Reading for Me

The Books I Have Read…..Just for Me

May 13

#22: Safe Haven (Nicholas Sparks)

by kennithfreeman

I’ve gotten behind in my reviews and need to catch up. I actually finished listening to this book while driving back and forth during one of the last weeks of the semester. There was a lot of time on the road and a lot of time to listen.

I found Safe Haven a difficult book to listen to since it told the story of a woman who had run away from her abusive husband. To add to the irony, her husband was a police detective — one who was charged with protecting victims! I wasn’t fully aware of the subject matter when I selected the book. I am especially sensitive to the topic because domestic abuse has rocked the lives of members of my family. My sister and her two daughters suffered at the hands of an abusive monster for nearly 5 years before getting out. (Since many of my Christian friends read these posts, I’ll refrain from calling Gregory Prince her ex-husband the names that he truly deserves. Just understand that I feel that any man who fails to pay court-ordered child support is about as worthy of mercy as the cockroach I squashed under my sneaker. Perhaps someone in the Tennessee Department of Child Welfare will stumble across this post and actually investigate. A guy can hope anyway. Hey….it’s my blog and my opinions!)

Without revealing too much of the plot, when the abusive cop finally chases down his victim in her new home, I was frantic for her to get away from him. I drove extra miles out of my way to get her to a safe place in the story…..I couldn’t leave her hanging! When the animal got exactly what he deserved, I cheered out loud in my car. I was only saddened that he couldn’t suffer more.

It’s a riveting story. It didn’t bring out Christ-like mercy, grace, or forgiveness in me. It certainly felt good to see the bad guy get what he deserved though.

A movie adaptation was released earlier this year. I haven’t seen it and given my emotional response to the book, I’m not sure I want to see it.

audio fiction

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Apr 27

#21: Malibu Nanny: Adventures of the Former Kardashian Nanny (Pam Behan)

by kennithfreeman

I have very little interest in the lives of the reality stars known as the Kardashians. Honestly, I probably couldn’t pick their pictures out if I was asked. I read Malibu Nanny because I know the author and felt our friendship deserved giving the book a read. What I thought was going to be a typical “tell-all” turned out to be a beautiful memoir of mistakes, loss, and love.

Pam Behan and I were both students at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California where we studied music. Pam was a year ahead of me, but we got to know each other since we were both majoring in piano performance. I always knew Pam’s schedule was hectic because she was a full-time student, waited tables at a local restaurant, and was a nanny for the Jenner family (as in olympic gold-medalist Bruce Jenner), but I had no idea HOW crazy Pam’s life was. Now that I’ve read her memoir, I am shocked that Pam ever had time to complete her degree and maintain a semblance of sanity. Pam later becomes employed by the Kardashians when Mr. Jenner and Kris Kardashian marry.

Malibu Nanny is full of funny stories of the family as you would expect. The central character in the saga, however, is Pam herself. As readers, we watch as this young woman from Minnesota copes with the fast-paced, materialistic southern California society while trying to maintain her Midwestern values. Along the way, Pam faces the challenges associated with attempting to establish a career and start a family. Her difficulties with men throughout her life are tragic and explain why both Bruce Jenner and her father hold such important roles in her life.

As Pam’s journey takes her away from the craziness of Hollywood to Jackson, Tennessee and Aberdeen, South Dakota, Pam finds herself on a spiritual journey as well. Due to troublesome circumstances, Pam finds herself running to the God of her childhood and finds a renewed faith that is based in an authentic and personal relationship with a loving Savior. Pam tells the story of her life with such grace and honesty that her testimony of faith doesn’t feel preachy and comes along rather unexpectedly in the book. I have always known Pam to be a warm and loving person whose smile is infectious. It’s wonderful to see that the smile has grown because of Jesus.

Several passages in the later portion of the memoir spoke to my heart. In one of my favorite passages, Pam is reflecting over mistakes she has made in the area of relationships.  Pam states, “I reflect on some of my poor choices in men, and the years of heartache it caused. Yet, even the worst mistake of all — my choice to stand by Terry — was an integral part of the plan….God specializes in redeeming bad choices.  Now I look at all that pain, and where I am now, and I say this is why! Every bit of that horrible pain was worth it to have this most precious gift.” (p. 175) Isn’t it thrilling to know that “God specializes in redeeming bad choices?” Like Pam, I’ve made more than my fair share of mistakes. I’m so thankful that they have been and continue to be redeemed by my loving Heavenly Father.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who has ever wondered where their life was taking them. While Malibu Nanny shares some stories about the famous people Pam has encountered over the years (including the time Pam was dating mega-star Sylvester Stallone!), the memoir is really one woman’s story of finding herself while chasing her dreams and ultimately finding herself in a place of perfect peace.

memoir non-fiction

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Apr 27

#20: Do Yourself a Favor…Forgive (Joyce Meyer)

by kennithfreeman

Being on sabbatical from the church job has been a good time to begin looking honestly at my life. I’m learning a lot about myself — both good and bad — and the things that are shaping my emotions. One thing that I have been forced to admit to myself is that I continue to harbor some anger and resentment against people who have hurt me over the years in my ministry role. Some of the attacks were vindictive, aggressive, and intended to destroy me personally. People knew what they were doing and willingly chose to become the very embodiment of evil. In other cases, the pain came from a thoughtless word or action that the person didn’t even realize had cut me to the core. I can’t change the fact that I have been hurt, but I can deal with my feelings after the fact. I suppose that’s why Joyce Meyer’s audiobook on forgiveness jumped out at me. It wasn’t an enjoyable read, but it was something I needed to begin addressing this week.

In Do Yourself a Favor….Forgive, Meyer begins by examining the characteristics of anger. Why does anger appear in our life? Is anger ever justified? Through sharing of personal stories, Meyer presents a clear portrait of anger that is honest, yet is completely non-judgmental and encouraging. In the second half of the book, Meyer speaks about the importance and freeing effects of forgiveness. Again Meyer’s stories (both humorous and life-altering) are coupled with Scriptural instruction that provides a clear map through the journey to forgiveness. Through all of the reading and powerful statements that were expressed, this simple truth was the most powerful for me:  “As long as we are talking about our wounds, we haven’t gotten over them.”

audio Christian non-fiction self-help

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Apr 21

#19: Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn)

by kennithfreeman

Amy and Nick have it all — the perfect marriage, the perfect jobs, and the perfect family — until everything starts to unravel. Both of them lose their jobs as journalists from prestigious New York City publications. Amy’s parents have lost their fortune and need to borrow money from her trust fund. Nick’s father is demented and his mother is battling cancer. The only thing they can do is return to Nick’s childhood home in Missouri to help care for his parents and together face their challenging financial situation.

While they are enjoying a simpler life, Nick receives a disturbing call from a neighbor: there seems to have been a disturbance at his house. Nick rushes home to find the front door open, the living room in absolute disarray, and his wife missing. As the hours turn into days, the investigation into Amy’s disappearance turns into a murder investigation with Nick as the prime suspect. Let the reader beware! Don’t assume you know what’s ahead….you’ll find yourself surprised.

Flynn’s novel explores marriage, infidelity, and family relationships under the light of “truth.” Gone Girl is an excellent novel intended for a mature audience due to graphic adult themes and strong language.

fiction

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Apr 20

#18: The Forgotten (David Baldacci)

by kennithfreeman

John Puller is back in this exciting novel.  We first met the character of Puller in Zero Day. This time the Army special agent finds himself in Paradise, Florida to visit his aunt because of a mysterious letter she sent John Puller, Sr. Puller arrives in Florida to discover that his aunt has died, tragically drowning in a shallow pool in her backyard. As Puller investigates his aunt’s death, he discovers that things are not as they seem in Paradise and that several other senior citizens with connections to his aunt are also dying.

Opposite powerful, witty, and insightful John Puller is the character of Mecco, a Bulgarian giant-of-a-man who is in Florida defending the honor of his family and village. The two men’s paths cross in a most unexpected turn of events. Is Mecco a friend or foe?

Once again David Baldacci provides an intelligent thriller with plenty of exquisitely developed characters and enough plot twists and turns to keep your head spinning while you read this fast-paced thriller. You won’t be able to put it down without knowing what happens next! Wonderfully written as usual, Mr. Baldacci!

audio fiction

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Apr 14

#17: The Chance (Karen Kingsbury)

by kennithfreeman

I tend to avoid Christian fiction. It’s not that I don’t like the morality and presence of God. Generally I just find that the books are poorly written. I have discovered that I can LISTEN to these books with greater appreciation.

The Chance tells the story of two teenagers growing up in Christian homes in Savannah, Georgia. The two have fallen in love.  The boy constantly proclaims that he’s going to marry her; her response is always the same:  laughter!  Tragedy hits both families and the two learn they are going to be separated by thousands of miles. On their last night together, they write letters to each other and bury them in a tackle box beneath an enormous oak tree, vowing to return in eleven years to read the love letters.

Life happens to both of them and the idea of marriage seems impossible. He has become a professional basketball player, enjoying all the success that it brings. She, on the other hand, is a single mother that is estranged from both of her parents and struggles just to make ends meet.  What follows is a beautiful story of healing, restoration, and second chances. I’ve never been a fan of Kingsbury’s writing, but this story along with The Bridge have made me think it’s time to reconsider my opinion of the author.

audio Christian fiction

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Apr 7

#16: The Paris Wife (Paula McLain)

by kennithfreeman

Let’s start with the reason I postponed this post for a few hours. Even after I finished the novel, I can’t decide how I feel about it. The writing was okay. The story was interesting. I don’t know what the problem was though….

The Paris Wife is the story of Hadley, the first wife of novelist Ernest Hemingway. While filled with historical figures and accurate events from the author’s life, the work is a fictional development of these larger than life characters. Much of the work centers around the writing of Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises (which just happens to be a book that holds a special place in my heart). I suppose it is this seamless movement between fact and fiction that was troubling about the book for me. I am a fan of historical fiction, but I always like to know where fact ends and fiction begins. I thought I knew a lot about Hemingway’s life. This novel just reminded me of how little I actually know and how terribly interesting and tormented Ernest Hemingway actually was.

fiction historical

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Apr 7

#15: The Rembrandt Affair (Daniel Silva)

by kennithfreeman

Lots of driving again has resulted in lots of reading…..of audio books, that is! I had to insert the humor right away as I don’t have a rave review of this book.

In Daniel Silva’s The Rembrandt Affair, the story revolves around a newly-rediscovered painting by the renown artist. The work’s history leads us back to the Nazi invasion of Holland and the atrocities enacted against the Jews of the nation. The painting is now being sought by international thugs who want to use its hidden secrets. The story was fast moving and intriguing. Sadly, I’ve just read a lot of works in this vein recently and it didn’t stand up to the other novels in keeping my attention.

audio fiction

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Mar 27

#14: The Book of Air and Shadows (Michael Gruber)

by kennithfreeman

This New York Times bestseller has been on my shelf for a few months now, but I never got around to actually picking it up. I suppose I was a little intimidated by the cover. It just looks so academic somehow. When I read “About the Author” my intimidation grew.  The bio begins with this sentence:  “Michael Gruber has a Ph.D. in marine sciences and began freelance writing while working in Washington, D.C., as a policy analyst and speechwriter for the Environmental Protection Agency.” Tell me that doesn’t sound like some serious writing is ahead.

When I finally dove into the book, I was thrilled with an intelligent novel about the world’s greatest playwright, William Shakespeare. The premise of the novel is that Shakespeare wrote an additional play about Mary, Queen of Scots that has never been seen by human eyes since the author’s death. The story line waltzes around the law offices of Intellectual Property, the basement of a New York bookstore, and the New York City Library.  Filled with characters — including powerful Russian Jew mob bosses! — the story also provides an entertaining dialogue between Shakespeare and his “cousin” written in Elizabethan English.  Add in a cryptic message and the search for the elusive manuscript and you have a really neat story on your hands.

While I was pleased with the story, what was the greatest joy was the beautiful language that Gruber used to form his tale.  Here are three of my favorite passages from the first half of the book.  These won’t give away anything from the plot, but give you a flavor of the quality of writing that is the strength of the novel.

“Perhaps he had snapped under the strain.  Professors go batty too, perhaps more often than other people, although owing to their profession their madness is less often remarked.”  (p. 44)

“I suppose we can blame Shakespeare himself for starting it, because he made up people who were more real, though false, than the people one knew.  Dick Bracegirdle understood this, which was why he set out to smash Shakespeare and all his works.  I took a history course at Columbia — Haas will recall it too, because I took it on his recommendation — a man named Charlton taught it.  It was English medieval history, and although I have expunged the Domesday Book and all the kings and queens from my mind, I recall very well his take on history in general.  He said there are three kinds of history.  The first is what really happened, and this is forever lost.  The second is what most people thought happened, and we can recover that with assiduous effort.  The third is what the people in power wanted the future to think happened, and that is 90 percent of the history in books.”  (p. 91)

“He ate when he was upset, he knew, and if he didn’t watch it he was going to look like Orson Welles, without that person’s early achievement to balance out the flab.”  (p. 199)

fiction historical

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Mar 25

#13: The Innocent (David Baldacci)

by kennithfreeman

From the master of thrillers comes this tale of a government assassin whose path unexpectedly crosses a 14-year-old girl running for her life after witnessing the brutal murders of her parents. As the multiple scenes unfold early in the story, it is easy to forget that we are dealing with Baldacci and assume that the images are completely irrelevant. An exploding bus, a ordered hit gone wrong, and the assassination of a Middle Eastern prince propel this fast-paced story to its unexpected conclusion.  It wasn’t my favorite book of the year, but once again this audio book made the miles pass without a moment of boredom.

audio fiction

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