Dandelion Dust by Karen Kingsbury

I found this book for $.50 at the thrift store a couple of weeks ago when I was shopping for new jeans. Why is it a get "used" jeans and my daughter gets brand new? Sacrifices I tell you! Anyway, I couldn't pass up a Kingsbury book that I hadn't read yet.

I started reading it right away then had to set it aside. The unresolved conflict in this book was agonizing! The premise behind the book revolves around adoption. The main character Molly is living a blessed life - great husband, nice house, no financial worries and a great son Joey who is adopted. Her world is turned upside down when she gets a phonecall from the adoption agency saying that the adoption was fraudulent. Molly and her husband, Jack, will need to hand over custody to a couple a thousand miles away. How could God have this happen? If there was a God - Molly and Jack were not sure about that. Joey takes the step to trust God through it all and brings his parents along as they fight to be his parents forever.

Kingsbury does a great job of setting the stage of hopelesses on one end and the joy of the birth mom to get her son back. My heart was just torn. The thought of having to say good-bye to my son - I think that I would do everything that I could to keep him with me. The ending was a little abrupt, but possibly realistic. I was rooting for both mom's.

I definately recommend this book, but be prepared to cry...

True Light by Terri Blackstock

This is the third book in the Restoration Series by Blackstock. It has been a few months since I read book two and had to catch up on the plot. Blackstock does a good job of drawing you into the story and still providing information for her readers about the previous books plot. The chapters are short with enough suspense to keep you reading. I really enjoy her writing style - with enough romance thrown in to keep me interested. She weaves in bible verses in such a way that seem real to the situation and not forced.

This book continues the struggle of the Branning family after all electrically powered items no longer work. The explanation given is continuous electromagnetic pulses from a dying star - until it stops, nothing running on normal electrical circuits will work. The government begins working with scientists to find work arounds to make vital services - like hospitals work again. The plot is focused on Mark Green and a killing. Who did it and why do they think it is Mark? The story unfolds with threads of forgiveness and walking through the valley to get there.

I enjoyed this book - even though I am not much of a suspense novel reader.

Thanks for reading.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle by Beverly Cleary (w/Eli)

Part of Eli's homework in 2nd grade is to read 15 minutes a night. I understand why, but with other activities it wasn't always easy to find the time and make it meaningful. So, I dug out one of my favorite Cleary books and we read together.

This is the first book in a series of three about a talking mouse, Ralph, that lives in Room 215 of a hotel. This introduces all the struggles of being a mouse and the joy of finding adventures on the first floor. He makes a human friend name Keith who shares his motorcycle with him and teaches him how to ride by making the sound of a motorcycle, Pb-pb-pb.

This was a fun book to read with Eli. It has a few pictures throughout to foreshadow what is going to happen. I did most of the reading, but he read the short pages with the pictures. We finished the book and managed to meet the 300 minutes a month requirement. We will be starting the new year with the next book - Runaway Ralph for the month of January.

Thanks for reading.

The Kiss by Danielle Steele

I haven’t read a Danielle Steele book in quite awhile. The Kiss was not excellent literature by any means, but it did have a few unexpected twists and turns. The main characters had admirable qualities – unlike some other romance novels. They were loyal under undesirable circumstances, they loved deeply and had a desire to fulfill the promises of marriage and the life they devoted themselves to.

This was a good book to fill the time and make me thankful for the hope that Christian authors pursue in their writing. Steele’s books always make me feel empty, without the joy and peace of other book’s without such “happy” endings.

Thanks for reading.