146. The Christian Homemaker's Handbook by Pat Ennis and Dorothy Kelley Patterson

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Ennis, Pat, & Kelley Patterson, Dorothy. TheChristian Homemaker’s Handbook. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2013. Print.

 522 pages

 Reviewed by Jess d'Artagnan Love

The Christian Homemaker’s Handbook is a collection of essays exploring homemaking from a Christian perspective. The book is broken up into sections: design for the home, the value of children, foundations for parenting, the practical aspects of establishing a home, meal prep, and clothing. Each section is framed from a Christian perspective using Biblical references. The writers take a holistic approach to homemaking seeing the home as more than just a physical space but as a place to nurture ourselves spiritually. While men can also be homemakers, this book seems to target just women.

I found most of this book really interesting. I identify as a Christian, but did not always agree with some of the perspectives in the chapters. I liked exploring the home as a foundation for one’s mental and spiritual health. I also found the practical advice in the book helpful because they’re things that I was never taught and I’m having to learn on my own as I grow in my own housekeeping and homemaking skills. Some chapters were just not relevant to me being one who doesn’t have children, but I can see how those parts could be useful for new or expecting mothers.

This book will stay on my bookshelf and I will refer to it frequently. Not only does it have good information, but it gives me such food for thought that I enjoy revisiting the essays as I continue to build my little homestead.  

Would I read it again? 

Yes

Recommended for

Christians looking to learn how to maintain a home physically, socially, and spiritually.

Not Recommended for

Non-Christian readers may find this irrelevant to their lives.

3 stars out of 5

To purchase this book from my bookstore: https://bookshop.org/a/11656/9781433528385

 

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144. Journey Into Elder Space by Mary Logan Sweet

Sweet, Mary Logan. Journey Into Elder Space. Cedar Falls, IA: Audere Books, 1999. Print.

68 pages

Reviewed by Jessica d'Artagnan Love

Mary Logan Sweet is a poet in Iowa. She is one of my favorite poets. Unfortunately, her work is nearly impossible to find. Her books were published by a small press and are no longer in print. The only reason I know she exists is because I stumbled across her books in my library’s section on Iowa writers. Mary Logan Sweet died in 2014.

Journey Into Elder Space explores themes of aging in Iowa. The language rich in pastoral metaphors and, if you’re an Iowa native, something about Sweet’s work captures the essence of an Iowa summer—they heavy humid air and singing cicadas. Her poems in this collection evoke images of the aged farmer, hands wrangled with arthritis gripping a coffee mug at the local diner at 6am.

My favorite poems from this collection include: “To Report a Lost Word,” “Morning Challenge,” “March Light,” “Homesick,” “Harvester,” “Time Out for Leaders,” and “Old Gardener.” Below is the poem, “Old Gardener.”

 

Old Gardener

Up, about, and masked at dawn,

the trappings of old age put on,

my neighbor slowly moves between

his brittle bones and paper skin.

 

A fallow army he reviews:

the drab lapsed shrubbery spring renews,

the branches downed in an ice storm,

the wandering vine in search of warm.

 

He estimates the strength of day,

commands the laggard cold away,

then, stirring leaf mold with his cane,

gently calls the bulbs again.

Would I read it again? 

Yes.

Recommended for

Those who enjoy pastoral poetry. Unfortunately, I doubt you will be able to find a copy.

Not Recommended for

Those who don’t enjoy free verse poetry.

3 stars out of 5

Mary Logan Sweet’s obituary: https://wcfcourier.com/lifestyles/announcements/obituaries/mary-jean-sweet/article_bf7dcce5-c6b1-52f6-9fca-93448a1cbbae.html

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143. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

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L’Engle, Madeleine. AWrinkle in Time. New York, NY: Square Fish, 1962, Print.

232 pages

Reviewed by Jess d'Artagnan Love

A Wrinkle in Time is a classic in young adult/children’s science fiction. It tells the story of Meg, her younger brother, and a friend as they travel through space and time to try and locate their missing father. The book is heavy handed on Christian themes, and quite obscure and abstract in certain parts. I’m glad I read this as an adult and not a child. Had I read it as a child, it would have all been muddy and confusing to me.

I am generally not a big sci-fi fan but something about how l’Engle crafted this story made it feel cozy rather than technical. The characters were lovable and I especially loved Charles Wallace, Meg’s younger brother. The world building was difficult to process. I am not well-versed in quantum physics and this book is thick in it. In order to really enjoy the book I had to just let go of my wish to actually understand how things were happening and just experience the story as a story.

All in all, I enjoyed reading the book and found the ending touching but I don’t foresee reading this again in the future.   

Would I read it again? 

No

Recommended for

I’m not entirely sure, honestly. It doesn’t read like “true” sci-fi but it also isn’t really a fairy tale.

Not Recommended for

Readers who need clarity or are uncomfortable swimming in abstractions.

3.5 stars out of 5

Madeleine l’Engle’s website: https://www.madeleinelengle.com/

Madeleine l’Engle on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/106.Madeleine_L_Engle

 

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140. The Sinner by Tess Gerritsen

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Gerritsen, Tess. The Sinner. New York, NY: Random House Publishing Group, 2003. Print.

355 pages

This is the third installment in the Rizzoli and Isles series. Tess Gerritsen continues her exploration of evil in a story about two nuns who were murdered in their convent. The story spans across continents with a connection to a chemical plant in India. 

At this point in the series, Gerritsens’ characters have started to materialize in a more personal way. The depth of character has deepened and readers can start to feel attached to them. We’ve spent enough time with them at this point to feel like old friends. This makes the tension and suspense in the novel all the greater.

Not without scandalous affairs, The Sinner addresses evil from a number of angles. Much like The Surgeon, it explores how evil can be just around the corner. An otherwise average human can have an alternative life that we know nothing about.

In addition, this novel explores the concept of corporate greed as a source of evil in the world. Corporate greed is not only found in large corporations but in charitable organizations and smaller businesses as well. It can be the source of atrocities, including what unfolds in this story.

Reviewed by Jess d'Artagnan Love

Would I read it again? 

Yep

Recommended for

Rizzoli and Isles fans

Not Recommended for

Not for kids of those sensitive to violence.

 

3 stars out of 5

 

Tess Gerritsen’s website: https://www.tessgerritsen.com/

Tess Gerritsen on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18149.Tess_Gerritsen

 

Reviews of previous novels in the series:

The Surgeon

The Apprentice

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139. Left to Tell by Immaculee Ilibagiza and Steve Irwin

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Ilibagiza, Immaculee, & Erwin, Steve. Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust. New York, NY: Hay House, 2007. Print.

 

214 pages

 

Reviewed by Jess d'Artagnan Love

 

The Rwandan genocide happened in the spring of 1994. It is one of histories darkest events and Immaculee Ilibagiza survived it. Left to Tell is her memoir documenting how she survived the genocide. She credits her survival to her faith in God and explains how she relied on prayer while hidden in a tiny bathroom with several other women.

 

This book is horrifying and inspiring. It is horrifying because of the atrocities that Immaculee so eloquently documents. It is inspiring because of her faith and the example she sets for other Christians. Her faith and prayer was unwavering in a situation that drove many other to madness.

 

It is hard to say I loved this book because I wish she had never needed to write it. If you are someone who is sensitive to violence, please don’t read this. It will be very triggering for you. I do think it is important that she told this story and that people read it and absorb it. Like the Holocaust during WWII, the genocide in Rwanda needs to be remembered, lest we forget and repeat the mistakes.

 

 

Would I read it again? 

I’m undecided. I may read certain passages again when I need some faith-based inspiration or a bit of perspective, but this was a difficult book and I don’t know if I will read it cover-to-cover again.

 

Recommended for

Anyone over the age of 18 who is not triggered by violence. This is an important memoir.

 

Not Recommended for

Readers who have trauma in their past. The violence depicted here will trigger you.

 

 

5 stars out of 5

 

Immaculee’s website: https://www.immaculee.com/

Immaculee on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/40411.Immacul_e_Ilibagiza

 

 

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138. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

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Bronte, Emily. WutheringHeights. New York, NY: Bantam Books, 1974. Print.

Originally published in 1847.

308 pages

Reviewed by Jess d'Artagnan Love

Wuthering Heights is a classic. Many know the basic story and there have been film adaptations. It is a classic love story about two lovers who are unable to be together. The Bronte sisters are masters of the gothic novel and this is a masterful work worth reading.

One of things I loved about this novel is how devastatingly human the characters are. They love to the point of madness and misery. The relationships are dysfunctional and full of hyperbole.

The simplicity of their lives also stood out to me. Very few of us anymore can appreciate the simple beauty of sitting in a tree and listening to the birds or laying on the grass and watching the cloud. Bronte makes these simple activities feel like a paradise. Novels of this era delight in the depiction of long walks through lovely countryside to work through internal conflict. It is something I think more of us need to adopt in our own lives.  

This review is short, but what more do you say about a masterful work? If you read or have read this novel, let me know what you thought about it in the comments below.  

Would I read it again? 

Yes.

Recommended for

Readers 18 and older mostly because the language is complex.

Not Recommended for

Young readers. The prose will be difficult for a young person to navigate.

4 stars out of 5

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136. Moon Called by Patricia Briggs

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Briggs, Patricia. MoonCalled. New York, NY: Ace, 2006. Print.

288 pages

Reviewed by Jess d'Artagnan Love

Mercy Thompson is a shape shifter who can shift into coyote form. She lives next door to a pack of werewolves and makes a living as an auto mechanic for vampires. When her local pack is invaded by  rogue bunch of vampires and the pack leader, Adam’s, daughter is kidnapped, Mercy starts the process of solving the mystery and tracking down the kidnapped girl.

This book is whimsical, sexy, and well paced. I know a lot of my Christian readers have an issue with any kind of book that represents magic or the fantastical but interestingly, Mercy is portrayed as a Christian character. The werewolves, fae and other magical creates are seen as evolutionary more than anything. I found that an interesting world-building choice that may appeal to a Christian audience more readily than other fantasy novels.

There weren’t a lot of big questions asked or much exploration of major themes. Briggs is more interested in entertaining the reader than teaching them. If you want to read a book that doesn’t make you think to hard about life but still provides enough context to be good escapism, this is a great book for you.

Would I read it again? 

Yes. This was actually the second time I read the book as I’d like to re-read the series this year.

Recommended for

Readers who want some decent escapism.

Not Recommended for

Readers who desire a book with heavier themes.

Word Bank

Harridan p.6

Reticent p. 7

Sufference p. 10

Desultory p. 12

Limpid p. 49

Canted p. 55

Gracile p. 62

Quelling p. 96

Cozen p. 127

Anathema p. 129

Obstreperous p. 186

Vassalage p. 189

3 stars out of 5

Patricia Briggs' website: http://www.patriciabriggs.com/

Jennifer Lynn Barnes on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/40563.Patricia_Briggs

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134. The Apprentice by Tess Gerritsen

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Gerritsen, Tess. The Apprentice. New York, NY: The Ballantine Publishing Group, 2002. Print.

344 pages

Reviewed by Jess d'Artagnan Love

The Apprentice is the second book in Tess Gerritsen’s Rizzoli and Isles series. It picks up from The Surgeon with a killer that has eerie similarities in his calling cards to the Surgeon that Jane threw in jail a year ago. Jane Rizzoli is back while Thomas Moore has retired. New on the scene is Maura Isles and this is the first-time readers meet Maura. This book, like the first book, is told from third person limited primarily from Jane Rizzoli’s point of view.

As mentioned in my review of The Surgeon, I am re-reading the entire series this year, paying close attention to how Gerritsen explores the concept of evil. In The Apprentice the theme of evil focuses on how everyone has dark secrets. It also explores the question of whether people are born evil or if they are made evil through a combination of biology and environment—the age old “nature versus nurture” question. The book does not take a firm stand on either side of the debate but rather finds a grey area in between. It seems that, while some people may be born evil, others are turned that way as a result of their life experiences, part of which includes brain trauma to the frontal lobe. Gerritsen’s background as a doctor really shines in this novel.

Another story I wanted to track into the second novel was that of, Karl Pachecko, the unarmed man Rizzoli murders in The Surgeon. This event is one that I don’t think would simply be brushed aside as it would have lasting effects on Jane’s psychology as well as her standing as a police officer. It took a while for The Apprentice to get there, but there is mention of this situation. Rizzoli expresses regret and a sense of being haunted by the incident that I felt was in line with what may happen in reality. Jane is also closely monitored and often thought unstable throughout the book. She is threatened multiple times to be sent to mandatory counseling and to be taken off her current case due to mental health concerns which I think would also line up accurately following the events in The Surgeon.

Overall, this is a solid second novel and provides readers with an exciting glimpse into a character that will soon play a huge role in the series (Maura Isles).

Would I read it again? 

Yes

Recommended for

Fans of murder mysteries, crime dramas, and thrillers.

Not Recommended for

Anyone who has experienced violence. This gets pretty graphic.

Word Bank

Sylvan (77)

Introitus (86)

Punchy (91)

Tony (93)

Pugilist (151)

3 stars out of 5

Tess Gerritsen’s website: https://www.tessgerritsen.com/

Tess Gerritsen on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18149.Tess_Gerritsen

Other books in the Rizzoli and Isles series reviewed
The Surgeon

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133. Shadow Kiss by Richelle Mead

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Mead, Richelle. Shadow Kiss. New York, NY: Penguin Group, 2008. Print.

443 pages

Reviewed by Jessica Love

This is the third book in the Vampire Academy series. In this installment, Rose is dealing with an inner battle through most of the book. She is seeing ghosts and working through unexplained rage and blood lust. Without giving away spoilers, I can't say much more than that. 

In my review of the previous book, Frostbite, I mentioned that if there was anything int he series that would make me stop reading, it was Rose herself. I didn't like the way the protagonist was emotionally abusive and irrational. This book helped to further elucidate that issue. I like the way the majority of the book was Rose turning inward, trying to figure out why she behaved the way she did and resolve her inner conflicts. She frames mental health, personal growth, and psychotherapy in a positive and somewhat realistic way which I think is so good for teens to read! 

Mead wraps up the story with some actual physical battle which keeps the book exciting. If I had to pick out strengths and weaknesses of the series so far, I would say Mead's weakness is world building, and strength is character development. The world building is still pretty flimsy. I feel like there are so many blanks to be filled in before this will feel like a fully formed "world." The characters though, are excellent. She is skilled at giving each character a voice that is their own. 

My final verdict is that this book is (and series) is pure entertainment and was decent enough to send me on to the next in the series. 

Would I read it again? 
Maybe. 

Recommended for
Fans of the vampire genre.

Not Recommended for
Readers expecting complex, thorough world-building. Readers younger than 13. 

Word Bank

None

3 stars out of 5

Richelle Mead's website: http://richellemead.com/

Richelle Mead on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/137902.Richelle_Mead

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Read to Grow Book Club: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/1058875-read-to-grow-lovestead-book-club

Other Vampire Academy Books Reviewed
Frostbite