So Not Happening--My Review

I'm not quite sure what to say about So Not Happening by Jenny B. Jones. I enjoyed it when I read it. I liked the main character, a high school student named Bella whose parents have recently divorced. Her mother met a man on the internet and now they have left Manhattan and the life of private schools, designer clothes and high-limit credit cards for life in small town Truman Oklahoma. She goes from being an only child to having (and sharing a bathroom with) three stepbrothers. She isn't happy--and I can't say that I blame her. Her mother decided that they were moving to OK, then decided that her credit cards would be cut off (and didn't tell her). I actually liked the stepfather. He seemed to be trying to help her adjust and acted like he cared. Her mom on the other hand, seemed to have this "This is the life I've chosen, and I think it is better than what you had before so you just have to deal with it" attitude. Her dad is too into himself and his latest squeezes to make time for her. When she visits, he greets her, hands her a credit card, and tells her why he doesn't have time for her. Her friends from New York are presented as shallow and vain rich kids; all the good people are in OK (but there are some bad ones there too).

At school Bella gets involved in the newspaper and discovers a big secret. The book follows her as she follows the story. I found that aspect of the book interesting, but in the end, unrealistic--but telling how would be a spoiler.

This is a YA book, and Christian fiction. Bella goes to church a couple of times, and says a prayer or two, and joins the FCA, but it really isn't a religious book and her faith isn't what saves the day.

First Wilcard will tour this book next week. Check back to read the first chapter.

My Review: Nell's Cowboy

What happens when a handsome writer of her son's favorite books is the first guest in a widow's dude ranch? Well, for one thing, they solve the mystery of the local ghost town. For the other...well, the book is a Harelquin, so you tell me. It was a fun quick read. Plenty of electricity but no sex. It isn't marketed as Christian fiction but there was a little religion in it.

Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival

Jay at Living Catholicism ran the Catholic Carnival for years, but recently had to stop. While I read posts on several blogs lamenting the loss of the Carnival, I didn't see anyone volunteering to take it over. I decided to try--but realized that a carnival is a lot of work. Jay sent out weekly messages asking for contributions, got people to host and sent out message indicating when the carnival was posted. Hosts had to gather and compile the postings for the week.

Book Bloggers are fond of memes. Check my blog or the book blogs on my sidebar and you'll see Mailbox Mondays, Teaser Tuesdays and Thinger Tuesdays, Wordless Wednesdays, and more. These memes encourage us to visit each others blogs and give us handy links to do so. I decided that I'd try reviving the Catholic Carnival as a meme, so please, join in.

Who can play? Anyone posting about things Catholic. Some blogs are focused on Catholicism; others, like mine, mention it periodically. Both are welcome here. While I am not going to stay on the computer all day to monitor posts, nor am I going to moderate them, I will remove links to blatant spam or obvious anti-Catholic posts.

How do you participate? Go to your blog. Write a post titled Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival. In it summarize and link to any posts you want to bring to our attention. You can highlight one post or a dozen. You can pontificate on the subject of your choice, share links or ask for prayers. In your post, link to this master Sunday Snippets post. Also, include the following:

• Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival is a weekly opportunity to share our best posts with the wider Catholic blogging community. To participate, create a post highlighting posts that would be of interest to Catholics and link to the host blog at http://rannthisthat.blogspot.com. Go to the host blog and leave a comment giving a link to your post.
  

Once you have published your post, come back here and leave a comment that includes a link to it. Then go visit some of the other contributors.

How can I remember to participate next week? Go to the Sunday Snippets Yahoogroup and subscribe. A reminder will be sent weekly.

Jantsen's Gift: A review and giveaway

When tragedy strikes your life, you have two choices. You can curl up in a ball and wallow in your own misery, or you can reach out to others and heal your pain by giving of yourself. Pam Cope, the author of Jantsen's Gift, did both. Her son dropped dead suddenly one day due to an unknown heart ailment. She was devestated and became clinically depressed. She was unable to function as a mother to her daughter or a wife to her husband. She quit her job. All she did was sleep.

About five months after her son died, while trying to find something to do with the money people gave as a memorial to him, she travelled to Viet Nam with some friends. She came back ready to adopt an orphan and start a charity to aid other orphans. Next she became concerned about traffiked children--those sold into sexual or other slavery. She ends up adopting two children from Southeast Asia and facilitating the adoption of others. Next, she turns her interest to Ghana where children are traffiked to work in fishing boats on Lake Volta.

Check out her website to learn more about Touch A Life.

I really enjoyed this book. Pam Copes story touched my heart. The nice folks at Hatchette are allowing me to give away five copies of Jantsen's Gift. Here are the rules:
1. You must have a US or Canadian street address, no PO boxes.
2. Leave a comment saying you want to win for one entry.
3. Leave a comment naming one book I read in 2008 that you would like to read and why, for another entry. Leave the comment here, not by the post on that book.
4. Leave a comment naming one book I read in 2008 that you do NOT want to read, and tell me why. Leave the comment here.
5. Blog about this contest for another entry.
6. Have friends leave comments mentioning your name (unlimited possible entries and I'll give your friends entries too)
7. Contest ends May 5.
8. Be sure to leave an email address.