Maria's Reads

Quote

2008-07-05T15:53:00.001-07:00

Books to the ceiling,/ Books to the sky,/ My pile of books is a mile high./ How I love them! How I need them!/ I'll have a long beard by the time I read them.
- Arnold Lobel

spring reading thing

2008-06-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

I finished one I finished one!!

Circle of Friends -- Maeve Binchy -- * finished 3-26-08 2 am
Third Watch -- Brock and Bodie Theone -- * finished 4-02-08
Redeeming Love -- Francine Rivers -- * finished in one day 3- 28-08

things that make you go hummmm......................

2008-03-29T08:34:00.000-07:00

I think this is funny -- but then again I have never read the book.

You're Catch-22!by Joseph HellerIncredibly witty and funny, you have a taste for irony in all that you
see. It seems that life has put you in perpetually untenable situations, and your sense
of humor is all that gets you through them. These experiences have also made you an
ardent pacifist, though you present your message with tongue sewn into cheek. You
could coin a phrase that replaces the word "paradox" for millions of
people.Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramd

Circle of Friends

2008-03-26T14:37:00.000-07:00

Circle of Friends by Maeve Binchy ~ This was a roundabout reccomendation of Nattie. She didn't actually say, "Maria you have to read this book." But I was following a conversation between two friends about some books and authors that Nattie liked and Binchy was one such author. So I went in search of Binchy books and the first one I found was Circle of Friends.

Now to start off, I have never been exceptionally fond of books not set in the United States. I like to know a little about the setting and I know virtually nothing of places outside the US. But, for Nat, I decided it would try it. I was fabulously pleased with my decision.

The story begins with a very small circle of 10 year old Benny Hogan. Her circle widens to include young orphan girls Eve Malone. As the girls grow up the circle includes friends from the small town of Knockglen to the big city of Dublin, where the girls eventually enroll in University College of Dublin. Twists, turns, surprises, and secrets kept me turning pages until long after midnight.

I kept putting myself into the story. I could easily see myself in either Benny's or Eve's place at various times in the story. It is a delightful comfort read that I will hold onto for awhile.

Partial List -- finished 2008

2008-03-26T07:31:00.000-07:00

This is only a partial, but mostly complete - I believe, list of books that I have read this year.

I forgot to keep the running list like I said I would at first but I went back and reconstructed it the best I could.

Gilead - Marilynn Robinson - for Beg Borrow or Steal Challenge at The Nattie Challenge

Hidden Places - Lynn Austin - a new favorite author suggested by one of the W@H girls

The Hadassah Covenant - Tommy Tenny - a follow up to Hadassah ( Of One Night with the King fame)

The Atonement Child - Francine Rivers

The Prince - Francine Rivers - notice a theme here.

The Crossing - Gary Paulson - a recommendation from the lovely Leann

Circle of Friends - Maeve Binchy - a Spring Reading Thing read -- review post later

That is seven books counted in a total of about 12 weeks - not bad for a working mom of 3

Spring Reading Thing - update

2008-03-25T23:37:00.001-07:00

Book One

Circle of Friends fininshed -- I haven't stayed up late to finish a book in a long time but I loved every minute of it .

Spring Reading Thing

2008-03-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

Okay I am not good at keeping up with a book blog evidently -- I will try again.

I have joined the Spring Reading Thing - starting today -- My list is

Circle of Friends -- Maeve Binchy -- * finished 3-26-08 2 am
Third Watch -- Brock and Bodie Theone -- * finished 4-02-08
Redeeming Love -- Francine Rivers -- * finished in one day 3- 28-08

Book Give Away!!

2008-01-05T16:54:00.000-08:00

Wahoo!!! My friend Becky has a give away going on to celebrate her new blog she is giving away The Yada Yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out by Neta Jackson go over and have a look!

The TBR Challenge

2007-12-29T20:39:00.000-08:00

The To Be Read Challenge of 2008 involves picking 12 books from your shelves to read in 2008.

The Main List Evenly Divided in Fiction (F) and NonFiction (NF)

The Case for a Creator - Lee Strobel
Ordering Your Private World - Gordon Mc Donald
The Prayer that Changes Everything - Stormie Omartian
As For Me and My House - Walter Wagerin
Praying With Authority - Barbara Wentroble
John 3:16 - Lucado
Third Watch - Brock and Bodie Thone
***Hadassah Covenent -- Tommy Tenney *** finished Jan 2008
A Voice in the Wind - Francine Rivers
Covenant Child - Terri Blackstock
***Hidden Places - Lynn Austin *** finished Jan 2008
Paul - Walter Wagerin

Alternate List

Jesus: Living Example of Worship - Jusdon Cornwall
Enter His Courts With Praise - Andrew Hill
Our Father Abraham - Marvin, Freedmans
Who Calls Me Beautiful? - Regina Franklin
William and Catherine Booth -- Helen K Hosier
Experiencing God - Henery Blackaby
Lincoln's Mother's - Dorthy Clarke Wilson
God Came Near - Lucado
God's Outrageous Claims - Strobel
The Beloved Disciple -- Moore
12 Extraordinary Women -- Maxwell
12 Ordinary Men -- Maxwell

Themed Reading Challenge

2007-12-29T20:20:00.000-08:00

For the Themed Reading Challenge I have chosen the theme of .... well....... for lack of a better term .....Me. These books all have as their central theme a look at how we look at ourselves and why we do what we do and then matches that up with what the Bible says. So in an effort to really look at who I am, I have chosen to read and FINISH these books. Yes I am cheating on this one just a bit in the fact that I have started 3 of these but never have finished them. So the goal is to read and FINISH them.

Captivating -- John and Staci Eldridge
Do You Think I am Beautiful? - Angela Thomas
Who Calls me Beautiful? - Regina Franklin
Why Do I Put SO Much Pressure on Myself? - Kathy Collard Miller

In Their Shoes Challenge

2007-12-29T20:08:00.000-08:00

The In Their Shoes Challenge was created to start reading memoirs, biographies, and autobiographies. You pick the number. I chose 3 that I already had on my shelves.

A Table in the Presence -- Carey H Cash
Walking East to West -- Ravi Zacharias
William and Catherine Booth -- Helen K Hosier

Fondational Faith Challenge

2007-12-29T19:47:00.000-08:00

My dear, dear friend Leann is hosting a Foundational Faith Challenge. The goal of said challenge is to read and chew on books that are a basis of our faith. To read and think and read some more, and think some more.

I am in a place in my faith that has me looking at the very foundations of our faith way back to the Biblical foundations I have chosen books that will hopefully look at this aspect.

Paul the Jewish Theologian - Brad Young
The Science of God - Gerald Schroeder
Our Father Abraham - Marvin Freedmans
Restoration - D Thomas Lancaster
Jesus, The Living Example of Worship - Judson Cornwall
Enter His Courts With Praise - Andrew Hill

This is more than the required 4, but I couldn't chop any off --

Reading Challenges

2007-12-29T18:00:00.000-08:00

Working on lists for 5 Challenges -- count them F-I-V-E reading challenges for the new year.......Be back later with the lists...

First Post

2007-12-27T17:48:00.000-08:00

I plan on keeping up with my books read this year and my challenges etc. So, like I really need it, I opened another blog.......