Radio Road by Jake Henderson

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"Radio Road by Jake Henderson was just published this year. Henderson is a new author and I'm hoping he keeps this up! He had two books published at the same time. "Radio Road" and "Ryan's Crossing." I chose to read this one first.

"Marshall Maddox has just moved to Radio Road—and it sure is different than where he came from… While Marshall attempts to make friends and adjust to a new life, it is announced that there will be a community-wide carnival on Halloween night! With the event only a few weeks away, Marshall and his classmates set out to win the grand prize. As Halloween and the much-anticipated carnival approaches, Marshall experiences the holiday in a way he never has before. Jack o’ lanterns, costumes, and trick-or-treating are just some of the fun things Marshall discovers as he overcomes unanticipated obstacles and learns to embrace the spirit of the season."

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and am going to give it to my grands! It describes Halloween the way I remember it! Fun, trick or treating, costumes and hanging out with friends. It's the way my grands will never get to enjoy because of safety issues.

It was interesting, fun and easy to read. I have a friend who teaches Creative Writing at an eastern university and I have always told her we need more books for boys. Well, Henderson has provided a very good book for preteen boys and girls. The main character is in 6th grade and his best friend is a girl so he covers several angles. It includes the "bully's," the good kids and the adults. Adults that take a healthy and  active part in the lives of their children.

"Jake Henderson was born and raised in Enid, OK where he lived until attending college.

He graduated from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in Weatherford, OK where he earned a BA in History Education.  He also has a Master’s Degree in History Education from SWOSU, which he earned in 2004.

He has taught US History, World History, AP Government, US Government, Geography, Oklahoma History, and Psychology at the High School level for more than ten years, and he currently lives and teaches in Woodward, OK."

You can check out his website H.E.R.E.

This is a book I highly recommend.

The Murderer's Daughters by Randy Susan Meyers

I picked this book up at a sale. I read the synopsis on the back and thought it sounded interesting. 

"Lulu and Merry’s childhood was never ideal, but on the day before Lulu’s tenth birthday their father drives them into a nightmare. He’s always hungered for the love of the girl’s self-obsessed mother. After she throws him out, their troubles turn deadly.

Lulu’s mother warned her to never let him in, but when he shows up, he’s impossible to ignore. He bullies his way past ten-year-old Lulu, who obeys her father’s instructions to open the door, then listens in horror as her parents struggle. She runs for help and discovers upon her return that he’s murdered her mother, stabbed her sister, and tried to kill himself.

For thirty years, the sisters try to make sense of what happened. Their imprisoned father is a specter in both their lives, shadowing every choice they make. Though one spends her life pretending he’s dead, while the other feels compelled to help him, both fear that someday their imprisoned father’s attempts to win parole may meet success.

The Murderer’s Daughters is narrated in turn by Merry and Lulu. The book follows the sisters as children, as young women, and as adults, always asking how far forgiveness can stretch, while exploring sibling loyalty, the aftermath of family violence, and the reality of redemption. "

Very well written and flows fairly quickly - partly because once you start, it's hard to put down. As you read about the lives of these young girls you struggle with them, you empathize with the one that refuses to acknowledge her father and you also empathize with the one that can't turn loose of her father. The control he has over the years and his lack of repentance or sorrow controls for years to come.  

If you want to be challenged about your feelings on forgiveness, on blame, on the raw emotion of children caught in the chaos of an action by their protectors  read "The Murderer's Daughters" by Randy Susan Meyers. It will give you much to ponder.

When asked "why" she wrote "The Murderer's Daughter" Randy Susan Meyers answered:

"When my sister was eight, my mother warned her against letting my father into our Brooklyn apartment. Perhaps she also cautioned me, but I was barely five and can’t remember. Years later, as adults, when my sister and I began exploring our childhood in the way siblings do—comparing scars and recollections, piling up wrongs and shining up the funny stories—my sister said:
“Remember when I let our father in the house and he tried to kill Mom?”

She swears I was there (where else would I be at that age?) but I didn’t remember any of it. As the years went by, and my sister fed me more details, the scene rooted in my mind and became my memory also. I heard my father sweet-talking his way in. My mother’s screams echoed."

To read more of her interesting story check out her web site  H.E.R.E.

The Misadventures of Cardinal Fratelli by Rachel Marie Gohlman

I found this book through a response from "The Cardinal" on one of my 1000+ Gifts posts! So I started following the thread that runs through the internet to get more information on this Cardinal. I mean after all, if a Cardinal comments on your blog - you sit up and take notice! Especially if you've only been in Catholic Churches for weddings and funerals! 

That's when I discovered that the Cardinal is a fictitious character. I was hooked on the idea of reading about him in Rachel Marie Gohlman's first book "The Misadventures of Cardinal Fratelli."

You know how I like "funny" and he sounded funny - plus, can one lose with a clumsy Cardinal? -  so I got the first book in this series and that's how I met personally the "Cardinal!"

"Set in the 19th century, in picturesque Italy, this comic writing follows the daily life and blunders of one Cardinal Angelo Fratelli. He is devout, young, handsome and experiences many trials partly because of his excitability and because of his snobby Aunt Francine.

Suddenly, Michele, a dear, childhood friend, comes around and doesn’t get the hint he is unavailable. Fratelli must hatch a plan to get her married off so she leaves him alone- also while proving himself to parishioners and various, other clergy.

Lots of laughs and misadventures" 

I'm not very well learned in the Catholic Church so this was not only a fun book about the Cardinal, it was also my Catholic 101 lesson! 

For example:

At first I was a bit surprised at this actions toward his Aunt Francine until I really stopped and thought through what she was trying to do - which was to marry him off to carry on the family name! Plus - it took me a minute to figure out the "importance" of a Cardinal.  Okay, okay, I have never said I'm a smart protestant.. 

 

You can find the Cardinal's blog H.E.R.E

Author Biography: 

"I have enjoyed writing all my life usually in the fantasy genre. Creating my own worlds and seeing beyond this world is something I regularly do.

Now I am experimenting with horror and comedy using my Catholic faith as a theme. I also write poetry about a variety of religious, natural and philosophical subjects. Hopefully, I will be publishing a book of my poetry soon which will be peppered with illustrations using my own art.

I am a graduate from Bradley University with a Bachelor's in science. My concentration was Studio Arts."

I am not a fan of the fantasy or horror genre's but Gohlman's Cardinal Fratelli series isn't either and will become a favorite with those that enjoy a funny light read.

Mennonite Girls Can Cook

Not only does this book look cheerful - it is very uplifting to read and browse through. It started as a blog that you can read H.E.R.E.

"Mennonite Girls Can Cook is filled with more than a hundred enticing and easy-to-use recipes that are bound to become trusted favorites. Combine these with the many personal stories and colorful photos and you have a close kitchen companion. Join the authors on a delightful journey that's much more about hospitality than entertaining - about blessing, not impressing.  It's all about passing God's bounty on to family and friends."

A picture of the authors:

Lovella Schellenberg, Anneliese Friesen, Judy Wiebe, Betty Reimer, Bev Klassen, 

Charlotte Penner, Ellen Bayles, Julie Klassen, Kathy McLellan, Marg Bartel

I was not raised in a Mennonite Church but I did graduate from a Mennonite High School. So over the years I've always cooked a few "Mennonite" dishes that I learned during my teen years. So when I found this blog, I was thrilled and ordered their book. I have not been disappointed. The recipes are easy - if you enjoy cooking! They are very good and the personal stories and pictures make the book so personal. 

I am not a cookbook reader. But, I did enjoy reading through this cookbook. 

"...Our lives were enriched by the people we entertained." Anneliese

"When my beloved began coming over for dinner when we were dating, my mom would make this soup for him. I often think that this soup secured the eventual proposal of marriage. I still make it for him when I want to serve him something special." Lovella

" I am reminded not to rush as I read the Bible, but to let my mind absorb God's goodness and allow it to nourish my soul.  God's love is worth savoring." Betty

I could go on and on with wonderful quotes from this book. But I will let you get your own and enjoy it in the comfort of your kitchen!

Included on the dedication page it says " All author royalties from Mennonite Girls Can Cook will be donated to charity to feed hungry children." This is a win/win!!

On the website it tells where one can order the book. I ordered mine from Amazon for $16.49. Which is a great price for such a beautiful book.

This is a book for every woman's collection and it will also make a beautiful gift.

I've fixed 4 items so far and they were DELICIOUS!!! 

I fixed the blueberry scones that were wonderful! I made them to eat while watching Downton Abbey! 

We had a fish fry at church and I made a cole slaw out of this book that everyone enjoyed.

I made meat pinwheels with a cheese sauce. All I have to say us YUM. I think I will be trying the cheese sauce with other dishes. It was unbelievable.

I made homemade noodles last week. I loved them. Randy and Andru thought they were too stiff. (that was the cook's fault and not the recipe!) 
 
Whether you collect cookbooks or not, this is a great addition to any kitchen.

 

 

 

Patty Reed's Doll, The Story of the Donner Party by Rachel K. Laurgaard

Patty Reed's Doll - Housed in the Sutter's Fort State Historical Park Museum in Sacramento, California

This book was first published in 1956. It is often used in classrooms across America. I'm not sure why I decided to pick it up to read but I'm glad I did.

"In the winter of 1846, the Donner Party was stranded by heavy snows in the Sierra Nevada mountains. The pioneers endured bitter hardships, and many of them died. But some survived, including 8-year-old Patty Reed, a girl filled with dignity and determination in the face of mortal danger. This is her story, as told by Dolly, the wooden doll she kept hidden in her dress."

I really enjoyed reading about the trek from Springfield, Illinois to California in 1846. Their trials - the fun they had in the beginning. I've heard about the Donner Party all my life but "Patty Reed's Doll" added a few things I hadn't known about. Our history is quick to tell us about the bad, doesn't always point out the good things that happened. It's a very age appropriate for grades 4 and up.

It is not a political book at all. But as I finished it, I thought about the direction our country is heading at this point in history and realized we really have - as a country - forgotten how hard our ancestors worked to gain the freedoms we once had. 

Dolly said at the end of the book:

"And so I stayed with Patty always. She could not bear to part with me after all we had shared together. We had been pioneers across the plains and mountains and deserts to California, and in that long year since we had left Springfield, we had known the worst suffering that pioneers can know." 

If you google this book you will find numerous web sites with information for using this book in the classroom.

Rachel Kelley Laurgaard wrote Patty Reed's Doll as a master's thesis at Sacramento State College in 1956, where she also taught English. She lived for many years in Oakland, where she died in 2000.

Now that I've finished "Patty Reed's Doll" I'm passing it on to one of my grands to read - then hoping for a good discussion with her!

Same Sweet Girls by Cassandra King

 

"The Same Sweet Girls" was published in 2005 and written by Cassandra King. A book about women's friendships. (one of my favorite subjects!)

"None of the Same Sweet Girls are really girls anymore and none of them have actually ever been sweet. But this spirited group of Southern women, who have been holding biannual reunions ever since they were together in college, are nothing short of compelling. There’s Julia Stovall, the First Lady of Alabama, who despite her public veneer, is a down-to-earth gal who only wants to know who her husband is sneaking out with late at night. There’s Lanier Sanders, whose husband won custody of their children after he found out about her fling with a colleague. Then there’s Astor Deveaux, a former Broadway showgirl who simply can’t keep her flirtations in check. And Corrine Cooper, whose incredible story comes to light as the novel unfolds."  Synopsis from Cassandra King website.

I enjoyed the book.  But I really enjoy a good book about friendships. 

The characters are as different - well as different as I am from my friends! Different personalities, different beliefs, different ways of looking at life - which made for very interesting characters.

There was one that didn't quite fit in - not sure that anyone really liked her and that was the only "unbelievable" part of the book. If one is not really liked, would everyone else really put up with her all those years? Then I realized, yes, we do. For many different reasons. I believe the main one being kindness. 

Lanier is given a note book to write down bits of "wisdom" throughout the story. This was a highlight for me - given my penchant for "journals" and writing anything but "diary" stuff in them! Here's an example of my JOURNALS.

Some of the wisdom she recorded:

"Honey, it will either work out or it won't."

"I keep doing the same crap over and over and expecting it to turn out different each time."

"Any landing you walk away from is a good landing."

"Take what you want from life, then pay the price."

"Only way to learn anything is to keep your mouth shut and your eyes open."

These are just a few that I marked. The book is full of wit and wisdom! Women standing together as friends without hidden agendas, without political activism, just good old fashioned friendships for friendship sake. We all need friends.

Years ago, I attended a conference where the speaker stated "...women need women friends. Years ago, women formed friendships while beating their laundry on a rock by the river! by baking together, quilting together, so many different get-together's where they shared, laughed and cried. Then women got busy. Busy working outside their homes and still keeping up their homes. Raising children, taxiing children to one activity after another. They discovered their "friendships" were the easiest to give up. No matter how much you love your husband, no matter how good of friends you are, a man can't take the place of "girl-friends."  So many women have become discontented with their lives because of this."

-and I'm very sorry to say I don't have the name of the speaker written down, just the notes from the workshop.

Maybe that's why l like books about friendships so much. It's in our nature to have friends.

Cassandra King has written many short stories, essays and several full length books. Please check out her website H.E.R.E.

I plan on reading more of King's books after reading the synopsis' of them on her website. I'm sure they won't disappoint. 

 

The Christian Atheist Believing in God but Living as If He Doesn’t Exist Craig Groeschel

'The more I looked, the more I found Christian Atheists everywhere.' Former Christian Atheist Craig Groeschel knows his subject all too well. After over a decade of successful ministry, he had to make a painful self admission: although he believed in God, he was leading his church like God didn't exist. To Christians and non-Christians alike, to the churched and the unchurched, the journey leading up to Groeschel's admission and the journey that follows---from his family and his upbringing to the lackluster and even diametrically opposed expressions of faith he encountered---will look and sound like the story of their own lives. Now the founding and senior pastor of the multicampus, pace-setting LiveChurch.tv, Groeschel personal journey toward a more authentic God-honoring life is more relevant than ever. Christians and Christian Atheists everywhere will be nodding their heads as they are challenged to take their own honest moment and ask the question: am I putting my whole faith in God but still living as if everything was up to me? (From the Back cover)

This book was a “recommended read” from Pastor Brad Cooper. Since Brenda is from Enid, Ok. we were aware of LifeChurch and it’s unique method of church growth.

Craig Groeschel, founding and senior pastor of LifeChurch.tv, examines 12 areas of the Christian faith in which Christians struggle to act consistently with their stated beliefs. The author writes in a modest fashion and provides humorous and thought provoking examples from his personal life and his ministry to illustrate his points. His teaching is sensible and true to Biblical principles. I was especially impressed with the Afterword section of the book in which the author discusses the concept of “Third Line faith.” The book is an easy and enjoyable read. It will appeal to both old and new believers who want to grow in their Christian walk.    

 Randy Cohorn

   

The Bridge by Karen Kingsbury

I probably should have read this to review before Christmas but I just heard about it from my friend Ellen this past week. She said it was short and easy to read so I read it this afternoon! Ellen was right, very easy to read.

"Number one New York Times bestselling author Karen Kingsbury delivers an instant classic with this heartwarming Christmas story about a hundred-year flood, lost love, and the beauty of enduring friendships."

This is a "Christmas Miracle" book. Kingsbury did a great job helping you see the characters and to feel with them. With all the natural disasters we have seemed to have had in the last few years, this book resonates with people everywhere.

I really liked the characters - what's not to like when one of the main characters sells books for a living! The authors description of how this book seller feels about the books he sells really speaks to my heart!

"There's not a person in Franklin who hasn't been touched by your books and your kindness, Charlie."

"He called it The Bridge because that was how he felt about books. They connected the past and the present, the present and the future. Books brought people together and gave them a path to worlds they wouldn't otherwise experience."

This book is more than a romance. It also shows strong faith and the way communities band together in times of struggle. Sometimes all we need to do is ask.

Karen Kingsbury has written several books and has a very interesting web site H.E.R.E.

In fact, I enjoyed reading her account of adoption on this site as much - or more than her books!! Very beautiful story of their adopting of 3 Haitian boys. I highly recommend you go to this website and look under "Karen on Adoption."  

 

The Faith by Charles Colson and Harold Fickett

Recently Pastor Brad started a new sermon series titled “What Do Christians Believe.”  One of the references for this sermon was the book The Faith by Charles Colson and Harold Fickett.

The Faith is a book about what Christians believe, why they believe it, and why it matters. First the authors offer an overview of what challenges face the church today and then they move on to core issues. The authors describe 14 doctrines which are the essential doctrines that constitute the Christian faith. The book is filled with stories which illustrate the practice of these doctrines. The Faith deals with the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the importance of understanding the essential doctrines that constitute the Christian faith. Not only does this book cover 14 essential Christian doctrines but it also covers such topics as the sanctity of human life, why liberalism has failed and how Christians use their beliefs and their relationship with Jesus Christ to be positive influences on society.

In the back of the book there is a list of the 14 essential doctrines described in this book. I found I got more out of the book by listing these doctrines in a word document and the cutting and pasting at least 1 paragraph that explained the doctrine. I facilitate a weekly bible study using study guides from the pastor’s sermons. By listing these doctrines not only did I understand them better but I can present them to my Bible study group better.

 I found this book to be an easy read. It would appeal to both the experienced Christian and the new believer. I am someone who likes to get to the point and I found that some of the stories were too long before the authors got to what they wanted to say. I feel all of the doctrines mentioned in this book are biblically correct. Of course any Christian’s belief system should be based on the truths of the Bible and any book written on the what Christians should believe should be referenced to the truths of the bible.  

In the first sermon of this series my pastor stated that “most Christians really don’t know what they believe and therefore can neither stand for, nor defend, their Christian faith, much less live it”. I also found this statement in the preface of this book. This statement stimulated my wife and I to review our own belief system, the statements of beliefs from the church we are currently attending and several that we attended in the past and to create our personal statement of beliefs. My wife listed this statement on her blog, http://b-allaboutbooks.blogspot.com//.  You may click on the link or just go to the top of this page and click on "What I Believe."

Randy Cohorn

We attend Cross Road Church in Wichita, Ks. The Senior Pastor is Brad Cooper. All of Pastor Brad’s sermons including the “What do Christians Believe” series can be viewed at http://www.crfbc.org.

 

AND THE WINNER IS.....

I first published this for July 11, 2011

 

Randy did the drawing for me!

And the winner is.....

Dixie Gramke!!

Dixie, email me your address and the publisher of Sheila Walsh's new book

"God's Shelter For The Storm"

will  mail it to you!

Thank you all for reading the review of this book and for commenting on it.