Dec 4: Best Book (Fiction or Non Fiction) of 2009

This shouldn't surprise you.  I am having a hard time deciding which book was the Best of 09.

I just finished reading Donald Miller's new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years.  My brother, Ross, gave it to me for my birthday.  I was so excited that I put aside the fiction book I was reading (one of the Anne of Green Gables series, an all time favorite series of mine) and promptly started reading.  I couldn't put it down.  I would read on the couch while my roommates were watching TV.  I would read in bed before sleep or in bed in the afternoon.  It didn't take long to read because I loved it.  I haven't written up my review (lots to chew on and thing about), but I loved it.  I tend to love most of what Donald Miller says (but there are things I don't agree with)... mainly because I come away thinking.  I loved this book because it was timely and have been thinking a lot about what God has called me to do and what I want my story to be. 

But I also loved Three Cups of Tea.  Do you remember my review?  It was the book that I made my roommate Laura read and then gave to my mom.  She then gave it my brother (who by the way doesn't read) and told him he would like it.  We are trying to convince my dad to read it and then my aunt.  I think everyone should read it.  This book I picked up in the airport because I didn't like the one I had with me.  Best 15ish dollars I have spent in a LONG time.  It was another book that I couldn't put down!

I would say both were best of 2009s for me.  For different reasons...

A Million Miles because it has been calling me to action in my life.

Three Cups of Tea because I want everyone to read it.

I am choosing not to make a decision on this one.  I am choosing both titles as my best ofs! Now, go and read them.

And tell me... what books would you recommend I read next?  Were they on your Best of 2009 list?

A Million Miles In A Thousand Years

I am huge Donald Miller fan. Did you know that about me? Yep, I am.

He is coming out with a new book... here is the first 30 pages:

A Million Miles In A Thousand Years by Donald Miller

I have just ordered my copy. Have you? I think you should! I also think you should follow his blog. Seriously, I feel smarter when I read his stuff; it makes me think but doesn't go over my head. What authors make you feel that way?

A Good Beach Read...

As we get closer to having a cottage (have you seen this post or this one?), my family and I are beginning to collect things for the cottage.

Mom is on Craig's List daily looking for good deals for furniture and for the kitchen.

Ross has said he is going to either buy the pool table for the basement... or the jet ski. Whichever, it will be good.

I have spoken up and said I'll provide the (used) library... and I am thinking of throwing in some games and such.

But, now I need your help. What books should be added to the library? As this place is meant to be for relaxation, I want some good beach reads. You know, where no thought is involved. Or little thought. I want a great "Cottage Reads" Library, for all ages! Here is what I have so far:

-Anne of Green Gables series
-Harry Potter series
-Dick Francis books (some of mom's favorites)
-plethora of Agatha Christie books

I want some standard pre-teen/teen books; I remember being at the cottage growing up and thinking "these are all adult books. what about me?" Here is what I am thinking for those:

-various Baby Sitters Club Books
-Judy Blume
-Ramona Quimby
-Twilight Series

And, because we want this to be a family cottage... how about these classics:

-Love You Forever
-Berenstain Bears
-Dr. Seuss

Now for games...

-Decks of Cards (notice the plural, you can't have enough)
-Uno
-Catchphrase
-Cranium

What am I missing? Feel free to add any ideas to any list. If there is a category you think I am missing, let me know.

Oh man... I am getting excited!

The Shack by William P. Young

I am old on getting this post up. I read this book last July (so 2008, people). I kept meaning to write a review... but I never got around to it. Why? Because it daunted me. So many people have so many opinions on this book...

Everything from:

"It's so awesome!!"

to:

"It's blasphemous!"

There are lots of articles and other blog posts on it. However, I have been meaning to give my opinion on it, so here it goes.

The story draws you in. I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know what happened. But mainly because I could see what was happening from about a mile away and wanted to know if I was right of if I was going to get fooled. It was predictable. It wasn't always what you expected (God as a woman...). Some statements I agreed with. Some I totally didn't. But, there are times I agree with a sermon at church and times when I don't. Isn't that normal?

Overall -- you can read the book. I personally would only recommend it to strong Christians who are looking for an easy read or to be challenged in what they think theologically. I wouldn't recommend it to new Christians or non Christians because I wouldn't want them to get confused or mislead or ... well, you get the picture.

And because it was such a hot button topic for a while... here are various posts and opinions on the book.

Post 1: Burnside Writer's Blog
Post 2: Ideas from Tim Challies

Post 3: Bryan Allain

But my final opinion on the book? It won't stand the test of time (Sorry William P. Young!). It is a passing fad and soon it will be some other book people are ranting and raving about.

Have you read it? What do you think?

"Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

Stop what you are doing. Go to amazon.com or your local bookstore of choice or the library and get this book. Or better yet, order it here, and part of the proceeds will go to helping the children in Pakistan and Afghanistan!

Yep, I like it that much. I am ordering you to read "3 Cups of Tea."

This book really speaks to the power of one person when on a mission. Greg Mortenson stumbled (literally) into a small village in Pakistan and the rest is just his determination to make a difference for the people who chose to love him and take care of him. From there he continued to stumble in this journey, but yet things took off-- because he chose to honor his promises to people he met along the way, he chose to love people who showed him love first.

Now he is the director of the Central Asia Institute; the CAI has built 80 plus schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. He feels that a balance education is the only way to fight the Taliban and other extreme terrorists. After reading this book and really listening, I have to agree.

So, instead of me telling you more about his stories (including the time he was kidnapped by the Taliban, or how he hid from warlords, etc), pick up the book. READ it! I promise... you'll learn a lot about how to fight terrorism, about yourselves, about what (in my opinion) being the hands and feet of Christ can look like (although Mortenson may not be a evangelical Christian, I do believe that God is using Mortenson to do many great and awesome things)!

"Breaking Dawn" by Stephanie Meyer

**Spoiler Alert: I tell you how the book ends. Don't read this post if you don't want to know.**

I am done with the Twilight saga. The 14 year old in me is very sad about this. No more Bella and Edward -- you know they are going to end up together, happily ever after... but, how do they get there?

However, the 26 year old that I am is kind of glad to be done with the books. They were enjoyable, don't get me wrong. But nothing special either. They were fun stories that don't require much thought. Perfect for some easy beach reading.

As far as the story line goes... ok, Jacob ends up with someone (but I won't tell you who); i don't exactly like it. Not going to lie on that one...

Everyone gets their way... for the most part. Bella becomes a vampire; her dad pseudo accepts it. The werewolves and the vampires have some weird truce. Edward can finally read Bella's mind. Happily ever after. The end. There was conflict to get you to the happy ending, but for some reason I don't buy all of this happily ever after. Could I be saying there wasn't enough conflict?

I don't know. I enjoyed it. But would I read them again? probably not. Will I buy a set to put in my parents cottage? again, probably not. Would I tell you to read them? probably... but I would warn you what you were getting into so that way you wouldn't be disappointed.

What are you reading right now? Anything I should consider putting on my "to read" pile?

"Eclipse" by Stephanie Meyer

And this weekend I finished book 3 in the Twilight Saga.

Book 3 ("Eclipse") is better than book 2, for sure. But the same old same old when it comes to what I think about the actual series- I won't repeat for those of you who read my blog regularly. If interested, here is the "Twilight" review and here is the "New Moon" review.

I have found that more people have read these books than I would have guessed. Here is the one consensus I get from the people I have talked to: The writing is a little sub-par. It is very simple (which is why you can read about 100 pages in an hour); and if I see "Ugh." one more time I will scream. She uses "Ugh." A LOT! About every five pages or so.

Oh well- I am enjoying the series. My tween side just is giddy that (SPOILER ALERT!) Jacob and Bella get married, and devastated that Jacob doesn't have someone yet. Hopefully in book 4 (about 400 pages in at this moment).

So what should I read when I get done with this series?

"New Moon" by Stephanie Meyer

I finished the second book in the Twilight Saga, "New Moon," this past weekend. I'll give you this: those books are addicting. I definitely keep thinking, "Could I read just 5 more pages here or there?" I want to know what happens!

However, I still stand by my "there-not-as-good-as-Harry-Potter" judgement.

I can see why they are teen hit.

"New Moon," was even more addicting than "Twilight;" mainly because a certain character disappears for a while and you can't help but wonder when and how he'll be brought back into the picture.

I do really like the way that Stephanie Meyer allowed for the break-up, and how she handled it in written form. Definitely how it would feel if you were Bella and you just lost the love of your life.

I also really like the way Stephanie Meyer developed the character Jacob. I fell for him! I want him to find someone to love as much as Edward and Bella love each other (maybe in book 3, please, please!). However, i am still not seeing the development in secondary characters like I did in Harry Potter. And I think that is the difference between the two created worlds. JK Rowling allowed you to care for even the smallest character, and you believed her when she said she has names for all the students at Hogwarts- even if you don't ever meet them. However, I don't know if that is the same for Stephanie Meyer's world of Forks. I do think it is her world, and she understands the characters... but why don't I care for Angela or Jessica the same way I care for the Creevy brothers in Harry Potter?

Anyway, I am half way through "Eclipse" (book 3); I am hoping to read a lot tonight... I really want to know how life turns out for these characters. ;-)

I'm Just Reducing Stress!

It has been nice to be on a reading kick recently... when I said I read a lot as a kid, I mean A LOT! You couldn't get the book out of my hands; I would bring a book to a restaurant, to church, to the beach, in the car, to school, everywhere. We have pictures of me reading on a dinner cruise we took, at a hockey game... I read everywhere.

And while I can now restrain myself, I still love to pick up a good book and get lost. And now I have a great excuse to start up my old habits of reading everywhere...

This article claims that reading reduces stress!

Do you think my boss would fall for that? I am reading at my desk to take a breather... my volunteers are stressing me out!

Umm, yea I don't think it would either. But, I could try. ;-).

"Twilight" by Stephanie Meyer

I caved. I am reading the Twilight series. I tried to resist... I really did. But I couldn't. I think that I am about 13 at heart. I love all things Tween... High School Musical, Disney movies, Harry Potter (although that is more accepted to love in the adult world), etc. And now I am reading the Twilight series.

The first book ("Twilight") was addicting. Stephanie Meyer definitely draws you in from page one. I wanted to know more about her characters, the world she was creating. I wanted to know what parts of vampire lore she was keeping and what she wasn't (good call on the coffins).

However, all the comparisons to Harry Potter? Unwarranted, at least so far. Harry Potter is (in my opinion) a much better written book where the world seems more developed. I care for the characters more than just the main three- I care for side characters who come in and out. In Twilight, I am glad she has friends at school but I am not yet invested in them. Maybe as I get into book two (New Moon), my opinion will change. I'll let you know.

On a side note- the Twilight movie? Definitely teeny bopper; I watched it with my roommate on Saturday night and we couldn't stop laughing. Awkward glace here, staring there... lines straight from the book that were slightly cheesy there and much worse on screen. However, if I was truly 13, I probably would eat it up.

Have you caved? Have you read this 4 part saga yet?

"Wicked" and "Son of a Witch" by Gregory MacGuire

SPOILER ALERT: don't read the second paragraph if you don't want to know how these books end.

I finished Wicked in January and just yesterday finished Son of a Witch (the second in the series). I enjoyed Wicked far more than I enjoyed Son of a Witch. I just couldn't get through Son of Witch. I would pick it up, read a few pages and then put it down. I just wasn't invested enough in the characters to return to the world, I guess. I think it is because I just didn't enjoy the writing style... too much detail for my taste (who cares how the land looked as Liir flew over it, he was flying... and I especially don't care when you are describing Kumbrica's Pass for the umpteenth time- I know it was dangerous). Not to mention i don't always enjoy the fantasy world- and the more I read the books the more I realized this was fantasy. Oh well, I still want to see Wicked. And I do have to say I am very impressed with the world that Gregory MacGuire created. I am not sure if I'll read the third book in the Wicked series... we'll see.

Oh and here is my other complaint... neither story ends with what I would call a good, clean end or break. They are so open ended. In the Wicked you don't know if Elphba lives or dies. In Son of a Witch you don't know what happens to Candle or if Liir found Nor. (Sorry for telling you what happens, or doesn't). Sometimes I like open endings, but not in this case. It was just disappointing (and frustrating).

Now, onto some new books. Probably the Twilight Series (my aunt gave them to me to read... again, no big on vampire things, but I have heard they are mind candy and easy to read). If not, Hinds Feet on High Places.

What are you reading? Anything you would recommend?

Faith Club by Ranya Idliby, Suzanne Oliver, and Priscilla Warner

I just finished this book a couple of days ago. Not quite sure where to start with it.

My mom recently joined a Book Club- she seems to enjoy it greatly. Some of the books she is reading are on my "to read" list; some I have never heard of. She had to read Faith Club and she loved it, raved about it.

I, unfortunately, didn't like the book as much as she did. In fact, I really didn't like this book at all. Well, maybe that isn't true- I probably would have loved this book at a different point in time. But I am not there anymore.

This book follows three strangers (who turn into best friends) as they journey to a better understanding of each of their religions. They all live in and around New York City, and were there after Sept 11th. Ranya is a Muslim American who greatly struggled with her identity after 9-11. When her daughter (in K at the time) started asking questions about being a Muslim American she decided to write a children's book attempting to show how all three religions tied together. Problem: she didn't necessarily know much.

She recruited a mom in her daughter's K class to help her; Suzanne is the Christian. Through their extended network they found Priscilla, who is Jewish. Together they set out to write the children's book- instead they wrote this memoir. It is about their struggle to fit together, to find common ground, and to be educated.

The premise sounds great. I think interfaith dialogue is key in this world. I appreciate they wanted to do that.

The part I didn't like? It is obvious each of these women come from the liberal spectrum's of their religions. At times they each make concessions that I would personally argue take away from each religion. But then again... in this book I may be one of the "close-minded" Christians they are talking about. And, I am ok with that. I disagree with the liberal theology found in this book and would argue that for Christians is HUGE part of our religion... and the Bible clearly states the only way to heaven is through Him. I think that is what bothered my through out the book- I never could agree with the theology each one was using (most of it Universalist in my opinion). It was easy to read- and again, the premise sounds good. Just not my cup of tea, if you will.

I would say pick this book up if it sounds interesting to you... but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it to anyone.

The Last Summer (of You and Me) by Ann Brashares

My roommate lent me this book to read. She did preface the loan with, "I really like The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, so I read the authors first foray into Adult Literature." While it wasn't a bad book, I don't know if it was memorable.

This is a story of two sisters and their last year together. One sister doesn't quite fit in with the world; it is never stated but she may be autistic, or something. The other sister, the younger one, is beautiful and is moving on into "adulthood" while the other is firmly planted in youth. It is their story of journeying into the next part of life, the sacrifices you make for love and what you learn along the way.

I like the easy read, and would say pick it up if you wanted something to read on the beach or on the plane, but I wouldn't say it is going to change your life.

This book, however, did get me thinking about the transition into adulthood and how it is natural. I never thought about not wanting to move into "adulthood" if you will; I mean, sure would I love to not have to pay bills? to not have to work full time? sure! But, the transition is natural, it is one that everyone has to make, right? We can't stay standing in youth, not matter how much we want to. This is actually something I think I have been thinking about a lot lately, especially because in someways I am still in the middle of that transition. Maybe soon I'll be able to put into words more about my transition, some of the things I have learned and what I miss from "youth."

If I don't get to blog over the weekend, let me wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving! Enjoy whatever you plan to do over this holiday weekend.

Birnbaum's Guide to Walt Disney World!

As I have mentioned, I am going to Disney World! Because we have some fun things between now and February 27, I won't start my official countdown until after Christmas. However, it doesn't mean I am not super excited and can't do a little prep reading.

Now, I know what you are thinking... Jaye P, you have been to Disney a million times before. Why do you need to do some prep reading?

Well, because this is my first time when I, by myself, am planning the trip. Before I have either just gone along with the 'rents or only been for a day trip to the Magic Kingdom.

And, well... because Disney is ever changing. I just wanted to make sure that I knew what was going one. For instance... did you know they are "refurbishing" Pleasure Island? No more club hopping at Disney... and now I don't have to worry about trying to do that. See... doing your research pays off.

Anyway, I really liked this book. The "Valuable" Coupons might be a little bit misleading... but other than that this book is well work the $12 I paid for it on Amazon.com. Seriously... full of "insider" tips despite being an "official" guide. I feel better prepared to hit each park, knowing which rides fill up fast, which ones have the fast pass option (the greatest amusement park invention ever), and when the shows are. We are on a tight schedule in Feb, and I want to make sure we get the most out of the trip.

The downside to this book? It made me that much more excited to go... at least the time between now and Feb 27 will fly by!

Sin Boldly by Cathleen Falsani

I am not sure what I expected when I picked up Cathleen Falsani's, "Sin Boldly: A Field Guide for Grace." Part of me half expected a book that I would dub "way over my head theologically." However, once I picked up this book, I was very pleasantly surprised.

Each chapter was told in such a way that you as the reader felt like you were on a Journey with Falsani, just privy to her thoughts as she went along. Each chapter seemed unrelated, but yet somehow you just knew they were all heading in the same direction.

In the end I enjoyed greatly Falsani's story-telling ability and her challenge to live boldly, because it is there that we find God's grace. I don't agree theologically with everything Falsani says and really wished that there was some more "truth" statements to go along with all of her "love" statements about faith, but overall I do agree that we need to live boldly... I am a big fan of living life by taking steps of faith, because it is only then that God can truly open or shut doors. Look for God's grace everywhere and live boldly!

"A Prayer for Owen Meany" by John Irving

I have been trying to ready more... it's working ok. I finished this book in August, and am just now getting around to writing what I thought.

I picked this book up because it is my Dad's favorite book. He likes it so much that he wants everyone at his funeral to get a copy. I know, I know a little morbid, but I think that kind of recommendation speaks highly.

It took me a long time to read it, not because I didn't enjoy it, but because I didn't (and sometimes don't) make reading a priority. But, I have to say, I really enjoyed this book. There were moments where I laughed out loud (on a plane no less) and there were moments where I cried (tears streaming down my cheeks).

But, I think I enjoyed this book the most because it made me think. It made me think about my faith, my political views, etc.

Oh, and I enjoyed how he tied in everything, especially the shot. What seemed like a trivial part of the played a huge part.

It's a shame I didn't write this sooner after finishing. I'll try to do it more quickly the next time.

I need to read more!

Admittedly, I have been reading more in the last month than I have in the last year... but for someone who once read everyday for hours on end (granted I was a kid who didn't work), this just isn't enough. But... I am working on it. I am cutting down on the TV time (yea!) and ramping up the reading and scrapbooking (one of these days maybe I'll post some pictures of my favorite layouts).

Anyway, here is a fun list I found. It seems that there is a statistic somewhere saying that most adults have only ever read 6... I find that hard to believe because I would say you were forced to at least read 10 of these in school. But, anyway... here is how I fared:

Here’s how it works:
1) Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2) Italicize those you intend to read.
3) Mark in red the books you LOVE.
4) Reprint this list in your blog


1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte- it was recently recommended to me... I'll give it a try
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling- If you know me, you know I have read this, a million times (and listened to it on CD)
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee- I'd like to read this again since I read it in 8th grade and probably didn't have a grasp on all it offered
6 The Bible - I haven’t read all of it, I admit, but would like to someday
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman - maybe, I'll have to think about reading them
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens

11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott- I read this some much as a child... LOVE IT!
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare - don't ever plan to read all of them... but I'll watch them on stage, if you force me to
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger - another that I want to revisit now that I am an adult.
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot

21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell - never read it and don't plan too... the movie was bad enough (and normally I don't judge books by movies and visa versa, but this one... it was painful!)
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck - forced to in AP English... man it was over Christmas break and was AWFUL! But, the grayness of the book was the point, I think...
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame

31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis- I have only read the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe... shoot me... but I do plan on reading all of them
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis - Why is this on here if the Chronicles are also on here?... but it is a favorite now that I am older... CS Lewis is a genius!
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne- is it sad I didn't know the show/movies were based on a book? maybe I did know this... but where have I been living not to know this?

41 Animal Farm - George Orwell- twice, once in Middle School and once in High School
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving- just finished it; I really liked it.
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan

51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez


61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville


71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker -
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett- as a kid I started this about 10 or 15 times and never finished... maybe one day I'll get through it
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt


81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White- as a kid, how could you not have read this classic?
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection


91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare- if the complete works is on here, why single one out? But no, I don't plan on reading it... Shakespeare is painful people.
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl- my second grade teacher read us all of Dahl's books after lunch each day.
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo- probably not... seems to daunting.

18 of the 100... not the best ever, but I at least beat the statistic. However, there are a good number I plan on reading someday. Too bad I have about 100 million books on the "to read" list. Its a good thing I like it! And it has to be healthier for me than the TV. :-).

Hope all of you are reading something you enjoy today!

"Messy Spirituality" by Michael Yaconelli

Where to begin? How about this... I am a blog stalker. Yep, that is me. I enjoy reading other people's blogs. It allows me to be a part of people's lives, even if I have never met them, haven't seen them in a long time, or just want to know them better. So, I happened upon a friend's blog and enjoyed keeping up with her and her husband's life. One day she posted about a bloggy blog opportunity, and me being the reader i am couldn't pass it up... especially when the book seemed to be speaking directly to me.

I am a mess. As maybe you can tell from my last post, I have always and consistently struggled with discipline, being consistent. I guess you could say the only thing consistent in my life is my inconsistency. I love lists and enjoy marking things off of a list, but I am absolutely terrible at not just sitting around and being lazy. Here are the two things that suck up most of my time: TV watching and Spider solitaire. Its terrible.

So, I am a mess. But, this book spoke directly to me.

At first I questioned it. Was this book only going to give me an excuse to be messy, an excuse to not strive to be disciplined and consistent.

No, it didn't. But, it did give me the understanding that (what I would assume) most Christians struggle to be consistent, especially in today's time and society. Our life is busy and in our busyness, we don't slow down and allow ourselves time to spend with God.

This book allowed me time to explore why I try to hide my messiness; why am I not honest with people about what is going on in my life? Why am I afraid to say I struggle with being single? Why am I afraid to let people know I struggle with having a passion for the Word? Because somehow we are afraid to live authentically. Its as if we are afraid that if we live authentically then we won't be good Christians.

What Yaconelli does is calls us to live authentic lives. To realize that growth and maturity in faith comes at different paces for all people and at different times. By living his life authentically through this book he shows us that it is ok to be messy, to live messy lives and to call each other to be messy.

Bibically speaking, it is only when we live in the light that we can ever begin to address the sin and allow God to work.

So, if you find yourself busy and quickly putting God aside, then pick up this book. It helped me reevaluate my priorities and also allowed me to extend grace to myself in my busyness. This book, Messy Spirituality, is a keeper my friends!

I used to read all the time...

I love to read. When I was a child, it was all you could do not to rip the book out of my hand. I just read and read and read.

My "toy bag" when we went on vacation had a doll, some office supplies and as many books as I could stuff in there.

When i went to the library, i checked out the maximum number of books that you could. 15 if I remember correctly...

In fifth grade, math bored me and my teacher recognized I could already do most of it. So, she let me read in math class. I sat in the back and read books. And in case this makes you doubt my math skills, I can add, subtract, multiply and divide. I loved geometry... passed Calculus, etc. I just prefer to read. The only thing I am not too good at is spelling. Spell check is my best friend.

But, what happened? I feel like I hardly read anymore. My goal is to read more! I love it... seeing the characters, getting to know them. all of it... so help me read more. Ask me what I am reading and if I have read today.

Anyway, I thought this was a cool idea... stole it from Burnside Writer's Blog:

One book that changed my life: Bible... but's lets steer clear of the Christianese answers. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. It proved to me that I could read things besides the Babysitters Club. Or, The Tomptom and the Fox. It's a kids book and I used to have my parent's read it to me over and over again as a toddler. I guess it was my first obsession and gave me my passion to read.

One book that I've read more than once: Any of the Harry Potter series. Or Little Women... and Practical Magic. I could pick those up and read them anytime.

One book that I'd want a desert island: Lord of the Rings series... I have never read this... and aspire to. But, I have a feeling the only way you are going to get me to read that monster if it was on a desert island. It seems daunting.

One book that made me laugh: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Its my current read and I have laughed out loud on a plane while reading it. You know that is a good book if I am willing to embarrass myself for it.

One book that made me cry: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows... because it was sad, but also because it was the last. But, A Prayer for Owen Meany has also made me cry. You should read it... its my dad's favorite and I am beginning to see why.

One book that scared the he** out of me: The Shining by Stephen King. I never finished it. My friend in HS thought I would like it. Ummm, not so much. Scared me too much. I would be in my house with my parents and still be terrified. I like to sleep too much to read crap like that.

One book I wish had been written: umm... so many because I just wish I was a good writer... but Harry Potter, Blue Like Jazz, Girl Meets God (or something like that).

One book I wish had never been written: The Shining. I'm still having nightmares. Any sequel not written by the original author. Cheap, I tell you. Cheap. Get your own ideas!

One book I'm currently reading: A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving

One book you've been meaning to read: Way too many... almost anything on my bookshelf in my room... Pride and Prejudice is probably next. Then, Chronicles of Narnia, maybe? There's a lot. I'm also open to suggestions.

Your turn. Any good books you'd recommend? Make your own list!

Its a Harry Potter World

Guess what?!?!

The Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows comes out in THREE days. I don't think I can contain my excitement... for real people. OH MY GOSH!!! I canNOT wait. Please, please don't let Harry die... that would be beyond tragic.

But, this also means I move my apartment in three days. ACK! I am sooo not ready. Do you all realize how much junk I have. I fill boxes and boxes with crap. I am trying to downsize... but, really, I can't. Oh well... I actually downsize more on the putting away... or at least that is what I keep telling myself.

This past weekend I got to see the new Harry Potter movie (#5, Order of the Phoenix). I have to say that I think this one was my favorite so far. It was GREAT. The director did an amazing job getting the actors to become more adult... or maybe they are just aging well. Not to mention, Ron finally became brave... the way he was always in the books. I think before they were just using Ron for comic relief... and now that Luna is there, you don't need it so they let him actually become his character. And, I think they realized Fred and George make good comic relief... as well as that it can come from other places, too.

I also think they did the best getting all the information you need into a two hour and 15 min movie... much better than the third and fourth... they didn't have to change nearly as much... some was changed, but more of tweaking what character did what rather than the WHOLE plot line (hem hem, four).

Plus... I loved the way they handled what Harry was going through in book 5. In the book alot is going on in Harry's head, and they made it come across so well in the movie... it was just a great movie... I can't wait to see it again, and again... and maybe a couple more million times.

Oh... man... the new book. I will be reading all Saturday night... I move that morning... once I get all the stuff into the new apartment... I am going to sit and read until I am done... even if that means I am up all night. I have to know what happens... bitter sweet, though. Last book... tear.

Please don't let Harry die... Please, please. Voldermort has to be one death... the Snape or Hagrid or Lupin or someone... but not Harry... or Ron or Hermione... they all have to live happily ever after.

Ok... well... yea. Back to work!