The Visitation by Frank Peretti

Just finished The Visitation by Frank Peretti. I read quite a bit of it at the beach on Sunday...a gorgeous sunny day in Dennisport...in between frequent trips into the water to cool off. And it was definitely cooling - the water was numbingly cold but so nice after the hot sun!

Anyway...on to the book. I picked it up again this afternoon during an after work visit to the pool, and was determined to finish it when I got home tonight.

It wasn't my usual style of book - I picked it up off the Sci-Fi/Fantasy shelf at a book sale, and was a little hesitant when I got it home and realized it was Christian literature. As I said, its not my usual thing.

However, this book surprised me. Travis Jordan, former pastor of Antioch Pentecostal Mission, is struggling with his faith after the death of his wife. In the meantime, the citizens of Antioch begin having visions of angels, and a weeping crucifix heals a caretaker's arthritis. Soon after, the arrival of "Brandon Nichols" throws the town into a stir as he begins healings and miracles and lets people believe he is Jesus. Very quickly, there are pilgrims and a cult growing around Brandon. Travis joins forces with other local ministers to disprove Brandon's claims. The journey they take to discover Brandon's true identity is interspersed with the story of Travis's own struggles with his faith. Definitely worth a read...

Next up: The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Back to the Cape...reading on the beach

Headed out in the morning for a weekend on the Cape...my last gasp of summer before my new team starts up for the school year. I'm bringing The Visitation with me to read on the beach.

To be honest, I put it aside on Wednesday. Not because I'm not into it, because I am. So far the story of unexplained visitors and a weeping statue of Jesus has peaked my interest. But I went to the library on Wednesday and couldn't resist the lure of the books I picked up.

First, I found...be still my heart...A Touch of Dead - a collection of Sookie Stackhouse stories that I had not yet read. I couldn't help myself...I cracked that one open the minute I got home. I admit, I am still hooked on anything Sookie...including the True Blood series. I have one thing to say about Eric Northman...for a dead Viking, he is hot! I'd invite him in any day.

Also grabbed Brava, Valentine by Adriana Trigiani - sequel to Very Valentine, which my book club read a while back. I'm a sucker for a sequel, and I like the character and story here. But its a hardcover so I don't want to take it to the beach...

Hence, The Visitation is now packed in my beach bag to be loaded in my car early tomorrow morning. Looking forward to two days of reading and sunning on the beach. Dennisport here I come!

Dreary Days...but good for reading

I actually finished last week's book, "Venus Envy" by Shannon McKelden on Sunday, but am just finally sitting down to write about it. Venus Envy is a cute story. Venus (aka Aphrodite) has pissed off her father, Zeus, and been banished from Mount Olympus to Earth, where she is assigned to act as fairy godmother to unhappy women. Rachel, her latest victim...godchild...has sworn off men and fills all of her spare time with volunteering, despite the fact that she is being pursued by Luke...a very hot firefighter who is featured as Mr. March in the local fire department calendar. Again, cute story, fairly predictable plot. Considering it only cost me a dollar, it was worth the money - good for a light hearted summertime read.

I'm sure my reading time will cut back now that I have used up every last day of this year's vacation time and am back to work. With schools opening in the next couple weeks and my team returning from their extended summer break, I am crazy at work. But, I am going to keep on with this, if only to give me something to do besides stress about things that are not getting done!

The weather outside is frightful here in RI - cold and rainy. I feel as though I haven't been able to get warm in the last two days. I actually turned on the heat in my office today. But this is perfect weather for curling up on the couch with a book and a cup of tea (or a glass of wine).

This week I'm reading "The Visitation" by Frank Peretti - another book sale pick up.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson

So, I managed to finish The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo yesterday afternoon in the pool...despite some unexpected company. As I mentioned, the first few chapters - corporate warfare, financial journalism, etc - were a bit tough to get through. But once I got through them and to the actual heart of the story, I was sucked in and couldn't wait to find out what happened.
One thing that threw me is that throughout the book, the main characters are pretty much always referred to by last name. I don't know if that is a Swedish thing or just something peculiar to this author. I have the second book to read...but this week I'm going with "Venus Envy" by Shannon McKelden, which I picked up at the book sale on Monday. It appears to be a pretty quick read...we'll see.

Cloudy day on the Cape

My plan to finish The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo on the beach yesterday was thwarted by Mother Nature. It was too cloudy & windy to read on the beach, so we spent most of the day shopping. Did get some reading done and am hoping to be finished today.

On the bright side, though, we visited a book sale at the Brewster Ladies Library and I picked up three books for a total of $2.50 - one of which I will choose for my next book.

Good day on the Cape, overall - shopping, dinner and of course a trip to Sundae School where I tried the newest flavor - Chocolate Oreo. Not bad, but not one I'd choose as my go-to flavor. I don't know that I could pick a favorite...though raz oreo, grasshopper and milky way are probably my top 3. Looking forward to some pool lounging today - have to wring every last bit of summer out of my last vacation week

Oh yeah...it's getting good now

Well, I've gotten past the first few chapters of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo...and I am completely sucked in. I spent two hours at Mom & Dad's this afternoon reading in the pool. I got maybe 15 minutes of sun over the course of the two hours, but I was so into the book that I had a hard time putting it down. Eventually, though, I gave it up and headed home.
I had not realized that there was going to be a mystery involved...I have been a sucker for a mystery story since my Trixie Belden days!
Headed to the Cape for the day tomorrow...hoping to finish it up on the beach and write my final update on this one when I get home tomorrow night.

Still trying to decide what I will read next week. Anybody read anything good lately?

Anybody reading along? Looking for suggestions for my next book

The start of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo is slow going so far, although I expected that. From the people I know who've read it, pretty much everyone has said that the first few chapters were tough, so I'm looking forward to the action picking up soon.

In the meantime, I was curious to see if anyone is actually reading my blog. I can tell, actually, by the stats that a few people are(though admittedly, two of them are Mom & Erin - at least they are my only official "followers). If you are, let me know...I'd love to have an idea of who's out there. Please, feel free to comment on anything...if you've read the book, if you disagree with my review, if you've got something random to say, whatever...

Also, I'm headed to the library tomorrow, either on my lunch hour, or on the run after work. Hoping to pick up a few new books at the library, before heading to Book Club, where we are discussing Ann Hood's "The Red Thread" (also a good one).

Has anybody read anything really good lately? I'm on vacation next week and expecting to have lots of reading time, either in the pool or on the beach if I make it to the Cape.

Two for one...I'm behind again!

My book choice two weeks ago was "Object Lessons" by Anna Quindlen. A good story - focusing mainly on 12 year old Maria Goretti Scanlan, whose Irish grandfather nicknames Maggie...defying her Italian mother. The time frame is the late 60s...when a girl still had to get married if she found herself "in trouble" and an Irish family might still disown a son for marrying an Italian girl. I enjoyed it...a good summer time read for the pool!

Last week was "The Anxiety of Everyday Objects" by Aurelie Sheehan. It may be that I have read too much chick-lit recently...but this book didn't do it for me. Main character Winona is a self-described "non-filmmaking filmmaker" who pays the bills by working as a secretary at a law firm. I couldn't get myself at all interested in Winona...or any of the other characters in the book. Sort of disappointing...but when you pick random books from the library, you take your chances!

This week I'm reading "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" by Stieg Larsson - because everyone I know has either read it, is reading it, or has it on their list to read...hope it lives up to the hype!