The Ice Queen

Title: The Ice Queen
Author: Alice Hoffman
Pages: 211

(Non-spoiler info)
From the author of Practical Magic comes the story of the Ice Queen, who at 8 years old makes a wish that changes her life forever. Until the day she accidentally makes another wish, this wish is for lightning. And with the wish comes Lazarus Jones a lightning-strike survivor who has returned from the dead with a touch that burns. Can Lazarus teach her to live again? Can his fiery touch melt the ice inside her? And what will become of them both?

(SPOILER INFO)
What if wishes came true? Not the kind of wishes people make for longer hair, or a sunny day, or an expensive dress but the kind of wish people regret. At 8 years old the Ice Queen wishes that her mother would disappear. That night her mother is in a terrible car accident where she is killed and neither her or her brother Ned EVER see her again. So she transforms herself into ice by hardening her heart against feelings and by avoiding being involved in people's lives. Then one day while out with Ned she wishes lightning would strike her. Almost as soon as her "death wish" is made, it happens. At her lightning survivor group she hears the story of Lazarus Jones a man back from the dead after his lightning strike and about "The Dragon" a man in his 90's who was killed by lightning twice, yet still lives. On a whim and to understand her ability to wish death, the Ice Queen goes to Lazarus' farm to confront him. But when Lazarus sees her in a red dress on his porch a passionate love affair begins. And the Ice Queen begins to live again. Little does she know that her most important lesson is still to come, when she learns that her brother Ned is dying of cancer. Now she is forced to figure out how to try and beat death. But the only way to beat death is to live again!

My thoughts: (SPOILER INFO STILL)
I loved reading this book. Not because of Lazarus but because of Ned. I feel like this is the true relationship in the book that turns our Ice Queen into a human again. Ned teaches her to live again. Live in the moment. Make moments that will live in you forever. And never give up or stop. When Ned is surrounded by butterflies at the end it brought me to tears.
4 out of 5 stars!

The Oath

Title: The Oath
Author: Frank Peretti
Pages: 550

Overall: 2 out of 5 stars (Maybe 1 1/2 stars....)

(Non-Spoiler Info)
When Steve Benson's brother Cliff is killed in Hyde Valley by a bear, Steve who is a wildlife biologist knows he has to investigate. When Steve arrives at the scene of Cliff's death with Deputy Tracy Ellis, he knows something isn't right. Steve knows bears and he knows a bear couldn't have killed his brother. But when Steve and Tracy team up to investigate they stumble across an evil that has been around since the founding of the town in 1882 but an evil no one will talk about. But Steve is determined to solve Cliff's murder.


(SPOILER INFO)
I found this book and picked it up because the cover was interesting and the story sounded cool. Little did I know what kind of crap I was in for. Turns out the killer in the book, is a DRAGON! Yes, you read that right, a dragon. Now I'm all for the suspension of disbelief and have read books about wizards, talking animals, man-eating spiders, shape-shifters, vampires, werewolves, etc. But I just don't buy it in this book. I can't really place my finger on why but when the dragon was first introduced, my first thought is that it couldn't be real, the author had to have some kind of trick or twist up his sleeve. But nope, it was a dragon. And it only gets worse. The dragon is sin. If you have sinned than the dragon will be coming for you. And the only way to save yourself is to right yourself with the Lord and have Jesus in your heart. And no, I didn't make that up. That's what really happens. The story kept me interested because the author has created a story filled with tension and suspense and I kept waiting for a big pay off. But the big pay off never came. Do you know what I got instead? Nothing. The dragon did it. Deputy Tracy Ellis and Levi Cobb (the only decent characters in the book besides Steve) both die at the end. And Steve, our hero, saves the day by putting Jesus in his heart.

So, my vote, SKIP this one!

November Reading

Well, Halloween is over and that means it's now November and time to start thinking about Thanksgiving. But if you find yourself needing a good read, where should you go? Well you found it! But I had trouble trying to figure out a good reading recommendation for November. My first thoughts were Thanksgiving and family. But I couldn't find anything that I liked or that fit or that I had read. (Makes note to read some Thanksgiving/family books in anticipation of next year.) Along those lines, I know the next two months are VERY busy months for most people, so I chose a short book, only 192 pages. I first experienced this book when I was about 13 and I loved it right away. It is still in my top ten favorite books of all time. Do you want to know what it is?
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton.
Why this book? Well for me it all came down to these lines, "Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold". Read it and you will understand. Now go on!