March 12, 2010

In December, I signed up for the  Awesome Author Challenge. I committted to reading three books, giving a brief review, and linking back to at home with books. I’ll likely read more, but I’ll start with three.

I started out bravely with Moby Dick by Herman Melville, but ground to a halt when the book kept putting me to sleep. Seriously, if an author these days is that wordy, they are told to cut, cut, and cut some more. I made it to page 130 when I decided to put Melville and his whaling expedition on hold and read something more rivetting.

I went to a used book store one day in early February to put in time while my husband took his computer lesson. I found two books there, a Portuguese dictionary for my friend who needed one for her trip, as well as Sunrise by Karen Kingsbury. I also found a Beverly Lewis book that I’m reading now. It’s called The Parting which is Book 1 of The Courtship of Nellie Fisher series.   I’ve read so many books by Lewis and enjoyed them all. More on that author later.

I went to another second-hand bookstore that day and purchased a computer manual,  Teach Yourself Visually, and a nursery rhyme book so I have one on hand when my wee granddaughter comes to visit. I also purchased a copy of Through Blue Spruce by Joseph Boyden.

My book pile  had suddenly grown. Which one would I start with?

My mother has been raving about Kingsbury’s books which is probably why I picked it up. Not quite a household name, but one I’ve heard from time to time, a US novelist who is Christian and acknowledges that in her books, as does Lewis in her books. I decided to read Sunrise first.

Sunrise is Book 1 of the Baxter Family Drama series. Katy Hart, who has led quite a sheltered life, learns from her fiancé Dane, a handsome and popular movie star, what it’s like to be recognized anywhere and to be swarmed by paparazzi, the cause of an accident that almost claimed his life.  Will they be able to pull off their wedding without intrusion? Will Katie be able to adjust to that kind of life?

It’s tense, down-to-earth, if a little confusing in places with all the children in the Baxter family, other characters, and all the external plots. The story about Katie and Dane is a story of its own and the core of this book.  I enjoyed the story and may read another in the series to find out what happens later.

Beverley Lewis will get a page of her own, when I’ve finished the book. The stack is one book lighter at the moment, until I find another to add.