Last book before they start their sophmore year of college

University Road Trip #50 Summer of Love - except no one ends up together.  Neil is still gay so Jessica doesn't hook up with him.  Tom finally gets over Liz (and still the author's football comparisons make no sense - the quarterback's job isn't to rush for touchdowns)  Sam and Liz dance around each other with Sam still acting like a jackdonkey.  The other two girls become Liz's back up chorus.  Todd says he's over Liz and in love with Dana - run don't walk away from her.  Get back together with Liz.  And I never did understand if Danny or Allison's teams won.  And didn't Danny jump off the face of the earth in their sophomore year of college?

Moving to Sophmore year of College Sweet Valley

University #48 - No Rules - Jessica and Elizabeth go on a version of "Road Rules"  except put on by ESPN instead of MTV, and of course they don't use those names.  Jessica and Liz at this point aren't acting like opposites so whatever.  Neil is supposed to be so cool, but he's a nervous wreck.  Pam and Rob - just annoying.  Tom and Todd.  Tom has sank to new lose of patheticness.  Todd - ditch the trampy airhead, which he does.  I still so want him to get back together with Liz.  Liz's team - girl with her boyfriend following them, girl with a guitar, frat boy, and exchange student boy.  Seriously stereotypes not actual characters then there's Sam.  Sam's a jerk, less redeeming qualities than Conner.  Basically I can't figure out why Liz is interested past the fact that he's supposed to be hot.  They compete.  Jessica's team is kicking Liz's team totally - then there's another team with her sorority sister she doesn't like.  And that's all we know about the other two teams.

Sweet Valley

University #46 I'll Never Love Again

Liz - So smart but yet she doesn't recognize depression or that it's not good to make out with your sister's ex-husband?

Jessica - Feel sorry for her - but Jessica got wimpier as the series went on

Mike - Which twin does he want? or does he want something with both?

Tom - Talking about not thinking with the head on your shoulders.... Let's trash an ex-girlfriend on tv, yeah, that always goes over well.

Todd - Stay away from Dana.  Didn't he used to be smarter?

Danny - Really pathetic

Dana - even more pathetic - and pretty much a skank who really has issues that need to be addressed - I mean why does she keep trying to sleep with a girl she doesn't like's ex-boyfriends.

 

Senior Year #31 Stay or Go

Jessica wants to go to college with Jeremy (yeah well maybe if the university series had been written after senior year it could have happened)  Jeremy can't decide if he should stay with his friends, girlfriend, everything he knows or his family.  Whiny girl is drinking again because brooding boy doesn't pay enough attention to her.  Ken has a bad game - which we know is unusual for him, the scout decides to bury him but Ken's father bribes him not to.  It's really drag down the jocks in the senior year series.  Will finds out about the bribe giving him the ammunition to bring down his nemesis.  Are we on the edge of our seats for the next book?

Sweet Valley

University #43 The Price of Love- Winston, Denise and some high school girls provide comic relief.  How sheltered can these girls be to think Winston is hot?  Jessica and Nick, um, connect before he goes into the Witness Protection Program for taking down a guy who killed a cop, disabled Isabella, and creepy with Jessica.  All the while Elizabeth wonders if she should ask Tom about the box of condoms underneath his bed, and why does Jess not think this is important?  Talk about a twin switch.  Could Liz be more self-involved?

sweet valley - quick

University #20, Here Comes the Bride - Steven and Billie are getting married even though she lost the baby.  They argue a lot, their parents act crazy; Billie wants to go to Spain - since classical guitarist is obviously better than lawyer.  Tom and Liz have some wierd chase of an aunt.  I think Liz might have lost her mind.

670 views?

“The Great Adventure” by Steven Curtis Chapman – Good – love the CD with it.

“This is Your Time” by Michael W. Smith – At this point is there anyone who doesn’t know the story about how Cassie Bernall said yes when asked by one of the Columbine high school gunman if she believed in God.  And how Smith wrote a song about it?  Not to be crass but that’s need and covered in the book.  It was good to read his perspective of it all.  I also loved that he kept hitting the fact that we don’t need to create Christian ghettos.  It’s something right now that’s really on my heart.  I know by building fences we can create protection for ourselves – but we also keep others out.  And how can we reach them if they can’t get through the fence?  By realizing that now, this is our time to make a difference and to reach out to people.

“Man of her Dreams” by Patt Marr – I don’t know it was just returned to me.  I don’t remember much about it except the heroine was really anti-doctor beyond what any logical person could believe.  How can I root for her, when I just want to hit her upside the head?

The Babysitter’s Club “Claudia and the Genius of Elm Street” by Ann M. Martin.  I thought <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Sweet Valley was predictable but the BabySitter’s Club was way more.  Maybe because it’s written for younger kids, or maybe that’s why I never read them as a kid.  I don’t remember how I picked it up, but I probably wouldn’t pick up another.

Sweet Valley Part ?

 

Sweet Valley Senior Year “It’s My Life”  Ken’s father is an idiot – If this was me writing, in the end he would have realized that the earthquake set of a mid-life crises and he would go back to not being a womanizer who didn’t care for his son.  Connor is bent on self destruction and Liz and Tia do a lot of hand wringing.  Jade wants Jeremy and every other guy (seriously this girl could give Annie Whitman lessons she’s more so than Easy Annie in the first series.)  Jessica wants to stop this, but having dumped Jeremy for Will, he doesn’t really trust her.  And Will thinks he has a girlfriend and a scholarship and how noting could go wrong.  Yeah, famous last words.]

more sweet valley

I hate how things erase so easily I’m stuck typing in Word and copying it in here!  And how much my phone hasn’t worked!

The Unguide to Dating by Camerin Courtney and Todd Hertz   I enjoy her weekly columns.  It doesn’t give you many hints – pray, try new things, don’t be hung up on the past.   But I like how it doesn’t assume that all good Christians meet someone in college and get married the summer after, or there’s some hidden sin in your life.  And that you don’t need to kiss dating goodbye – the more I think about that the more I’m convinced there is no biblical support for it.  And the guy here does state that if I were to say hi to a guy first, he might think “she’s nice, less chance of me being rejected” rather than “Boy what a slut”

College Prowler’s Miami University of Ohio Off the Record.  First – <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Miami University of Ohio?  How many Miamians do you want to inflict pain on you?  We are Miami University or if you want to annoy an Ohio State fan, we are technically The Miami University never ever ever unless we are playing that one school in the south would we consider using Ohio to distinguish ourselves.  But anyway.  Good book, fairly up to date.  I don’t know if it couldn’t have analyzed student comments a bit more.  For example the person who used to live near a beach and thinks it gets cold in the winter.  What did you expect?  A lot of other things I think could have had that as a follow-up question.  But all in all I did like the book and would recommend it.

Several days later, but I haven’t had time to copy so we are back to Sweet Valley High by Francine Pascal,  I’ll cite it now so I don’t have to type it repeatedly

Playing with fire #3  Jessica and Bruce finally date.  And I think this becomes the most reference book in all of Sweet Valley.  Bruce is the arrogant owner of the 1Bruce1 Porsche.  Jessica the confident manipulative cheerleader becomes his slave (of course she makes Robin her slave)  It sets up book 4, we see Bruce pull one over on Jess.  Liz tries to save her, but Jess doesn’t care to be saved.  It’s so 80’s drama, and one book you have to read to understand so much of anything else junior year.

Senior Year #16 Three Girls and a Guy – Ken is adjusting to his father being out with women all the time.  His girlfriend the ever annoying Maria is more interested in the Connor-Liz-Tia triangle to bother with him.  The triangle, yeah.  Connor’s step-dad is playing father while his mom is at rehab so he starts to drink.  Tia is lonely so she develops a crush on her friend.  Liz is jealous, but everyone tells her no, she belongs with drama boy.  Andy asks Six out (who names their child Six?).  She’s more into him than he is to her. Oooohh, the drama of why I wonder?

Senior Year #18 As If I Care – Jade-Jeremy-Jessica triangle.  Jess is trying to figure out how to show Jeremy that Jade believes in being with whoever is next to you right now.  He’s blinded by taking the walk on the wild side that Liz took earlier in the series.  Jess, there are other fish in the sea.  Connor’s mom is sober and back from rehab so he’s taking up drinking.  And Tia’s hung up on him, so she decides to call her ex-boyfriend.  It doesn’t go well, nor her relationship with Connor’s girlfriend/her best friend Liz.  Ken wonders why his Dad is becoming such a player.  Andy’s realized he’s gay but he can’t tell anyone because they are so wrapped up in their own lives.

Senior Year: Too Late #26.  Let’s see Jeremy & Jessica are back together, but are stressing out because they don’t agree about everything.  Will is feeling sorry for himself because he pushed everything away when he got hurt, and now no one’s catering to him.  They’ve remembered that Ken’s an awesome quarterback.  Except his father who seems really pathetic chasing women and demeaning his son.  And he’s divorced which he wasn’t jr. year.  But Melissa has decided to make Ken feel better, and the fact that she tried to ruin Jess’s life, doesn’t sink in with Ken at all.  And Jade who the year before had a very traditional family is now the daughter whose parents divorced 10 years before.  And she and her mom have made every guy “happy” in Sweet Valley, in prior books sr. year, now are hard working and put upon.  It’s weird how senior year while more realistic changes the canon so much.

Senior Year #36  Tearing Me Apart  Will thinks about cheating on Melissa.  Hey, she deserves it.  And this is the soap opera – Andy finally finds a gay boyfriend, Dave, but it turns out Dave’s father is having an affair with Andy’s friend Evan’s mother.  And Dave’s father doesn’t know he’s gay.  And Evan doesn’t deal well with the news that his parents are getting a divorce or that his girlfriend is telling him “been there, done that”

Senior Year #48 Sweet 18/ #1 Double Love.  All storylines have been resolved except for the road trip and who cares about Connor, Tia, and Andy?  And the twins – they have to deal with possibly separating from all their friends and each other, but they deal with it as the twins always have – fighting and then together.  It’s good, and they put Liz back with Todd because they are together for the first of the University books.  I liked the final successful twin switch, but when was Liz ever afraid of public speaking.  It was great to see all the older names, but it only made me realize how many they’d forgotten during their senior year.  I mean why bring Andy for comic relief when Winston did the job for so long? Which brings us to the first book – before Liz and Todd had been a couple since birth this is when they first get together.  It shows that Liz, Jess, Ken and Todd run the school – and it’s more fun especially since they dumb the guys down later.  And Kelly’s and Dairy Burger.  It’s a great book and reminds me of where it started in 1982 and ended in 2003.  Which 19 years later makes it almost possible that the original twins had aged normally they could be the mothers of the girls that graduated.  And who cannot laugh at the 80s styles they wore, especially Jessica?

University #19 Broken Promises, Shattered Dreams  Jessica is running a fashion design company that’s designer disappears.  I won’t ruin the surprise, but it was less drama than anticipated or rather the drama happened in an unexpected place.  Lila has no clue how to run a business.  But she manages.  Billie and Steven are going crazy with wedding plans.    But I do have a problem with how abortion is presented as, well, do this so your college isn’t interrupted because OMG let’s not consider if it’s living or not or rather you know your inconvenience is obviously the most important issue.  I agree with Steven – Chaz needs to put a sock in it.  The book feels very hectic as you read it.

University #35 Undercover Angels.  Lila and Bruce are social climbing at the country club, well Lila is.  Bruce is whining.  Nick and Jessica, Elizabeth and Scott and Tom are all investigating something.  Turns out to be smuggling illegal aliens into the country.  I guess that wasn’t as political as it is now.  Funny at times.  I don’t know the university series just didn’t do that much for me, but it’s better than senior year.

Sweet Valley

Sweet Valley Senior Year #11 – Take me On  Tia is a basketcase because Angel is leaving for college.  Because she didn’t know that people go to college after high school.  Liz is a zombie because dramaboy is her life and he’s ignoring her because his mom was sent to rehab.  And Jessica likes Will but knows there’s bad history there.  Because at anytime, Jess has questioned her ability to wrap a guy around her finger.  Have to ask why she didn’t teach Melissa a lesson in book 1 or 2.  And the twins don’t take turns making dinner anymore, again weird since that was a given in the original series

Sweet Valley Senior Year #25 – Straight Up.  Elizabeth is only a judge for the Senate scholarship since she screwed first semester up so badly sighing after drama boy.  Maria and Tia are fighting over who deserves the scholarship.  Will is whining about how much his knee hurts and his heart after Melissa left him for Ken.  Who wonders why he’s torn over Melissa and Maria, when he chose so much more fun girls when he was a junior.  Jade is annoyed her father shows up and seems to disapprove of her and her mother.  Her mother is suddenly the hardest working woman in Sweet Valley instead of sleeping around like she did in earlier books.

 

Sweet Valley University - #14 Shipboard Wedding – Didn’t Randy Mason go to SVH and help Jessica hack into the school computer once, or am I confusing him with another nerd?  I thought jumping off a cruise ship usually ended up with dead people – not a way to get attention.  I like most of the story, but I have to ask is Tom a jerk?  I still say Liz is best with Todd.  Though I feel sorry for Gin-Yung of course that could be I know she dies not much later.

 

Sweet Valley University - #47You’re Not My Sister.  Jessica is depressed to the point of suicide over Nick Fox’s death.  Evidently, he’s actually in the Witness Protection Program.  Elizabeth is assuaging her guilt by making out with Jessica’s ex-husband.  But eeewww, they both might lose their virginity to the same guy?  And Todd and Dana 1. to many details about what they do, and how did Todd get so dumb?  I think this is the book where Tom does go out with Chloe which does help to prove she’s just stupid not crazy during the next year.

Sweet Valley University – Chloe: Secret Love Diaries.  How dumb can this girl be to sneak around with this guy who obviously not going to leave his girlfriend?  And the girl on the cover is seriously unattractive.

Sunday - Sweet Valley

Sweet Valley High - The High School War.  Okay so we are talking about the better series, but I wonder if after 100 books Francine Pascal started to lose her ability to come up with new ideas.  Because I thought in A Night to Remeber they had an escalating war with Big Mesa with Elizabeth being the peace maker.  Now we have an escalating war with Palisades with Elizabeth being the peace maker.   At least in these Jessica is back to wearing sexy clothes and juggling two guys.

Sweet Valley Senior Year - Where We Belong - We seem to have a theme of Ken's love life going here.  And I really like him with Jessica better than Maria.  She really seems to think that he should be at her beck and command and really hates that he's a jock.  Jocks & cheerleaders is what the series was built on.  Will is showing his true colors and they aren't pretty.  I don't know why Jess can't juggle Will and Jeremy - she could when she was younger & dumber.  And do I think Liz is better off without drama boy - he can go be with Alanna who seems just as whiny.

Sweet Valley

Did I mention I'm on a Sweet Valley marathon trying to finish all the ones I have up?  Also, I bought I bunch at the half price book store so bear with me.

Sweet Valley Senior Year 13 "All about Love"  Liz starts to get her life together after being nuts for awhile.  Jessica realizes that Will isn't all he's cracked up to be.  At the party the one guy hits on her and she blushes and doesn't believe she's the prettiest girl there.  What's up with that?  The Jessica we've always known would have known he was right and exactly how to handle him, and to date both Will and Jeremy with neither finding out.  And Tia is sure Angel is moving on without her so at the end she makes out with Trent, who she just met.  Um, why do I care about Tia's relationships?

Sweet Valley University 6 "The Love of her Life"  Elizabeth breaks up a secret racist society, denies Todd, who's now pretty wimpy, a chance to get back together, hooks up with Tom, all while supporting her siblings.  Steven has been arrested for shooting Jessica's husband, who she decides to leave due to his abusive tendencies.  Okay, I know Sweet Valley was a soap opera in book form, but it's getting over the top.  And come on! who's parents never find out during college an hour away if they get married or arrested for attempted murder?

More SV

I'm trying to finish up these books up so bear with me:

Sweet Valley Twins Deadly Voyage - The 12 year old twins and their friends go on an extra credit science project on a hijacked boat.  It seems like the twins have a murder on a boat with them when they are 16.  Are we running out of ideas by book 91?

Sweet Valley University Escape to New York - Now for the 3rd? summer of the twins freshman year.  Please bring back Todd.  Tom is annoying.  Hmm Jessica shops, acts & falls for a movie star while Elizabeth writes a play about her and Tom's relationship.  How in character. I don't know for a change I was really more interested in Jessica than Elizabeth.

Pefecting Kate by Tamara Leigh - I actually couldn't put this down which is unusual.  I did know after Chapter 3 which guy she would end up with.  As for Beau the reformed gay guy - Is there another book I missed or was the author just throwing that out there?

Sweet Valley

Sweet Valley University Living Together by Francine Pascal.  It's really the start of their sophomore year and going to be like Sweet Valley Senior Year.  I don't know why is living with your boyfriend and being gay something that is so totally all right.  I wanted to jump in and explain college wasn't like this and that these people aren't doing what they should.

Otherwise Engaged

Nancy Drew on Campus #25.  A lot of typical college stuff & an exchange student involved in smuggling.  It works, but I don't know Nancy seems to drift often into musing about things that really are lessons to the readers that it's a little distracting.

Sweet Valley University For the Love of Ryan - Can I take bets for the chances that Ben will end up with Jessica?  And that Nina is so much like Maria - it's annoying.

Dvd's also!

Nancy Drew "Just the two of us"  Nancy gets arrested.  She has a lot of roommates, and one shops a lot.  Does she prove here innocence?  Does the roommate's credit cards max out?  What do you think?

Nancy Drew "Campus Exposures" We find out the reason why Nancy's interviewee was so squirly in the book above.  And we find that soritity & frat parties have fruity drinks that don't have alcohol, if you believe that.  And that girls with serious boyfriends start going nuts.

"Just to see you Smile" Sally John  Did you ever wonder if Christian writers make all women teachers because they can't understand why a Christian would have a career in a profit making business, like we should all be living on a commune?  And maybe others like it but the whole romance between married people, maybe because I'm not married, but the people just seem whiny to me.

Dirty Dancy twentieth anniversary.  The commentary bogs down in places, but is interesting.  I liked the deleted scenes I can see how they add something to the movie.  I think they redid the audio because I can understand a couple of things I couldn't before.

Vacation Reads

"A Little House Sampler" by Laura Ingalls Wilder & Rose Wilder Lane.  duh, like I would give this anything less than 5 stars?  It's Laura and Rose.  Rose, I still say is a little nutty and needs her mom for inspiration.  Laura - it's truly amazing how current her writing still sounds.  A must read.  Pick it up today!!!

Friday quick ones

Altar Call by Hope Lyda - Did I review this before?  I like it but it feels a little like it's a copy of "She's All that"

Sweet Valley University Take Back the Night - Yeah I remember my freshman year of college - first I moved out of my sister's room, married a semi-abusive guy, my brother tried to kill him when I left him, I finally started to get my life together and started dating a jock & he tried to rape me - Wait, your freshman year of college wasn't like that?  Is anyone's?

Early Morning reviews

"A Love to Keep" by Cynthia Rutledge - I wish I had reviewed this before I sent it down to Jean to read.  But it's the nanny and the employer.  Do you think they fall in love?

"Ever After" by Carolyne Aarsen - Another one, but this one the guy finds country life is better than the city.  Not sure why this is a reoccuring theme in Christian novels.

"Hope that Sings" by JoAnn A. Grote - Girl falls for boy, boy is a baseball player.  1892 boy plays baseball with a team sponsored by a brewery and plays on Sunday.  Girl is a Christian.  Girl teaches boy that he can play but he needs to clean up the team.  Wonder wear Barry Bonds would fit into these people's world.

"The Vicar's Daughter" by Kimberley Comeaux - Nobleman and commoner.  Do you think they fall in love?

"Heaven Sent Husband" by Gilbert Morris - A girl decides God wants her to tell people that her high school nemesis is her fiancee and to buy a wedding dress.  It's supposed to inspiringly based on a true story.  Wow that provides encouragement to all us Christian singles who wonder if it would scare a guy to India if we announced we were engaged before we went on our first date.

"Sealed with a Kiss" by Mae Nunn - Professor and maid son's falls for student.  Do you think her rich aunt arranges for him to lose his job?  When she dies do you think she feels remorse and tries to fix them up?  Do you think the argue a lot in the process?

"In Lizzy's Image" by Carolyn R. Scheidies - Orphaned teen comes to America to be with her cold sister, but she's dead.  Her husband takes her in but wonders if she's as awful as her sister.  Neighborhood woman looking for a husband tries to kill her so she can get the husband.

"He Chose the Nails" by Max Lucado - Christ chose to die for us & isn't everything Max Lucado writes a 100% inspiring?

"Hip to be Square" by Hope Lyda - I think I already wrote a review of this.  But hey at least Christian novels are starting to realize that we can like clothes and not be a heathen.

"The Cubicle Next Door" by Siri L. Mitchell - I reviewed this on MySpace blog.  Let's just say I relate for several reasons & I want the nation's most popular blog!

"Sweet Valley University Secret Love Diaries: Jessica" by Francine Pascal - so since Liz had an adventure with her high school love, so does Jessica except her one not dead oneis insane.  And she realizes that she and Elizabeth are a lot a like now.  Which is true, and not the premise the books were started on that everyone liked, hint hint.

"And the Angels were Silent" by Max Lucado - See above.  Christ's final week.

Many

Sweet Valley University: Secret Love Diaries: Elizabeth Elizabeth & Todd almost get back together at a wedding.  Oh please save us the longing after the slacker and get Liz and Todd back together.  Have you guessed I believe they belong together?

Sweet Valley Senior Year: Touch and Go Alanna and Conner - can't they go off somewhere together & not bug the rest of us.  And Andy again why do I care about the new people?  Though it's fun to watch Melissa finally get what's coming to her - but since when is Aaron stupid?

No Regrets Judy Robertson

This is about a family that left the Mormon church.  I'm not sure again how to describe it, but it's a must read for anyone who wants to know anything about Mormons.  While they say they are Christians, the truth is very different.

Nancy Drew Casefiles Out of Bounds by Carolyn Keene

Nancy investigates a theft at a restaurant because she meets the waitress falsely accused.  One question how is she able to go undercover in the same town, at the same high school that she did in book 1 and now in book 45.

Tags: Sweet Valley, truth about mormonism, nancy drew

Not my usual

Celebration USA by Douglas Frantz and Catherine Collins

Interesting.  So many books that study something socially are so obvious about their politics, but this tries to be neutral.  And it's good.  The idea of Disney creating a town is very odd.  It's supposed to be vanilla but the authors think more poor people should have been involved.  Still not sure how that would have helped.  I'm not sure what to say I really enjoyed the book, but it's just different from my usual romance.

 

And I got my new Laura Ingalls Wilder newsletter today.  Others may find it wierd, but I find it fascinating.

Triumphant Hearts

This is a novella about people surviving war.  My aunt read it thought it was cheesy.  I don't hardly  remember it but the last one.  Which was a little wierd, he had to marry a blonde woman so his kids wouldn't look Vietnamese.  He's supposed to be smart, but think this is a good idea.

Sweet Valley

"Never Let Go" Sweet Valley Senior Year

Jeremy-Jessica-Jade, Jade-Jeremy-Jessica, etc.  Both girls love him, he loves Jessica, but is with Jade.  Eventually Jade realizes she's standing in the way of true love and fixes the two of them up.  Because for some reason when Jessica became a senior she lost the ability to do things for herself.

Ken is back in football where he belongs.  And he's dumped Maria, as he should, she's to high maintanence but goes with Melissa who's physco high-maintanence.  Maybe he should get back together with Elizabeth.

Michigan

So ( I start things that way a lot) I finished reading Michigan: Off the Beaten Path.  Turns out I've been off Michigan's beaten path.  Instead of doing a book review.  I thought I'd offer suggestions of the best place on & off the beaten path to go.

1. Henry Ford Musuem & Greenfield Village - learn American History without driving around.

2. Stop by Henry's house

3. Benton Harbor & Holland - okay just drive up the Lake Michigan coast everything's a good choice

4.  Frankenmuth - shop at Birch Run outlet (huge), Bronner's (possibly huger), eat at Zendher's or the Baravian Inn.  Can you have to many chicken dinners?

5.  Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes - be a kid & enjoy the climb

6. Leland & the winery tours around there & Traverse City - How many wineries can you go to in one day?

7. St. Julian winery - near Kalamazoo but the BEST peach wine.

8.  Petoskey - KOA is one of the best in the country, White Caps restaurant, drool over the yachts in Harbor Springs

9. St. Ignace - the sunset cruise - incredible

10. Mackinac Island - do everything.  Lunch at the Grand Hotel is tres expensive, but should be done one.  The carriage tour, the shopping, the fort

Any questions or suggestions?

Tags: michigan, traverse city, bronners, greenfield village, traverse city, mackinac, petoskey

2 more

A Donut a Day by Gail Sattler  A mountie and a waitress. it was good and a sequel of sorts to "Vancouver" but the character don't appear.  Similar, though I wonder how many people really caution themselves on a regular basis not to be ruled by their heart.

The Great Adventure by Steven Curtis Chapman - includes a CD of a song that I used to have as my ringtone.  I enjoyed it, I really seem to absorb the most through Christian music, so thoughts from the artists tend to clarify things. 

Tags: Steven Curtis Chapman, Gail Sattler

May Reviews

Nancy Drew On Campus: Hard to Get.  The cast of characters in this series is huge.  Maybe if you read it all together, it would be easier.  This one was cute enough, but wow did Nancy's cases get much less dangerous when she went to college.

Sweet Home Alabama.  4 intertwined novellas.  It's pretty good the story about Samatha & Garrett is the best.  Overall not as cheesy as some, but I wasn't sure how Zak got the letter.  If you read it and figure it out, let me know

Tags: Nancy Drew, Christian fiction

Reviews #100

Rilla Of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery.  I believe I have never written about one of my all time favorite books.  To understand it, you kinda need to read at least Rainbow Valley.  I didn't care for the book, but to read it then to understand what the Piper represents will cause a shiver to run up and down your back.  I don't want to give away the plot except that in coincides with WWI and that I can so relate to the closing of the letter "Your, Kenneth" vs. "Yours, Kenneth"  "Does he mean he's my Kenneth, or is just in the middle of a war and sloppily forgot the 's'?"

Unlikely Angels - an anthology.  I don't remember much about it except that animals were involved in all the stories, which is cute  And that love between the over 60 set, actually bores me a little.

511 Things Only Women Understand - Lorraine Bodger.  Did you ever notice it's okay for women to put down men, but not vice versa?  I wonder if we are supposed to be equal why that is supposed to be funny.

The Second Mark by Joy Goodwin - The best book about the 2002 Olympic pairs competition.  Confession: I loved Sale & Pelltier the first time I watched them on tv, and was upset when they didn't win the Olympic Gold.  Then I didn't like how the problem was fixed.  This book was one of the most complete accounts from the Canadian, Russian, and Chinese sides.  The true committment of these athletes shouldn't be tarnished by what was undoubtedly corrupt judges.

Altar Call by Hope Lyda - I think I reviewed Hip to Be Square.  These two must be read together and in order, otherwise you won't be able to keep track of the friends or understand why she's involved with Beau.  It reminds me some of "She's All That" but with less name brand clothes.  I like it, but since it's been awhile since I read the first book I kept trying to remember what happened in it.

"Figure Skating Now"  Pretty picture book

6? new reviews

"Once Upon a Romance" by Heather Harpham Kopp  It's a mini-coffee table book.  It's short excerpts from "the most romantic stories ever"  which is true.  There's nothing new, but like I said something to show what your favorite books are on your coffee table.

"Unveiling Islam" by Caner & Caner.  This is fascinating.  Two former Muslims talk about Islam from the inside.  It's a fairly simple but complete read, among other things I think I now get why we supported Iraq as opposed to Iran.  I'm not really sure how to describe it, but I think in this day and age, we all need to read it.

"Cool, Calm & Adjusted" by Kristen Billerbeck.  Let's see I loved this book, the same as every other one Kristen's written.  (And can you believe she and I have traded comments about the Bachelor on MySpace - how cool is that?)  I wasn't sure about the health nut, obviously after paying for a mani-pedi several times, I'm not to concerned about putting toxic paint on my nails.  But I related to this, in ways only a few people can truly get.  Except I still think Ashley is me.  But it's a little oddly coincidental, and not the part that I'm doing the Heartwalk while she's training for the Tinman.  Really read it.  Way more realistic than most Christian novels.

"Broken Angel" Sweet Valley Sr. year #10  Senior Year=Tia  Angel loses his money at the track.  Tia wants him to stay with her since he can't go off to college because of the money, but as a good girlfriend she must send him away.  Jessica wants Jeremy.  Jeremy and Will want Jessica.  Jeremy suggests a they take a break to Jessica.  Now was this a good idea on Friends when Ross and Rachel took a break?  "But we were on a break..." is now a memorable quote.  Of coure Jessica gets together with Will, who at this point at least has yet to prove he doesn't have a backbone.  Ken goes back where he belongs - the footall team (This does prove something is right in the world)  And Liz mopes about drama boy.

"Marty on Campus" by Elisa Bialk.  I reviewed the earlier books in the trilogy earlier.  This time Marty starts Northwestern, becomes a sorority girl, writes for two newspapers, gets and loses a couple boyfriends, and realizes how much college taught her in 1 year and how much more it has to teach her.  Marty is very happy-go-lucky and everything just works for her.

"His Brother's Castoff" by Lena Nelson Dooley  This is an inspirational romance about some Nordic Immigrants in Minnesota.  I don't really remember a whole lot, but he's interested, she's not.  He keeps making her stuff until she realizes they are in love.

5 new reviews!

“The Little House Guide Book” by William Anderson

I was re-reading this. I've always enjoyed how informative it is with all the current pictures of the towns. I was thinking that this might be a book some fans who don't have the opportunity to travel to the sites might imagine where they would stay and eat, for my 2 cents of advice today. I, also, felt the need to share a story from 8 or 9 years ago:
I was a counselor for our church district's week long summer camp along with the associate minister, Ray. The counselors enjoyed a couple breaks a day in the administrator's building. Ray and a couple of the other ministers were talking about tourist traps. Wall Drug came up, and Ray asked why it existed. I said it was a good stopping point, since the drive from DeSmet to <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Mt. Rushmore is a little long. He's like "DeSmet" and I pointed out LIW lived there. He rolled his eyes a little bit and turned to the guy next to him and said that when their kids got a little older, his wife, a former teacher, wanted to take the kids on a tour of Little House sites. I piped in again, that I had a book to help plan it, if Robin wanted to borrow it. His mouth dropped open as he asked "A lot of people actually do that?" I've always thought his wife owed me a "thank you", lol, for making her husband realize she was much saner than he thought.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

 

“Forever in Blue: the fourth summer of the sisterhood” by Ann Brashares

I liked it, I think.  It was an interesting conclusion to the series.  I’mnot sure I wouldn’t have had the girls be together to deal with how they’ve grown apart.  Bridget: thought she would have learned these lessons by now, but I can see it.  Tibby: wasn’t expecting it but I can see it.  Carmen: I would have picked one of the other girls for her storyline, but I can see it.  However at the end I would have had her explode.  Lena, >Lena.  I didn’t like her reaction to everything.  It seemed out of character and I didn’t want her going back to Kostos.  But I’m not sure the author wasn’t playing to the women who’ve picked up the series, not the young adults who it was originally intended because it was really adult!

 

“Ice Sports”  Hockey, speed skating & figure skating – this is a kid’s introduction.  But hey, it was bag day at the public library sale.  Nice pictures – an amateur and young Gordeva and Grinkov on the cover.  It’s really a shame he died so young and that’s it’s been over 10 years.

 

“The Faith of the American Soldier” by Stephen Mansfield

Okay so the whole terrorist attack – war thing has fed the fact that I’m a sucker for anything patriotic.  There are so many interesting things in it.  Things about faith that show how everyone needs to get along, Catholic, Baptist, Jew, Islam, other ones.  And how we need to try to find common ground.  Also, I’ve never thought much about the devil and demons, but after hearing about people beheaded – I mean it is an explanation, and then the author refers back to the prison I can’t spell scandal that makes sense.  I also have to confess that all of us go to college and know  we are the future leaders – I’m not sure in 20 years these people who have less book knowledge, but have learned leadership under fire are going to be that nation’s leaders.

 

“Emily Ever After” by Anne Dayton and May Vanderbilt

Emily moves to New York to work in publishing from some little quaint town.  Except it’s commuting distance to San Diego which I wouldn’t consider Outer Mongolia.  This is the opposite of all the Christian novels I’ve been complaining about.  And several times I think that is good.  On the other hand when she and her boyfriend shared a bed, but nothing happened – it was just weird that she would agree to it.  I’m not sure how to describe it, but it’s a very interesting contrast to all the other Christian romance novels.

 

“Kerri Strug: Heart of Gold” – Kid’s biography of Kerri’s life and the Atlanta Olympics.  And the whole patriotism thing and the whole girl thing?  I go nuts about the Olympics and gymnastics.  So basically I would like this pretty much no matter what.

I'm at work and can't post on MySpace, but don't you love how some people love to opperate on the assumption you are wrong, and they are right?  No matter how many times you prove to be right?

Further book reviews

Wait there's more reviews -

 

“A Girl’s Best Friend” by Kristen Billerbeck

The second of the spa girls.  I enjoyed this.  For awhile, I didn’t think so because I really thought she was going to be another heroine who discovered joy in the Lord through poverty, and I really don’t see why God can’t use rich people as well as poor people.  And I loved the comment where she says that Lilly’s nana knew everything Bo and Marlena had ever done on Days.  Come on, is that not me?  (Still say keep Patrick lose Bo based on the who’s cuter idea).  I don’t want to spoil the ending for you, but let’s just say I liked that she didn’t become totally selfish, but also did discover a backbone.  And a guy, just the whole finding meaning in the handicapped kid?  See previous rant about discovering long hidden longings for many children.

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“His Uptown Girl” by Gail Sattler

This girl did discover joy in the Lord through poverty.  You know being an heiress and doing charity work – it’s just so empty.  It’s really every girl’s dream to be a mechanic.  I think I read to many romances because instead of thinking “Oh how romantic, he’s teaching her to cook.”  I’m thinking, “She should find a way to deal with her father, get her share of the money locked up, and hire a cook.”

 

“The <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Island” by Mary Davis

First, have to give the author credit – she does know Mackinac Island.  I’ve been on the carriage ride many times, and she seems to have the details current & correct.  That’s another pet peeve of mine – when an author writes about something and I realize I know more than she does – like the book that said a Husky in the 20’s the guy could get $2500 for.  Of course now for $2500 for a Husky, I would expect its close relatives to finished in the top half of Iditarod.  I would have like to know more about why her family was always using her.  I understood how the old fiancé did, but not the family.  Also, last comment, on your last first date did you pass up a chance to talk to the date to create a jam session with him and his roommate of old, old hymns & Newsboy songs?

 

“Dear Miss Lonely Hearts” anthology

I really like these 4 stories in 1 book that the publisher likes doing.  I like it when there’s a concrete theme running through the stories, though better when the characters are friends.  Though when so many books have been written that Christians shouldn’t date (see previous rants about this) would a good Christian magazine really be encouraging it’s readers to date?

 

“Stories of Christmas Carols” by Ernest K. Emurian

How can you not like this?  Don’t you think if you had a family this would be cool to read together leading up to Christmas?  Does that sound dorky?  Though sometimes I’d like to know what the sources are so I could know if some of these are really urban legends.

 

“A Grateful Nation Celebrates Those Who Serve”  Family Christian Press

A collection of quotes and Bible Verses.  I enjoyed it, but then as I heard a speaker at Winter Jam say “I’m more patriotic than a Lee Greenwood CD,” so what do you expect?

 

“God’s Grace From Ground Zero” by Jim Cymbala

So this was released on 12/1/01, so it’s a little hard at this point to see 9/11 as the great spiritual revival the author hoped it would be.  The author is the pastor of one of the closest churches to Ground Zero, so there are some incredibly touching stories.  I read on Amazon, that some people didn’t like how it came across, as that Christians should try to convert people of other faiths.  I guess my comment would be that Jesus said “I am THE way THE truth, and THE light, no one saw come to the Father except through the Son.”  The way, not a way – if you believe this how can you not think that people of other faiths are lost?

 

“Sweet Valley Kids #5 Jessica’s Cat Trick” by Francine Pascal

More like the twin’s cat trick, but I guess we have to alternate names in the title.  In this series, the twins like Caroline Pierce & what happened to her when the twins became seniors?  She disappeared.  I know, you are rolling your eyes, but yes, I have bought different Sweet Valley books always, and I’m trying to read everything and clean out my room.  And see I read it before I turned 30, which might have been really embarrassing.

 

“Sweet Valley Sr. Year 9: The One That Got Away.” By Francine Pascal

I know I have way to many but anyhow, they’re addictive.  It’s a soap opera, which is actually how it was meant to be.  So Will has decided to ditch Melissa for Jessica, going with sane girl is the good choice.  Problem: she has a boyfriend & Will’s just a little to confident that he’s going to get her.  And why is Todd friend’s with Will now?  He’s a dumb jock, yet the previous 200 or 300 books told us that wasn’t true.  You know his friend Ken, could use his help as opposed to getting help from Maria which would just stress a person out.

 

“Sweet Valley Sr. Year 23: Falling Apart”

Conner is going to rehab – Let’s hope that means he’s absent for a couple of books.  Elizabeth is over him (Finally and we could hope for good)  So she’s spending a lot of time with his friend Evan, the eco-dude, because you know long hair and Birkenstocks are so attractive.  Jessica is unhappy she has no one to go to Homecoming with, wait there’s Evan, no her sister is using him as Rebound-boy, and that’s just wrong.  If the previous series of books had happened, then she would have gone with Ken.  Because the cheerleader and quarterback have gone on how many dates together.  But Ken is busy with psycho-girl, Melissa.  I know we are supposed to feel sorry for her because her boyfriend is blowing her off, but really she’s been enough of a witch to totally deserve it.  And I won’t deal with the Jade/Jeremy thing, because I really don’t understand why Jade is suddenly the twin’s good friend.

 

Sweet Valley Sr. Year 30: Close to You

Conner is back from rehab with a girlfriend who’s as whiny as him, just less honest if that’s possible.  So he whines about that, and that his friend’s don’t like her, and that his ex-girlfriend had a fling with his friend while he was hooking up with the new girl in rehab.  Jess and Jeremy are fighting about college, and with a little deus ex machimus at the end we resolve the problem, but wait it’s not really over.  Tia and Andy have fun in New York, of course I still wonder why they are supposed to be fun people to be around.