something different

it's been a while since I've posted on my blog and while I have many books that I can review. I thought I'd post something of my own tonight. something I wrote to help out a friend years ago but feel I can use for myself right now. maybe reading through things I wrote years ago will help inspire me to write again.


"His Agape Love"
Seeking Your face I saw your glory
longing to be where you are
growing everyday in your likeness
was my only desire.

then looking back I saw the world
I ran to them instead
looking for love on every face
instead of the one who held my hand.

I ran so far away from you
I never thought I could return
how could you still love me Lord
after all that I've done.

then one day I heard your voice
saying my child I'm still near
repent and come to me now
for I still hold you dear.

you are my child from now till forever
I've proved it with my blood
because you are my creation
I'll carry you with unending love

and through my grace and mercy for you
I'll never let you fall
yes through my grace and mercy for you
I will see you through it all.

by: Lacy Huddleston

The Mediator Series by Meg Cabot

This series is comprised of six books:
Shadowland, Ninth Key, Reunion, Darkest Hour, Haunted, and Twilight

A very imaginative young adult series. It starts out with the main character a teenage girl by the name of Suze. she can see ghost and not just see them, she can touch them or royally kick their 'butt' if need be. You see Suze is what's called a Mediator. She helps ghost pass on to the next life or where ever they are suppose to go after they die. So when she moves to California from New York with her mom she expects things will be much the same as they have always been. Until she meets the guy who lives in her room.
Jessie is a ghost who has no intentions of leaving this world behind or leaving Suze's room for that matter. So how will they cope having to "put up" with each other?
With the help of Father Dom. and Jessie learns that being a mediator is not always black and white. It can also me more dangerous than she originally thought.

I loved these books. It took me three days to read all six. Very quick reads but filled with so much I couldn't put them down. If you are looking for a book with a strong female read. good innocent romance, and a quick pace these books are for you. These books are definitely on my top 50 of all time and I can't wait to read them again.
Meg Cabot is one of my new favorite authors. I loved the writing style. Suze speaks in a voice that mirrors teenagers today. The books constantly brought smiles to my face and even made me laugh out loud. I will say I also had my moments of tears as well. Over all I give these books a five out of five stars.

Water for Elephants by: Sara Gruen

A MUST Read!
Starting with prologue and going from there this book is filled with the stuff human nature is made of!
Jacob Jankowisk is ninety when we meet him in a nursing home. As he remembers back to his life in the circus we discover he's been hiding a secret that he has not shared with anyone in seventy years.
A veterinarian student just shy of his degree Jacob leaves school and joins the circus after his parents death. He soon becomes the care taker for the circus menagerie where he meets Marlena (the equestrian star), August (Marlena's husband and a charismatic yet disturbed animal trainer, and Rosie (the "un trainable" elephant who has the future of the show resting on her shoulders).
Jacob, Marlena, and Rosie soon develop a friendship and trust among each other that becomes vital to their very survival.
In a time of the early part of the great depression where money is scarce and jobs even scarcer Jacob's very existence with the circus is a slippery slop. With the boss withholding pay from the working men and the complainers and older workers being red lighted (chucked off a moving train). The only way to maintain your safety is to keep your head down and be productive - but staying silent in the midst of injustice is jot Jacob's way!

I love the narrative voice of this book. Jacob is remembering this story as a ninety year old man who has lapses in his memory. Therefore the story telling is a little staccato. For example: I am in my bed, The sun has come up. I'm now at the window.] But that didn't bother me, if fact it made the story more authentic. the book itself is thought provoking and engaging from start to finish. Believe me this book will stay with you for a long time after reading it. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!.

*As a side not: being true to myself I have to inform people when a book contains sexual content as I hate being surprised while reading a book and I wasn't warned in advance.
This book does contain some semi graphic scenes, while not as bad as some other books out there, when reading this book you might want to be ready to skim or skip a couple of passages.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon

What can I say about the series as a whole that wont give too much away? Not much unfortunately, so I will have to start with the first book in the series. Needless to say these books are long. I would recommend that you don't even read the synapses of the other books until you have read the book before it.
Outlander starts with Claire Randall and her husband on a second honeymoon in Scotland in 1945. Everything is going fine until she accidentally touches a stone that sends her back in time to 1743 and a countryside torn by war. Here she is taken by the clan Mackenzie where she has to depend on their good graces. She meets a young Scottish warrior named James Fraser who she is forced to marry in order to maintain her safety. She now experiences a passion and love that she has never known, even as she tries again and again to get back to her husband (Frank Randall) and her live in 1945. She will soon be faced with the choice of staying with Jamie forever or staying true to the husband she left behind.

As a whole most review I've read about this book are positive but I have heard a few complaints. Namely that Diana Gabalden is rather wordy and could have edited her books more. I disagree, I feel she has the right about of story to description to dialogue. She blends all three together seamlessly. Her ability to engage both the 20th century and the 1700s is beatific. Everything just flows together and even though the books are long you will not want it to end.
I know many people who will read one book then walk away for a time and come back at a later date to read the next book in the series. This is a great idea to keep yourself from becoming overwhelmed in the Outlander world. As the books are so long and the story and world so massive and vivid it might be a good idea to take a break in between each book. Unless of course you are more like myself and have to read a series from start to finish without any breaks. I will warn you the series is not over yet, the author is currently working on book eight. She has commented that she is not sure if this book will be the last in the series or not so we will just have to wait an see. So if you are like me and just have to read the series a a whole you might want to wait until the 8th book is published and check out her website to see if there will be more installments.
It took me four straight months to read all seven books that are currently available and I have to say I loved getting lost in the world that Diana Gabaldon has created. I was sad when I finished the 7th book as I had to leave the world for a while and start a new journey. I would recommend this book to almost anyone over the age of 18 as there are some moments in the book I feel should not be read by anyone younger.
Speaking of those moments, that is the one complaint I have with the books. After Claire and Jamie marry, the honeymoon begins and there are scenes in the book I don't like reading. Don't worry though the those scenes become less frequent as the series goes on and the ones that are included are easily skipped without missing to much important information.
Seriously though, those moments aside, Outlander is one of the most engaging and imaginative books I have read in a long time. I have to end with this, Girls if you do not fall in love with Jamie Fraser, then you're just not reading right.

Marked

There are a lot of things I liked and didn't like about this book. I'll start with the negative that way I can end with the positive. I didn't like the Wicca aspect of the book. I don't mind religions that are different from my personal beliefs. I even like to learn about them to an extend so that I may be able to understand other peoples perspective. The problem in this book for me comes from putting down other religions. I believe what I believe, you believe what you believe everything else should be left alone. I also didn't like the describing of calling or forming the circle. I found myself skipping a lot in this book. As this is a young adult series I find putting so much focus on the Wicca aspect can sway young readers.
My other complaint is the sexuality of the book. I am 28 and do not want to read sex scenes and I sure as hell don't want my sixteen year old sister reading them. Again, I felt that as a young adult book the sexuality as a little much.
Now for the good stuff. I LOVE the flow and writing style of the authors. The voice of Zoey reminds me of the way I talk with my younger sisters. Very young and fresh. the story line itself I found very entertaining which made me want to read the other books even though I had those two complaints. The book is a quick easy read and over all a very good book.

Practical Magic

This is once of those instances where I watched the movie before I read the book. Sometimes that's a good thing and sometimes it's not so good. This is one of those not so good times. Don't get me wrong I enjoyed the book. I just kind of liked the movie better in some ways. The magical aspect of the movie was so much better. In the book I kept waiting for the magic to happen. I'm not saying I didn't recognize it. I know it was there in subtle ways but I love magic so I wanted it to be more focused in the book.
The story line itself was very entertaining to me even. The differences from the Movie to the book didn't bother me. I liked them both on an independent level. Pure entertainment for me. I hope others like it as much as I did.

on a graphic level there is some sexual content but not so much to make me just want to throw the book across the room shouting WHY?!!!!!!!!!!??????

Frankenstien

This was an interesting book for me. I listened to it on audio book which might have changed my opinion of it (or it could just be my warped sense of humor). It wasn't as dark as I thought it would be, and actually found myself sympathizing with the creature. I didn't like Frankenstein's character at all and felt like to an extent he was the true monster.
I feel sorry for both characters as they both had flaws in their personalities which lead to their down fall. And the way other peoples lives were effected as well makes you stop to think. Every decision, every action, no matter how small has an impact on others around me. I will say the writing style was intriguing. I like the book a lot and probably have found more meaning and enjoyment by actually reading the book verses listening to the book.