Archive for the ‘Book-A-Week 2011’ Category

Book 10/52 The Overton Window by Glenn Beck (et al)

Sunday, March 11th, 2012

Glenn Beck is a hard pill to swallow even if your opinions mostly line up with his. It took a while for me to get used to his radio personality and take it as entertainment. The past few years, though, the entertainment has given way to wet-blanket style expository monologues that can freak you out if you let them. This book was one big expository monologue disguised as fiction. The plot was almost non-existent. The characters were mostly Glenn Beck split into 4 different people and then one bad guy to expose the other side THROUGH MORE WET-BLANKET DIALOGUE.  There were only a few moments of actual storyline or plot. One thing the writers forgot about an actual Overton Window is that it’s SUBTLE. This book is anything but. 

Counting Blessings by Kerry Blair – Book Review 1/52

Monday, January 2nd, 2012

Sometimes I wonder how honest to be in book reviews. This book makes me think twice, (even thrice – just had to use that word), about the review. Why? Because the author has such great intentions and means to uplift and encourage the reader and I appreciate and respect that so it’s hard to post honest comments about the flaws. I guess I will start with… this book is uplifting and encouraging. It reminds women of how important our roles are and how imperfect those perfect-looking Superwomen around us really are.

But…the writer tries too hard. I remember reading a passage in Jane Eyre that was so long without a stop that I wondered if the sentence would ever end. Some of the passages in this book remind me of that. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a pretty style! One where the vocabulary and lilt are more like prose than narration, but it’s unnecessary in a book that reinforces a simple and down to earth way of living and a humble attitude toward life. It’s too flowery and the LDS cliches are…well, cliche. I did laugh at them on occasion because I recognized the traits in myself or a fellow sister. As I stated before, overall, this book did uplift and encourage. I just appreciated the wisdom more than the wit.

[After writing the above review, I realized there was one other thing that may have had some influence...I listened to this book on CD and the narrator was a woman from Utah. As a not-originally-from-Utah LDS person, now living in Utah, the vernacular was a bit distracting. Not all LDS women 'fill' the spirit or go to a yard 'sell' or get the 'mell'. I bet the author doesn't speak like that, not being from Utah. The book was in first person and the narration felt a bit off. ]

January 2012 Line-Up

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

Made a trip to the library today and stocked up on a couple hard copy books and a couple audio books.  Gotta say, I’m liking this challenge already, although I need to finish Crossed by Ally Condie in 3 days.

Here’s my “2012 book-a-week” to-read list so far.

Beautiful Days
The Alchemist
Artemis Foul
Counting Blessings
City of Ash

And to make this post pretty…

 

READ…a bunch.

Wednesday, December 28th, 2011

Catherine E had a crazy idea one day to set a goal of reading and blogging about 52 books in 2012. Then she passed her crazy idea on to her friends. A couple, including myself, were crazy enough to commit. If you are also as crazy as Catherine…link us up!

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