About Drewbie's Book Reviews

I read quite a few books and I want to recommend books to you. I hope you find something you like on here!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Gideon's Gift

by Karen Kingsbury

     Do you believe in Christmas miracles?  Well Gideon sure does she has one this year she really wants.  She wants Earl, a man down at the homeless shelter to smile.  Earl is a grumpy homeless man who just wants to be left alone.
    Gideon's Gift is a short book about a girl with a big heart.  Gideon has leukemia, but that doesn't stop her from spreading some love around.  Even though it is nowhere near Christmas time right now it was still fun reading this book.  It will make you smile from ear to ear.

Plot - Not too much happens in this book, but it is a short book - B
Characters - Very well done characters - A
Writing Style - Easy to read - A
Emotions - Not too many emotions, but the ones you do feel are high - A
Overall - Short sweet book, makes me want to try another Karen Kingsbury book - A

Saturday, March 17, 2012

House

by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker

     If you don't know I'm a big Frank Peretti fan and I'm not a big Ted Dekker fan, but they co-authored a book together.  Since it is still partially written by Frank Peretti I still wanted to read it.  I'm still torn on whether I like it or not.  It leans more toward horror genre than what I'm used to reading Frank Peretti, but it made me think of myself in a different way.  It made me realize how ugly my sin is to God.  After I finished the book it took me three days to process the story and process how it applied to my life.  I'm a sponge when it comes to outside influence.  I soak up emotions in stories, movies, and from other people.  I was quite depressed those three days.  I'm still glad I read the book even though I didn't like how it made me feel afterwards.  I feel it helped me in life.
     This story starts out with a bickering married couple going to counseling.  Through some interaction with a police officer they are given directions to the town they need to get to which takes them down a scary dirt road.  They have some car trouble and seek help from a nearby inn that is run by some no so courteous hillbillies.  After they have some dinner the tin man shows up and closes all exits from the inn and makes them play his game.
     There are eight main characters in this story.  The first couple you meet is Jack and Stephanie.  Jack is a introvert who keeps things to himself and writes novels for a living.  Stephanie is an aspiring country singer who isn't afraid to give her opinion.  The second couple you meet is Randy and Leslie.  Randy is self-centered egomaniac who gets a little gun happy at times.  He also runs a chain of hotels and restaurants.  Leslie is an analytical psychologist who suppresses her emotions.  Then there is Stewart, Betty, and their son Pete who are the hillbillies who run the inn.    Lastly there is the tin man who just wants everyone dead at the end of the game.

Plot - Good plot overall, in some places it had more terror than other Frank Peretti books,  probably due to Ted Dekker co-authoring - A
Characters - Good characters, but I felt character development wasn't great,  I didn't get attached to the characters as much as some other books I've read. - B
Writing Style - Good writing style, easy enough to read for just about anyone - A
Emotions - Terror is not really an emotion I want to feel.  I can see why they wrote the book they way they did, but I didn't feel "good" after reading it.  I didn't feel much of any other emotion other than relief at times. - C
Overall - The book was good but not great.  I don't think they could have made it much better other than maybe a epilogue at the end of how the characters are doing down the road.  Like I said before, It took me three days to sort this book out in my head.  - B

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Finding God in Unexpected Places

by Philip Yancey


     So where do you expect to find God in this sinful world of ours?  First answers that I would think of is at church, bible study, wilderness, or on facebook with my christian friends and family.  At least I would think that until I read this book.  Now I know the places that God shows up are the places you would least likely think of.  Places like Russia, China,  and prison.
     In this book Philip Yancey takes you through 49 short chapters on where you can find God in this big world of ours.  Some chapters are about countries who have or used to have oppressive governments.  Some chapters are on places we are familiar with like workout gyms.  Some are on letters Philip receives from people around the world who have read his books and been changed by them.  And some of the chapters are on moments in history where people have taken a stand in peaceful demonstrations against their governments and have won their freedom.
    The chapter on prison fellowship really moved me.   At the end of this chapter Philip writes about a maximum security prison in Zambia that has the worst living conditions you can think of.  The prisoners though have a heart for God even though some of them will be executed soon.
    Philip has a very good writing style.  It is easy to understand, but he does use quite a few words I don't know so I would read this one with a dictionary close by.  He also refers to other books quite a lot.  Most of these are classics that I haven't read.  If I have read them it might give more meaning to some parts of the book.  He does quote from the books the parts he is talking about though.  Definitely not the last book I will read of his.

Plot - Good plots overall,  most he didn't make up but was written well - A
Characters - You get to know some people in this book and makes you want to meet them - A
Writing Style - It is written well, but keep a dictionary nearby - B
Emotions - Lots of emotions are brought out in this book - A
Overall - Great book worth reading and referring to.  I borrowed it from the library, but I am planning on buying it - A

Thursday, March 1, 2012

A Husband After God's Own Heart

A Husband After God's Own Heart
12 Things That Really Matter in Your Marriage
by Jim George
   







     Jim George takes us through 12 Chapters that will guide you into being a better husband.  These 12 chapters are:
1. Growing in the Lord - Why it's important to spend time with God every day.
2. Working as a Team - Why and how to work as a team with your wife.
3. Learning to Communicate - How to talk to your wife verbally and non-verbally.
4. Enjoying Intimacy - You already know what this chapter is about.
5. Managing Your Money - Why and how to be involved financially.
6. Keeping Up Your Home - Why it's important to keep up your home and property.
7. Raising Your Children - Why it's important to be involved with your children's lives.
8. Extending Love to Family - Why it's important to get to know and be involved with your own and your       wife's family.
9. Tending Your Career - How to have a good work ethic and why it is good to work but not work too much.
10. Making Time For Fun - Everybody needs a little down time.
11. Serving the Lord - Why we should help others out.
12. Reaching Out to Others - Share your faith.

     Every Chapter in this book challenged  me in some way.  I wasn't spending time with God each day, was focused just on my hobbies, and was just depressed a lot of the time.  Now I do my devotions just about every day and I don't wasted so much time on my hobbies.  I feel depressed only every so often compared to half of the time before.  Every one of these 12 things is a christian aspect of our lives.  They are things we do when we put our selfish thoughts aside and live for God.
     Jim George writes in a very practical writing style.  He doesn't use words that most people would need a dictionary for.  This is the first book I've read by Jim George and it won't be the last.

Plot - No plot other than your own life you apply to what you read - NA
Character Development - Your the character - NA
Writing Style - Practical, perfect for this type of book - A
Emotions - Change of lifestyle and more love for your wife - A
Overall - Excellent book for any man who is or plans to get married - A

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Purpose of this blog

     The Blog is what it says it is.  I will be writing reviews on the books I have read in the past so you will know what books you should think about reading and what books you will know to definitely pass on.  You may be asking, "So what genre of books do you read?"  I read books on christian living, thrillers, fantasy, science fiction, basic fiction, and random subjects I get curious about.
     This is the structure of what the reviews will be like.  First I will write a summary of what the book is about (without giving away too much information).  Then I will give a description of some of the characters.  Then tell you what I thought was good and what I thought was bad about the book.  To me there is four main qualities in a story: plot, character development, writing style, and your emotions you feel while you are reading.  At the end of each review I will give a grade for each of these qualities and a final overall grade.