Book Review! x2!

So this book was read so quickly it didn't even make it to my "bookshelf" over to the left there. Buck read "Five Sacred Crossings" on our California trip, and he has wanted me to read it ever since. When my non-pleasure-reading-husband likes a book so much he recommends it to me, I know I need to listen! Keep in mind this book is a novel. Some might pick it up and at first glance think it may be some new-agey spirituality thing, but it's not. The core of the story is based around a Jesus-following college professor, who leads a class through a fictional ancient text called "Five Sacred Crossings." By weaving through the text in this secular institution, with students on all ends of the faith spectrum, the Truth and reality of Jesus and His free gift of salvation are made abundantly clear. The end of the book had me on the edge of my seat...literally! I was about 2 pages away from finishing this book late one night at the Lake, and wouldn't you know...Tate decided he wasn't a fan of the Pack-n-Play. He was up for about an hour, just to tease me, I think! I finally got to finish those last 2 pages, and it was worth every minute of staying up late! This book comes very, very highly recommended (from both me and Buck!). It's a quick, easy read too..please enjoy and pass it along.

I LOOOVE me some Jane Green. I was so excited when I saw that this book had just been released this summer, and I had my fancy new iPad toy that I could download this book to. Any other Jane Green fans out there? I think her style and content has completely changed over the past couple of years, but I'm not necessarily complaining. My first introduction to Jane Green was "Jemima J" (total fluff, fun, chick lit), and to read that book and "Promises to Keep", you would never know it was the same author. Again, that isn't all bad! This is a heartwarming and at the same time, heartbreaking story about a suburbanite mom (Callie) faced with a very tough situation (I don't want to give too much away!). While the "tough situation" is certainly a centerpiece of the story, almost equally as important is the outpouring of love and support that comes from her family and friends. I loved the side stories about Callie's divorced parents, her sister, and her best friend Lila. Green certainly has a gift for drawing the reader in--I love it when I am hooked after just a few pages. Small spoiler: It wasn't the perfect happy ending that I usually love in my Jane Green books, but it was very satisfying, and I thoroughly enjoyed this as my first book on my iPad. :)

So there you go! A couple of book reviews from my week at the Lake. I am this close to finishing "Complications" by Atul Gawande, and am loving it. I just checked out "Checklist Manifesto" by the same author from the library so I only have 3 weeks to get that baby read. I am still working on "Half the Sky" and "Committed"--my goals for the summer--finish those 2 books and kick them off my shelf! They are worth savoring, though. Happy reading to you~oh, and more pics of the little monkeys tomorrow~Much love,