Phil Lemons

This installment seemed to move faster than some of the previous stories, but I still enjoyed it. I wouldn't have minded this story to be a bit longer to have more meat to the story. Not as much word play and puns as previous installments. In some cases they are there, but it took me a minute to make the connection (a better quality pun, perhaps?) A quick, fun read. Just what I need between longer reads to cleanse the palette.

Second time through always brings more to light and reminds one of what was forgotten. Probably too much time between reading this the first time and reading the third adult novel.  The reader was solid, not getting too far afield with outlandish accents for everybody. 

The book opens right a disturbing scene of a teenage boy convincing a teenage girl to commit mutual suicide. Except this is a manipulation and he does not give himself a fatal cut. This is the most disturbing part of the book for me. That said, there are other  scenes that are disturbing to read that are less detailed and pass more quickly. 

The story moves quickly. There are times of introspection for the protagonist. He has his flaws that create conflict particularly with authority and familial characters. The story has a number of character and story elements that some will enjoy for their familiarity. Those who want characters to reflect real world people may find themselves frustrated with the direction the story takes in places. 

I found the story of solving the mystery to be what I connected with most in this book. 

There is so much I would like to say about this book. I would love to drop a bunch of quotes that have challenged me to see the world differently. Instead I will challenge others to read this book. Even those who are not fans of Lecrae or hip hop.

I often avoid autobiographies of people whose work I follow because I've been disappointed to read those that don't sound authentic, or are getting to please a certain reader. This was not the case here. Lecrae feels authentic here. The book would not have much power without that authenticity.

I would read this book again. I wouldn't hesitate to share this with a youth or young adult who is struggling and looking for answers. Some may find Lecrae's past as license to live large until ready to settle down with Jesus. I found it to be a great message of hope, that we don't have to continue to live in darkness and despair.

Reading this again for the first time in twenty-some years, I see how Lawhead's writing has matured. It should be noted this trilogy was written primarily for a Christian audience and the Christian themes are more overt than his more recent material. Christian themes include the superiority and love of God. I can see aspects of Arthur and Robin Hood in the story. In the end it is a fun read in spite of the telling a story more than painting mental pictures.

All is grace. The title is simple, the words in a way feel inadequate, yet it is the essence of this book. I've often said it is a dangerous thing to meet or learn about people one admires. We tend to create an idea of a person that is unrealistic and are disappointed when we discover they are human like the rest of us after all. Manning has long been open about some of his weaknesses, most notably his battle with alcoholism. I suspect there are more shortcomings he does not share. These shortcomings actually make the point more poignant, more real, more true. God loves us the way we are, not the way we should be, because none of us are as we should be.

There are a lot of good thoughts in this book. I am all on board with owning things that have use and meaning rather than being owned by a bunch of stuff that collects dust. I love the ideas of living in a way that brings meaning to my life or other's lives. Miller shares what he has learned on his path in embracing minimalism that is useful for those who want to embrace a life with less.

I did find a number of the essays to be repetitive. I imagine if I were reading these as they were published on the author's website, more time would fall between readings, and they wouldn't feel as repetitive. At times the essays feel as though I'm reading from his journal rather than something meant for public consumption. Other times, while Miller's advise is good, it feels as though the narrative is praising the author more than sharing his experience.

At the end of the book, I find that I enjoyed reading the book and appreciate learning from Miller's experience. I did feel that this is fundamentalist minimalism, teaching the reader how to be a true minimalist and how not to get off the straight and narrow. Miller does come back to point out that the main point is to be in control of your life rather than having your life be in control of you. I can't help but think that the determination and focus Miller had that helped him succeed in the corporate world is the same trait that he used to be successful as a minimalist. This isn't a criticism, mind you, just an observation that not every reader has the same determinate and focus. So I would encourage a reader who feels overwhelmed to be patient and take things one step at a time.

Bell's humor is all over this short story, starting with the title. A nun finds herself with a calling to use physical force to stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves. Or to redeem those who need a stronger message to hear the truth. While this quick mystery is lighthearted, I do find the main premise a question worth considering. Are there times God would have His people stand up and fight for those who are defenseless? Would God approve of a little convincing with fists? I'm looking forward to a possible Force of Habit 3.

Five stars are reserved for books that challenge me to think and open my mind to ideas and possibilities that shape my perspective and life. This book has done just this.

The topic of the Holy Spirit is mysterious, but important. Dekker and Bright do not attempt to explain how the Trinity work together as God, but the picture is painted for us to see it in action. One may be tempted to criticize how the power of the Holy Spirit is depicted in the story, but that misses the greater point, as God has shown that his interactions with his people are as personal and unique as each of us are.

This is a book for which a review feels inadequate. It seems to me a long reflection of the soul in the presence of God and/or with others who know him would be of more value.

I highly recommend the book, especially for those who are willing to look past the surface as consider the possibility of a greater reality.

Overall, the audio was entertaining. Takei presents the story well and the audio effects are used in a way that added rather than annoyed. In fact, I liked the production more than the story by itself.

I liked the way the author presents Kirk being introduced to the crew as the new captain. The audio story is an audio adaptation, so it is not the while story. I may give the whole story a shot one day, but I did find my mind wandering even though the production was well done.

Overall a fun listen, but it didn't challenge me much.

Just as I was getting comfortable in this tale, Lawhead introduces new characters and weaves new designs into his tale. Not in an annoying, cluttering of the tale or in some predictable form fiction fashion. The characters feel real rather than the typical two-dimensional, forgettable characters who never appear in real life. This is the third book in a five book series in which the timeline is important to understanding the story. I wouldn't recommend starting with this book nor would I recommend it to those who did not care for the first one or two. I do recommend this series to those who would enjoy a fun adventure across different times around the world with a number of protagonists and antagonists. I would also point out that Lawhead is a Christian. His faith can be seen in this story, but to this point it is subtle without overt attempts to convert the reader.

December 2015 update:
Since I have come into the habit of sharing what I do and don't like about the books I read, I may as well update this review after reading this book again.

What I liked:
- The exploration of the ideas of a multiverse in a way that is fresh. This isn't regurgitated from The Matrix or Star Trek.
- How Lawhead demonstrates the loss of ancient knowledge. We tend to think highly of ourselves in the modern era, but there are things that were once known that are now forgotten. Such as how to build pyramids without modern technology.
- I like the characters. This is purely subjective, but I really like the characters in this series. Historically, character development hasn't been one of Lawhead's strong suits, in my opinion.

What I didn't like:
- There isn't much I didn't like about this book. In my initial reading, the prehistoric part of the book dragged for me. This time, I read it in a different light and I loved it.
- I would like to see more internal conflict in the characters. Again, characters are not Lawhead's strong point.

I still love the book after reading it again and plan to visit this book and series again and again.

This was a fun book to read with the boy. The boy got into this book more than previous reads and wanted to hear more when it was time to stop for the night. I love to see that.

Cleary addresses the desires of growing up and getting to do grown up things. She cleverly brings things around to show how it isn't just age or size that matters, but learning to be responsible for things and to think of others that is more important.

As for the boy, the idea of a mouse riding a motorcycle is an immediate sell!

I learned a lot from this graphic biography. Some of the things I learned show our country and people when we weren't at our best. It pains me to see so many of the things that happened in the 1960s happening again (more likely) almost 60 years later. 

The quote I take to heart is, “When you lose your sense of fear, you're free.” I want to be a force that repels fear and instills love and respect in the people I interact with. 

This is a fun, short story. Feels like it could be in the Firefly universe. I would have liked this story to have been longer, but we take what we get. 

I liked this book, but it seemed to be more about the main character than the story. Bell takes a first person approach and it felt like he did a lot of telling in lieu of dialogue. I appreciate that in conveying what an antagonist would say in truth rather than veggie swears. I also recognize that it keeps the story moving rather than getting bogged down in dialogue. So this is in part stylistic taste.

The main character is a person struggling with knowing himself and his place in the world. I suspect to see the character grow throughout the story arc. I like the main character, but I had a hard time hearing a voice for him in my head. That was likely my biggest struggle with this book.

The story was enjoyable, but I have to admit that it didn't get into my head. I didn't end with that disappointment of being done and feeling a struggle to start something else because my head is still in the freshly finished book. Thus the three stars.

Allows me to begin with a disclaimer. This is my first introduction to Ender's Game in any form. Perhaps after reading the unabridged novel I will think differently about it.

First of all, I thought the story was well edited for this audio drama of the story. It was easy to follow each character and I thought the writers did a good job of writing descriptors into character dialogue, which is often difficult and cumbersome.

I rated this at five stars because this is a book that made me think. In part, it affirms some of my beliefs and perspectives about leadership. That may a failing of logic on my part, but it does inspire me to be more the kind of leader I believe to be a good leader at this point in life.

One downfall of this edition is that it is difficult to think of the characters as children, done as young as six years old, due to casting. That being said, it would be a bit disturbing to me to think of kids that young going through these experiences.

This is a compilation of posts from the Freakonomics blog to make a book. As one of the authors notes, a shameless attempt to make money on what was already given away for free. A number of these posts were updated with relevant information since there original post when it makes sense.

What I liked:
- The way the authors look at life situations from a perspective of motive. It provides an interesting context to things that on the outset may not make sense, but when motivations I hadn't considered were presented made sense.
- I liked the humor and the way the authors don't take themselves too seriously.
- I appreciated the authors attempt to take a neutral approach to subjects rather than simply imposing their own conclusions as a matter of fact declared by an expert.

What I didn't like:
- This was a really long read for me. While I enjoyed the content, at some point I found that I was finishing the book on principle rather than fascination. This is the reason for three stars instead of four. At one point I cranked the playback speed up to get through it faster, something I don't like to do.

Overall a good book. Fans of Freakonomics franchise will undoubtedly like this. The audiobook has the same production value as the podcasts do. If I were reading a print version I would likely take several months to get through it but would probably enjoy it more in smaller doses. Like reading a blog.

A fun adventure about a young girl who gets an opportunity to find a new life with meaning. 

I really like the message that our true sense of worth comes from a personal connection with God/Jesus, not just doing right it believing right. 

Review Update
So, I'm looking at my Goodreads list for the year and it shows this is the longest book I've read this year. Except I didn't finish it. Then I came across it on Libby and decided to give it another go. Fortunately, I remember where I left off.

I let this go just at the point where the book transitions from Tatooine to the Death Star. I have to admit that I liked the stories after Tatooine better. There are only so many perspectives of watching Han hook up with Luke and shoot Greedo I care to read. In the end there are some really good stories and some that didn't grab me. And now I can know I honestly read that whole book!

Original review:

There were stories I really liked in this book. However, it quickly felt like another Tales From... book. Some of the characters I didn't care about and reading the full story was work. Many of the stories didn't resonate with me. I found myself falling asleep reading regularly. I was committed to finishing, but after failing to get traction on the fourth borrow from the library, I think I need to put it aside. Maybe it's time for me to move on from Star Wars books. They were good friends and I enjoyed them 20 years ago, and part of me wants to relive those years, but I am finding that this universe no longer holds the place it once did.

A fun retelling of The Return of the Jedi. The writing flows well and works well for reading out loud. I like the way Angleburger retells the story, inserting witty comments and humorous observations that I enjoy, even after seeing the movie more times than I can say. For those who enjoy a lighthearted retelling of this story for 10 year-olds (and those with inner 10 year-olds). 

What do you do when you have a strong curiosity, a scientific kind, and undeterred determination, but are born as a person the world doesn't consider capable of such things? You make the right friends, convince them to let you travel with them and write a scientific journal disguised as a travelogue. 

This is a slow burner, as those with rich world building are. The presentation of the story is first person with a voice that draws one into the story. The narrator was fantastic, sounding as though the character was telling right here in the room. 

This was a fun read. It isn't something I'll remember as a fantastic story, but I did enjoy my time here. The banter between Han and Leia sometimes feels silly, but it felt like it kept the spirit of Empire Strikes Back. And, of course, everything is possible in a comic book, so it turns into an improbable, but fun ride if one is willing to suspend belief for awhile.

I didn't read the description closely enough to catch that this book is focused on those who are nearing the end of life. That being said, I found a number of great ideas for my item life.

The beauty of this book is the story telling. Listening to the audio, the reader brought the text to life, as though I were listening to my grandmother. The practicality the author describes while not shaming made it easier to think about the ideas rather than my own feelings. In fact, the theme of the whole book encourages the reader to think of others and to make the best of life.

This book isn't quite what I expected. It was better than I expected.

It seems Frank Peretti is one of those authors people either like or they don't. Not too many in the middle. That's a good guide for whether to read this book or not. I enjoyed this book, but would rate it more like a little lower than a straight up four. For whatever reason, I didn't find myself gripped by this book. In part because I would find the magic acts described in the book to be unnerving rather than amazing. Mostly because I didn't find myself seeing the message he was trying to illustrate in this one. In reading the author's note, it seems he had about three ideas he was trying to illustrate. I saw one of them clearly, but I wonder if it would have worked better to focus on only one idea.

That said, we have a fairly fast moving story that reveals its secrets just a little at a time to keep the appetite whetted. Peretti is a gifted story teller, bringing magic acts to life in the imagination–not an easy thing to do. I will come back to this book again in the future and maybe I will see more of what Peretti is trying to say with this story.

2019 Update: I believe I enjoyed this more this reading than the initial reading. There's something about a kick butt nun and a writer with a penchant for puns that tickles my fancy.

Another Chapter, Another Dollar

The third installment in this series was missing a fair bit of the witty banter I enjoyed in the first two. That is until the end of the book. This was a fun read for those who enjoy the series, but by itself it was just okay. Not Bell's best work, but worth the price of admission.