2018 Summer Reads ~ Part 2


This is the second part to my 2018 Summer Reads articles. Read the first one at this link. I also have read quite a few books about the Bible. For those books I will not write what I liked/disliked. And other books I won't give a review for; I'll just say whether I recommended it or not.

Books Read
 

 
 



The Summary
 
A Memoir: Barbara Bush
 
The classic #1 New York Times bestselling memoir, celebrating the life and legacy of First Lady Barbara Bush—now updated with new forewords from her five children, including reflections from George W. and Jeb, as featured on A&E’s Biography.Barbara Bush endures as one of America’s most popular First Ladies. She has won worldwide acclaim for her wit, compassion, and candor as both a presidential wife and mother. In this fascinating memoir, Mrs. Bush offers a heartfelt portrait of her life in and out of the White House, from her small-town schoolgirl days in Rye, New York, to her fateful union with George H.W. Bush, to her role as First Lady of the United States. Here, she writes candidly about her early years with George Bush in West Texas and the tragic death of their young daughter, Pauline. She also discusses the world of Washington politics and the famous figures she’s met, as well as the disappointment of the 1992 presidential campaign—and the mixed blessing of regaining her private life, including her role as the nation’s leading literacy champion.

Filled with entertaining anecdotes, thirty-two pages of personal photographs, and a healthy dose of introspection, this memoir is “a book of good grace and humor—written in a style that, like the author herself, is straightforward, unembellished, generous, good-hearted, and wise…A pleasure” (The Washington Times).
 
London in the Dark by Victoria Lynn
 
(London, 1910) Budding Private Detective Cyril Arlington Hartwell has a conundrum. London is being ravaged by the largest run of thefts in recent history. His hunch that it is all tied together may put him and those he loves in more danger than he could have reckoned. Olivia Larken Hartwell is just home from boarding school for the summer anticipating time with her adoring parents. She misses her absent brother, Cyril, hoping for the day he will finally come home. But tragedy strikes, causing upheaval for all concerned and changes her life in a way she never could have imagined. Olivia, Cyril, and their friends must bring the hidden to light, seek to execute justice, and dispel the darkness that hovers over London… and their hearts.

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot

T. S. Eliot's playful cat poems have delighted readers and cat lovers around the world ever since they were first published in 1939. They were originally composed for his godchildren, with Eliot posing as Old Possum himself, and later inspired the legendary musical Cats.
 
Last Shot by Daniel Jose
 
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Han Solo and Lando Calrissian are reunited on the Millennium Falcon in a galaxy-spanning novel inspired by Solo: A Star Wars Story. But even the fastest ship in the universe can’t outrun the past. . . .The hardcover edition includes a reversible jacket, with one side featuring Han and the other featuring Lando!

THEN:

It’s one of the galaxy’s most dangerous secrets: a mysterious transmitter with unknown power and a reward for its discovery that most could only dream of claiming. But those who fly the Millennium Falcon throughout its infamous history aren’t your average scoundrels. Not once, but twice, the crew of the Falcon tries to claim the elusive prize—first, Lando Calrissian and the droid L3-37 at the dawn of an ambitious career, and later, a young and hungry Han Solo with the help of his copilot, Chewbacca. But the device’s creator, the volatile criminal Fyzen Gor, isn’t interested in sharing. And Gor knows how to hold a grudge. . . .

NOW:

It’s been ten years since the rebel hero Han Solo last encountered Fyzen Gor. After mounting a successful rebellion against the Empire and starting a family with an Alderaanian princess, Han hasn’t given much thought to the mad inventor. But when Lando turns up at Han’s doorstep in the middle of the night, it’s Fyzen’s assassins that he’s running from. And without Han’s help, Lando—and all life on Cloud City—will be annihilated.

With the assistance of a young hotshot pilot, an Ewok slicer prodigy, the woman who might be the love of Lando’s life, and Han’s best and furriest friend, the two most notorious scoundrels in the New Republic are working together once more. They’ll have to journey across the stars—and into the past—before Gor uses the device’s power to reshape the galaxy.

Praise for Last Shot

“Action-packed in all the right ways.”—Tordotcom

“A fun, breezy read, with plenty of humor, Ewok hackers, murderous robots, and rousing fight scenes as Han and Lando go from scrape to scrape [to] track down a long-forgotten enemy.”—The Verge

“The flat-out funniest Star Wars novel to date.”—Alternative Nation

Happy Birthday, Kirsten by Janet Shaw

Kirsten's excited about the changes spring is bringing to the Larsons' farm--including a big barn and a tiny baby. But changes bring new worries and more work, too. First Kirsten is afraid for Mama's health. Then caring for a baby seems to mean nothing but chores. Kirsten has to miss school to help at home, and she can't help with the surprise she and her friends are planning for their teacher. Will her friends forget all about her? But Kirsten's hard work is rewarded with a day of fun--and a special birthday surprise.

1 & 2 Peter: Courage in Times of Trouble by John MacArthur

Believers in the early church scattered across the Roman Empire were facing the threat of increased persecution. Peter, the most outspoken of the disciples and leader among the apostles, wrote two practical and encouraging letters to strengthen the hearts of these followers of Christ. Through words of hope and wisdom, he taught them how to live victoriously in the midst of life-threatening trials.

In the first letter, Peter reminds believers of the many blessings available to them because of their persecution. In the second letter, he warns them to discern and defeat the false teachers who were invading their churches and teaching them dangerous and deceptive doctrines. Peter’s letters of encouragement and warning are just as important for believers today to hear and understand as they were during the first century.

The MacArthur Bible Studies provide intriguing examinations of the whole of Scripture. Each guide incorporates extensive commentary, detailed observations on overriding themes, and probing questions to help you study the Word of God with guidance from John MacArthur.

Can I Be Sure I'm Saved? by R.C. Sproul

Many people in the church today are plagued by doubts about their salvation. Satan whispers that it is impossible that sinners such as they could be in a state of grace, and some churches compound the problem by teaching that it is possible for believers to lose their salvation.

But assurance of salvation is possible in this life. Indeed, as Dr. R.C. Sproul argues in this Crucial Questions booklet, it is the duty of Christians to make their calling sure (2 Peter 1:10). To help believers reach this goal, Dr. Sproul defines assurance, shows how we can get it, reveals the blessings it confers, and warns of the dangers of false assurance. Here is assistance for those who struggle to know where they stand with Jesus Christ.

The Exodus from Egypt: Moses and God's Mercy by John MacArthur

They first moved to Egypt as honored guests, but they left as despised slaves, pursued by Pharaoh’s army. The Israelites set out on a great exodus from Egypt to Canaan, but their journey took a dramatic detour as they spent forty years wandering in the wilderness. This amazing account of Abraham’s descendents and the reasons for the events that occurred are important for every Christian to understand.

The Exodus from Egypt takes an in-depth look at the historical period beginning with God’s calling of Moses, continuing through the giving of the Ten Commandments, and concluding with Moses’ death. Studies include close-ups of Moses, Aaron, Caleb, and others, as well as careful considerations of doctrinal themes, such as “In God’s Service” and “Justice versus Mercy”.

This twelve-volume MacArthur Old Testament Study Guide series provides intriguing twelve-week examinations of the entire Old Testament. Each guide looks at a portion of Scripture from three perspectives - historical studies, character studies and thematic studies - and incorporates extensive commentary, detailed observations on overriding themes, and probing questions to help you study the Old Testament with guidance from John MacArthur.

Crusade in Europe by Dwight D. Eisenhower

Five-star General Dwight D. Eisenhower was arguably the single most important military figure of World War II. For many historians, his memoirs of this eventful period of U.S. history have become the single most important record of the war. Crusade in Europe tells the complete story of the war as Eisenhower planned and lived it. Through his eyes, the enormous scope and drama of the war—strategy, battles, moments of fateful decision—become fully illuminated in all their fateful glory.

Yet this is also a warm and richly human account. Ike recalls the long months of waiting, planning, and working toward victory in Europe. His personal record of the tense first hours after he had issued the order to attack—and there was no turning back—leaves no doubt of Eisenhower's travail and reveals this great man in ways that no biographer has ever surpassed.


What is Baptism? by R.C. Sproul

Baptism is taught in the Bible and has been practiced for centuries, but understanding of its meaning and respect for its importance is at a low ebb today. Confusion reigns over questions about its mode and its place in the life of the Christian, and as a result, even many evangelical congregations are downplaying its significance.

This is not the way it should be, Dr. R.C. Sproul declares in this Crucial Questions booklet. Baptism, he affirms, is one of the two sacraments of the Christian church, a sign and seal of the covenant of grace. Therefore, it is a necessary and meaningful practice that is packed with rich symbolism. In this booklet, Dr. Sproul provides help in understanding and appreciating this practice of the church.

William Carey: Obliged to Go by Janet and Geoff Benge

William Carey watched from the dock as the magnificent sailing ship headed for the English Channel without him. Tears filled his eyes, and deep disappointment filled his heart. What would he tell the missionary society? So much work awaited him half a world away. He must get to India--and soon!William's amazing journey to India would prove to be just the beginning of a missionary quest filled with hardship and heartache as well as tremendous victories.

Often referred to as "the father of modern missions," William Carey displayed a single-minded determination to set his face like a flint to the task of bringing the gospel to those lost in darkness. His life of service and sacrifice is a guidpost for Christians of all generations.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie: Junior Novelization by Kate Howard

Meet Lloyd. He's the leader of the secret ninja force, a high school student, and his dad is pretty much the most evil guy ever -- Lord Garmadon. It's up to Lloyd and the rest of the Secret Ninja Force to take down Garmadon and save Ninjago City! Featuring full-color images from the film.
 
Things I Liked
 
A Memoir: Barbara Bush
 
I loved all of the stories Mrs. Bush collected into this autobiography. This book made me laugh more than once. She also wrote about her first impressions of the world leaders she was able to meet without being completely political about it. Although she does write about some of her political opinions, the book itself is not meant to be political at all, and it certainly didn't feel that way. If you are going on a long vacation, this book is a great read because you will not only learn about the historical aspects of her life but also the humorous aspects.
 
London in the Dark by Victoria Lynn
 
I have never read an indie author before (an author who self-publishes), so this was the first self-published book I have read. And was it totally worth it. This book doesn't have a full-fledged mystery per se (one that the characters solve purely with deduction), but the suspense was gripping. I found myself really enjoying each of the characters although my personal favorite was Cyril. His banter with Dudley was humorous (in the best way possible). I love how Bible verses and prayers are sprinkled into the story. Did I forget to mention that this is a Christian fiction novel worth reading? There are so many classic elements in the story that could have easily turned cliché, yet the book does not feel cliché whatsoever.  And the ending was just perfect. I can't wait until Shadows in London (Part 2!) comes out. I'm waiting for all the updates on Victoria's blog, Ruffles and Grace.

Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot

I enjoyed the nonsensical poems. Those are always fun to read every now and then. I also love the different rhyme schemes, but I can't explain it any other way. By the way, I am not a cat person at all. One of my close friends is and I bought this book for her birthday, and yes, I read it before I gave it to her. I have no shame in that.
 
Last Shot by Daniel Jose Older
 
This is yet another Star Wars book and it comes with a reversible cover jacket. Comment below whether you like the Han cover (red) or the Lando cover (yellow/blue) better. I'm still on the fence about that answer. The book was pretty humorous. I say "pretty humorous" because I expected most of it to be humorous, but it wasn't. There were sections where I was laughing out loud. There was one aspect that really dulled the book though which I will discuss in the next section.
 
Han and Leia's relationship is so sweet in this book. I really enjoyed the characters of Taka, Peekpa (an Ewok), Sana, and Chewie. Han was cracking most of the jokes, so that was awesome. The bad guys are maniacal and creepy, yet it was well-timed when Han still found a moment to laugh at their nefarious philosophies.

Crusade in Europe by Dwight D. Eisenhower

I really enjoyed this book although it was really long. Eisenhower not only includes the technical and strategic parts about the war in Europe, but he also included personal stories and opinions. I got a better understanding of the relationships between the Allies during World War II as well as enjoying learning about the major people in the European theater. My copy had a plethora of maps to reference the text. It is surprisingly enjoyable for a nonfiction account.

William Carey: Obliged to Go by Janet and Geoff Benge

I didn't know that William Carey really started the ideas of Christian missions and missionaries. I had no clue that the English believed that evangelism was interfering in God's sovereignty. This is a really interesting book about the beginning of modern missions.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie: Junior Novelization by Kate Howard

I usually don't read chapter novels or middle grade novels except for American Girl, but I picked up this junior novelization at a yard sale. I knew that it would be quite a while until I actually watched the movie (and I still haven't). The book is actually not bad. I won't say too much about the plot because I am guessing that it completely follows the movie from the way the book is written.
 
Things I Disliked
 
Last Shot by Daniel Jose Older
 
The one thing that I really hated about the book is the fact that it kept switching from Han's past past to Lando's past past to Fyzen's past to Han's past to Lando's past to Han in the present to Lando in the present. It was really annoying how many chapter breaks there were, and I felt like I was putting together a puzzle because the stories got so easily confused. I would get to a new chapter and have to think about what happened before.
 
Another thing that was really annoying was the presence of yet another gay character (Conder Kyl) for absolutely no reason at all. This didn't bother me because this character had like four lines in one scene {Han: We need a slicer}{Conder: That Ewok will join you if Chewie is coming}, but the book wouldn't fail to mention that the character was gay. The author literally could have cut the character or had a different character because the role was so minimal.
 
Lastly of all, Lando was being Lando and the book spent some time explaining his romantic relationship with one of the crewmembers. There was nothing inappropriate that I had to skip over, but there were a few lines here and there that didn't really need to be there. This is the part that kind of dulled the book because Han would be fighting psychopathic droids and then there would be a chapter break and then there would be Lando trying to figure out his love life.

Crusade in Europe by Dwight D. Eisenhower

Again the only thing I can say about this book is that it is really long and technical since it is filled with strategy, locations, and events.

The LEGO Ninjago Movie: Junior Novelization by Kate Howard

The writing style is taken from the movie directly, so it is a mix of dialogue and description. However, the writing style is nothing more than that. It's just not good writing at all. Also, Lloyd asks his parents how they met, and it's not inappropriate anyway, but it's really awkward since his mom mentions how she has a weak spot for "bad boys." Also, the end isn't the most satisfying; it isn't bad; just not satisfying.

Revision: I was able to watch the movie recently, and the novelization is not much of a novelization. It's more of another story which leaves me to conclude that this is probably the worst novelization I have ever read. For this reason, I changed my rating to "Not Recommended." The movie was actually not bad compared to the story the book had.
 
Rating
A Memoir: Barbara Bush: R (Recommend)
London in the Dark by Victoria Lynn: R (Recommend)
Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T.S. Eliot: R (Recommend)
Last Shot by Daniel Jose Older: R (Recommend)
Happy Birthday, Kirsten by Janet Shaw: R (Recommend)
1 & 2 Peter: Courage in Times of Trouble by John MacArthur: R (Recommend)
Can I Be Sure I'm Saved? by R.C. Sproul: R (Recommend)
The Exodus from Egypt: Moses and God's Mercy by John MacArthur: R (Recommend)
Crusade in Europe by Dwight D. Eisenhower: R (Recommend)
What is Baptism? by R.C. Sproul: R (Recommend)
William Carey: Obliged to Go by Janet and Geoff Benge: R (Recommend)
The LEGO Ninjago Movie: Junior Novelization by Kate Howard: NR (Not Recommended)







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