Teresa of Avila: The Progress of a Soul, by Alfred A. Knopf

 

Book Title: Teresa of Avila: The Progress of a Soul

Author: Cathleen Medwick

Published By: Alfred A. Knopf

Date Published: November 16, 1999

Genre: Biography, Religious

Pages: 304

Recommended Age: Adults

Read and Reviewed By: Me

Rating: 4/B

 I borrowed this book from the Sisters of Notre Dame Education Center’s library

Summary:

Teresa de Ahumanda escaping the confines of marriage, one of the two choices a woman has in the 16^th century, becomes a nun.  Taking the name Teresa de Jesus sets out to reform the Carmelites and opening many Discalced (barefoot) Carmelite convents and Friaries.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book very much.  It told the story of a strong, independent woman.  The story flowed easy.  It was not hard to read, as some biographies are. I had the book read in two weeks time compared to the two months it takes me to struggle through a biography. I came to like and admire St. Teresa of Avila; she is a very determined woman.  She knows want she wants and goes after it, even in time women just are not supposed to be strong and independent. For all these reasons, I gave this book four stars and a grade of B.  If you like reading biographies or you are just interested in reading about some of the saints (like I am) I recommend Teresa of Avila: The Progress of a Soul by Alfred A. Knopf. 

Parents:

Language: None

Adult Content: None

Violence: None

The Reader, by Bernhard Schlink

 

Book Title: The Reader

Author: Bernhard Schlink

Published By: Vintage International

Date Published: 1997

Genre: Historical Fiction, Literature

Pages: 218

Recommended Age: Adults, Mature adults

Read & Reviewed By: Me

Rating: B/4

This book is from my personal collection.

Summary:

Fifteen-year-old Michael Berg falls ill on his way home from school one day and is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age. Over time she becomes is lover, but she eventually she just disappears from Michael’s life without a goodbye.  When he sees her again years later he is a law student and she is on trial for a Nazi war crime. Michael learns of the secret she holds. A secret she believes to be a hundred times worse than the crime she is on trial for.

My Thoughts:

I was compelled to acquire this book after watching the movie The Reader.  The book was originally written in German and translated in English two years after it was originally published and became an international bestseller, and I can read why.  It’s well written and evokes the reader to make moral judgments against the characters, a very disturbing read. I for one was morally outraged at the woman for having an affair with a fifteen year old boy. I even went to bed dreaming I had yelled at the woman for what I felt was a disgusting immoral act. The Reader truly pulls the reader into the story and wants to make a difference.

For all these reasons, I gave The Reader four stars and a grade of B. If you want to read an international bestseller and a novel that is part of Oprah’s book club, I recommend The Reader by Bernhard Schlink.

Parents:

Language: Little

Adult Content: Some sexual content and adult subject matter

Violence: Talk of Nazi war crimes

The Sins of the Mother, by Danielle Steel

 

  

The Sins of the Mother

Author: Danielle Steel

Published By: Delacorte Press

Date Published: October 30th 2012

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 354

Recommended Age: Adults

Read & Reviewed By: Me

Rating: B/ 4

I borrowed the book from the library.

Summary:

Olivia Grayson, a successful business woman missed out on much of her children’s lives while building her business. Now, at the age of 70 she sees the affect it has had on her their lives, each of them has their own problems. She tries to bring her family back together before she loses them all.

My Thoughts:

I enjoyed this book tremendously. Danielle Steel wrote another winner; it was well written.  I enjoyed reading about the emotional growth of a family and the individuals of that family finding their way back to each other.  The thing that bothered me was the certain relationship between the matriarch of the family and someone else.  I saw it coming a mile away.  To me, it seemed typical of Steel’s characters, but others may find it was bound to happen with the characters’ situation.

I gave this book four stars and a grade of B, because although I enjoyed the book I found some parts typical of Steel and I was never taken by surprised.  If you are a fan of Danielle Steel, I recommend reading her latest The Sins of the Mother.

Parents:

Language: Some swear words

Adult Content: Some Sexual Content, Drugs/alcohol use, Adult Subject Matter, Heavy topics

Violence: None

The Thorn, by Beverly Lewis

 

The Thorn

Author: Beverly Lewis

Published By: Bethany House Publishers

Date Published: September 7, 2010

Genre: Romance, Christian Fiction, Amish Romance

Pages: 346

Recommended Age: Young Adults, Adults

Read & Reviewed By: Me

Rating: A/5

I borrowed this book from the library

Summary:

Two sisters, one name Hen left The Old Order to marry an Englisher but after having a child she begins to long for the Old Ways she left behind and decides she wants her daughter to grow up in the Old Ways instead of in the World. She takes her daughter and moves back home, and she hopes to woo her husband to join the Amish.

The other sister Rose is unsure of her own heart.  She is devoted to the bishop’s rebellious foster son, but she cannot marry him unless he is baptized into The Old Order so she allows another man to court her.

My Thoughts:

This is the first book I ever read by Beverly Lewis. I knew for many years she was a popular writer of the Amish; I even saw her books on display in the stores out in the Amish country I visit around Ohio, but I would never buy one.  How interesting can a romance book about the Amish be, or any fictional book about the Amish for that matter?    

But then I started going through..oh a “phase” (for lack of a better word), where I wanted to read books without all the “I can’t wait to yank your clothes off and take you right here and now” type books and more of faith based romance.  So after reading one Amish book I remembered the popularity of Beverly Lewis and went off to the library in search of one of her books.  I found The Torn, book one in the Rose Trilogy, and it was a great find.

I really enjoyed this book. It had the twinge of mystery I love.  Lewis’ characters are not flat like in other Amish books, but they are well-drawn three dimensional characters. It showed that the Amish people deal with the same issues we the English suffer: tragedy, marital strife, and secrets. I really liked how Rose took the time to get to know people who were less fortunate to her, and I did not like how everyone else in the Amish community.  I gave The Thorn five stars and a grade of an A, because it was superb reading.  I recommend The Torn by Beverly Lewis, even if you are weary of Amish reading, as I once was. You will not be disappointed.

Parents:

Language: None

Adult Content: None

Violence: None

Foever After, by Catherine Anderson

 

Forever After

Author: Catherine Anderson

Published By: Avon

Date Published: April 1, 1998

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pages: 419

Recommended Age: Adults, Mature Adults

Read & Reviewed By: Me

Rating: 4/B

This book is from my personal collection.

Summary:

Heath Masters is the county sheriff in eastern Oregon, and when he meets his new neighbor Meredith Kenyon he senses she running from something and is lying about her past. He suspects that she may be running from an abusive husband.

About to lose her daughter in a child custody case, Meredith transformed from a city widow to a small town single mom.  She’s trying to run from her abusive late husband’s manipulative father.

My Thoughts:

I never read anything by Catherine Anderson, but when I read the synopsis on the back of this book it sounded like it would be intriguing, and it sure was. I was up until two in the morning last night reading this book. I was not able to put it down until I finished it.

Catherine Anderson weaved a story not only of romance but a tale of Domestic Violence, giving us a glimpse of what battered women deal with and the things they do to survive. I really admired the character of Meredith and how she fought to not be a victim anymore, but to be a survivor. As she finally tells Heath her story, the reader is able to see what a strong woman Meredith truly is.

I gave Forever After four stars and a grade of B because it resembled what life is like for most women, and as I got into the heart of the book I could not put it down. I believe Anderson did a fantastic job on this book.  If you already like Catherine Anderson books, or if you are looking for a book about a woman who overcomes such adversities to become a stronger person then I recommend Forever After by Catherine Anderson.

Parents:

Language: A lot of swear words.

Adult Content: Sex scenes, Adult Subject Matter, Heavy topics

Violence: gun fights, domestic violence, child abuse, murder