love in its different forms. Loving a boy. Loving a brother. Loving a father. Loving oneself. Loving God. Ronnie is the main character, a seventeen-year-old girl who is forced to spend the summer at her dad's house on the beach in North Carolina. The summer gives Ronnie first-hand experience at loving.

One of my favorite things about The Last Song is the way it switches point-of-view from chapter to chapter. You experience the story through the lens of Ronnie, Will (her boyfriend), Marcus (the bad guy), and Steve (Ronnie's dad). Therefore, you understand the thoughts and motivations behind characters' actions. The love story between Ronnie and Will is very sweet and likable. More realistic and less cheesy than the movie. (An interesting side is that Nicholas Sparks wrote the screenplay before he wrote the novel.)

Christianity is well represented. Steve reads his Bible, loves his children unconditionally, and forgives. He is grace-giving and kind. He becomes a role model for Will, and Ronnie starts to read her Bible due to his example. Scripture is printed in the book such as the fruit of the Spirit passage.

It was an enjoyable book.

A Step from Heaven by An Na

A Step from Heaven is An Na's first novel. It is marketed as a YA book.

The story is about a Korean family that immigrates to the East Coast and the struggles they face to adapt to a new culture, while keeping their Korean roots.

These kind of stories are prominent right now, and my personal opinion is that once you've read a few of them, you can quit. It's the same theme over and over: the children adapt to the American culture. It is probably good for every white American to read one to gain sympathy and understanding for others. If you've already read something similar, and you've gained sympathy and respect for immigrating families, then you can skip this one. If this is a topic you enjoy, then here is another one for you to add to your list!

My beef with the novel is the way An Na portrays God. As a young girl in Korea, Young's grandmother taught her about Christianity and how to pray to Jesus. Her grandmother was raising her in the faith. Then at age 4, Young and her parents move to America, and the family leaves the grandma and Christianity behind in Korea. Much later in the novel, Young's mom takes the kids to a Christian church in desperation. The mother finds love, acceptance, and a church family, and begins regularly attending church with the kids. If the faith part had ended there, it would be fine.


SPOILER ALERT
At the climax of the book, Young's father, in a drunken fit, is beating his mother, and Young fears he may kill her, so she dials 911 but is too scared to talk to the operator. She coaches herself to save her mom and then remembers her grandma's voice saying "Only God can." She hears her mother wail and the text continues: "I am not a child anymore. I do not have time to wait for God. There is only me. I pick up the phone and raise it to my ear..."

Completely disappointing.

I am completely disappointed with this novel.