Witch and Wizard by James Patterson and Gabrielle Charbonnet

This book is about what happens when we don't pay attention and vote in people that have an agenda that people don't realize isn't good for them.
It is a young teen book and it does make adults out to be the bad guys (except for the main kids' parents).It was okay and had alot of action.  It did seem to talk down to the kids abit. 

The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordon

My daughter has read this whole series and in anticipation of the movie coming out I decided to read them as well.

I thought this was really a good book.  There were some things that I found unbelievable but it is a book about Greek Gods and Goddess after all.

 I did like the way he did make a distinction between the gods and God.

Percy is a half-blood, half human half god.  He doesn't know this until he is 11.  He moves from school to school and never seems to fit in with the other kids.  Something weird always seems to happen.  When his mother determines that she can't protect him anymore she takes him to Camp Half-blood but is banished along the way.  At Camp Hal-blood percy learns more about himself and embarges on a quest across the country with two of his friends. 

This book is filled with action and will keep you and your children on the edge of your seats.

A Love woven True by Tracie Peterson and Judith Miller

This is the ongoing story that was startedin the Daughters of Lowell Series.  In this one Jasmine finds out how to continue with her life after her husband dies.  A major theme throughout the book was that of slavery as Jasmine continues to try to help runaways and gives a home to a couple that she freed.  The cotton mills are a small bit in this story but it does play a part.    

Bones: Buried Deep by Max Collins and Kathy Reichs

This is the only Bones book that has the characters from the tv show. although it was enjoyable it really only featured Boned and Booth and didn't have to much of the other characters that make the tv show so good. while in Chicago on a mafia case Booth is called in when a skeleton is found on FBI property. Since it is a skeleton Booth calles in Brennan who determines that the skeleton is made up of several bodies. But who is doing it?

The Slave Across the Street by Theresa Flores

The Slave Across the Street by Theresa Flores is the first account of a girl who is living in suburban America and how she is drawn into human trafficing.


Theresa is a girl from a well to do family that has to move frequently because of her father's job. She moves into a suburb of Detroit when she is fifteen. This school and suburb was different as alot of the people was from middle east countries. She found herself drawn to one of the Caldean boys although her mother forbids her to see him (this usually just makes a teen want something more)and she has a long distance boyfriend. She makes a decision one day to go with this boy to his house which leads to a rape and eventually leads to blackmail and the victimization of this girl for over two years. She only escaped when her family moved.

I found it very dishearting that people that were suppose to be there to protect the children knew something was going on and chose to turn their heads and ignore the situation.

I found the the last couple of chapters very informative as I have a daughter who is 14 now and I am very much aware of the worries of a parent at this time of life.

I found the reader very good although I did find it hard to hear her sometimes when she would lower her voice in a whisper for dramatic reasons. At these times I found myself straining to hear her but this was only when I was listening in my car.

Abandonded for God: Oswald Chambers

This was a very good biography of a man that I really hadn't thought much of other than the fact that he wrote My utmost for His highest.  I didn't know that he was involved with the YMCA and that he helped with their outreach in Africa during the first World War.  I also diddn't know that his devoted Wife Biddy took extensive notes during his talks, lessons, classes and sermans and she is the one that was behind getting the devotional published as she complied it all together after his death and got it published. 

Holly and Homicide by Leslie Caine

When Sullivan and Gilbert Designs are contracted to do the interior design of the they b&b in Snowcap village they get more than they bargained for.  The Village doesn't want the ne owners turning their sleepy village into a yuppie destination and the building inspector is trying to make it impossible to open.  When the building inspector is found dead and later an old boyfriend of Gilbert is also found dead both Sullivan and Gilbert are suspects in the murder.
This book kept me guessing to the end about who did it but i was not left with a satisfied feeeling about the ending.  I will prbably not be reading anymore in this series.

How to reach your Full Potential for God by Charles Stanley

This book is just what it says it is, a book on how to reach your full potential for your walk with God.  Charles Stanley says that he got the idea for the book one night when he woke up and felt that God was telling him to write this book.
Although I have heard all that Stanley said in his book before he presented in a way that made me stop and reexamine my life and what I was doing with it.
The chapter that really hit me the most was chapter 3 in which he gives seven hurdles that you need to overcome to reach your full potential.  I realized after reading this chapter that I need to overcome several hurdles that have been slowing my growth and potential.
Other chapters in the book cover what Stanley calls essentials.  These are such things as Clean Heart, clean Mind and one things that I think most people struggle with a balanced schedule.
I would recommend this book to anyone that is looking for things that may be in the way for you reaching your full potential.
I read this book for the Thomas Nelson Blogger Review program.