Book Review: Freefall to Fly

Image credit: http://rebekahlyons.com/blog/

Here is a bit about the book from Rebekah's blog: "In a Western culture driven by performance and Pinterest fantasies, her story echoes the rise of loneliness, depression, and anxiety that women are facing at all time highs. Why are expectations and lifestyles breaking us down in unprecedented ways? In this beautifully moving memoir of vulnerability, courage, and ultimately transformation, Rebekah shares her journey into the unknown—a thrilling, terrifying freefall that eventually led to flight. Searching for meaning, she stumbled on surrender, discovering that meaning follows surrender. Rebekah found freedom when she faced her greatest fear, and she invites other women to do the same. For it is only when we freefall that we can truly fly."


There are two main themes that I saw. First was Rebekah's journey through depression and anxiety, along with a big move and culture shock (Atlanta to NYC).  She suffered debilitating panic attacks, and was often so depressed she didn't want to get out of bed. At her lowest point, she writes:

"I must give in.
I"ll do what I swore I would never do.
I'll numb out.
We woke up the next morning after yet another restless night, and I told Gabe (her husband) my resolution: I would take antidepressants to get me through. I was no longer able to cope and ready to do whatever I needed to do."

So, apparently anti-depressants cause you to "numb out." No, no, and NO!  Anti-depressants to NOT cause most people to "numb out." They strip away the anxiety and depression, so you can peel away those terrible layers and get back to who you really are.

Two pages later, she writes about her break through. One night, in the midst of an awful panic attack, Rebekah cries out to God in desperation. She prays bold prayers. She is cured that night. So, apparently, if you pray hard enough God will take away your depression and anxiety too.

These are the two things that really bother me. There is a huge stigma surrounding depression in general. And, depression in Christian culture? Forget about it. Like we need more perpetuation of the lie that "if you pray hard enough, God will cure you." I feel like Rebekah has done a bit of a disservice to Christian women out there. Not once does she mention seeing a psychiatrist or a counselor. Not once does she talk about suicide statistics. Ugh.

I did see a webcast interview with Rebekah and her husband. She seems like a absolutely lovely woman, and sort of back-tracked on the meds stance, saying that everyone is different, and yes some people do need meds. But, that did not come across in the book.

The other theme is Rebekah's passion for women finding and using their God-given gifts. She is so passionate about this and it really resonates with me. Rebekah is so encouraging, to young mother's especially.

She writes: "... the displacement of a mother's purpose (beyond child rearing) becomes a huge loss to our communities. If women aren't empowered to cultivate their uniqueness, we all suffer the loss of beauty, creativity, and resourcefulness they were meant to inject into the world."

Another quote: "But if God has buried in each of us good gifts, doesn't it follow that He desires for us to find and use them? To ignore these gifts or fail to develop them, it seems, would be to bury our treasure..."

Would I recommend it? Yes, with reservations. I love the parts where she encourages women to grab hold of their gifts and use them to to further the Kingdom. There are parts of her recovery story that bother me, and I would hesitate to recommend this book to a Christian who is really struggling.

Disclosure: I received this advanced reading copy free from Zondervan via Handlebar Publishing as part of their Board of Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Book Review: Bread & Wine

Bread & Wine is Shauna Niequist's third book, following her first two, Cold Tangerines and Bittersweet. I only recently started reading Shauna's blog, and this is her first book I've read. Bread & Wine is a collection of short essays about anything and everything--life, love, family, heartache, friends, and above all food. The subtitle on the cover is, "a love letter to life around the table with recipes." And, that's exactly what it is: a love letter.

Niequiest's writing is beautiful and poetic. She sounds like she is everyone's best friend, and if you were to meet her, I bet you'd feel an instant kinship. And, ask to join her cooking club.

I haven't read too many foodie books, only one really and I didn't even finish it--Julia Child's "My Life in France." The one thing I loved about Julia Child's book is how she wrote about food. Oh my word. The way  she described things, you just wanted to jump through the pages and eat your way through all of the amazing delicacies she wrote about. This is how I feel about Bread & Wine. Here is a short passage from the introduction:

"For the record, my last-supper meal looks a bit like this: first, of course, ice-cold champagne, gallons of it, flutes catching the candlelight and dancing. There would be bacon-wrapped dates oozing with goat cheese, and risotto with thick curls of Parmesan and flecks of black pepper. There would be paper-thin pizza with tomatoes and mozzarella and slim ribbons of basil, garlicky pasta and crusty bread and lots of cheeses, a plummy pinot noir and maybe a really dirty martini, because you might as well go big on your last night on earth. There would be dark chocolate sea salted toffee and a bowl of fat blackberries, and we'd stay at the table for hours and hours, laughing and telling stories and reaching for one more bite, one more bite, one more bite."

At some point in the book, you may (like me) become overly jealous or annoyed with this woman. I mean, really. Her life looks pretty awesome on paper. Tons of friends, full life, great husband and kids, close family, lake vacations, running a marathon for pete's sake. But, she shares her other sides too. The dark period of miscarriages, insecurities, fears, loss. She's just a woman, like you and me. No need for me to put her on a pedestal. And just from reading her book and blog, I know she wouldn't want me to.

The recipes, oh the recipes. I love the fact that many are fancy/not really fancy recipes that are easy to prepare and impress your guests: Steak au Poivre with Cognac Pan Sauce, Mini Mac & Cheese, Bacon-Wrapped Dates, Maple Balsamic Pork Tenderloin. Simple ingredients, big flavor. There are also every day recipes like Annette's Enchiladas, Brannon's Caesar Salad, and Magical White Bean Soup.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can't wait to make some of the recipes... starting with the Bacon-Wrapped Dates!

Disclosure: I received this advanced reading copy free from Zondervan via Handlebar Publishing as part of their Board of Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Heart of Ice by Lis Wiehl - Book Review

Heart of Ice by

Lis Wiehl with April Henry

Heart of Ice is the third novel in the Triple Threat series, following Allison (federal prosecuter), Nicole (FBI agent), and Cassidy (TV journalist).

 This latest novel starts out with Allison, Nicole, and Cassidy each chasing the "Want Ad Killer" in their own way, a story line that is loosely based on the real-life Craigs List Killer. This storyline was not as central to the book as I thought it would be (but does get the three ladies talking about sociopaths later on).

Elizabeth Avery is the real star of the book. Elizabeth is a sociopath who manipulates everyone. She lets nothing stand in her way, and will do anything, even murder, to get what she wants. Elizabeth has a new boyfriend who comes with some baggage--an ex-wife and child. Elizabeth hires an old friend from school to burn down the ex-wife's home, and sets a series of awful events into motion.

In addition to being involved in these events, the Triple Threat ladies are each dealing with issues in their personal lives as well. Allison is still mourning the loss of her unborn child and trying to repair her relationship with her sister, Nicole is diagnosed with breast cancer, and Cassidy is still clawing her way to the top of her career and dealing with self-esteem issues.

I didn't feel like there were many twists and turns, and the reader pretty much knows everything that's going on. But, Heart of Ice is a well-written, entertaining read. It's clean and, like the previous novels, interweaves nuggets of faith throughout the book (mostly through Allison's character). I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Disclosure: I received this advanced copy e-book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Finny by Justin Kramon - Book Review & Giveaway {Closed}

Finny

by Justin Kramon

Finny is a wonderful novel about a young girl named Finny Short. We first meet her as a smart-alecky 14 year old. She has a pretty typical life with an overbearing mother who is obsessed with manners & what other people think, and a father who doesn't talk as much as he walks around spouting off not-so-famous quotes. Overall, she seems pretty bored with her life.

Then she meets some neighbors Earl Henckel and and his eccentric father, a piano teacher. She and Earl fall in love and she spends more and more time with Mr. Henckel as well. He becomes a father figure to Finny. Then, just as quickly as it began, her relationship with Earl is torn apart. Finny is sent to boarding school in Boston. Finny gets paired with a outgoing, popular girl named Judith. They become quick friends and get into all sorts of mischief together.

The novel follows Finny and her relationships with all of these people and more over the next 20 years. I found it to be very real, and I related to Finny in many ways. I actually found myself crying at some parts and laughing out loud at others.

A note to my local readers: Twenty-nine-year old (making me feel just a smidge old and unaccomplished!) Justin Kramon graduated from Swarthmore College and currently lives in Philadelphia.

I rated the book 4/5 stars. It's a great novel, I definitely recommend it! I received an advance copy, but Finny will be available online and in bookstores in July 2010.

Now, on to the giveaway! I am giving away my copy of Finny to one of my readers!

Rules: This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental US. Enter to win by Wednesday, May 26, 2010. Winner will be randomly chosen. Please include your email address in your comment!

You have three chances to win!

1. Leave a comment with the title of your favorite book or a good book you just read.

2. Friend me on Good Reads, so we can chat books! (I receive no compensation or perks from Good Reads, I just like their website. And books.) Leave a comment that you did so.

3. Tweet this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

Disclosure: I won an advance copy of this book Good Reads as part of their First Reads program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Never Let You Go by Erin Healy - Book Review & Giveaway {closed}

Never Let You Go

Erin Healy

Lexi Solomon is a single mom trying to keep it all together and give her daughter a good life. Her drug-dealing husband, Grant, left them years ago. Her father checked out mentally when her sister was murdered. Her mother is off traveling and they don't see eye to eye. Her sister's murderer, Norman, is up for parole. And, now a creepy old aquaintance (Ward, who insists on being called Warden) is back demanding payment for Grant's debts that she can't even begin to imagine repaying.

It seems as if Lexi's world is starting to crumble. All at once, Ward, Grant, Norman, and her mother come back into her life. A chain of events has been set off, and Lexi feels her life spinning out of control. Her grip on reality seems to be slipping too.

This book was good, but not great. It's well written with some good plot lines, but it can be confusing at times, particularly for a non-Christian. The battle between good and evil was just a little off to me (This Present Darkness and The Screwtape Letters are great for this). I was never sure who or what was real. Maybe that was the point, but it was confusing all the same.

The novel has a wonderful message of love and forgiveness. Lexi has let bitterness consume her, and Angelo (a kind new friend who always seems to be in the right place at the right time) urges her to repair her broken relationships and forgive. He also tells her to "Choose love, it will save you even now." I guess my issue is that there is an underlying theme of salvation. Love does not equal Salvation. Yes, it's part of it, but JESUS equals Salvation.
Overall it was a good read, I gave it 3 out of 5 stars.

Now, on to the giveaway! I am giving away my copy of Never Let You Go to one of my readers!

Rules: This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental US. Enter to win by Monday, May 10, 2010. Winner will be randomly chosen. Please include your email address!

You have three chances to win!

1. Leave a comment with the title of your favorite book or a good book you just read.

2. Friend me on Good Reads, so we can chat books! (I receive no compensation or perks from Good Reads, I just like their website. And books.) Leave a comment that you did so.

3. Tweet this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Feed Me Books Friday: Momma Loves Her Little Son

Momma Loves Her Little Son

by John Carter Cash

Yes, that's THE John Carter Cash, son of Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash. I recently visited Nashville and went to the Country Music Hall of Fame. I saw a large sign for this book, but there were none on the shelf. I'm so glad I asked if they had any! They pulled a bunch from the back. I paged through, and knew I had to have it. I didn't even realize it until I was home in PA, but I got a signed copy!

The inspiration and title for this book came from the phrase that June Carter used to say to John: "Momma loves her little son". "She often recalled to me how one day I turned to her and said, "Son loves his little momma." This is a book of a mother's unconditional love for her son, and of the common dreams they may share within that love. (From the back cover.)

A few lines from the book:
"Momma loves her little son, as we count rocks and fishes.
And tell the salamanders and the toads all our secret wishes."

Takeaway: This is just a lovely book to remind your child of your unconditional love and to have special mama/son time with your little guy. Enjoy!

This post is linked to Feed Me Books Friday at The Adventure of Motherhood

Feed Me Books Friday: Shrinking Sam

Shrinking Sam

by Miriam Latimer

This used to be one of Dash's favorite books, but we haven't read it in a while. You know, all those pirates and such.

Sam is a middle child who feels a little ignored sometimes. One day he feels that no one is paying any attention to him--and he starts shrinking! He falls down the sink drain and finds a pal, Izzy, who has shrunk too. They share their stories and as they talk, Sam feels himself begin to grow. He hops back home and has a reunion with his family.

There is a line that I always skip as Sam is falling down the drain. I think it says something like "he thought he was going to drown/die". I don't think it belongs in a book for young kids, but that's just me.

Takeaway: This would be a good book children with siblings to help them if they feel that they are not getting enough attention. Dash is too young to "get" that part and, plus, he's an only child! He just liked Sam--and his dog, Kimba!

This post is linked to Feed Me Books Friday at The Adventure of Motherhood

Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl - Book Review and Giveaway!

I recently signed up with BookSneeze.com, and I am part of their book review bloggers program. I requested and was sent Hand of Fate by Lis Wiehl.

Hand of Fate is the second novel in the Triple Threat series, following Allison (federal prosecuter), Nicole (FBI agent), and Cassidy (TV journalist).

The novel opens with popular radio personality, Jim Fate, being murdered in his studio by opening a package that fills his studio with poisonous gas. Chaos ensues not only in the radio studio and building, but in downtown Portland (Oregon) as well. Allison and Nicole are in court a few blocks away and forced to evacuate the building. Allison makes it out and rescues a child on the street. Nicole is trapped in the building. Cassidy hears the news and races to the scene to cover the story.

After the initial dangers pass, the three women team up to figure out who killed Fate and why. Hand of Fate is a great mystery novel. It is fast-paced (just the way I like it!) and the final twist was not obvious.

I also loved the way that Wiehl weaved faith into the novel, and not in a cram-it-down-your-throat kind of way. The three women are at different stages of faith: Allison is clearly a Christian, Nicole had a very religious upbringing but a terrible trauma crushed her faith, and Cassidy is new-agey.

Wiehl never reveals who she based Jim Fate's character on, but some of her friends in the business were sure it was them. I think it's a combination of several radio personalities, but she does call Fate "The Great One" at one point. And, we all know who that is...

Now, on to the giveaway! I am giving away my copy of Hand of Fate to one of my readers!

Rules: This giveaway is only open to residents of the continental US. Enter to win by Monday, April 12, 2010. Winner will be randomly chosen. Please include your email address!

You have three chances to win!

1. Leave a comment with the title of your favorite book or a good book you just read.

2. Friend me on Good Reads, so we can chat books! (I receive no compensation or perks from Good Reads, I just like their website. And books.) Leave a comment that you did so.

3. Tweet this giveaway and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

Disclosure: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Feed Me Books Friday: Pirates and Ladybug Girl

I took Dash to the library last week. I asked him what kind of books he wanted to get, and he said, "PIRATES!" His response may or may not have had anything to do with the fact that he had just been watching The Pirates That Don't Do Anything in the car.

We asked the children's librarian for some pirate books and she pulled a few for us.

Just look at my sweet boy

One of our favorites was Henry and the Buccaneer Bunnies by Carolyn Crimi. It is a great book that incorporates all of the pirate jargon, but none of the scary stuff. One of the other books we got had pirates being chased by ghosts and a captain that "sold his soul" for gold. Ugh!

Black Ear is a big, bad pirate who is ashamed of his son, Henry, for not being a "real" pirate. All Henry wants to do is read books. The Buccaneer Bunnies do not listen to Henry's storm warnings, and they end up stranded on a deserted island. Henry comes to the rescue, building a shelter, cooking food, making clothes--all learned from the books he's read.

Takeaway: It's really a sweet and clever book! I love that it is about pirates (which Dash loves) AND reinforces the importance of reading.

We also picked up Ladybug Girl and Bumblebee Boy. This is a fun, well-written book about Lulu/Ladybug Girl and her pal Sam/Bumblebee Boy. Lulu has great fun as Ladybug Girl, but when she runs into Sam at the park, he doesn't want to play anything she wants to play. They both get a little upset. Lulu suggests playing Ladybug Girl. Sam can be Bumblebee Boy, and they can have superpowers! There are a few other books in this series that I would love to pick up next time.

Takeaway: Kids can learn how fun pretending can be, and how to work out conflict and compromise with friends.

This post is linked to Feed Me Books Friday at The Adventure of Motherhood

I Love a Good Book

Ever since I found this handy dandy website, Good Reads, I've finally found a good way to keep track of my books. Books I've read, books I want to read, and books I'd rather forget. I'd never had a good method before. I tried to start a journal recently, but I had a hard time remembering things when I sat down to write in it. I remembered that I wanted to read a that book that a friend recommended, but not the title. Or the author. Just a general description. Does this happen to anyone else? Good Reads is just perfect for me. Plus, I get to "friend" people, like Facebook and Twitter. It's a modern day book geek's lover's dream! So, come join me and let's geek out together...

I highly recommend:
Going Rogue by Sarah Palin
The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest (Not available in the US yet, but you can order it on ebay from the UK. Ask me how I know.) by Stieg Larsson

Not a fan:
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett
The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell

I'm currently reading The Swan Thieves by Elizabeth Kostova. I'm not loving it, but I'm giving it a chance. Our next book club pick is The Book of Bright Ideas by Sandra Kring. Looking forward to reading that next.

I was at B&N the other night and had a store credit to use up. I couldn't decide what to get, so I threw it out to my Twitter friends. Their suggestions: The Piano Teacher, The Secret Life of CeeCee Wilkes, Prodigal Summer (oddly enough, I have never read any Barbara Kingslover!), The Help, and anything by Lisa Scottoline. I ended up grabbing Olive Kitteridge and running out because apparently browsing at the bookstore was not on Dash's to do list!
Have any books I should add to my list?

The Crud [And Some Movie/Book Reviews]

Things I learned this week:

• If your child picks up a stomach virus at daycare, don't delude yourself into thinking you won't get it. You will. And, your husband will too. The cats will not. [Why is that anyway? I've never seen these cats get sick. Which is all well and good because Cheli pukes enough on her own. Must Google that.]
• Don't be afraid to ask for help if you get aforementioned crud disease. I have the best mom ever. Truly. I called her from my sick bed couch, and she popped right over to pick up Dash. Thanks, Mom. I also had several offers of help from friends (thanks, everyone!), but didn't want to risk infecting anyone who wasn't related to me. And, would still love me if they got the crud.
   
• After you recover from All the Evil, you will find you only have energy enough to lay on the couch and click the remote buttons. Which brings me to a recap of the movies we watched. So, here you go.

First up was No Country for Old Men. I'll just admit it. I don't get it. I don't get the hype (it won Best Picture 2007) and I don't get the movie. I guess there was a slight point. Maybe. But, it was loooong and basically everyone dies. (That really won't ruin it for you, even if you go against my advice and spend two hours of your precious time watching it.) Tommy Lee Jones had a great character, but other than that? Blah.

Mr. Incredible took a computer break as his crud started before mine, and he could sit up at this point. Instead of lying like a heap of wet noodles on the couch like me. So, on to Mamma Mia. Hmmm... how do I put this? No one in the movie can sing. And, it's a musical. I take that back. Amanda Seyfried can sing. That's it. Meryl Streep: steller actress, beautiful, amazing, lovely, great dancer, can't sing a note. Colin Firth, my main man. Pierce Brosnan, Bond hottie. Why? Just why? If you can get past all that, it's a cute story (do I really have to tell you that it's based on the Broadway show based on the songs of ABBA?) with beautiful cinematography.

At this point, I crawled back into bed for a few hours and Mr. Incredible watched Dragon Wars. He said it was bad. I can't even find it on imdb.

We were still making our way through the stack of $2 movies we picked up at Blockbuster. Can you tell? Next up was In the Name of the King. This movie is much like The Lord of the Rings, but not as good. Burt Reynolds plays the king, but doesn't seem to have an accent, while everyone else does. Ray Liotta (whose best role of course was Henry Hill) is, well, terrible as the evil Gallian. Matthew Lillard (Scream, Scooby freakin' Doo!) plays the king's nephew and is also terrible. Jason Statham is awesome and his sidekicks to a good job. But, unfortunately, the good does not balance out the bad. Stick with The Lord of the Rings series.

I also watched Passengers with Anne Hathaway (who is gorgeous as always and one of my favorites). I'd never heard of it--did it go straight to DVD? It was pretty good. Not very original, though. It reminded me of a few other movies, but I won't list them as not to spoil it for you. Oh, and David Morse was in it too. Why don't people play Six Degrees of David Morse because holy crap, he's been in a ton of movies and TV shows.

I finally finished Careless in Red by Elizabeth George. It's probably bad that I picked this book up first instead of starting at the beginning of the series. I knew that it was a series, but didn't realize that this book was the last. A friend told me that this book was not her favorite in the series, so I may start at #1 and see how I like them.

I was not a big fan of this book. First off, it's huge--over 600 pages. There were too many characters and it took way too long to get interesting. I would say I finally got into it around page 250. If you are going to write a 600 page book, it better be good amazing!

I don't think I would recommend this book. But, I will probably start at the beginning one day to give Elizabeth George and Inspector Lynley a chance.
 
I'm now about a third of the way through Bel Canto, which I'm reading for my book club. So far, so good. I'm eager to see what happens next.

This post is linked up to What I Learned This Week at Musings of a Housewife.