Hiya!

Busy holiday season - particularly exciting too but I shan't tell you why! - is just about over. Hopefully I'll be able to get back to my poor neglected blog and actually post something every now and then though never, I fear, as regularly as I used to. I started reading a new book yesterday so I'm on the look-out for a good excerpt from it to share with you all. Catch ya later and keep blogging! :)

The Eagle of the Ninth Book Review.

Title: The Eagle of the Ninth.

Author: Rosemary Sutcliff.

Genre: Historical Fiction, Classic.

Plot: Marcus Flavius Aquila, a youthful Roman cohort commander, marches to his first command in Ancient Britain. Some wondered why he chose Britain of all places for his first command. In some way, he has family ties to the wet and rainy country; his uncle lives in Britain and his father, commander of the infamous Ninth Legion that had marched away into the wilderness of Britain beyond the Wall and never returned over ten years earlier, had last been stationed in Britain. Marcus, a soldier through and through, makes good his first command in spite of his youth, and saves his men in battle with the wild tribesmen. The personal cost of the victory was a high one: Marcus would never be a soldier again.

Laid up in his uncle’s house for nearly two years recovering from his wounds, having them reopened and then recovering again, Marcus was lonely and had plenty of time to think. And yet, he also had opportunities to make three loyal life-long friends. Esca, a British slave and gladiator for the sport of bloodthirsty Romans, was purchased and then freed by Marcus. Cub, a wild wolf Esca rescued while still dependent upon his mother, was raised by Marcus and Esca together and goes bounding about the house like an overgrown puppy. And Cottia, a fiery-tempered graceful British maiden who has a fashionable aunt who is trying to Romanize her, becomes something more than just a friend to Marcus. When Marcus undergoes surgery on his leg, it is these three friends who cheer him, and it is they who, though saddened by his decision, support him when he embarks on a dangerous quest to find the lost eagle of his father’s legion beyond Agricola’s Wall.

Likes/Dislikes: Beautifully well written in a style that is old, endearing and breathtaking. The characters are all wonderfully well drawn and the scenes are skillfully described in such a manner as to create a vivid picture in the reader’s mind without becoming too tedious. This is one of the best books I’ve read in a long while!

Rating: PG-10 and up for reading level. Recommended for all ages.

Date Report Written: November 12, 2011.

NaNoWriMo

NaNoWriMo started today and between chores, feeling sick, wondering what on earth my sibs were doing, chatting, and listening to my sis practice her cello, I managed to get 2,054 words written. Sweet. I'll post more later. Maybe. I'm off to have dinner and go to bed. We've got a storm blowing in so our poor garden is being rapidly harvested. *grins*

Gods and Kings Book Review.

Title: Gods and Kings.

Author: Lynn Austen.

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Biblical Fiction.

Plot: Hezekiah was one of the few upright kings of Ancient Israel yet we know very little about his childhood and upbringing. This book takes a fictional though very convincing look into how his character might have been formed.

Born the second son of wicked King Ahaz, Hezekiah's young life was ripped apart when he was forced to watch his father sacrifice his elder brother to the pagan god Molech one horrifying night. His life became a living nightmare and he grew to hate his perverted father greatly. The one constant thing he could still love and trust was his mother, Abijah. While mourning the loss of her firstborn son and fearing for Hezekiah's sanity, Abijah vows to save him from his brother's fate and turns back to the God of her childhood, Yahweh. Risking her life with this new-found belief in Israel's one true God, Abijah secretly moves her aged father, Zechariah - a temple priest with guilt riddling his heart over a past failure - into Hezekiah's room in the palace in the hopes that Zechariah might be able to help her child. Brought to the lowest point in his life and suddenly aware that he doesn't want Hezekiah to have the same future as his father and grandfather before him, Zechariah begins to teach the boy about Yahweh.

But when his mother is taken away, his grandfather put under house arrest and Uriah, the power-hungry High Priest-turned-palace-administrator, running the country for the now constantly drunk King Ahaz, Hezekiah's youthful faith wanes. On top of that, his new tutor - an Egyptian named Shebna - doesn't believe in any gods at all. Hezekiah, not knowing any better, turns to weapons training as a means to save himself from Molech.

Fast forward about twenty years and Hezekiah is a grown man, ready for the task Yahweh has set for him. But how can he be ready when the faith of his childhood has grown to a vague memory?

Likes/Dislikes: I liked this book a good deal. It did seem to drag a little here and there but the climatic ending made up for that. Toward the beginning there are two or three kissing scenes between Ahaz and his wife Abijah but nothing beyond that. There is some violence; children being thrown into a pit of fire and a death scene at the end but these didn't effect me. This portrayal of what Hezekiah's childhood could have been like was highly interesting and very well researched. I didn't like the fact that the author used the New International Version of the Bible but I couldn't help that very much. In short, a very enjoyable read; I recommend it to older teens and adults.

Rating: PG-16 and up for content.

Date Report Written: October 29, 2011.

I received this book for free from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

A Round of Interesting Blog Posts 19.

Yeah, not Tuesday but I've been so busy that my posting schedule will be very random from now on. :) And yeah, the following links are kinda disorganized and slapped together because I'm super tired right now and am gonna take a nap as soon as I post this. Enjoy nonetheless!

http://seasonsofhumility.blogspot.com/2011/10/my-review-of-asenath.html

http://shieldmaidenofgod.blogspot.com/2011/10/nanowrimo.html

http://awritingmaiden.blogspot.com/2011/10/in-only-dozen-days.html

http://reviewsbyjane.blogspot.com/2011/10/twilight-destroying-contentment-around.html

http://booktalkandmore.blogspot.com/2011/10/lets-talk-about-snow-white.html

http://booktalkandmore.blogspot.com/2011/10/review-beauty-by-robin-mckinley.html

http://booktalkandmore.blogspot.com/2011/10/avengers-first-trailer.html

http://shieldmaidenofgod.blogspot.com/2011/10/dr-who-meets-dr-seuss.html

Proverbs 10.

"The Proverbs of Solomon: A wise son makes a glad father, But a foolish son is the grief of his mother.

2 Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death. 3 The Lord will not allow the righteous soul to famish, But He casts away the desire of the wicked. 4 He who has a slack hand becomes poor, But the hand of the diligent makes rich. 5 He who gathers in summer is a wise son; He who sleeps in harvest is a son who causes shame. 6 Blessings are on the head of the righteous, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked. 7 The memory of the righteous is blessed, But the name of the wicked will rot. 8 The wise in heart will receive commands, But a prating fool will fall. 9 He who walks with integrity walks securely, But he who perverts his ways will become known. 10 He who winks with the eye causes trouble, But a prating fool will fall. 11 The mouth of the righteous is a well of life, But violence covers the mouth of the wicked. 12 Hatred stirs up strife, But love covers all sins. 13 Wisdom is found on the lips of him who has understanding, But a rod is for the back of him who is devoid of understanding. 14 Wise people store up knowledge, But the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. 15 The rich man's wealth is his strong city; The destruction of the poor is their poverty. 16 The labor of the righteous leads to life, The wages of the wicked to sin. 17 He who keeps instruction is in the way of life, But he who refuses correction goes astray. 18 Whoever hides hatred has lying lips, And whoever spreads slander is a fool. 19 In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, But he who restrains his lips is wise. 20 The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; The heart of the wicked is worth little. 21 The lips of the righteous feed many, But fools die for lack of wisdom. 22 The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it. 23 To do evil is like sport to a fool, But a man of understanding has wisdom. 24 The fear of the wicked will come upon him, And the desire of the righteous will be granted. 25 When the whirlwind passes by, the wicked is no more, But the righteous has an everlasting foundation. 26 As vinegar to the teeth and smoke to the eyes, So is the lazy man to those who send him. 27 The fear of the Lord prolongs days, But the years of the wicked will be shortened. 28 The hope of the righteous will be gladness, But the expectation of the wicked will perish. 29 The way of the Lord is strength for the upright, But destruction will come to the workers of iniquity. 30 The righteous will never be removed, But the wicked will not inhabit the earth. 31 The mouth of the righteous brings forth wisdom, But the perverse tongue will be cut out. 32 The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable, But the mouth of the wicked what is perverse. "                             ~ Proverbs 10. NKJV

If by Rudyard Kipling.

If
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;
 
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";
 
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!
                                                       ~ Rudyard Kipling.

A Round of Interesting Blog Posts 18.

Yo people, what have you all been blogging about this week? *grins* Let's do the round then, shall we?

Casey over at Writing for Christ ~ The Audience of One has a fun book review up first.

Charles over at Strictly Speaking shares a call to arms on a touchy topic here in California.

Ruth over at Booktalk and More has a fun review of a pilot for a new show.

Carrie over at The Blog of a Writing Maiden shares an interesting set of facts with us.

Jody over at The Corner Book Blog has a sweet book review up.

Amber over at Seasons of Humility has a fun book review up. This book is doing the rounds so be sure to check it out. *wink*

Ashley over at The Epic Reader has a grand book review up as well.

Holly over at In the Bookshelf shares a fun book review too.

Sierra over at Whispers of the Wind is overjoyed that Autumn is here. Check it out; her blog is all decked out in style.

Kathleen over at ShieldMaiden of God shares some fun things she learned from Noah's Ark.

Till next week, keep blogging folks! 

Monday Blurbs ~ Ninth Edition.

Hi all; it's Monday again! *rubs hands together and grins* Ooh, I wonder what my family and I watched this weekend?

Okay, on Friday we watched a couple re-run episodes of Psych which was tons of fun {sorta} although they weren't my favorite episodes. One of them was the episode where Shawn and Gus get a mysterious email inviting them to a cinnamon festival in a dinky little creepy town no one's ever heard of before. Needless to say, someone turns up dead and in between eating plenty of cinnamon pie, the goofy duo bounce around town trying to solve the case and end up uncovering several dirty secrets and almost becoming toast when someone predictably locks them in the library and sets it on fire. still, it was quite entertaining and the whole cell phone reception bit was hilarious!

On Saturday or, at least, I think it was Saturday, we watched a re-run of the pilot for the new show Terra Nova since I'd missed the first twenty minutes when it first aired. That show is interesting, certainly. In a futuristic opening scene {it's suppose to be 2149 or something like that and the air is all unbreathable, etc. etc. think Star Wars} we are introduced to the Shannon family. Jim Shannon is a cop, Elisabeth is a highly educated doctor, their firstborn Josh is a rebel teen with a chip on his shoulder and a tender heart, Maddy is a teenage genius with a thing for math, and Zoe is the illegal third child and sweetheart of the family. When they are caught with the illegal third child, Jim gets thrown in jail. Not too surprisingly, his wife gets him out and they hightail it through a time crack with a bunch of other people to prehistoric times where a colony {Terra Nova} is starting to set down roots and start over again. It has potential but the previews for the next episode have me wary; I'll probably have to keep the remote handy.

And yesterday on Sunday my Dad, sister and I watched a couple episodes of The Legend of the Seeker. A Tv series much too overrated for what it is that originally aired between 2008 and 2010; there is nothing unpredictable about it. A mysterious woman {who is actually a witch with the most absurd wardrobe} crosses the magical ancient boundary and enters Richard Cypher's world with shattering results. Everything he ever knew or believed gets turned upside down when he is told he is a legendary seeker dude who will take out the demonic {red flag warning right there} evil dude. With his father dead and his brother {along with a deal of other nasty characters} out to get him, Richard teams up with a crazy wizard guy and the mysterious witch girl before crossing the boundary and setting out on his quest to change the world and defeat the villain. I was not at all impressed by the wizard, the girl {every time she ran through the woods, I kept wondering if she'd pop out of her dress *rolls eyes*} or all the magic and silly looking CGI effects but I did like Richard's character; he genuinely wants to make a difference in his world. He just teamed up with the wrong side.

And that is what we watched over the weekend. Not much. Anyway, catch ya later!

Psalm 56.

“Be merciful to me, O God, for man would swallow me up;

              Fighting all day he oppresses me.

My enemies would hound me all day;

For there are many who fight against me,

             Oh Most High.

Whenever I am afraid,

I will trust in You.

In God (I will praise His word),

In God I have put my trust;

I will not fear:

What can flesh do to me?

All day they twist my words;

All their thoughts are against me for evil.

They gather together,

They hide, they mark my steps,

When they lie in wait for my life.

Shall they escape by iniquity?

In anger cast down the peoples, O God!

You number my wanderings;

Put my tears into Your bottle;

Are they not in Your book?

When I cry out to You,

Then my enemies will turn back;

This I know, because God is for me.

In God (I will praise His word),

In the Lord (I will praise His word),

In God I have put my trust;

I will not be afraid.

What can man do to me?

Vows made to You are binding upon me,

           O God;

I will render praises to You,

For You have delivered my soul from death.

Have You not kept my feet from falling,

That I may walk before God

In the light of the living?

                          ~ Psalm 56. NKJV

A Round of Interesting Blog Posts 17.

Okay, despite not having been around for the last couple weeks {well, I was around, just not in the blogging world *wink*}, I have bounced around a few of my favorite blogs today to see what you've all been posting about and the following links are the results. Enjoy!

Carrie over at A Writing Maiden shares her thoughts on modesty.

Casey over at Writing for Christ ~ The Audience of One has a humorous book review to share.

Amber over at Seasons of Humility is craving Sherlock Holmes.

Kathleen over at Shield Maiden of God shares with us a lovely piece of music not used in the Lord of the Rings movies.

Ruth over at Booktalk and More shares a Masterpiece Mystery review.

Elenatintil over at her blog gives a rundown of the pilot for Terra Nova.

Rachel over at The Inkpen Authoress shares a sweet, beautiful short story she wrote.

Debbie over at her grand new blog Dancing Off the Walls shares her thoughts on coffee.

And my friend Ella over at Hellwig Family Blog humorously tells of the repainting of her family's kitchen.

Till next week, keep blogging!

Monday Blurbs ~ Eighth Edition.

Aha! We're back! I hope. After my impromptu "vacation" from blogging regularly, I'm getting my routine under control and will hopefully be back up and running full on by next week. Yay!

Okay, now to see what my family and I watched over the weekend. *rubs hands together* On Friday we started watching BBC's Wives and Daughters which is a long movie and based on Elizabeth Gaskell's novel of the same title. Made in 1999 and starring Justine Waddell, Bill Paterson, Tom Hollander, Anthony Howell and Michael Gambon {to name a few}, this is a classic worth watching again and again! It is about Molly Gibson, the only daughter of a country doctor who remarries a very silly woman who has an equally silly daughter. While dealing with the unwanted stepmother and stepsister, Molly is also burdened by grave secrets people entrust her with and her unwavering love for Roger Hambly who thinks of her only as a friend. I enjoyed it a lot.

On Saturday we watched Unstoppable. Made in 2010 and starring Chris Pine, Denzel Washington and Rosario Dawson, this is an epic action/adventure and totally grand! There isn't much of a plot but with a lead like Pine, sweet camera shots, plenty of action and a cool soundtrack, who needs a plot? *wink* The basic plot, based on a true story nonetheless, is this: an unmanned half-mile long freight train is on a collision course toward a major city and it is up to two brave men, Frank who is close to retirement and Will who is a newbie, both with personal issues going on in their lives, to stop it. I can't get over how great this movie is! However, there is a smattering of foul language {if you can handle Inception then you should be fine but it's still there} and a brief scene with suggestive background images. Frank's teenage daughters work at Hooters. *rolls eyes*

Needless to say, we continued watching Wives and Daughters on Saturday and Sunday {we finished it yesterday btw}. On Sunday my family watched something but I wasn't present so I don't know what it was. That pretty much sums up my weekend as far as what we watched is concerned. *wink* Catch ya later!

Black Book Review.

Title: Black.

Author: Ted Dekker.

Genre: Suspense, Thriller, Mystery, Fantasy, Christian, action/Adventure.

Plot: Thomas Hunter, a twenty-five-year-old military brat and failed novelist, lives with his older sister in Denver, Colorado. One day on his way home from work Thomas is shot at by dangerous men sent to find him from New York. It’s been six years since the last time Thomas was in a fight for his life and he panics; dashing up to a roof in the darkness, he waits and tries to catch his breath when a silent bullet speeds through the night air and clips him on the head. He drops unconscious and immediately wakes up in a black forest filled with malevolent talking black bats that nearly kill him before he escapes. A white bat with green eyes swoops in and helps lead him out of the forest to a bridge linking it with a colored, healthy forest. Thomas falls unconscious on the green grass and wakes back up in Denver, extremely confused.

At first Thomas thinks he’s just been having a very real dream but when he learns of the existence of the Raison Strain, a deadly virus set to wipe out the world’s population in a few short weeks, in the colored forest half of his dreams, everything shifts. With his sister Kara’s help, Thomas embarks on an epic journey in two worlds that will leave him exhausted and will forever change his life and the course of history. But how is he to stop something so unreal when he has been killed – twice?

Likes/Dislikes: This is the first book in a trilogy which is the first part of a very long series by Dekker. Black packs quite the adrenaline-rush. Thomas Hunter is a very simple yet very complex character and it was grand to watch his gradual change as the story progressed. Kara was a grand character as well and the descriptions of the dream world, while a little confusing if read too fast, were very imaginative. I picked this book up worried that Dekker would be like Frank Peretti but I was pleasantly surprised to find that he isn’t. Dekker isn’t a star author like some of the classics but he’s better than the average and he can spin a very colorful adrenaline-laced story with all the pieces falling into place only at the end. I must note, however, that he really is terrible at writing romance. Full of humor and nonstop action, I highly recommend Black.

Rating: PG-15 and up for reading level and content {mostly violence}.

Date Report Written: September 8, 2011.

Aha!

Hiya folks! I have a very good reason for not having posted all week. :) Okay, I don't. Well, I do but I'm not gonna tell you what it is. *grins* I have a book review for tomorrow and hopefully I'll be back to my regular posting schedule by Tuesday. Monday Blurbs might start showing up on Tuesdays till choir practice levels out again. Catch ya later! ;)

Crocodile on the Sandbank Book Review.

Title: Crocodile on the Sandbank.

Author: Elizabeth Peters.

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction, Romance, Action/Adventure, Drama.

Plot: Amelia Peabody is a thirty-something spinster with a cynical outlook on life, a love of studying and an inheritance vastly larger than she’d originally supposed. Being bored with life in England and lonely for companionship, Amelia plans a visit to Egypt during the winter there. Her original traveling companion very quickly deserts her but the quick-thinking heroine soon rescues and befriends the seemingly delicate Evelyn who is fleeing a damaged reputation and a scoundrel lover. With these two teamed up, an adventure is sure to take place and they both unknowingly influence each other in a positive manner.

However, the adventure they encounter on their journey up the Nile isn’t what either expected. They stop in at a dig run by the Emerson brothers whom they’d previously run into at a museum with humorous and lopsided results. The dashing but very temperamental Radcliff Emerson and Amelia had exchanged insults and were not fond of each other’s company in the least; the admirable and handsome Walter Emerson, however, was very fond of the ladies’ company, particularly of Evelyn’s. With these four thrown together, first by a serious fever on the elder Emerson’s part and then secondly by a series of misadventures usually resulting in loud arguments and someone getting bruised {usually Emerson}, the situation is lively and entertaining enough. Yet when a mysterious midnight visitor starts calling and Evelyn’s foppish cousin arrives on the scene, Amelia and Emerson wonder what they’ve gotten themselves into.

Likes/Dislikes: This is the first Amelia Peabody mystery and I must say I enjoyed every word of it although I rather liked The Golden One better. It’s a case of the first book verses a later book difference. Anyway, this tale is lively and fun with a good deal of sarcastic humor thrown in which is what I enjoy in books like this. Emerson does curse a lot though not as much as in the fourteen book, which I noticed. There is also some suggested suggestive material, thus I cannot recommend it to younger readers but to more mature readers, particularly those who love mysteries, adventures and grand tales set in places like Egypt, I highly recommend it.

Rating: PG-16 and up for content and reading level.

Date Report Written: September 8^th, 2011.

Excerpt from Black.

"I could write your story," Tanis continued. "A wonderful play of love and beauty, but then it would be mine, not yours. You must tell your own story. Or, in this case, live it. And to understand how love unfolds, you must understand how Elyon loves."

The sheer momentum of their zeal carried Tom. He asked the question he knew Tanis was demanding he ask. "And how does Elyon love?"

"Excellent question! He chooses."

"He chooses," Palus repeated.

"He pursues."

"He pursues," said Rachelle's father, fist clenched.

"He rescues."

"He rescues."

"He woos."

"He woos."

"He protects."

It was like a Ping-Pong match.

"He protects. Ha!"

"He lavishes," Tanis shouted.

Palus stopped. "Is that one of them?"

"Why not?"

"I mean, is that normally placed with the others?"

"It should be."

They looked at each other for a moment.

"He lavishes," cried Palus.

"This, my dear Thomas, is what you should do to win Rachelle's heart."
         ~ Excerpt from Black by Ted Dekker.

A Round of Interesting Blog Posts 16.

I didn't post this yesterday because I was busy and my mom has been getting after me for being online too much. *rolls eyes* Anyway, let's check out what you've all been blogging about folks!

Casey over at Writing for Christ ~ The Audience of One has a wonderful post on writing and being a writer.

Ruth over at Booktalk and More has a grand review on the Inspector Lewis episode I mentioned seeing on Sunday.

Holly over at The Bookshelf has a lovely book review to share with us.

Rachel over at The Inkpen Authoress has a wonderful thing to say on reading and writing; she has a good point.

My friend Gabrielle over at Legend of a Seamstress links up to five blogs she enjoys following.

Lady Elenatintil over at her blog shares a tip of hers on how to get through tough times in life.

Ruth over at Booktalk and More has a delightful movie review on a classic old film.

Jody over at The Corner Bookblog shares a wonderful book review with us.

Tarissa over at In The Bookcase has her new monthly link-up post; do check it out folks.

Jane over at Reviews by Jane is vlogging!

And my sister Maxine over at her new blog Max's Random Adventures makes her debut post in fine style.

And until next week, keep blogging folks! *grins*

Monday Blurbs ~ Eighth Edition.

I know I didn't post a book review on Saturday; I was too tired and mentally distracted. I'll post it next week.

Anyway, on Friday we didn't watch anything because we went to my cousin's wedding which was so grand and tons of fun! *grins excitedly* On Saturday we watched Tangled {my review}; I love that movie! It's so sweet and funny while so adventurous and epic. Flynn is definitely my favorite character and it's one of the few movies that I actually like the main girl and have lines memorized. Most movies I watch, unlike my siblings, I don't have any of the lines memorized. But this one is different. "I have dreams like you/No, really, just less touchy-feely/They mainly happen somewhere warm and sunny/On an island that I own/Tanned and rested and alone/Surrounded by enormous piles of money!" "Please don't freak out!" "You guys should see your faces because you look - wham! - ridiculous." "I think he likes me." Need I say more? *smiles sweetly*

Also on Saturday we watched a re-run episode of MI5 wherein the agents bounce around "protecting" somebody while Beth's past is looked into and Lucus' past catches up with him in dramatic but subtle fashion. On Sunday our NASCAR race got rained out *frowns disappointedly* and I was online bouncing around most of the day but in the evening we watched a Masterpiece Mystery Inspector Lewis episode. The episode title was Old, Unhappy, Far Off Things and was about a murder {not too surprising I suppose} at an all-girls' college reunion where an attack had happened ten years previously that left a student's younger sister in a coma and Inspector Lewis haunted by the unsolved murder. His young, energetic likable partner James Hathaway helps him solve both cases in fine style.

Catch ya later!

Random Quotes from Crocodile on the Sandbank.

The following, mostly random quotes are from Crocodile on the Sandbank by Elizabeth Peters.

"{I am informed, by the self-appointed Critic who reads over my shoulder as I write, that I have already committed an error. If those seemingly simple English words do indeed imply that which I am told they imply to the vulgar, I must in justice to Evelyn find other phrasing.}"

"I sat up and, with a shout, reached out for the thing. I do not believe in apparitions. I wanted to get my hands on it, to feel the warmth and solidity of human flesh. Unfortunately, I had forgotten the confounded mosquito netting."

"My parasol was standing in the corner. I went and got it." Next page - "He was an agile fellow; he jumped nimbly back as I tried to bring the parasol down on his head, and when I raised it for a second attempt, Evelyn caught my arm. 'Pray don't break a good parasol,' she said, with a curling lip. 'He is not worth it.'"

"She was too kind, and too truthful. Both, I have found, are inconvenient character traits."

"His brother's danger and Evelyn's unexpected appearance had turned the poor boy's brains to mush. I realized that I must take charge.... I jabbed him with my parasol. He started, turned, and began to run back in the direction from which he had come."

"'There is absolutely no limit to this man's arrogant stupidity,' I exclaimed, as Walter came rushing to us. 'Fetch Michael and help your brother back to bed, Walter. And for pity's sake,' I added angrily, as Emerson's unconscious head rolled against my breast and bristly black hairs scratched me through the fabric of my bodice, 'for pity's sake, get rid of this beard!'"

"'That is the most ridiculous remark you have made as yet,' I said. 'And many of your remarks have been extremely silly.'"

A Round of Interesting Blog Posts 15.

I had a busy, rather stressful day yesterday so this is only twenty-four hours late. *rolls eyes* Anyway, let's see what you've all been blogging about!

Ruth over at Booktalk and More has a fun movie review to share with us.

Jane over at Reviews by Jane has a fun book review up.

Casey over at Writing for Christ ~ The Audience of One also has a book review up.

Rachel over at The Inkpen Authoress has a wonderful short story to share.

Katie over at Maria Shiphrah Dalton Publications has a new blog for college-age readers!

The gals over at Young Ladies Christian Fellowship have a thoughtful post on our influence over brothers.

Holly over at In The Bookshelf has a grand book review.

My friend Gabrielle over at Hellwig Family Blog shares her brothers' reactions as hurricane Irene rolled in.

Ashely over at The Epic Reader has a wonderful review on a Joshua Harris book.

Jody over at The Corner Bookblog has a lovely book review to share with us.

And there ya are my fine people! Keep blogging!

Monday Blurbs ~ Seventh Edition.

Today is Monday, isn't it? Oh well, doesn't matter. My family and I watched an unusual low amount of movies/shows this past weekend so this'll be a short {ish} post.

On Friday we watched....nothing. On Saturday we watched a re-run episode of Psych. In it Shawn and Gus take a missing person's case as a favor to Juliette and go to a Comic Con where they run around tracking down the missing guy's two buddies and talking about a random movie one of the participating speakers made and which received a lot of bad reviews. On Sunday we watched another re-run episode of Psych in which a tennis player turns up missing so Shawn and Gus go bouncing around looking for her and then, when they can't find her, go tracking down her mystery boyfriend. Meanwhile, Shawn's dad and the head detective what's-his-name go fishing together which gets Shawn all distracted. In short, two random episodes from a show I rather like.

Now, what I would have enjoyed watching this weekend is still waiting to be picked up from the library. I hope we get it tomorrow cause I so want to watch it! A friend recommended it to me. *winks* It's North and South. Starring Richard Armitage {way cool!} and made in 2004, this mini-series looks grand and is based off of Elizabeth Gaskell's book by the same title. I intend to read that as soon as I get hold of a copy.

Catch ya later!

Matthew 24, NKJV.

"Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple.

And Jesus said to them, 'Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.'

Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?'

And Jesus answered and said to them: 'Take heed that no one deceives you.

For many will come in My name, saying "I am the Christ," and will deceive many.

And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places.

All these are the beginning of sorrows.

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.

And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another.

Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many.

And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.

But he who endures to the end shall be saved.

And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Therefore when you see the "abomination of desolation," spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place' {whoever reads, let him understand},

'then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains.

Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house.

And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes.

But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days!

And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath.

For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be.

And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened.

Then if anyone says to you, "Look, here is the Christ!" or "There!" do not believe it.

For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

See, I have told you beforehand.

Therefore if they say to you, "Look, He is in the desert!" do not go out; or "Look, He is in the inner rooms!" do not believe it.

For as the lightening comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

And He will send His angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near.

So you also, when you see all these things, know that is it near - at the doors!

Assuredly, I say to you, this generation will by no means pass away till all these things take place.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.

But even as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark,

and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left.

Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left.

Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.

But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into.

Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?

Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.

Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.

But if that evil servant says in his heart, "My master is delaying his coming,"

and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunkards,

the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,

and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'"

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck Book Review.

Title: The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck.

Author: Kathleen Y’Barbo.

Genre: Christian, Historical Fiction, Romance, Sequel.

Plot: Eighteen year old Charlotte Beck is in London with her stepmother Gennie preparing for her New York début. She’s spent the majority of her life trying to convince people {mostly her father} that she’s a mature grow-up young woman while her actions speak otherwise. At a formal ball hosted by the wealthy Earl Hambly, Charlotte manages to nonchalantly fall out of a window and land in the arms of the Hambly heir. She doesn’t learn till later that there are two Hambly sons, twins; Martin is the heir but his time in the war so marred his mind that he is incapable of succeeding. Thus the burden of heir and firstborn falls on Alex’s shoulders. He didn’t want it, he didn’t ask for it and he’d much rather study the stars than play the role of his brother at social meetings but he accepted it without compliant.

That is, until Charlotte Beck landed in his arms late one night when he was escaping from the stifling atmosphere in the ballroom. His meetings with Charlotte soon lead to a black eye, a stack of ruined research notes, a bent telescope and an arrangement of marriage with the wild girl in question that he can’t refuse. Charlotte, ever the schemer, gets a shock when Alex declares he doesn’t want to break off the marriage and she sets about to find a way out of the inconvenient marriage.

Likes/Dislikes: The beginning half of this book was delightful, with a humorous undercurrent to the story. From one misadventure to the other I felt I was enjoying a real treat. And then the second half came along; I was hoping for the same bouncing, happy undercurrent but it wasn’t there and I quickly lost interest after the wedding. I really lost interest when Alex and Charlotte got caught in a snowstorm and had to take shelter in an abandoned cabin. I knew where that scene would go {thankfully the father bounced in before it got too far} and I was mentally screaming, “No! Don’t do that, don’t go into that cabin! What’s wrong with you people?!” I really didn’t enjoy the second half; the first half was grand though. And then the whole hinted conspiracy concerning Charlotte’s mother was a deflated balloon.

Rating: PG-15 and up for suggested suggestive content and reading level.

Date Report Written: August 27, 2011.

I received a free copy of this book from the publishers. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed in the above review are my own.

1,000 Blessings: 136-185.

1. Windows Media Player.
2. Playlists.
3. Favorite songs.
4. Scriptural songs.
5. Dish soap.
6. Rubber gloves.
7. Laptops.
8. Wireless internet that actually works.
9. The ability to send things lightening fast.
10. Peppermint leaves.
11. Peppermint tea.
12. Fun phone calls.
13. The joy of crafting a new story.
14. Inventing characters.
15. Microsoft Word.
16. Automatic spell checkers.
17. Dictionaries.
18. Encounter Magazine.
19. Fun movie lines to quote.
20. The simple joys of life.
21. My siblings.
22. My Dad’s wisdom.
23. Headphones.
24. A fondness for organizing.
25. Bookshelves that don’t break.
26. Chris.
27. Weather reports.
28. Crackers.
29. Chips.
30. Sourdough bread.
31. Pasta.
32. Apples.
33. Fingernail polish.
34. CAKE!
35. Giggling.
36. The anticipation of getting a letter in the mail.
37. The words “The End.”
38. Denim.
39. Ankle length skirts.
40. Long sleeved shirts.
41. The ability to rhyme.
42. Poetry.
43. The ability to write poetry.
44. Aspirin.
45. Word count counters.
46. Hot water.
47. Showers.
48. A working sink.
49. Bales of straw.
50. Bloggers.

Two Random MercyMe Songs.

I was "breaking in" a couple new CDs today and I loved these two songs so I'm sharing them with you. Happy Random Thursdays folks! ;)



And...

The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck Excerpt.

Alex watched the slips of paper float from her fingers into the flames and thought of the report he'd stayed up most of the night rewriting because of her.

And the dented telescope.

And the black eye that was fading far too slowly for comfort.

The Beck woman paused in her efforts and seemed to be gazing at the flames. Slowly she knelt to retrieve a pale blue scroll of rolled fabric and held it at arms' length. From where he stood, Alex could see a bit of lace and a tangle of ribbons wrapped around it.

"Stupid corset." Miss Beck lifted the frilly item over her head and threw it into the fire. "Burn," she said as she reached for the poker and stoked the flames. "Figures the awful thing would be fireproof."

With a cry akin to a cat being skinned, the earl's granddaughter raised the poker and speared the burning corset with the skill of an Olympian. In an instant, the heat in the room became unbearable.

If he needed any proof for calling Charlotte Beck scandalous, it lay before him. In her agitated state, the American was likely to do anything. Someone should intervene. Find a servant or the earl himself to see to her. Failing that, perhaps move her gently away from the inferno and see her resting on the pillow-filled settee until help could be summoned.

Unfortunately, all Alex could do was laugh.
  ~ Excerpt from The Inconvenient Marriage of Charlotte Beck by Kathleen Y'Barbo.