Throwback Thursday Book Edition #5: The Ultimate Gift by Jim Stovall

I am sorry it is a day late.

General Analysis

Book Title: The Ultimate Gift

Author: Jim Stovall

Publish Date: June 15, 2001

Genres: Christian Fiction, Inspirational, Adult

Plot (from GoodReads): What would you do to inherit a million dollars? Would you be willing to change your life? Jason Stevens is about to find out in Jim Stovall's The Ultimate Gift.

Red Stevens has died, and the older members of his family receive their millions with greedy anticipation. But a different fate awaits young Jason, whom Stevens, his great-uncle, believes may be the last vestige of hope in the family.

"Although to date your life seems to be a sorry excuse for anything I would call promising, there does seem to be a spark of something in you that I hope we can fan into a flame. For that reason, I am not making you an instant millionaire."

What Stevens does give Jason leads to The Ultimate Gift. Young and old will take this timeless tale to heart.

Why and When I Read This Book:  I read this book two years ago as a freshman in college.  I had seen the movie and to date it is still my favorite movie.

In Depth Analysis

The concept of this book is really great.  A man dies and leaves these secret gifts to his grandson.  If all the tasks are completed as asked in his will, his grandson will get "the ultimate gift".  When I had started reading this book, I had already seen the movie and that affected my view of the book some.  I really enjoyed the movie and had very high expectations for the book.  The plot and the characters in the book are very enjoyable.  My only complaint is the point of view that the book has.  The book is in third person and follows the grandfather's assistant.  I think that it would have been executed better if it was in third person, but following the grandson, like the movie.  The movie does not give a very good view of the lives of the characters, and I really enjoyed that in the movie.

Nonetheless, The Ultimate Gift  was a very inspirational novel.  The grandson learns life lessons throughout the novel.  The novel really made me think about the way I view life and what is really important in life.  I was excited to see what the next step would be that the grandson would need to do and whether he would continue to do things that he did not really want to do.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  Any age

Overall Rating:  4/5

Book Blast Spell Fire and $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal Cash Giveaway

This week I am participating in a book blast.  I have NOT read this book, but I thought that I would share it with ya'll.  There is a $50 amazon gift card or paypal cash giveaway at the bottom of the page.


Spell Fire, The Teen Wytche Saga #3

By Ariella Moon



Summary

New school. New friends. New reputation. High school sophomore Ainslie Avalon-Bennett works hard to hide her Crazy Girl past. But as long as her best friend’s disappearance remains unsolved, she can’t shake the depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder that once landed her in a mental ward.



Ainslie’s tenuous control over her life shatters when her warring parents ditch her at Christmas. While they take a cruise to “work things out,” Ainslie must spend the holiday in Palm Springs with her aunt and uncle, owners of a struggling Mystery School and occult store. Plunged into the world of fire fortunes, dragons, entity eaters, and an ailing spell book, Ainslie is well beyond her comfort zone. Then she meets a boy who spikes her pulse and calms her OCD. But will she lose him once he discovers her past? Or will his deadly secret, hidden in plain view, be their undoing?

Author Ariella Moon

Ariella Moon writes about magic, friendship, secrets, and love in her Young Adult novels, Spell Check, Spell Struck, and Spell Fire, Books 1, 2, & 3 in The Teen Wytche Saga. Ariella spent her childhood searching for a magical wardrobe that would transport her to Narnia. Extreme math anxiety, and taller students who mistook her for a leaning post, marred Ariella’s teen years. Despite these horrors, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at Davis. An author and shaman, she now lives a nearly normal life with her extraordinary daughter, shamelessly spoiled dog, and an enormous dragon.



Spell Fire Excerpt

My body elongated, and I swore I grew six inches. Inside the cafe, there was no line. Another miracle. I paused beneath the fern‑painted ceiling fan and scanned the wall menu. I wasn't sure what I was looking for, but a weird craving fueled my search.

The dragon exerted pressure between my shoulder blades, prompting me. "A Scorpion's Nest smoothie."

Morningstar leaned over the high counter and gave me a once‐over. "You feeling okay?"

I licked my lips. "Absolutely." I had never tasted an orange juice, vanilla ice cream, and peanut butter combo, but I slapped the countertop and said, "I'm fine. Hit me."

Morningstar tilted her head to one side and studied me.

Oh — crap. Maybe I'm dragon drunk.

I wiped the drool from the corner of my mouth stood straighter. I could do this. I could act normal and in control. Behind me, the dragon blew on my hair. I clawed back the stray locks. "Strong ceiling fan."

Morningstar glanced up. I held my gaze steady on her face and tried to remember if the fan was actually on. I couldn't hear the whir of its motor or feel the stir of cool air. I can't feel anything. I went for distraction and slipped a ten across the counter.

Morningstar leveled her gaze, then handed me my change. "I'll bring the smoothie to your table."

"Cool." My eyes crossed. I pivoted and fell out of my right flip‐‑flop. Fortunately, the place was almost empty, and I didn't think anyone saw me stumble. Still, my face heated as I chose a table with plenty of space behind it for the dragon and my invisible wings.

"Mind if I join you for a minute?" Morningstar asked when she brought my drink.

"Please." I giggled, giddy with dragon energy. I was a bright, beneficent angel among earthlings. I was — as crazy as my parents feared.

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Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/20/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Throwback Thursday Book Edition #4: The Circle Trilogy by Ted Dekker

General Analysis

Series Title: The Circle Trilogy (Black, Red, White)

Author: Ted Dekker

Publish Date: June 3, 2008 (The 3-in-1)

Genres: Christian Fiction, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Thriller

Related Series: Lost Books Series

Plot of Black (from GoodReads): An incredible story of evil and rescue, betrayal and love, and a terrorist threat unlike anything the human race has ever known. A virulent evil has been unleashed upon the people of Earth. The only man who can stop it is Thomas Hunter, an unlikely hero whose life is stretched between two worlds. Every time he falls asleep in one reality, he awakes in the other. Soon Thomas no longer knows which reality is real. Yet it quickly becomes apparent that his choices in each world impact the other--and that the fates of both rest in his hands.

Why and When I Read This Book: I began the Circle trilogy when I was in middle school.  A friend let me borrow the books and this is when I fell in love with Christian fiction (especially the action-packed kind). 

In Depth Analysis

This series goes along with the Lost Books series very well.  The way that the books are intertwined is just ingenious.  (For more information about how to books relate, see last week's "Throwback Thursday Book Edition".)  The Circle Trilogy feels more like adult fiction, to me, compared with the Lost Books series which is young adult.  Usually, I do not like science fiction, but this is the best science fiction series that I have ever read.  The books are so action-packed and exciting that they are hard to put down.  The Lost Books series is set in a fantasy type world; whereas, the Circle trilogy is set on a slightly futuristic Earth.  This makes this series more realistic than the Lost Books, and I enjoy that.

The character and plot development are some of the best work that I have seen from an author.  In the beginning of the series, the main character is confused about what is happening in the worlds ("dream world" and "reality") around him and that leads for a great opportunity for plot development that Dekker accomplishes really well.  I hope to read this series again very soon, and I am also wanting to finally read Green, "the beginning and the end" of this series. 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  Any age

Overall Rating:  5/5

Throwback Thursday Book Edition #3: The Lost Books series (1-4) by Ted Dekker

Picture from GoodReads

General Analysis

Series Title: The Lost Books (books 1-4)

Author: Ted Dekker

Publish Dates: 2007-2008

Genre: Young Adult, Christian Fiction, Fantasy

Plot for Chosen (from GoodReads):  Think with your heart and prepare to die . . . for you have been Chosen.

Thomas Hunter, supreme commander of the Forest Guard, has seen a great evil decimate much of his beautiful world. With a dwindling army and an epic threat, Thomas is forced to supplement his fighters with new recruits ages 16 and 17. From thousands, four will be chosen to lead a special mission.

Unknown to Thomas, the chosen four are redirected to a different endgame. They must find the seven lost Books of History before the Dark One. For these seven books have immense power over the past, present, and future, controlling not only the destiny of their world . . . but that of ours as well.

Why and When I Read This Book: I started reading the Circle trilogy, the companion series to the Lost books series, in middle school and I loved them.  I started reading this series in high school, but I only owned the first 4 books.  I now own the last 2 books as well and I hope to read them very soon!

  

In Depth Analysis

This series is a fantasy series that is just amazing.  The world that Ted Dekker created is so detailed and so beautiful.  The concepts behind this book are so unique.  I don't want to give away too much, but this series and the Circle series are closely related in that the main character in this series is also the main character in the Circle trilogy.  The Circle trilogy is set in the "real world"; whereas, the Lost books series is set in an amazing fantasy world.  I cannot explain exactly how this is possible without giving away too much information about the books, this unique concept is one of the reasons that I love this series.

Another reason that I love this series is that one of the main themes is good versus evil.  Unlike a lot of authors, Ted Dekker makes out evil for what it really is: dark and sinful.  He also illustrates the Love that God has for all of his children and contrasts this to the ideals of the evil character and by doing this shows how great God truly is.  I think it is important to show the darkness of evil not only to warn against it, but also to use it to show what true Love is and that God is whom we should seek after always.

This fantasy novel is great for those who love a good adventurous story full of action.  I would also recommend Ted Dekker's Circle Trilogy to read along with this series.  The chronological order of the books is Green ("The Beginning and the End" to the Circle Trilogy), Black (Circle Trilogy), the Lost Books series, Red (Circle trilogy), and then White (Circle Trilogy), but either series can be read first and still be easily understood.  Next week's Throwback Thursday will be on the Circle Trilogy.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 10 and up.  There are some violent scenes, but that are not graphic (if I remember correctly).

Overall Rating: 5/5

Throwback Thursdays Book Edition #2: The Hunger Games Trilogy

This weeks "Throwback Thursday:Book Edition" will be for the Hunger Games trilogy.

General Analysis

Series Title: The Hunger Games

Author: Suzanne Collins

Publish Date: May 1st, 2011 (Kindle Edition with all  three books)

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian

In Depth Analysis

I originally read this book in high school.  I read the  first book as part of a group that I was involved in known as the Helen Ruffin reading bowl.  The Hunger Games was nominated for the Georgia Peach Book Award for Teen Readers in 2009 and won this award.  I read the first book as part of the Helen Ruffin reading bowl team.  I read the second book soon after and I read the third book shortly after it came out in 2010.  I recently bought all three books for my Kindle and have since reread the whole series.

My Original Thoughts:  I really enjoyed the first book.  I thought that the plot was so unique and I really enjoyed the plot twists.  The love triangle in the book was excellently placed and I was eager to find out who Katniss would choose.  As the series continued, I found that I was disappointed with how the series progressed.  The series became kind of predictable and never ending.

My Thoughts After Rereading The Series:  After I reread the series, I enjoyed the last two books much more than the first time that I had read them.  When I reread the books, I noticed more details than I did the first time and that really amplified how much I enjoyed the books.  Suzanne Collins developed a wonderful story that I will be happy to read once again.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: I would recommend this book to mature teenagers and older as there is a good bit of violence.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Throwback Thursdays Book Edition #1: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I Would Have to Kill You by Ally Carter

I hope you are all having a wonderful Thursday.  I am going to be starting a new series on my blog entitled "Throwback Thursdays: Book Edition" in which I will be discussing and doing mini-reviews of books and series that I have read in the past.  I was part of a quiz bowl team in high school for books that were nominated for the Georgia Peach Teen Readers' Choice Award Nominees.  The first book that I am going to discuss is I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You by Ally Carter.  This book is part of the Gallagher Girls series.  I first read this book as part of the quiz bowl team I was part of in high school and I reread this book recently.

General Analysis

Book Title: I'd Tell You I Love You, But Then I'd Have to Kill You

Author: Ally Carter

Publish Date: August 20th, 2009

Genre: Young Adult Mystery Chick-Lit 

Plot:  Cammie Morgan is a student at Gallagher Academy for Exceptional Young Women, an all girls' school for spies.  Her mom is the headmistress and her classes are challenging, but she finds that the hardest challenge is falling in love. 

Overall Thoughts: I really enjoyed this super cute YA book.

In Depth Analysis

This book is a really enjoyable, light read.  The characters are detailed and the plot is simple, but I feel like this is a very well written book.  There was a lot of cheesy humor and I am usually not a big fan of cheesy humor, but it is well placed and it did put a smile on my face.  The romance is cute and tween feeling.  The book left a very good impression on me when I finished it.  I cannot wait to read the rest of the Gallagher Academy series.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  This is a perfect book for tweens.  There is nothing inappropriate.

Overall Rating:  5/5

Rippler by Cidney Swanson

General Analysis

Book Title: Rippler

Author: Cidney Swanson

Publish Date: June 15, 2011

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal

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Plot:  Samantha has a unique gene that gives her the ability to turn invisible, or ripple.  There is a danger in possessing the gene.  The gene itself is not deadly, but there are people that want those who possess the rippler gene dead.  Will they be able to figure out the secret behind the gene and how to stay alive?

Why I Read this Book:  I found this book free on Amazon and the cover really popped out to me.  The cover is so gorgeous!!! After reading the synopsis on Amazon, I knew that I had to read this book.

Overall Thoughts: I really enjoyed this book.  It was full of suspense.

In Depth Analysis

I really enjoyed reading this book.  It was filled with plot twists and action.  Although sometimes predictable, this book really kept me on my toes and wanting to read more.  It did not take me long to get hooked and wonder were the time had gone after reading over 40% of the book at one time.  The suspense was really well placed and well written.  The romance was perfect for a young adult book.  The only negative thoughts that I had about this book is that it was poorly written in parts and the writing style was not very well developed and also there was a few curse words in the book, especially near the end.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age:  I would recommend this book to ages 13+.  There was some cussing in the book, but that was the only inappropriate material in the book.

Overall Rating: 4/5

Saving Casper by Jim Henderson and Matt Casper

General Analysis

Book Title: Saving Casper

Authors: Jim Henderson and Matt Casper

Publish Date: September 20, 2013

Genre: Christian Nonfiction

Plot:  The book was written by both Jim Henderson and Matt Casper. Jim Henderson is a former pastor and Matt Casper is an athiest. They traveled to different churches together in order for Casper to share his view on different churches. It is interesting to hear an atheist's perspective about how effective Christians are at converting non-Christians. The book also discusses how effective we, as Christians, are at doing as Jesus did and serving others.

Source of Book: I received a copy of this book for review from Tyndale House Publishers.

In Depth Analysis

I learned a lot from this book; it really changed how I think. The book points out that it is important to befriend non-Christians and to serve others. We should show others the love of Christ and connect with people and not just try to convert them. It also showed that atheists do not always believe that religion makes the world a worse place.  Casper believes that if everyone truly acted like Jesus that the world would be a better place.  As a Christian, the book made a lot of sense and seemed to be accurate to what I believe Jesus was trying to tell us while He was on earth.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: This book does not have any material in it that would not be appropriate for young audiences, but I believe that the book is geared towards an adult audience.

Overall Rating: 5/5

Future Reviews and Reads

I hope to finish Forgiveness by Matthew West soon.  I am currently reading Rippler by Cidney Swanson.  This is a young adult fantasy novel about a girl who finds out she had a genetic disorder that allows her to ripple (to disappear spontaneously).  I got this book free from amazon for my Kindle.  I hope to begin The Why of Things by Elizabeth Hartley Winthrop and Do What Jesus Did by Robby Dawkins very soon.  I received both of those books in FirstReads giveaways on Goodreads.