Read Love Review: One Way Love by Tullian Tchvidjian

(click on book cover to buy at Amazon.com)

One Way Love: Inexhaustible Grace For An Exhausted World 

by Tullian Tchvidjian

Description from Amazon.com:

Real life is long on law and short on grace—the demands never stop, the failures pile up, and fear sets in. Life requires many things from us—a stable marriage, successful children, a certain quality of life. Anyone living inside the guilt, anxiety, and uncertainty of daily life knows that the weight of life is heavy. We are all in need of some relief.

Bestselling author Tullian Tchividjian is convinced our exhausted world needs a fresh encounter with God's inexhaustible grace—His one-way love. Sadly, however, Christianity is perceived as being a vehicle for good behavior and clean living—and the judgments that result from them—rather than the only recourse for those who have failed over and over and over again. Tchividjian convincingly shows that Christianity is not about good people getting better. If anything, it is good news for bad people coping with their failure to be good. 

In this "manifesto," Tchividjian calls the church back to the heart of the Christian faith—grace. It is time for us to abandon our play-it-safe religion, and to get drunk on grace. Two hundred-proof, unflinching grace. It’s shocking and scary, unnatural and undomesticated … but it is also the only thing that can set us free and light the church—and the world—on fire.

My Review:

Those who know me well know that Tullian is one of my favorite religious leaders and speakers. I enjoy watching Coral Ridge Presbyterian services online, and I read and heartily enjoyed Tullian's recent work Jesus + Nothing = Everything. So, when offered the opportunity to read and review this new book, I jumped at the chance.

What did I think? I loved it. Why? Let me tell you. It's neither a self-help book nor a pretentious, stuffy theological treatise. Make no mistake, Tullian is well-educated and trained, and the theology is sound. However, this book is written for the modern, every-day person, not just for pastors and theologians.

Tullian's introduction presents an exhausted, broken world filled with frustrated, hurting people. And in this book, he explores two questions: "What is the cause for our exhaustion?" and "What is the cure?"

In short, the answer to the first question is that "we are trying to save ourselves" through good works and performancism (defined by Tullian as "the mindset that equates our identity and value directly with our performance"). In discussing performancism, Tullian defines and discusses law, both "big-l Law" and "little-l law." The first, being God's biblical law, and the second being society's laws and expectations.

The answer to the second question ("What is the cure?") is, to oversimplify, Jesus -- grace.

Tullian's examinations of law and grace, as well as discussions of justification by works versus justification by faith brings the reader to a greater understanding of grace. Before you think, "Oh, this is going to rationalize lazy Christians," pause and reconsider. As Christians, we all intellectually understand what Christ did for us. The gospel was preached to us as the Good News that brought us to the Lord. But, unfortunately, once we get to Jesus, we tend to forget what He did for us. Instead, we begin to try to earn our way to Heaven. Tullian's book uses both real-life examples -- many from his own life -- and biblical support to illustrate what grace, or "one-way love", looks like. Of course, grace cannot be fully understood in an intellectual manner; rather, it is felt or experienced.

Tullian has experienced this one-way love, and is passionately dedicated to declaring the gospel to the world. Because we continually forget what Jesus did for us, he preaches grace and the message of the gospel again and again.

Reading this book can be a liberating experience. It will remind you that "It is finished!" So stop running on that hamster wheel. Stop trying to fix everything and everyone, including yourself. Lean instead on Christ who succeeded that you might be free to fail.

About Tullian Tchvidjian: 

While you may not be familiar with Tullian Tchvidjian, Senior Pastor at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, chances are you know his grandfather, the Reverend Billy Graham. In additon to his pastorial duties, Pastor Tullian lectures at Knox Theological Seminary and is the founder of LIBERATE.

Pastor Tullian and One Way Love on the Web: 

Below, view a sermon on the topic of the book:

Please disregard the butchering of his name by the gentleman who introduces him. His name is pronounced TULL-ee-an cha-VIDG-in. (As Tullian says, it rhymes with religion.)

Excerpts available here:

Introduction

First Chapter

*Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received the above book for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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."

 

Read Love Reviews: Mockingjay

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins

Pub. Date: August 24, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Format: Hardcover, 390pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Series: Hunger Games #3
ISBN-13: 9780439023511

Description from Amazon.com:

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what's worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either.

My Review:

Mockingjay. What a book! Suzanne Collins has crafted one of the most intelligent and and readable series that we've seen in recent years. She utilized each piece in the trilogy to develop and bring the series to completion. Nothing is wasted. While she might have been tempted to stretch the series out for sales, it's clear she stayed true to her vision as she steered the story to an end. Much respect to Ms. Collins!

No bones about it, Mockingjay is a dark novel. You'll be emotionally spent when you finish it. And that's as it should be. Collins has successfully demonstrated the crippling and devastating effects of war. Civilian or soldier alike, no one escapes unscathed. No one remains unchanged. If you read The Hunger Games hoping for more exploration of the ramifications of war and violence, you'll be satisfied to see that Mockingjay is both ambitious enough and honest enough to confront the stark reality head on. Nothing is sugar-coated or glossed over. This unflinchingly realistic portrayal of war and revolution shows that even the victors sacrifice more than anyone should. 

If you are looking for sunshine and happy endings, you'll be disappointed. This is no fairy tale, and Collins would be doing you a disservice to serve up any other ending than the one that she provides. Because it stays realistic, this series feels more adult. It becomes elevated beyond a story. The characters start to live and breathe and rise off the page. Your heart will break for them as they love, fight, struggle, and survive (or die). Survival will not come easily or cleanly; it will not be free from trauma and after-effects. In this sense, the books succeed masterfully by showing the reader vicariously what war is like. Hopefully, most of us will never need to learn first hand the horrors of war. Collins has taken the subject and presented it in a way that effectively shows us the atrocities of war in order that her readers can learn something the easy way rather than through experience.

These books will inspire intelligent conversation about war and violence, truth and lies, and the influence of television and the media in disseminating information to manipulate the masses. Additionally, the series should inspire discussion about love and hope, compassion and kindness. By nature, man is capable of committing the most egregious acts of violence and hatred. But at the same time, we are capable of much beauty and love. And these novels show the complexity and fullness of humanity and how extreme circumstances can bring out both the worst and the best in us.

Read Love Reviews: Catching Fire

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Pub. Date: September 1, 2009
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Format: Nook book, 275pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Series: Hunger Games #2
ISBN-13: 9780545227247

Description from BN.com:

Suzanne Collins continues the amazing story of Katniss Everdeen in the phenomenal Hunger Games trilogy.

Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has won the annual Hunger Games with fellow district tribute Peeta Mellark. But it was a victory won by defiance of the Capitol and their harsh rules. Katniss and Peeta should be happy. After all, they have just won for themselves and their families a life of safety and plenty. But there are rumors of rebellion among the subjects, and Katniss and Peeta, to their horror, are the faces of that rebellion. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge.

My Review:

Suzanne Collins did it! She wrote a sequel that is every bit as good as The Hunger Games. Possibly better. It's everything I can do not to dive into number 3 right away. I would if I could, but my dear husband has ordered the hardcover series box set after reading my paperback copy of book 1. So rather than order the Nook version, I will wait a few days for the books to arrive.

Don't worry, no spoilers here. I wouldn't do that to you! Read on....

I enjoyed seeing more of Panem and getting to know the other districts better in this installment. The overall setting really came to life.

Some have commented that the first part of Catching Fire is slow, but I didn't find it to be so. I enjoyed catching up with what life after the Games had been like for Katniss. We get to see more of her family and friends in District 12. Overall, Suzanne Collins continues to develop her characters. Katniss is more self-aware. It's nice to watch her grow and learn from her experience. She's still the same feisty girl, but she becomes more savvy about how her actions affect others. In addition to our heroine, you'll get to know all the principles better and meet some new folks, too.

Once again, there are scenes that will touch you, scenes where you will laugh and scenes where you will cry. And the whole time, you'll be totally immersed in the story. Like book 1, the text is tight and doesn't bog down the plot or slow the pace. Collins' economy of words is amazing. She manages to keep the plot moving while at the same time maximizing scenes. For instance, though sometimes a character may not have many scenes or extended dialogue, Collins always makes the most of the words she does use. Additionally, I marvelled at just how much takes place in such a slim volume. The plot, as it unfolds, gets increasingly complex. By the midway point, the novel takes off. And once you've read that far, you won't put it down. And don't worry, the author will keep you guessing. Trust me, when I finished the book, my jaw just plain dropped!

I look forward to finding out how life will continue to evolve for Katniss and the rest of Panem. I know Mockingjay will be just as incredible as the other two books have been. Can't wait!

If you haven't read this series yet, what are you waiting for??!

Read Love Reviews: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Pub. Date: July 1, 2010
Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.
Format: Paperback, 374pp
Age Range: Young Adult

Series: Hunger Games #1
ISBN-13: 9780439023528

Description from Amazon.com:

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. Long ago the districts waged war on the Capitol and were defeated. As part of the surrender terms, each district agreed to send one boy and one girl to appear in an annual televised event called, "The Hunger Games," a fight to the death on live TV. Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she is forced to represent her district in the Games. The terrain, rules, and level of audience participation may change but one thing is constant: kill or be killed.

My Review:

My first reaction after finishing The Hunger Games was this: Why did I wait so long?!

I knew this series was all-the-rage, but sometimes that keeps me away. Hype can lead to expectations which can end in disappointment. I waited for the paperback release. And even then, it sat on my shelf. So if you are reading this review to decide whether or not to read the book...you can stop right now. Stop. Drop what you are doing. Get thee to a bookstore or library. Get a copy in your hands. Let the reading commence!

Although she certainly didn't create the genre, Suzanne Collins may be responsible for the Dystopian trend the YA publishing world is currently enjoying. Just as Stephanie Meyer ushered in a plethora of vampire/paranormal romance books, Collins paved the way for more post-apocolyptic page-turners. And it's no wonder, because with The Hunger Games, Collins crafted a nearly flawless book.

Panem is an interesting place. There are, or rather were, 13 districts in this post-apocolyptic world. The unlucky 13th was destroyed during a rebellion against the totalitarian government. Interesting choice, as I can't help but think of the 13 original colonies that were America's beginning. Could this world then be our future? Could we be controlled by a government that cares more for power than for its citizens?

Collins has made a society that feels realistic and plausible, which makes her fictional horrors perils worth consideration. The writing is not flashy or self-conscious. Collins avoid common YA cliches and pitfalls and serves her novel best by staying out of its way. As John Green (yes, THE John Green) wrote in the NY Times: "...by not calling attention to itself, the text disappears in the way a good font does: nothing stands between Katniss and the reader, between Panem and America."

Perhaps the biggest strength of the novel is its cast of characters. Many are vividly drawn and memorable. This is especially important in a series. Several of the secondary characters are compelling enough for you to care about them - whether it's to fall in love with them, laugh at them, cheer for them, or want to know more about them. One will even break your heart. 

Katniss, our heroine, is a singular girl. She's strong, tough, and a little cold. But it's not surprising that a girl whose life has been a struggle for survival is sometimes lacking skills in the finer feelings. While detached and calculating she may be, heartless she is not. That's why it isn't difficult to love this smart, strong female lead. Her emotional inepitude makes her imperfect and that makes her more loveable. I won't go into the cast of characters beyond Katniss because you should really meet them on your own terms.

Lastly, The Hunger Games is well-plotted and perfectly paced. You'll find yourself turning the pages, devouring the tale, and then reaching for the next. Did I tell you to grab it? Let me revise that. If you are late getting the book like me, you're in a lucky spot. All the books in the trilogy have been published. Grab all three at once! You'll probably not come up for air until you've read the whole shebang!

----

A word to those leery about the subject matter. (I know you're out there -- Hi, Mom!) Yes, the premise is brutal. Kids fighting to the death for survival is grim. But let's be clear about something: The Hunger Games does not glorify violence. If you want to worry about your kids being influenced negatively by popular entertainment, worry about some of the stuff on television, worry about those crazy video games they play like Grand Theft Auto. Worry about those CDs with warning stickers. But please, don't let your fear keep your children from picking up this book. It's entertainment, yes. But it's not disposable or gratuitous. It is literature. They will learn something about themselves. Thematically, the book is about sacrifice, love, freedom, and humanity. In this fictional reality, just like in real life, adversity and struggle can bring out either the best or the worst in people. When tested, it is up to each of us to decide how we will respond. My mother, who disliked the premise of this book, happened to love Lord of the Flies. Newsflash, Mom: These two books really aren't that far apart.  

CD Reviews: NewReleaseTuesday.com Glory by Michael W. Smith

I'd like to share my newest CD review for NewReleaseTuesday.com:

Glory  by Michael W. Smith.

The newest release from Michael W. Smith, Glory, is an instrumental album, and serves as a kind of companion to his 2000 album Freedom.

Click through on the CD cover to hop over to NewReleaseTuesday.com to read my review.

Michael W. Smith - Glory

5 stars

NewReleaseTuesday.com is a terrific site, full of Christian music (and book) reviews and news.  Each week, you can stream an entire album!  If you're interested, click on the logo below to learn more! Right now, you can stream this record!

I have been asked to join the Album Review Staff at NewReleaseTuesday.com, the #1-ranked Christian music website.
Each month I'll be writing two or three reviews for them.
(Note: I will still be posting book reviews, etc., here on Read Love.)

*I receive no remuneration for my reviews at NewReleaseTuesday.com.*

Read Love Reviews: Erak's Ransom

Erak's Ransom by John Flanagan

Pub. Date: Sept 6, 2011
Publisher: Penguin Group, USA 
Format: Paperback, 273pp
Age Range: 9 to 12
Series: Ranger's Apprentice #7

ISBN-13: 9780142415252

Synopsis from BN.com:

What does it mean to earn the Silver Oakleaf? So few men have done so. For Will, a mere boy, that symbol of honor has long felt out of reach. Now, in the wake of Araluen's uneasy truce with the raiding Skandians comes word that the Skandian leader has been captured by a dangerous desert tribe. The Rangers are sent to free him. But the desert is like nothing these warriors have seen before. Strangers in a strange land, they are brutalized by sandstorms, beaten by the unrelenting heat, tricked by one tribe that plays by its own rules, and surprisingly befriended by another. Like a desert mirage, nothing is as it seems. Yet one thing is constant: the bravery of the Rangers.

In this red-hot adventure, winner of the Australian Book of the Year Award for Older Children, John Flanagan raises the stakes on the series that has already sold millions of copies worldwide.

My Review:

As this is the seventh in a ten-book series, I can't divulge too much without spoilers.  Therefore, I'm going to do a mini-review.  I'll tell you what I like about this series and what I enjoyed about Erak's Ransom in particular.

With the Ranger's Apprentice series, John Flanagan has created a host of endearing characters.  In this book, a great number of them are thrust together for the latest quest.  The strength of the series is these characters, so I was thrilled to see so many of my favorites in one book:  Will, Halt, Gil, Horace, Evanyln, and Erak.  The comraderie and humor shared by the characters is always a highlight, and there is plenty of that here.

Although number 7 in published order, according to the series timeline, Erak's Ransom fits between books 4 and 5.  Flanagan explains that he realized he failed to address a key moment in Will and Halt's story.  Glancing around the web, there are some readers grumbling that the author went backward in the timeline, annoyed by the knowledge that certain characters will survive, or frustrated at the delay in waiting to find out how the events later in the timeline will play out.  I am thrilled that Erak's Ransom rewinds.  For one, the story allows us to spend quality time with Halt whose presence was lacking in books 5 and 6.  And I always love those rowdy Skandians! 

Erak's Ransom introduces a new desert landscape and three groups that inhabit it:  the Arridi, the Bedullin, and the Tualaghi.  With this new world and new people, we have an opportunity for a different kind of adventure.  And we meet various people, gaining new friends and allies, as well as facing new foes and creating new enemies along the way.  I like that Flanagan's worlds and races are loosely based on our own.  This can be a good opportunity for kids who are reading the books to use them as a launching point to study real-life people and their histories.  For instance, the Arridi are an Arab people, the Bedullin informed by the Bedouin, and the Tualgahi based on the Tuareg.

I highly recommend both this book and series! It's full of adventure, bravery, honor, and action, while also alive with humor.  Clean and intelligent, these books are never dumbed down and are always fun! Think The Lord of the Rings meets Robin Hood for a young audience.

CD Review: Jeremy Riddle - Furious

Furious by Jeremy Riddle
Release Date: September 20, 2011
Label: Vineyard Music
Format:  Compact Disc, 54 min, 19 sec

Tracklist:
1. Fall Afresh
2. Furious
3. Love Came Down
4. One Thing Remains
5. Acquitted        
6. You Are Good
7. Walk In The Promise
8. One Thirst and Hunger
9. Glory To The Lamb
10. The Lord Is My Shepherd
11. Here
12. Always

My Review:

Jeremy Riddle returns with his third studio release entitled Furious.  Before listening to Furious, my familiarity with Riddle was primarily from his 2007 Number One single, "Sweetly Broken", which topped the K-Love radio chart for more than 40 weeks.  On this new project, Jeremy works with producers Ed Cash, Bobby Hartry, and Jeremy Edwardson.  Riddle, a worship leader and songwriter, penned all the songs on the album, occasionally writing with Brian Johnson (pastor of Bethel Church) and/or Christa Black (solo artist who spent years as violinist/background vocalist in Michael W. Smith's band).

From the opening track, it is clear that the listener is in for a special experience.  The lead-off song, "Fall Afresh", is a beautiful prayer and invitation to the Holy Spirit.  As such, the song is a wonderful way to begin and establish the emotional tone for the album.  The music starts quietly with gentle, melodic notes and builds until it bursts forth like a sunrise.  I'd liken the song to a morning prayer, as it expresses both the peace and the invigorating energy a prayer can bring.  Jeremy sings:

Spirit of the Living God, Come fall afresh on me
Come wake me from my sleep
Blow through the caverns of my soul
Pour in me to overflow, to overflow 

With the single "Furious", Riddle captures the energy and passion of God's love as well as its power to transform.  You'll find yourself singing along with the chorus:

His love is deep, His love is wide, And it covers us. 

His love is fierce, His love is strong, It is furious. 

His love is sweet, His love is wild, And it’s waking hearts to life. 

"Love Came Down", "One Things Remains", and "Acquitted" address the mercy and steadfast love of God -- a constant in our lives, whether we are experiencing joy or despair.  "One Thing Remains" has its own infectious refrain:

Your love never fails

It never gives up 

It never runs out on me

"You are Good" is sure to be a hit at radio as well as a crowd favorite during live shows.  The straight-ahead rock song full of driving bass and guitar is a celebratory praise offering that will make you feel like dancing and shouting along as Riddle proclaims:

I’ll sing because You are good

I’ll dance because You are good
I’ll shout because You are good
You are good to me, to me

I could go on and on and on singing the praises of this album.  Furious is so strong a finished product that you'll not want to skip a single track.  The album is well-sequenced:  quiet, reflective songs, anthemic praise songs,  rocky celebrations -- all are here and seamlessly woven together in a way that ebbs and flows naturally.  Musically, the album is beautifully and carefully crafted.  Many songs have various movements that tend to start more slowly and quietly, build to a crescendo, and come back down to a quiet stillness and peaceful prayer opportunity.  "Walk In The Promise" is a stirringly gorgeous example of this.  Minor key and moody, the song is perfect for listening to at night under a starry sky or on the open road.  In fact, the latter part of the record lends itself to quiet reflection and peaceful retreat.  "Glory To The Lamb", another joyful praise anthem, co-written with Christa Black, is wedged in between the quieter moments to keep things from feeling too weighty. 

One of my favorites, "The Lord Is My Shepherd", based in part on Psalm 23, is both a prayer and a declaration of love from a faithful follower.  Riddle shares that he wrote this song out of his own experience with a period of darkness.  He talks of having "checked out" for a week, losing himself in a television show.  Not wanting to depend on anything other than God, this song is his resolution to turn only to God for solace and satisfaction:

 

The Lord is my Shepherd,

And I’ll want for nothing.

You lead me to water

For You know I’m thirsting.
And I, I’m only satisfied by You, by You.

Every day, I’ll make a choice 

To be led only by Your voice.
To be bold, unafraid

Knowing I am covered, I am safe
And even now in my need

You are proving yet again to me
That You are there, You are there, always there

Another favorite of mine is the final track, "Always".  It is a gentle, plaintive prayer sung over a lullaby-like loop:

I want to run away,
Find a place quiet to pray.
A place that’s lonely,
Where I can find You only.

It's a perfect ending.  The album began with what sounded like sunrise, and it ends with the quiet of night and moon.  Riddle sings his heart to God in prayer.  "Fall Afresh", "Walk in The Promise", and "Always" carry prayer through the record in a way that recalls Psalm 55:17,  "Morning, noon, and night I cry out in my distress, and the Lord hears my voice." 

Furious is an well-crafted collection of fervent, passionate, prayerful songs that you'll be able to connect with.  You'll find words and music that reflect your heart for every mood and moment.  Don't walk, run to pick up a copy! You'll not regret it! (Please see links to iTunes and other web sites at the bottom of this post.)

*Highly recommended!*

Meet Jeremy:

Jeremy Riddle is a songwriter and worship leader. He first hit the scene in 2007 with the critically acclaimed record, Full Attention. This project had the radio hit "Sweetly Broken", which was the number one song on the radio station K-Love for over 40 weeks in 2007. Since then Jeremy has toured extensively all over the US. The Riddle Band has opened for Rebecca St. James and Big Daddy Weave and has played events with Brenton Brown as well.

In 2009 Jeremy released his second project, The Now and Not Yet with the radio singles "Bless His Name" and "Christ Is Risen".  In the fall of 2010 his first full length live project Prepare the Way was released, including tracks from live shows in 2009.

Jeremy comes from a family of 7 children and was homeschooled all the way through high school. He graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a BA in Political Science.  Jeremy attended and later served as a youth pastor at the Anaheim Vineyard. Riddle is married with 4 children and now lives in Redding, California, where he is part of the worship ministry at Bethel Church.

Furious Album Bio:

“…and as I passed the fire I did not know whether it was hell or the furious love of God.”
- GK Chesterton, The Diabolist

A certain, magnificent comfort exists in the resolve that, of man’s innumerable conquests, fully grasping God’s love is one that will never be actualized. Such truth has left Christians scouring for words to best describe this holy affection since the Old Testament.

As Chesterton’s quote rattled around in Jeremy Riddle’s mind over a recent period of time, it was decided “furious” was the closest expression he was going to get regarding his experience with a divine love.

“It’s hard to come up with words that depict the magnitude of Christ’s love – the depth and width of it,” Jeremy says. “‘Furious’ doesn’t work outside of the context of love; we tend to translate the word as angry, but I see it as a super-powerful force; stronger, deeper, broader than our vocabulary can fully describe.”

So if each new album should serve as the next chapter in an artist’s life story, Furious is a well-suited project title for a man who’s spent much of the past year struggling to accurately express his experience of a passionate God amidst some life transition.

Four years on the road as a touring worship leader eventually took its toll on Jeremy, so in January 2011, the former Jr. High youth pastor came on staff as worship community pastor at Bethel Church in Redding, CA. Working under pastors Brian and Jenn Johnson, Jeremy facilitates a worship community of over 200 people within the church.

“My wife (Katie) and I have always had a heart to serve the local church and never wanted to do the full-time travel thing for very long, so it felt like a good time to transition into something different,” Jeremy says. “I’ve developed such an appreciation for the fruit that has been sowed from my life – personally and artistically – by being part of a local community.”

Jeremy Riddle on the Web: 

*Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received the above CD for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. 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."

Read Love Reviews: Underdogs

Underdogs by Markus Zusak

Pub. Date: August 1, 2011

Publisher: Scholastic, Inc.

Format: Hardcover, 499 pp

Age Range: Young Adult

ISBN-13:  9780545354424

Synopsis from BN.com:

From the bestselling author of THE BOOK THIEF. Before THE BOOK THIEF, Markus Zusak wrote a trilogy of novels about the Wolfe Brothers: THE UNDERDOG, FIGHTING RUBEN WOLFE, and GETTING THE GIRL. Cameron and Ruben Wolfe are champions at getting into fights, coming up with half-baked schemes, and generally disappointing girls, their parents, and their much more motivated older siblings. They're intensely loyal to each other, brothers at their best and at their very worst....

We're proud to present these novels together for the first time, and to be introducing American readers to THE UNDERDOG, never before published in the United States. Fans of THE BOOK THIEF won't want to miss reading the novels that launched Markus Zusak's stellar career.

My Review:

The Book Thief was no fluke.  It was the culmination of years of work and growth from a gifted writer.  When I began reading the first book in Underdogs, fearful that it would prove to be vastly inferior to The Book Thief (one of my all-time favorite books), I found real and rapid assurance that the hand that authored that masterpiece also wrote these words.  In The Underdog, originally published in 1999 (and his first work), Markus Zusak's talent and unique style, and the poetic beauty that shapes The Book Thief, are already present.

It's nice to see all three titles about the Wolfe brothers -- The Underdog, Fighting Ruben Wolfe, and Getting the Girl -- bound in one volume.  This makes for a great reading experience as the novellas seamlessly connect to form one unified work.  And you'll find that the writing is so good you'll gobble up each piece whole.  So it's a relief not to have to hunt down another book or wait for another release to read more about Cameron and Ruben.  It's also worth noting that this publication is the first time American readers can get their hands on Zusak's first book, The Underdog.  (An observant reader might notice that the Australian version of Getting the Girl is titled When Dogs Cry.  This is not just repackaging or marketing by the publisher. They bear different titles for good reason:  Getting the Girl is actually a rewrite of When Dogs Cry.  But I'll talk more about this later.)

Let me tell you what I love about Markus Zusak's writing:  His characterization.  He writes about real people.  These aren't heroic renderings of polished, perfect humans like you'll find on TV. Cameron and Ruben, their family, and the other folks who inhabit their world, are dirty, flawed, messy, and raw.  And it's their sloppiness, their imperfections and vulnerabilities, these very human qualities, that give them life.  Any time you read a Zusak book, you come away feeling like you know the characters, as if they are real people.  And you feel you should be able to look out your window and find them walking in the streets.  You know and understand them, and most importantly, you care about them.

I won't tell you too much about the plot.  A plot synopsis or book jacket will never entice you to read a Zusak book anyway.  His books generally don't have out-of-this-world-I-wonder-what-this-could-be-about premises.  Instead, they are about ordinary people living ordinary lives.  But there is extraordinary beauty in every day life, and that's what Zusak is so gifted at revealing.  When you read about Cameron and Ruben Wolfe, you'll read about Loyalty. Family. Honor. Fear. Pain. Forgiveness. Longing. Hunger. Love. Pride. Fighting. Winning.  And by watching Cameron learn to live his life, you'll learn about Living.

I love this book, or rather, these books, more than I could express.  In fact, when I read The Underdog, I was busy and got away from it.  Not wanting to cheat the book or lose the emotion, I started again at the beginning and became so engrossed that I read the entire thing without pause.  The next night, I did the same with Fighting Ruben Wolfe.  With each tale, my emotional connection to the characters grew.  By the end, I loved Cameron.  I had laughed with and at him, ached and cried for him.  And I was happy for and proud of him, too.  It was difficult to say goodbye when the final story ended.

I didn't need to say an abrupt farewell, though.  After reading a note on Markus' Facebook page, I discovered that there was a significant difference in the third book.  Markus explains in this note (I wouldn't recommend reading it until after you've read the book) that the American publisher requested a change in When Dogs Cry (which would be renamed Getting the Girl).  I was curious as to how the book was altered and wanted to know what Zusak's original vision was.  I had to get my hands on a copy of the Aussie version.  Luckily, Markus pointed readers to a couple of booksellers, and I was able to download an epub from an online store.  (Now, this is the beauty of e-books! No need to wait for (and pay for) international shipping!)  Once I had put the ebook on my Nook, I read it in one sitting.  Then I re-read the last 100 pages of Getting the Girl.  I was surprised at how the same story can be told so differently.  As Zusak says, "It was a change that would take it on a different course to arrive at almost an identical ending."  However, while both titles end at the same place, with essentially the same final chapter, they are very different.  I'm still trying to digest those differences.  The emotional experience has changed.  I don't want to ruin it, but if you read Underdogs, I would encourage you to read When Dogs Cry.  And if you've already read When Dogs Cry, you might want to get a copy of Underdogs or Getting the Girl to compare.

By all means, though, you MUST read Underdogs.  You need to find out for yourself why I love Cameron Wolfe.  Boy do I!  Forget Team Edward or Team Jacob or Team Fill-in-the-blank-boy-heartthrob.  I'm Team Cameron.  And more than that, I'm Team Wolfe.  Pick up this book, meet this family, and experience the beauty of Cameron's heart, soul, and words.

Read Love Reviews: Anne of Green Gables

Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery
(First published 1908)

Pub. Date: April 1982
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 308pp
Age Range: 10 and up
Series: Anne of Green Gables #1
ISBN-13: 19780553213133

Synopsis from the book jacket:

As soon as Anne Shirley arrives at the snug white farmhouse called Green Gables, she is sure she wants to stay forever...but will the Cuthberts send her back to the orphanage? Anne knows she's not what they expected -- a skinny girl with fiery red hair and a temper to match. If only she can convince them to let her stay, she'll try very hard not to keep rushing headlong into scrapes and blurting out the first thing that comes to her mind. Anne is not like anybody else, the Cuthberts agree; she is special -- a girl with an enormous imagination. This orphan girl dreams of the day when she can call herself Anne of Green Gables.

My review:

I just adore Anne of Green Gables! Avonlea is such a beautiful location for an imaginative getaway!

While not a fantasy, the world in which the characters of Anne of Green Gables live is brought to life through vivid descriptive passages.  The setting is king, becoming a character in itself.  Montgomery's vivid portrayal of the idyllic natural landscape is as large a part of her storytelling as Thomas Hardy's poetic descriptions of his fictional Wessex or Dickens' careful descriptions of filth, wont, and squalor in London streets and workhouses.  Whether seen through the eyes of the narrator or described by Anne, there is no doubt that Avonlea is a beauty to behold:

"Anne came dancing home in the purple winter twilight across the snowy places.  Afar in the southwest was the great shimmering, pearl-like sparkle of an evening star in a sky that was pale golden and ethereal rose over gleaming white spaces and dark glens of spruce.  The tinkles of sleigh bells among the snowy hills came like elfin chimes through the frosty air, but their music was not sweeter than the song in Anne's heart and on her lips."

Besides the setting, another thing that immediately impresses me about Anne of Green Gables is Montgomery's facility for creating characters that seem as alive as can be.  At the novel's opening, it's appropriate that we should be introduced first to the meddlesome Rachel Lynde, who with her "all-seeing eye" spies on the goings and comings in the town of Avonlea.  From the get-go, we feel that we know and understand Rachel, Marilla, and Matthew.  And we look forward to getting to know them better, as well as meeting other townsfolk.  Each character has a unique voice, especially the loquacious Anne who speaks her own language with words and phrases like "the depths of the despair," "kindred spirit," "bosom friend," and "tragical".

From the moment when Anne Shirley arrives in Avonlea nothing and no one will be the same.  Just as her imagination reshapes her reality, this small, wiry, orphaned "freckled witch" of a girl will transform the world around her.  Her presence at Green Gables alters more than just her small gable room -- Anne changes the residents of Green Gables, Matthew and Marilla. While Marilla and Matthew teach, guide, and love Anne, she in turn teaches them.  While we see this unlikely family take shape and watch Anne grow, we find that she not only impacts the hearts of friends and families whose lives she touches, including the cantankerous Aunt Josephine Barry, but she makes readers love her, too.  Indeed, even Mark Twain, creator of his own rapscallion, Huck Finn, adored Anne Shirley.  In a letter to Montgomery, he writes that she is “the dearest and most lovable child in fiction since the immortal Alice.”

At the novel's beginning, eleven-year-old Anne is a bit like a young, untamed horse.  She's full of more spunk, zest, and joie-de-vivre than one body can reasonably accommodate.  This unbridled spirit, combined with a limitless imagination lands her in a great many scrapes and escapades.  But luckily, Anne learns that each dawn brings "a new day with no mistakes in it".  We watch her grow, both physically and emotionally -- by novel's end she is over sixteen -- learning lessons from each of her amusing and touching adventures and from her own foibles.

We see in young Anne a spark of childhood imagination and energy, but more than that, a vigor that does not fade as she ages.  Anne is the embodiment of spirit.  She knows what it is to be alive.  As such, she takes nothing for granted.  She loves mornings and soaks up not only the beauty in the world around her, but also any morsel of learning or knowledge that she can.  As she grows, Anne becomes as reflective as she was impulsive.  She never loses sight of the many blessings she has been given, and is grateful for all that she has.  Her gratitude and enthusiasm is as infectious as her charm.  She makes you laugh and cry.  She helps you dream and imagine right along with her.  But most of all, Anne leaves you grateful to have, as she does, your own little slice of  heaven on earth.  It may not be Avonlea, but it's home.  And who better to teach us gratitude for the simple pleasures and blessings of a loving home, than Anne Shirley, the most beguiling and loveable orphan you'll ever meet!

Alas, the only thing wrong with Anne of Green Gables is that the story has to end.  As Anne says:

"The worst of imaging things is that the time comes when you have to stop and that hurts."

But luckily, there are seven more books in the Anne of Green Gables series!

Read Love Reviews: Between Shades of Gray

Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Pub. Date: March 2011
Publisher: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
Format: Hardcover, 344pp
Age Range: Young Adult
ISBN-13: 9780399254123

Synopsis From BN.com:

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they've known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin's orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously - and at great risk - documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father's prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives. Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart.

My review:

 

Right now in YA Fiction, dystopia is all the rage.  Stories that you can't bear to watch, but from which you just can’t look away.  Sometimes, though, in order to inhabit a horrific landscape where individual freedom is at risk or strangled, hatred and brutality are all-too present, and survival seems against all odds, you need not use your imagination. You'll find that these places exist in our reality, in the not-so-distant past (or even in the present).  And sometimes the truth is more disturbing than any nightmare you could ever dream.

"He threw his burning cigarette onto our clean living room floor and ground it into the wood with his boot.  We were about to become cigarettes."

By the time I read these final sentences of the opening chapter, Between Shades of Gray had transported me to another place and time:  Lithuania, June 14, 1941 -- the day that Lina's real-life terror begins.

Between Shades of Gray is a lean book, with direct prose, short chapters, and quick pacing.  Straight from the start, the reader is carried along at a breakneck pace, and you find yourself gripping tightly to Lina in the midst of the chaos and confusion.  This is not the kind of book you can take lightly.  It is not to be read at your leisure.  If you like to read multiple things at the same time, alternating between them, you'll find that you can't do that here.  The subject matter is engrossing and the story will demand your complete attention. More than that, it will demand your entire being.

It's a story that must be told, by the protagonist and her author.  Some subjects and experiences are painfully difficult to talk about.  But art can facilitate both the expression and sharing of strong emotions.  Lina's drawing allows her catharsis:  Just as she washes away accumulated dirt and grime in the bathhouse, Lina sketches to move the horrific scenes from her mind to paper.  In so doing, she cleanses her spirit of the darkness in the world that threatens to break her spirit and body.  Her drawings speak the words Lina cannot express.  And they will speak for her, telling a story that she will carry in silence for the rest of her life. They document what happened to her and others like her.   They will expose the truth that man is capable of great evil.

Yet, while the art of both author and protagonist uncovers an ugly truth, beauty is revealed.  Lina learns that even in the most smothering darkness, there is always light.  It may be hiding where we least expect to find it. And sometimes, when we cannot find it in our surroundings, we need to look for in ourselves.  We need to hold on to that light -- happy memories, hope, dreams, goodness, kindness, generosity, and most importantly, love.  When love and light are present, the human spirit will endure.

Between Shades of Gray is a story that should not only be read, it should be shared -- passed from one to another like Lina's handkerchief.

So none may forget.

Read Love Reviews: Decision Points

Decision Points by George W. Bush

Pub. Date: November 2010

Publisher: Crown Publishers

Format: Hardback, 497pp

Age Range:Adult

ISBN-13: 9780307590619

My Review:

In March 2004, President George W. Bush’s daughter Jenna, in her final year at college, sent him a heartfelt letter asking that he consider allowing her to help him campaign for re-election.  She wrote:

"I hate hearing lies about you.  I hate when people criticize you. I hate that everybody can’t see the person I love and respect, the person that I hope I someday will be like."

I feel that Decision Points accomplishes what Jenna hoped to do in the campaign.  The book does a good job of showing us the man behind the presidential desk.  The man who was faced with tough decisions and did his best to make and stand behind them, stick with them as needed, or change course if necessary.  It’s easy to be on the outside looking in and criticize someone.  In the case of a president, many are so much more tempted to look for faults and mistakes. This book allows the reader a glimpse into the Office of the Presidency.  Arranging the book into chapters focused on the most pivotal decision points he faced as president, George Bush allows us to gain insight into both the decisions he made and also the thought, counsel, and information that led to his choices.  At times, we also get a peek at the emotions the president felt as a result of those decisions. While only other presidents can fully understand the privileges and burdens of the job, President Bush gives the reader the closest experience to walking a mile in his presidential shoes.

The justifications he gives for his decisions do not read like an attempt to defend himself or persuade the reader.  Instead, President Bush outlines the chronology of events surrounding each decision  and presents the facts (which were often unknown to the public at the time), leaving readers free to make their own judgments.  Absent in his memoir is any hint of resentment.  He also steers clear of political name-calling or finger-pointing, and at times even admits fault or takes the responsibility himself.

George W. Bush was perhaps more maligned than any other American president.  And the attacks were not limited to his policies or politics, they were personal.  One world leader compared him to Adolf Hitler.  A grieving mother of a serviceman told him, "You are as big a terrorist as Osama bin Laden."  President Bush speaks thusly of the woman’s harsh words: “If expressing her anger helped ease her pain, that was fine with me.”  Just as he stood quietly and took that angry verbal lashing, he endured all kinds of personal assaults on top of an already burdensome and taxing eight years in office.  He did not have the option of walking away, withholding judgment, or passing the buck.  A president’s job never ends, and as Bush’s time in the White House drew to a close, adversity never lessened. His final months were just as tough as his first year in office.  So, if in writing his book he were to show bitterness or ask for a little pity, one certainly couldn’t fault him.  However, he never did so while in office, and he did not do so in his book.  As he says, “I didn’t feel sorry for myself. . . Self-pity is a pathetic quality in a leader.” Although his family, especially his daughters, couldn’t help but take the harsh criticisms against him and his character to heart, Bush never personalized the attacks, nor did he allow public opinion or political posturing to steer his decision-making or exert undue force on his actions.

Decision Points is not a strict biography.  Though in the early pages he talks about his family and his career leading up to the presidency, its main focus is on Bush’s eight years in the White House.  Because of its conversational tone, the book is very readable and accessible. Several things stood out for me:    

• Bush’s love for his family – his parents, brothers and sister, Laura, and the twins.

Bush is at his most candid when speaking about family.  He freely shares letters from his father and daughter, as well as private moments like the death of his sister Robin and driving his mother to the hospital after a miscarriage.

• Moments of humor:  

In 1993, while  running the Houston Marathon, Bush passed his parents’ church just as the service let out.  As their son went by, his father cried encouragingly, “That’s my boy!”  His mother, on the other hand, shouted, “Keep moving, George! There are some fat people ahead of you!”

When visiting the Queen of England, President Bush asked about her dogs.  The corgis, who were soon brought out, were polite and well-behaved.  He immediately worried about the potential reciprocal meeting in America and the requisite canine introduction there.  He silently hoped that Barney would be just as well-mannered and "would not bark for Scottish independence."

• The humanity of George Bush: 

The chapter titled Lazarus Effect was one of the easiest and most rewarding in the book.  Here, Bush chronicles and explains his decisions that increased America’s contributions in the global fight against AIDS from the previous administration’s $500 million a year to eventually $15 billion over the period from 2003 to 2008. The fight was carried to fourteen of the world’s poorest and sickest nations, twelve of which were in Africa.  In 2007, Bush called on Congress to reaffirm the expiring initiative and actually doubled commitment to $30 billion over the next five years.  We read about trips that George and Laura took to Africa, and learn how these experiences and humanitarian efforts shaped the futures of daughters Jenna and Barbara as well.

When President Bush made personnel changes, rather than just remove people from their duties, like generals in Iraq whose strategies were not working, he would reward their service by finding promotion for them elsewhere.  Changes in staff, such as the decision not to re-nominate General Pete Pace as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, sometimes pained him.  Though he sought to save his friend public criticism and humiliation, he still expressed remorse for letting him go:  “I ached for Pete and his family.  When I presented him with a well-deserved Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008, it only partly assuaged my regret.”

• The emotional burden of U.S. military actions in Iraq and Afghanistan:

After he ordered the troops to Iraq, he took a private walk around the South Lawn, in silent prayer and reflection.  He felt the decision was the right thing to do, but that didn’t mean it was easy.  He is an emotional, compassionate man.  Each morning, he would read the newspapers and the overnight reports he received from the Situation room.  He refers to these reports as the “blue sheets.”  One section of the blue sheet listed the number, cause, and location of American casualties in each conflict.  President Bush writes about reading the reports: “When I received a blue sheet, I would circle the casualty figure with my pen, pause, and reflect on each individual loss.”  This was clearly hard on him.  One way he showed his gratitude for the service of these brave individuals was to write a letter to the family of each fallen soldier.  He wrote a total of over 5,000. He also met personally with about 550 families of the fallen, made numerous visits to hospitals to visit the wounded, and took a risky secret flight to Iraq in 2003, before the capture of Saddam Hussein, to spend Thanksgiving with the troops.

What the reader sees in Decision Points is a glimpse of the man his daughter Jenna loves,  respects, and admires.  George W. Bush believes in serving a cause greater than himself.  He is a man who did his best, facing the problems and issues dealt him, and, given the knowledge he had at hand, he acted thoughtfully and decisively in order to make what he considered to be the choices that were in the best interest of the country and/or the safety of the American people. For me, these words he spoke during the financial crisis define his guiding philosophy for decision-making during his terms as president: “We don’t have time to worry about politics. Let’s figure out the right thing to do and do it.”

Read Love Reviews: The Castle in the Attic

The Castle in the Attic by Elizabeth Winthrop

Pub. Date: August 1986
Publisher: Random House Children's Books
Format: Paperback, 179pp
Age Range: 9 to 12
ISBN-13: 9780440409410



 

Synopsis from the book jacket:

William has just received the best present of his life. It's an old, real-looking stone and wooden model of a castle, with a drawbridge, a moat, and a finger-high knight to guard the gates. It's the mysterious castle his housekeeper has told him about, and even though William is sad she's leaving, now the castle is his!

William can't wait to play with the castle--he's certain there's something magical about it. And sure enough, when he picks up the tiny silver knight, it comes alive in his hand!

Sir Simon tells William a mighty story of wild sorcery, wizards, and magic. And suddenly William is off on a fantastic quest to another land and another time--where a fiery dragon and an evil wizard are waiting to do battle . . . .

My Review:

I enjoyed The Castle in the Attic so much that I read it in one sitting, breaking only for dinner.  Having been bogged down in lengthy books, I wanted to read something fun and uplifting.  I picked up and quickly discarded several things, unable to concentrate or focus long enough to be drawn into the stories in those books.  So, emboldened by the fact that this was a slim volume, and recaptured by the imaginative promise of the book cover, I began to swiftly, but not hastily, plow through to the conclusion.

Terrific! Magical! These were some of my responses during and immediately after reading.  The Castle in the Attic inspired a sense of wonder in me, similar to the reaction I had when I read the first book in the Harry Potter series*. That's not to say that this book is comparable to Potter in the scale of its imagination or its world-building.  The Castle in the Attic does not focus on world-building.  While that might have made it more epic, its brevity gives the story a focus that makes it easy to get swept into the tale and follow the plot along.  It was nice to read a book that is taut.  In today's post-Potter world of dictionary-sized volumes, there is much fat that is often left untrimmed by publishers and authors alike.

I think this charming story reads like a small-scale Lord of the Rings quest.  Good triumphs over evil.  And there are lessons learned--most importantly, that one already holds the best weapon for fighting any battle in the love and strength within his own heart.  It is the values inside this story that made my reading so enjoyable.  Since this tale involved castles and knights, the story's morality is neither awkward nor intrusive, for they are intrinsically housed in the knight's code of chivalry, which focuses on virtues and ideas like honor, loyalty, compassion, love, and faith.

While good does triumph over evil, the story ends with the hint that we may not have seen the last of the enemy.  Indeed! for there is a companion book:  The Battle for the Castle.  But, alas, that's a story for another time!  

*Incidentally, Harry Potter was my first foray into kiddie lit as an adult--I was one of those kids who quickly graduated out of kids books, dabbled in YA for a brief time, and then dove hard and fast into adult literary fiction.  In short, I had become a "book snob".  Thank you, Ms. Rowling, for helping me see that not only was it okay, it was necessary to read purely for fun at times.