Archive for review

Review of Jackie After O, by Tina Cassidy

June 21, 2012 Janet Morris Grimes review No comments

Jackie Kennedy Onassis never ceases to captivate my attention.

I was excited to review this book for several reasons:

1) I’ve always admired Jackie. (Someone made a comment when I was in first grade that I resembled her. And from that point forward, I was keenly aware of who she was.)
2) Jackie captivated the world long before I paid attention to it, so her timeline was blurred for me. My knowledge started at the end of her life; after many of her secrets were already public knowledge. I never had a firm grasp on the changes she went through, and when.
3) I’ve always believed that she was a chosen leader, without carrying the title. I can’t imagine anyone else being the face of America in mourning. She is someone worth studying for that reason alone.

Tina Cassidy does not disappoint in writing this book. She fills in the gaps and ties up the loose ends as to who the movers and shakers were in her world. Though it claims to cover one remarkable year of her life, it really goes from beginning to end, to help the reader understand who she was, and why.

Graceful in the midst of tragedy. Strength masked by gentleness. Brilliance matched by determination. Persuasive, when needed. Talented in ways even she did not realize. Jackie fully understood the art of presentation, and it carried over into all aspects of her life, long before she knew how much she would need this skill.

In many ways, it’s what allowed her to lead a nation through grief. She valued her privacy and stability, but knew when to dangle a few photo opportunities to spotlight a worthy cause. She won support for many by saying very little. Her presence was enough and spoke volumes. She lived a life of class, even though the media, after a period of years where any negative publicity was off limits, publicized many truths she would have preferred to keep quiet. Jackie loved the fairy-tale version of her story as much as her adoring public.

I am thankful this book did not specifically focus on this one year in 1975, with the death of Onassis. Jackie’s strengths were apparent before, during and after this particular year. She deepened all that she stood for, and discovered many things about herself she may not have, had she not lived such a life where tragedy and luxury collided.

I learned several facts about Jackie that I had not known before. Most daunting was that there was a threat of assassination against John before he even took office; a plot to blow up the President Elect in Florida, but the suspect changed his plans when he saw Jackie withe the children, as they attended church.

This fact alone reveals the depths of the public life Jackie chose to live. How she did it with such class raises my respect for her even more.

I do recommend this book. The history of Jackie Kennedy Onassis cannot help but be an intriguing read.

Share

Review of A Dream of His Own by Gail Gaymer Martin

June 1, 2012 Janet Morris Grimes review No comments

Last in the Dreams Come True Series, A Dream of His Own opens with two characters so lost in their own worlds of turmoil they don’t even see each other. Until their cars crash in to one another.

A Dream of His Own by Gail Gaymer Martin

Ava Darnell is quick to pass the blame; a fender bender is just the latest in a line of unwanted obstacles in her life. But Quinn O’Neill’s response is just the opposite. He agrees to pay for the repairs, in full, never questioning which of them may have been at fault. It takes a while before they develop a friendship, and they continue to observe each other from a cautious distance, seeing through the shaded eyes of past faults and failures.

Ava continues to worry and over-protect her 15-year-old son, Brandon, who pushes her away as often as possible. In remission from Hodgkin’s Disease, he resents the fact that she lives as if she expects the disease to return at any time. It is Quinn who helps her see that living that way is not really living at all; advice that would serve him well if he could also learn to follow it.

Because they live cautious lives, Ava and Quinn keep their relationship, once it develops into a bit more than friendship, a secret from Brandon. This further complicates their path, and gives them more room for doubt when away from each other.

But the path to healing can’t be rushed, and each character, Brandon included, must learn to recognize and trust the motives of one another before their relationships can grow and blossom.

I have enjoyed each of the Dreams Come True series by Gail Gaymer Martin. Her characters through the series continue to support each other, and their friendships are as refreshing as their love stories. She is right. With faith, love and caring people, dreams really can come true.

Share

Review of I Am Second, by Doug Bender and Dave Sterrett

March 3, 2012 Janet Morris Grimes review One comment

Four out of Five Stars.

I Am Second. The book and the movement.

 

I must confess, I am new to the movement.

The I Am Second Movement. It started with a website, (http://iamsecond.com) then social media, such as Facebook and Twitter, all part of a brilliant marketing campaign that includes merchandise, billboards, and videos of personal testimonies featuring the faces and voices of some of the most famous people around.

I was aware of none of this when I agreed to review the book. Which says a lot about the book. It achieves its purpose quite well.

Once I read it, I was riveted by the personal stories, thrilled with the united front that presented a God that meets each person on whatever road he or she travels. And when allowed to infiltrate every fiber of our being, His love and acceptance can truly change everything. This is a message that must be shared.

I appreciate the simplicity of each testimony, the ability to hold nothing back, confess to the pain of horrible decisions, and strip the message down to the basic idea of placing God  first in our lives. What I think is even more effective is the fact that they used famous and should-be-famous faces to express that it is truly cool to be a Christian.

It is not a common message received from Hollywood or the professional sports world, and most would assume that God has no place there. As in the highly chronicled beliefs of Tim Tebow, we do truly need for more of those stories to be shared.

I must say that I found the videos to be more moving than the written words. But at the end of each account in the book, it listed the website with the addresses and scan bar codes for similar stories, taking advantage of all forms of media. That is a smart move for today’s young culture, and allows the words of the book to last long past when the reader has finished reading.

This book  matters, and could provide a great introduction to someone who may have been unchurched or lived a life without God. I do think the writers should have stressed a relationship with Jesus Christ much more than they did. And some stories seemed to be a bit watered down, summed up too quickly, which allowed them to lose a bit of their power.

But again, the mission was accomplished, and for all the right reasons. I do highly recommend this book.

Let the movement continue.

Disclaimer: Thomas Nelson provided a free copy of I Am Secondfor review purposes. I was not required to provide a positive review in response.

 

 

 

 

Share

Review of The Waiting Place: Learning to Appreciate Life’s Little Delays by Eileen Button

October 11, 2011 Janet Morris Grimes review No comments

Four out of five stars.

Book Description: 

The Waiting Place by Eileen Button

A collection of essays describing the beauty and humor that can be found in what often feels like a most useless state—The Waiting Place.

We all spend precious time just waiting. We wait in traffic, grocery store lines, and carpool circles. We wait to grow up, for true love, and for our children to be born. We even wait to die. But amazing things can happen if we open our eyes in The Waiting Place and peer into its dusty corners. Sometimes relationships are built, faith is discovered, dreams are (slowly) realized, and our hearts are expanded.

With humor and heart-breaking candor, Eileen Button breathes life into stagnant and, at times, difficult spaces. Throughout this collection of essays she contends that The Waiting Place can be a most miraculous place—a place where beauty can be experienced, the sacred can be realized, and God can be found working in the midst of it all.

My Review: 

I love books that meet you where you are, don’t require much from the reader, and you can pick it up and put it down as time allows, without hindering the enjoyment of it. The Waiting Place is just such a book.

Button writes from a personal place, as if writing a letter, sharing a window of her days. She shares funny details, but never too many; ironies, while still being respectful; and oddities, from the natural perspective of a young child in such a way that anyone can relate. As she describes the moments in her life she has been left waiting, usually with no control over the situation, she observes, she learns, she laughs, she makes notes for later, and when necessary, she cries.

After reading this book, I realize that Eileen Button is the type of person that would make a great friend. And, in my opinion, that is the sign of a great writer.

Well done for your first book project, Eileen. Well done.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book from Thomas Nelson, and was not required to present a positive review in return. 

 

 

Share

Review of The Muir House by Mary Demuth

October 11, 2011 Janet Morris Grimes review One comment

The Muir House by Mary Demuth

Four out of five stars.

             The truth about secrets is that they steal your joy, hold you hostage, and over time, build invisible walls that seem insurmountable. No one knows this better than Willa Muir. Moving past her past proved to be more difficult than she ever imagined; not so much because of what she remembers, but rather, what she does not. A proposal of marriage from the guy who was perfect for her, she finally had a chance to run headlong into her future. But with the holes that remained in her past, she was not whole enough to accept such an offer.

Fleeting visions and an entire year that was absent from her childhood memory propelled her to follow that void, no matter how dark the path may become. Angry at herself for running, she soon found that no one wanted her to uncover the mystery; perhaps more to protect her than themselves. Still, she had to know.

The Muir House paints a symbolic picture of a former funeral home, made over to become a Bed and Breakfast, in an ironic attempt to mask secrets of its own. A center point of the town of Rockwall, Texas, it is a common fiber in the lives of the people who call Rockwall home. But for Willa, the return to her home, her town, her past proves, at first, that this is the last place she belongs.

Mary Demuth writes with an uncommon transparency, facing troubling subjects head on. Such is the case with her character Willa Muir. Mature, questioning, broken, yet strong, independent, yet longing to belong.

I recommend this book simply to experience the unique story-telling ability of Demuth. I suspect that her fictional characters are based on complex people that have touched her life in one way or another, which is what makes them so real.

My only constructive comment regarding her characters is that I found some of them a bit distant and difficult to relate to, especially as they evolved from start to finish. But truth, once it is finally revealed, does change people, and Demuth dares to share those stories from all angles.

Demuth has become a master at sharing such stories. She holds nothing back, and healing is indeed a messy process, and a great story worth following.

Disclaimer: I was provided a copy of this book from Zondervan Publishers, but was not required to write a positive review in exchange.

 

 

Share

We Be Big: The Mostly True Story of How Two Kids From Calhoun County, Alabama Became Rick & Bubba with Don Keith

May 26, 2011 Janet Morris Grimes review No comments

It doesn't get much bigger than Rick Burgess and Bubba Bussey

Four out of Five Stars.

Book Description:

The story of two unlikely radio hosts and what happened when they followed their faith and instincts.

Rick & Bubba are the most unlikely broadcast stars imaginable, yet hundreds of thousands of loyal listeners start their day with them every morning. Beyond that, they break the biggest no-no rule for secular radio as they openly share their faith in Christ and their common-sense way of looking at the world. Now, in We Be Big: The Mostly True Story of How We Became Rick & Bubba, readers learn how this unlikely pairing came about. Alternately hilarious and heartbreaking, this is also the highly personal story of two men who—like most of us—resisted stepping through the doors God opened for them, opting for the easier path when tested. When they finally decided to follow their instincts and their faith, though, not only did they became amazingly successful, but also a truly powerful platform became theirs.

My Review:

I knew of Rick & Bubba before reading this book,  but was excited to get to know them better.  Though they were not carried in the market where I lived, their reputation for sharing their faith in the midst of sharing the details of their day-to-day lives had spread. The way they described the events of September 11, 2001 as they happened, with their ‘whatever this is, we’re all in this together’ approach, solidified the reason people listen to morning radio. Rick and Bubba, by opening the doors to their family lives, invited their hundreds of thousands of listeners to join their family as well. They have achieved a level of success that defies all recommendations made by experts in the radio industry; by being themselves and following wherever God leads them, their listeners continue to follow them no matter where they have to go on the radio dial.

I enjoyed reading this book as much for the view of what goes on behind the scenes in radio as the story itself. I find it a fascinating world, and Rick and Bubba made it even more so. While Rick pursued his wife-to-be on the air, as a joke at first, their listeners rejoiced when years later, she finally gave in to his public cries of devotion. They described the difference in radio and television, with their 7 year stint doing a live radio show on tv, something they struggled with at first, until they returned to what they knew best, two guys having a great time together on the radio each morning. Only then did they consider their television show a success.

Make sure to keep reading this book to the end, because it is there that the reader learns of the loss of Rick’s toddler son, Bronner, who died tragically in an accidental drowning. This threw the Rick & Bubba show into the limelight like never before, as their listeners grieved right along with them. Bubba took the radio show for that week, staying live, and sharing his own grief of watching his best friend suffer. Rick stepped up to the pulpit to deliver a message at his son’s funeral; a message that he gives Jesus all the credit for, since he remembers none of it. The video of Rick’s eulogy for Bronner, nick-named Cornbread, has gotten millions of hits on Youtube, and introduces a relationship with Christ in a beautiful and meaningful way.

I highly recommend this book. I am better because of it, which is how I measure all books that I choose to read. It is worth the investment in time, even if you have never heard Rick & Bubba on the air.

Disclaimer:

I received this book through the Booksneeze program with Thomas Nelson, and was not required to give a favorable review.

 

 

 

 

Share

Review of Max on Life by Max Lucado

April 27, 2011 Janet Morris Grimes review No comments

Max Lucado, Max on Life

The conversation I’ve dreamed of since I first read Max Lucado just took place. In written form, of course.

After 25 years of writing books, with more than fifty to his credit so far, Max held a question and answer session. Not about himself, personally, but about his God, and what he continues to learn about him to this day. Those raising the burning questions come from varied backgrounds; from not-yet Christians to lifelong church goers, from worn out debates to brand new possibilities, from the youngest of children to the most experienced in life. People asked, and Max did his best to answer.

I appreciate the type of book that allows you to search for something in particular, but keeps you turning pages longer than you first intended. This could be considered a research book, preparing the reader for pelting from a doubting world. This could be considered a spiritual growth book, allowing the reader to rest in the fact that the message has never changed, and that scripture truly answers each question. This could be considered a book of preparation for anyone wishing to enter a ministry, because it addresses the issues that caring, hurting people carry around with them. If someoen ever hopes to reach an audience, then understanding the heart of that audience is an important first step.

Most important, this is the type of book my 17-year-old daughter might pull off the shelf when confronted by one of her Atheist friends, or another teen who is struggling with finding a way to matter in a world that clearly says they do not. When she searches for answers, this will help her find them, or at least show her where to start.

Max offers as much truth as possible, mixed with his careful opinion in areas where the Bible may be silent. He treats the questions with respect, acknowledging the fact that it’s the questions that force him to dig deeper. He never claims to have all the answers; but in his own personal attempt to find them, he shares insight that makes sense, his growing knowledge from his constant journey. I sense that had he written this book at the beginning of his years as an author and minister, it would have a very different outcome. The same is true if he tackles these same questions 25 years from now.

For me, the greatest value of this book was found at the end; a seven-page addendum entitled The Write Stuff. He never simplifies the process, but shares why he continues to write, to find new words to express God’s story. He shares his struggles with the editing process, but admits that his words are better because of it. “Writing is not glamorous work. But it is noble, holy, and worthwhile,” Max shares, spurring his readers on to share their story in a written word if there is no way to silence it.

Share

Review of The Final Summit: A Quest to Find the One Principle That Will Save Humanity by Andy Andrews

April 26, 2011 Janet Morris Grimes review No comments

The Final Summit by Andy Andrews

3.5 out of 5 stars

I first heard of Andy Andrews as a keynote speaker at a Women of Faith Conference. Later, I discovered tidbits of information on his past, on how he started literally from underneath a bridge and made the choice to change his life. Somewhere along the way, he decided to see how many people he could bring with him along for the ride as he perches on the New York Times Bestseller List in a myriad of categories on a regular basis. As noted for his speaking as for his writing abilities, his methods for keeping the attention of an audience, and inspiring them to be better because of their time spent with him, is impressive.

To me, the opportunity to read any of his books is an appealing way to get to know this inspiring individual, even if it is through a piece of fiction. The writer becomes as important as the story, and I went into this experience prepared to adore the story because I already admired its writer.

I won’t say that I was disappointed in the story, but rather that I loved the premise and thought there could be so much more to it.

So, on to that story. What if some of the most notable members of our history, the ones whose decisions affected the greatest number of lives, gathered together to offer their opinions on what is wrong with today’s world, and how to change it? An intriguing question, and Andrews uses one of his beloved characters from “The Traveler’s Gift” to answer it. Written as a sequel, the reader need not be familiar with the first story in order to fully understand this one.

David Ponder, the aging main character of this story, gets the opportunity to lead such a summit, charged with tapping into the wisdom of past ‘travelers’ of world history to answer the question, “What must change in order to save humanity?” The group is given 5 chances to come up with the two-word answer.

What followed was lengthy discussion; imaginary dialogue on what needs to change, and why. At this point, the book became too easy to put down. Maybe I expected more action, or perhaps I expected God to become more of the solution.

It’s is a good story with a good message told in a creative way. I learned a great deal about history, and it is evident that Andrews researched the actual characters in great detail before including them in his summit. I consider it more of a self-help type of book along the lines of How to be Highly Effective more than a story that changed my life in some way. It reminded me of a movie where the entire movie shows the chase for the secret to life, but the audience is left walking out of the theater thinking “Is that all there is?”

Still, nothing can take away from the accomplishments of Andrews, what could be gained by reading this book and studying the thought processes of some of the most notable, and effective, members of world history. I recommend this book for the the food for thought alone. It is nice to wonder what Abraham Lincoln or King David would say if they were here facing the world with us today.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Share

Review of Heart of Ice by Lis Wiehl with April Henry

April 5, 2011 Janet Morris Grimes review One comment

Heart of Ice is chilling

Four out of Five Stars.

About the Book The Triple Threat Club novels follow three fiercely intelligent women—a TV reporter, a Federal prosecutor and an FBI agent—as they investigate crimes as current as today’s headlines. The Triple Threat women have faced intense situations before…but never such a cunningly cold-blooded murderer. Elizabeth Avery is a stunningly beautiful woman. But her perfectly managed exterior hides the ice cold heart of a killer. She ingeniously manipulates everyone who crosses her path to do exactly as she wishes–from crime reporter Cassidy Shaw, who thinks Elizabeth is her new best friend, to a shy young man Elizabeth persuades to kill for her. As Elizabeth leaves a trail of bodies in her wake, Federal prosecutor Allison Pierce and FBI agent Nicole Hedges must piece together clues from seemingly unrelated crimes. Can they stop her before she reaches her unthinkable, ultimate end-game?

My Review:

My favorite aspect of the Triple Threat Series is the realness of the three main characters. Though they each have high profile jobs and face untelling dangers, they are regular women, struggling with self-esteem, weight, and even a possible cancer diagnoses. Their reactions are believable and endearing, the bond between them never in question, even if circumstances create a brief distance between them.

This particular story is action-packed, with countless twists that keep the pages turning quickly. Almost three or four separate stories in one, the evil mind of Elizabeth took her places I could not have possibly guessed in advance. A master manipulator, she found ways to have others do her dirty work for her, so it came as a surprise when she took matters into her own hands, so to speak. A serial killer who made sure she could never be to blame.

I would not categorize Heart of Ice as Christian Fiction, so much as a great suspense novel. There are a few moments where Allison or Nicole question their faith, and prayer becomes a greater part of the story at the end, but it was not a common undertone throughout the story. There are many adult elements, handled as tastefully as possible while still painting a true picture of what these characters were capable of doing. Obviously, the numerous, seemingly unrelated crimes and murders take center stage, making this more of a thriller than what I would refer to as Christian Fiction.

I felt that the reader was left hanging a bit with the Foley case, the case that pits the opposing viewpoints of the three women from the beginning of the story. As it was ongoing, they worked through their doubts, but it became anti-climactic and had nothing to do with the rest of the plot, so it almost became a distraction.

Other than this, I highly recommend any of the books in the Triple Threat Series because they are well written and intriguing, this one, even more exciting and disturbing than the last.

Disclaimer: I was provided an advance copy of Heart of Ice by Thomas Nelson Publishers in exchange for this review. I was not required to write a positive review.

Share

Review of The Falling Away by T.L. Hines

March 16, 2011 Janet Morris Grimes review No comments

Two out of Five Stars.

Demons, both literal and symbolic, is the best way to describe the latest offering by T.L. Hines. Though I consider this story to be along the lines of paranormal fiction, it depicts the struggles of Dylan Runs Ahead, a member of the Montana Crow tribe, as he is haunted by his past, including the disappearance of his younger sister years before, something for which he blamed himself. Add to that, the death of a good friend, the explosion in Iraq that completely mangled one of his legs, and Dylan finds himself trapped by a web of his own horrible choices, mixed with some assistance from the demons that continue to beg for more of him.

Without giving away the ending, I was thankful that it led to a place of understanding and a bit of triumph, considering the darkness that bogged down most of the story.

For me, personally, this story was difficult to follow. The most intriguing parts, presented as flashbacks throughout, entailed Dylan’s time in Iraq. The characters were real, likeable, and Hines perfectly depicted the isolated lives of the soldiers, never knowing who to trust as they dismantled explosives intended to kill them, at least several times a day. I would have preferred a complete novel on that story.

As it was, the story bounced around from present to past, from conversations with demons, some inside his head while others he spoke to face to face, and cult-like communities mixed up in international drug trafficking. A battle between the Chosen and the Falling Away, but I found most of the characters difficult to like, relate to,  or follow. Including the main character, Dylan, at times.

Some have described this story as breathtaking, a rush to the finish. If you are into supernatural or paranormal fiction, this book may be just the thing for you. I am not one of those people. I found it more of a chore, limping to the finish and still wondering what just happened.

This book was provided by Thomas Nelson, as part of their BookSneeze program.

Share
« Older Entries