Ridiculous Reviews

Hello Out There!!!

2011-11-05T18:28:00.000-07:00

Well. It's been a while.

This is just a little update to let all of my readers know that I have NOT left you and that I will be back. Right now any writing time is minimal so I'm using what I got to fill out job applications. But soon my schedule will become more clear to myself and at that time I'll let you know what's going on. Until then:

Sit tight.
Comment here and tell me what books you've been reading.
And know that I'm coming back I promise.

Here's a list of books I've been reading:

Recently a friend was telling me a little bit about what they were studying in school concerning religion. Right now they are studying Tao Te Ching. I was curious and decided to do a little research on my own. I picked up a book at Barnes and Noble, Laozi Tao Te Ching on the Art of Harmony translated by Chad Hansen. Personally, I find a few of their "verses" to be a bit self contradictory which just makes me giggle. More on that later.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman. I thought of you Gabriel when I saw this and just had to buy it. It was only one dollar. How could I pass that up?

Pompeii: city on fire by T.L. Higley. I got this book from my good friend Kait when I last visited her. I was so excited to read it!!! Thank you Kait!

What would you say if I told you there is a cure for Cancer? Don't believe me? Well neither do I! But I've heard a lot about it and was recently given the book World Without Cancer by G. Edward Griffin which is a book explaining how the vitamin B17 does just that. I can't wait to read it.

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson is next on my list. I've wanted to read it for a long while and finally decided to just get it and dive in. SO far so good! It's really exciting.

And last but not least, A Lasting Impression by Tamera Alexander. I was suppose to review this book and Love on the Line By Gist on a blog tour but missed the date. A lot has occurred between the time I signed up and the date I was suppose to post a review and I just wasn't able to. However, when I have time I give my word there will be a review for both.

Well that's it! I hope to hear from all of you. Let me know what you're reading, book reviews that have caught your interest lately. I've been so behind on any bloggish. If you have any good reviews that YOU have written, post them here! I want to read them. Also let me know what you think of the books listed. Reviews coming soon! I hope.

In My Mailbox

2011-09-26T19:53:00.000-07:00

My mailbox has been kinda sparse lately. I've been busy and haven't had a bunch of time to spend on my blog this month...but I did get a few books. Here's what I got t his week:

I most likely won't read the last 4 but, idk...maybe I'll get bored.

I also have Angel Time coming to me:

In other news....look what I found on pinterst.com just for you my book lovers:

Fairer Than Morning Blog Tour

2011-09-21T11:41:00.000-07:00

About the book:

Ann dreams of a marriage proposal from her poetic suitor, Eli-until Will Hanby shows her that nobility is more than fine words. On a small farm in 19th-century Ohio, young Ann Miller is pursued by the gallant Eli Bowen, son of a prominent family. Eli is the suitor of Ann's dreams. Like her, he enjoys poetry and beautiful things and soon, he will move to the city to become a doctor. Ann travels to Pittsburgh, accompanying her father on business. There she meets Will Hanby, a saddle-maker's apprentice. Will has spent years eking out an existence under a cruel master and his spirit is nearly broken. But Ann's compassion lights a long-dark part of his soul. Through his encounters with Ann's father, a master saddler, Will discovers new hope and courage in the midst of tremendous adversity. When the Millers must return to Ohio and their ministry there, Will resolves to find them, at any cost. If Will can make it back to Ann, will she be waiting?

Read an excerpt here: http://www.rosslynelliott.com/books.php

Click the cover to buy the book!!!!

About Rosslyn:

Rosslyn Elliott grew up in a military family and relocated so often that she attended nine schools before her high school graduation. With the help of excellent teachers, she qualified to attend Yale University, where she earned a BA in English and Theater. She worked in business and as a schoolteacher before returning to study at Emory University, where she earned a Ph.D. in English in 2006. Her study of American literature and history inspired her to pursue her lifelong dream of writing fiction. She lives in the Southwest, where she homeschools her daughter and teaches in children's ministry.

For more about Rosslyn, visit her website: http://rosslynelliott.com

My Thoughts:

This book was great...like I was saying on my completely weird vlog...I loved it. However, I did not expect to like it because personally, romance novels are just tacky if not written correctly. And yes! There is a right and wrong way to write a romance novel. Especially if it's "Christian" fiction. But this is worth the time to read. The two main characters, Ann and Will, intersect eachothers lives in such a beautiful and natural way. I like it when love stories fold out naturally, like it was meant to be. Which may just be the most romantic thing you will ever get me to say, but it's true! True love is a thing that lives a grows and breaths and takes time to grow stronger. And I really got the feeling that Ms.Rosslyn understood that when writing this. It also made it a much more enjoyable story, rather than just jumping into a crazed woman's romance, we drifted into a young woman's life who may have been in the middle of a romance, but knew what was important. Over all this book was beautifully written and I enjoyed reading it way more than I thought I would. It will be placed right next to my Jane Austen books :] I would recommend this book to young ladies of maybe 13 and up.

You Don't Know Jack

2011-09-18T18:52:00.000-07:00

Recently I watched a movie about Dr. Kevorkian....sounds like a load of fun right? haha Well I really liked it. I'm not going to get into the details about what I believe about Dr.Kevorkian but I did like the movie despite what I agree or disagree with it...I recommend it to those who have an opinion, because Hollywood (go figure) did take some creative liberties on an emotional level. It's pretty obvious that Hollywood...or people in Hollywood have an opinion. Enjoy!

Back Cover:

Dr. Jack Kevorkian (1928 - 2011 ) in the 1990s, when he defies Michigan law assisting the suicide of terminally-ill persons. Support comes from his sister, a lab tech, the Hemlock Society president, and a lawyer. The child of survivors of the Armenian genocide interviews applicants: his sister video tapes them. He assembles a device allowing a person to initiate a three-chemical intravenous drip. The local D.A., the governor, and the Legislature respond. In court scenes, Kevorkian is sometimes antic. He's single-minded about giving dying individuals the right to determine how their lives will end. He wants the Supreme Court to rule. He picks a fight he can't win: is it hubris or heroism?

Red

2011-09-11T16:05:00.000-07:00

I had a few friends tell me about the movie Red, but for some reason I never really had an interest in it....until a wonderfully empty Sunday came along and wouldn't you know mom had requested Red from Netflix.

Red

After trading in his professional past as a black-ops CIA operative for a new identity, Frank Moses (played by Bruce Willis) is basking in normality. But he's forced to return to old habits when an assassin puts a target on his back and goes after the woman (played by Mary-Louise Parker) he loves. Helen Mirren and John Malkovich co-star as former members of Frank's team who reluctantly reassemble to save his life in this Golden Globe nominated action comedy.

Rated PG-13 1 hr. 51 min. 2010

My thoughts:

I'm just going to start with the part that might offend people the most. The "F" word was only mentioned once...but in my opinion the lady who it was directed at, deserved it.

Other than that, I laughed through most of it. It was awesome. It's a good action movie and the description above is sarcastic in the best way. I highly encourage all comedy action lovers to watch this movie. I would not recompilation this movie to children...

Here's the Trailer:

I'll be quoting this movie for some time. :] Enjoy!

Every 20th Follower Feature

2011-09-10T11:00:00.000-07:00

Yay!!! I first started to feature every 20 followers with Ellie from Curiosity Killed the Bookworm (<--Click Me) And after that i just couldn't wait until my 40th follower, which is of course the next 20th follower. And guess who?

Crystal from Just Another Book Lovin' Girl (<-- Click Me)

You should all go follower her because she is just awesome...don't believe me?? You soon will:

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Crystal, I'm 20 years old and I'm from Southern California. I've lived here all my life with my mom and 3 sisters. A few of my favorite things are reading, blogging, photography and even a little scrapbooking.

What is your favorite genre?

I have a lot of favorites but mystery is at the top of my list.

What is/are your favorite book(s) of all time?

My all time favorites list is always growing but the ones I'm crazy about right now are The River of Time Series by Lisa Bergren and The Hunger Games Trilogy by Suzanne Collins.

What is/are your least favorite book(s) of all time?
I feel bad giving specific book names so I'll just give you my least favorite genres. I've tried a few Fantasy and Horror novels but I've ended up not finishing them mostly because I can't "get into" them.

What about writing do you like or dislike?

I love that writing is like an escape for both the author and reader. You're taken into another world where there are no limits to what you can do. When it comes to writing there are so many possibilities and it's an amazing creative outlet.

Can you remember your first review ever? If so what book was it on?

The very first review I posted on my blog was for an audio Bible called The Word of Promise Next Generation.

What got you started in blogging your book reviews?

I think I had seen someone post a link to BookSneeze on Twitter in 2009 and I decided to try it out. I started my blog that day and I've had so much fun these past two years.

What do you like to do when you aren't blogging?

I like reading, spending time with my family, taking pictures of my adorable dogs, and playing Super Nintendo with my niece =D I also enjoy gardening and cooking with my mom.

*Sigh*...yeah. We are totally going to be friends her and I... :]

So here is a review she recently posted for us to enjoy :

'20 Random Facts About Me'

Haha. It so fits for today huh? Well, recently she lost all of her followers. So if you were one of her followers, go make sure you still are. And if you've never heard of her, you should so go follower her.

Thanks for stopping by Crystal! It was a breath of fresh air to have you :]

Vlog

2011-08-29T19:01:00.000-07:00

I have no time...so this was the result:

Back From The Past

2011-08-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

Ever since I was 13 I've loved the Artemis Fowl Series. I zipped through the entire series as if I was watching a movie instead of reading a book. Or so I thought. Until recently, while looking through some library audio books and found the newest book from the series, I had no idea the series wasn't over. There were still two books that I hadn't read and bought (because I love them so much I collect them :). Last year, apparently without me knowing, The Atlantis Complex came out. So with the excitement of a little child with 50 bucks, I checked that baby out. And it was AMAZING!

I was so nervous to listen to an audio recording of an Artemis Fowl book, I was so scared that it would ruin it for me. But it was still amazing. I'm not sure if it was because the books are just too good to mess up, or if it was because of this guy: I was so nervous to listen to an audio recording of an Artemis Fowl book, I was so scared that it would ruin it for me. But it was still amazing. I'm not sure if it was because the books are just too good to mess up, or if it was because of this guy: I was so nervous to listen to an audio recording of an Artemis Fowl book, I was so scared that it would ruin it for me. But it was still amazing. I'm not sure if it was because the books are just too good to mess up, or if it was because of this guy: I was so nervous to listen to an audio recording of an Artemis Fowl book, I was so scared that it would ruin it for me. But it was still amazing. I'm not sure if it was because the books are just too good to mess up, or if it was because Nathaniel Parker. Then man who played the father in Stardust. I just love his voice.

Anyway, what whole story was amazing as usual. This one was about Artemis getting an almost OCD condition because his guilt has been eating away at him. He now wants to "save" the world from it's many troubles, but evil forces (evil faeries), yet again, wish to mess everything up. And of course the whole gang comes back together including, Butler, Juliet, Artemis, Holly Short, Mulch Diggums and Foaly.

If I was to give consistent starts to books I like (which I don't) I would give this audio version of the book five stars.I would also recommend this series to people of all ages. Please leave a comment if you are a Artemis Fowl fan like me, or if you've read it. I always like hearing what others think about the book.

Mugabe and the White African Blog Tour

2011-08-27T15:05:00.000-07:00

Welcome to yet another blog tour....I love these...This time I went with Mugabe and the White African.

About the Book:

Ben Freeth has an extraordinary story to tell. Like that of many white farmers, his family's land was "reclaimed" for redistribution by Mugabe's government.

But Ben's family fought back. Appealing to international law, they instigated a suit against Mugabe's government in the SADC, the Southern African equivalent of NATO. The case was deferred time and again while Mugabe's men pulled strings. But after Freeth and his parents-in-law were abducted and beaten within inches of death in 2008, the SADC deemed any further delay to be an obstruction of justice. The case was heard, and was successful on all counts.

But the story doesn't end there. In 2009 the family farm was burned to the ground. The fight for justice in Zimbabwe is far from over--this book is for anyone who wants to see into the heart of one of today's hardest places and how human dignity flourishes even in the most adverse circumstances.

Read the press release for more: http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs019/1101807863309/archive/1106690411054.html

The PBS debut of Mugabe and the White African, the award-winning documentary of the same name, was on July 26. Watch now at PBS: http://www.pbs.org/pov/mugabe/.

Click on the book to buy it :]

About Ben Freeth:

Ben Freeth, MBE, is a British-born Zimbabwean farmer. He has lived in Zimbabwe most of his life and is raising his three young children there, together with his wife Laura. Ben's story has already been the subject of an award-winning documentary which won Best Documentary 2009 (British Independent Film Awards), was nominated for the BAFTA Outstanding Debut Film 2010, and shortlisted for an Oscar in 2010.

My Thoughts On the Book:

The book was very moving and so well written. I found it somewhat hard to read, mainly because it was just so sad. I personally haven't seen the documentary, but I really want to now. There was a lot of violence and a lot of people died. There were some pictures given as well and some of them are pretty gruesome. Which is why I wouldn't recommend it to a child, but I personally appreciated the honesty here and not some sugar coating of what really happened. I have never heard of Mugabe (call me sheltered) so I researched him for myself and I didn't find anything that I could even consider good. A lot of it had to do with white families being persecuted in Africa, which totally threw me off for a second. I can't believe I'd never heard of it before. I was recently talking to a friend about the book, she was telling me that from my description it sounded like the movie "Faith Like Potatoes". In a sense I agree with her, but this book seemed much more violent to me. Overall, I really loved it and would give it to a good friend.

About the Giveaway!

To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using @litfuse) about Mugabe and the White African or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (info@litfusegroup.com). Easy.

Too Blessed To Be Stressed Blog Tour

2011-08-24T09:02:00.000-07:00

It's Another Blog Tour. This time I went with a bit of a different genre then I usually do.

About the book:

Do your to do lists have footnotes? Has your fam suggested a rabies shot because your bite has surpassed Rover’s?

Maybe it’s time for a healthy dose of truth gift-wrapped in humor. With her own offbeat brand of wit and near-wisdom, inspirational humorist Debora Coty addresses the heart-needs of desperate women drowning in the churning everyday stress-pool of busyness.

In Too Blessed to Be Stressed, you’ll find simple, practical steps for attaining the peace that you crave as you struggle with the stresses of finances, health, career, relationships, self-image and family. You’ll discover healing, refreshment, and revitalization for your own spirit, body and mind through heart-changing real life stories, biblically based insights, and short chapters for on-the-run convenience.

Click the book to buy it :]

About Josh and Bob:

Debora M. Coty is a humorist, columnist, speaker, writing workshop instructor and award-winning author of over 100 internationally published articles and ten inspirational books. She has also contributed short stories and devotionals to numerous anthologies. Debora's passion is sharing her offbeat blend of humor and hope, wit and near-wisdom with women of all ages. As a piano teacher for twenty years, she acquired the skill of auditory long-suffering and has helped countless people as an occupational therapist specializing in orthopedics for over three decades. Mother of two grown children, Debora currently lives and loves in central Floridawith her husband and desperately wicked pooch, Fenway.

My Thoughts:

The book has a lot of wisdom, however, I believe it was presented poorly. Mothers and grandmothers are not teenagers, they are grown women. And this book seemed to of had been written for a teenage audience with stress quizzes and the like. When I was little I desperately wanted this "journal" for girls that had every quiz imaginable...what guy is right for you, how you should do your hair, what make you should wear, what kind of friends you should have, how I should paint my nails on Wednesday vs. Friday.. So I asked my mother. And I must say thank you to God for giving me this kind of mother because her reply to me was, "You don't need that." She had also said some other things about the book, but in short she told me the book was trash. I still wanted it because Susie Joe had it, but mom was always there to say,"no". And I'm sure you can figure out for your selves why buying that book would have been a huge mistake.

I got the same feeling when reading this book. Not the, "I really like people telling me what to do based off of a random quiz of which I cannot tell if it is accurate or not". But the feeling of, "What am I...8?".

Other people may not feel this way. If you like to take quizzes I encourage you to read it for your self.

Giveaway:

To celebrate the release of her latest laugh-out-loud book, Too Blessed to Be Stressed, Debora Coty is hosting the Too Blessed to Be Stressed KINDLE Giveaway!

Too Blessed to be Stressed is a fun-filled read overflowing with insights and practical tips. Perfectly delicious for living happily ever after!

-Rhonda Rhea, best-selling author of Whatsoever Things Are Lovely

Read what the reviewers are saying here.

Debora has created a “Too Blessed” prize package worth over $150! One grand prize winner will receive:

* A brand new Latest Generation KINDLE with Wi-Fi and Pearl Screen

* Too Blessed to Be Stressed by Debora Coty (for KINDLE)

To enter just click one of the icons below. Hurry! The giveaway ends August 25th. Winner will be announced on the evening of the 18th during Debora's De-Stress Facebook Party! Debora will be hosting a "life-preserver" chat (it’s okay if you haven’t read the book – who knows, you might WIN a copy!), testing trivia skills, swapping funny stories, handing out some decom-stress tips, and giving away tons of great stuff! (Chocolate, books, and more!) Hope to see you there. Bring your friends and join the fun on August 25th at 5:00 PM PST (6 PM MDT, 7 PM CDT, & 8 PM EDT).

Also - be sure to check out Debora's series of Stress-Buster videos at her website: www.debcoty.com. Also, be sure to check out the photo caption contest she's running on her blog for a chance to win a copy of Too Blessed to Be Stressed.

Thank You to Litfuse for providing me with this book for reviewing purposes.

Sibiling's Thoughts

2011-08-17T10:59:00.000-07:00

I recently asked my sister what she thought about the children's books that I was given over the summer. Here's what she had to say:

DoppleGanger: Book 2

My favorite part of DoppleGanger is the part where Saskia gets trapped in the sarcophagus, and Erik and Sadie try to find her. My least favorite part was when Miss Dorcas Potts came to take an interview with the kids. And the reason why is because it wasn't really mysterious. My favorite characters are the Dopple girls. I really liked the DoppleGanger because, it was really intereting and mysterious.

Peril in the Palace:

My favorite part of Peril in the Palace was where the big eagals took Patrick and Beth and flew over the Palace.My least favorite part was in the begging where they just kept talking about the Imagination Station.And the reason why is because it wasn't really fun.My favorite characters are Beth and Patrick.I liked Peril in the Palace because,it was really exiting.

The Red Knight:

My favorite part in Revenge of the Red Knight was where they found out that Hugh was really the Red Knight and was stealing everything. My least favorite part was where they met James.That was my least favorite part because,it wasn't very exiting. My favorite characters are Beth and Patrick. I like Revenge of the Red Knight because,its really cool how they meet another boy named James, and that they find out that Hugh is the Red Knight and whos stealing everything.

I got the idea to let her give a short review from Jane. I guess I figured the audience was meant for her age group, so now you know how it impressed her. My reviews coming up on the last two soon.

"Books I Should Have Read By Now" Challenge

2011-08-15T08:44:00.000-07:00

2. The character of Lord Henry is an interesting one.

My Thoughts On The Book:

Being an avid classics reader, I've read most of the classics you could probably think of, maybe even some you can't think of. I'm just that crazy about books. But the one classic that took me forever to read was The Picture of Dorian Grey. I had read through it once when I was young, but I totally forgot everything. I tried watching the movie but I had to turn it off because the movie took way more creative liberty than I knew actually existed. So I decided to just read the whole thing over again. And I'm so glad I did.

Here's a little to know about Oscar Wilde:

Oscar Wilde was born on October the 16, 1854 in Dublin, Ireland. He was not only a play write, but also an author and poet. His most famous work is The importance of Being Ernest.

Although Oscar Wilde was not shy about being homosexual or bisexual as many have said, he did marry a woman and had two children.

You can read more about him from these sites:

http://www.online-literature.com/wilde/

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0928492/bio

The Book Synopsis:

Oscar Wilde brings his enormous gifts for astute social observation and sparkling prose to The Picture of Dorian Gray, his dreamlike story of a young man who sells his soul for eternal youth and beauty. This dandy, who remains forever unchanged—petulant, hedonistic, vain, and amoral—while a painting of him ages and grows increasingly hideous with the years, has been horrifying, enchanting, obsessing, even corrupting readers for more than a hundred years.

Taking the reader in and out of London drawing rooms, to the heights of aestheticism, and to the depths of decadence, The Picture of Dorian Gray is not only a melodrama about moral corruption. Laced with bon mots and vivid depictions of upper-class refinement, it is also a fascinating look at the milieu of Wilde’s fin-de-siècle world and a manifesto of the creed “Art for Art’s Sake.”

The ever-quotable Wilde, who once delighted London with his scintillating plays, scandalized readers with this, his only novel. Upon publication, Dorian was condemned as dangerous, poisonous, stupid, vulgar, and immoral, and Wilde as a “driveling pedant.” The novel, in fact, was used against Wilde at his much-publicized trials for “gross indecency,” which led to his imprisonment and exile on the European continent. Even so, The Picture of Dorian Gray firmly established Wilde as one of the great voices of the Aesthetic movement, and endures as a classic that is as timeless as its hero.

My Thoughts:

Let me just start the review by saying that if I had the money, I would buy everybody a copy of this book. It's just that good. And I learned more about the author while reading this book than I have with any other book since the bible. That's big. No. HUGE. The symbolism in the book is detailed, the parallel of emotion, ideas and life style that you get from Lord Henry and Wilde is chilling, and the idea of salvation is so wrong, but it's such a wide spread thought that it made it realistic. I felt like I was a part of the story. For two days I was completely enthralled with the book, I'm surprised I stopped to eat.

There are a few important things that I would like to mention.

1. Through out the entire book, there was a consistent, relentless battle between good and evil inside and outside of Gray. And both good and evil where represented by a key character. Good was represented as the artist that painted Dorian and evil was represented by Lord Henry, the most influential man in Dorian's life. If you've been reading my blog for some time, you know that the whole good and evil theme hooked me from the beginning. When we first meet Dorian, he is the perfect man. Every body wants to be Dorian. But the difference between the Dorian you first meet and the Dorian at the closing of the book, is that the Dorian you first meet is innocent.

2. Lord Henry's character is an interesting one. Henry believed in things such as, "If I ignore it, it will go away or cease to exist". And in his heart, he made himself believe that in the most extreme sense. Lord Henry was also very cynical and often influenced Dorian to act upon very corrupted morals.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Lord Henry:

"The highest, as the lowest, form of criticism is a mode of autobiography."

"The one charm of marriage is that it makes a life of deception absolutely necessary for both parties."

"There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about."

"Those who are faithful know only the trivial side of love; it is the faithless who know love's tragedies."

"The only way to get rid of a temptation is to yield to it. Resist it, and your soul grows sick with longing for the things it has forbidden to itself, with desire for what its monstrous laws have made monstrous and unlawful."

"It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible."

"Humanity takes itself too seriously. It is the world's original sin. If the cave-man had known how to laugh, History would have been different."

"I can sympathize with everything, except suffering."

"The people who love only once in their lives are really the shallow people. What they call their loyalty, and their fidelity, I call either the lethargy of custom or their lack of imagination. Faithfulness is to the emotional life what consistency is to the life of the intellect - simply a confession of failure."

There are a million more I wish I could post, but I do believe you would stop reading and pick up the book your self :]

These are all from yours truly, Lord Henry. And these specific quotes are only from the first three chapters...

3. The Soul in The Picture: Spoiler Alert!! Skip .3 if you would not like the story spoiled for you.

When Dorian was given the finished painting from the painter, Basil, he wished, almost prayer like the book says, that he would always look the way the painting then depicted him. And so from then on his should was trapped in the painting. Every sin he committed would show up in the painting, even the murder of his dear friend the painter would show up on the painting. His youth was never ending. This is mention able because the thought of immortality is a very well thought out ability thanks to Oscar. Immortality was given to a corruptible, yet perfect boy. If you are able to corrupt perfection, wouldn't you want it to die? I suppose that is the question here. Would you want to live forever, knowing who you really are with no way out?

and 4. Sybil Vane:

The very essence of of the word "naive".

Sybil vane was an actress. She didn't even know Dorian's name, and yet she "just knew she loved him". Only a child would think such things. But What is even more intriguing is that Dorian believed he loved her too. Until one night, Sybil didn't think she should act out love anymore when she had love through Dorian. Dorian, believing the lies of Henry, believed that his love for Sybil came through her acting. Therefore, he did not love her anymore. After telling her so, Sybil committed suicide. And Dorian knew it was his fault. I personally, believe that this played a big part in the ending, which I will not reveal. But I thought I'd mention all this here so you could think about it while reading.

With that said, I leave you with the trailer for the movie. I don't recommend it to those who are like me and a a little squimish when it comes to visualizing Dorian's horrible acts, but to those of you who are interested:

Safe from the Past: Failed Blog Tour

2011-08-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

Awe Man. I missed a blog tour. Well, better late than never I suppose. Let's hope this doesn't become a habit. I'm also submitting this book into the "books I should have read by now challenge" because I actually didn't even finishing reading the book when my turn to review came around...(shame on me). Click me to buy the book --> Safe from the Past.

About The Book:
A kidnapping, the divorce of her parents, the loss of her father, temporary abandonment and extreme poverty are just some of the issues the author dealt with as a young child.

Her mother finally tells her she must go to college so she can break out of this cycle of poverty and hopelessness. But how can she when she has no money and absolutely no confidence or self esteem?

Read this true story to discover what hope, faith and determination can do to change a life.

A truly inspiring, deeply personal tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships, Safe from the Past makes clear the restorative power of an education.

Told in an open, honest voice with the deepest sincerity, the author's life story serves as a rousing inspiration to those with the desire to create a better life than the one they are currently living.

No matter how helpless you feel, everyone has the power to shape their own life.

About Patricia Miller Mauro:

Patricia worked in New York City's financial district for thirteen years in the field of securities operations. At that time, she went on to obtain an MBA from New York University. She and her husband moved toDallas, TX in 2001 where they are raising their two children.

During her time in NY, Patricia wrote an article entitled "A Tribute To My Mother" which was published in "The Recovery Journal" in 1999. Her book is a continuation of that tribute and serves to spread the message to those in similar situations that good news is on its way to children considering a higher education but who are afraid to dream.

For more information please visit,www.patriciamaurobooks.com.

My Thoughts on the book:

There is no doubt in my mind that God uses the poor, weak and oppressed to do mighty things in His name. And I believe that Ms. Patricia has the perfect story to tell with that in mind. I found her story to be very compelling and intriguing. She's one of those people I wish I could just hug because I know of all her troubles. Her book was also an easy read, which made it flow easy. Biographies can be hard to work through if they don't "flow". However, I had a feeling that a few points where dramatized. But it was just a feeling. I don't think everyone is going to have this feeling, therefore I will not name specifically where I felt this way. Otherwise, Her story is good and reminds me of many a bible story where God chooses to show His strength through the small and weak. Go Patricia!

Litfuse is Hosting a giveaway!!!

About the Giveaway:

To enter all you have to do is send a tweet (using #litfuse) about Safe From the Past or share about it on Facebook!

If you tweet we'll capture your entry when you use @litfuse. If you share it on Facebook or your blog, just email us and let us know (info@litfusegroup.com). Easy. (All Litfuse bloggers who post a review are automatically entered and do NOT need to email us.)

Not sure what to tweet/post? Here's an idea:

TWEET THIS: Safe From the Past by Patricia Mauro - inspiring tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships. http://ow.ly/5FQHA #litfuse

FACEBOOK THIS: Don’t miss Patricia Mauro’s Safe From the Past - inspiring, deeply personal tale of perseverance in the face of unimaginable hardships. http://ow.ly/5FQHA. Told in an open, honest voice with the deepest sincerity, the author's life story serves as a rousing inspiration to those with the desire to create a better life than the one they are currently living.

Leave a comment if you are interested in this book, or if you've maybe read another book about the same idea! I'd love to hear from you all.

*And thank you Litfuse for giving me this book for reviewing purposes.

What I See In My Mailbox Today

2011-08-03T14:08:00.000-07:00

Needless to say last month I completely failed in reading. I didn't even get to submit and posts for the "What I Should Have Read By Now Challenge" hosted by Gabriel from Gabriel Reads. Which I was so sad about because I had a lot of good choices this time round. I guess I'll just have to save them for this month :] Anyway moving on. Here is where I give my incredibly good excuse :]

I went on a vacation to the mountains!!!!! And I went to the mountains because....

My father has just returned from Japan!!!

All very exciting and all very time consuming...as you can probably imagine.

^This is what I looked like ^

Not because I had anything to do...but because I thought I had stuff to do before he came home...and in all reality...I didn't.

So I was really just making more work for myself.

However, I am jumping right back on the bandwagon with reviews coming up of books I read while I was gone.

In other news, here are some books I got in the mail while I was gone:

Let me know what you think!

Birthday Bash Giveaway Winners!!!

2011-07-17T15:41:00.000-07:00

Recently 4 people who are very close to me, and myself, have had birthdays. And to celebrate I threw a giveaway. And I'm now ready to announce the winners :] And yes I know it's past the date I said I would name the winners, but better late the never.

And the winners are (via Random.org...which btw...like a totally dummy, I could not figure out for the life of me, how to use this site...I thought I was going to have to draw a winner from out of a hat or something :] ):

!!!!Charity U !!!!
is the winner of The Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf

and

!!!! Jane!!!!
is the winner of The Book Thief by Markus Zusak.

I will be emailing both soon to receive you addresses. Thanks for playing!!!

Giveaways!

2011-07-13T11:30:00.001-07:00

A giveaway is going on through Coffee, Books and Me. You should go check it out:

Cover Crazy

2011-07-11T03:17:00.000-07:00

Okay...So who here likes the Narnia movie series?? I personally enjoyed the entertainment, but I don't think they measure up to the books, but any good fan would think the same. Maybe this cover crazy will convince you to become a fan??

When I was first given the series, I wanted nothing to do with them. My step father gave them to me. I only say that he's my step father because it's completely ironic that the man that doesn't even share my blood is the man that changed my life. This isn't to say that just by handing me a handful of books, he changed my life. But then again he did. Because they are the first books I remember absolutely falling in love with. The story, the tales, the honor and heroics, the love between family and the unimaginable adventure...way better than reading the 15 page, level 0, books that I use to read in third grade just to say I read something. So really my love of books was highly encouraged by both my mother and father, but my father was the one to fuel the love.

So anyway, back to him giving me the books. I have the series that he had when he was a boy. He was very young when he had to read them, they even have his horribly, scribbled name written in all of them. So needless to say, they're pretty beat up and worn. And they're not hard cover, awesome antique like books, they're paper back. Very low budget kind of books. Not the most appealing thing to a 10 year old. So they sat there, in a box when we moved and in the dust when we settled, for 4 years. I was 14 when I decided to read them. And what's even more funny is that I was in trouble when I decided to read them. I was sent to my room and told I wasn't allowed to do anything...seriously? Yeah. Well, of course I was mad and did something...but what was I to do? So I picked up a book and read and it just so happened that the book was called The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. And that is my earliest memory of being a book lover. And just to finish my tale, my parents found out that I was reading and just left me there. So I read all day long.

Now that you know my story behind the books, you will understand my reasoning for not being able to provide an accurate front cover of all the copies I own because they are so old. But I will take a picture when I can and post them. If I do find an accurate cover, I will let you know in my post. I will be using this series for the next 7 Cover Crazies and I will be posting them in the order I first read them (more on that later).

And so, without further adieu:

This looks just like my version of the book, only mine is faded. This cover was never really appealing to me when I was younger. I suppose I never really gave it a chance. After reading the story, I've found that this a a great piece of art work, one of the best even to ever explain the story within. Some of the most obvious pieces of this cover are the wardrobe doors and the children. There are four children which are to represent the four children who enter the wardrobe: Peter (the oldest), Susan (the oldest girl), Edmund (the youngest boy) and Lucy (the youngest of them all). And then the wardrobe doors are (duh) the wardrobe doors, but a fist time reader wouldn't guess that. However I do believe that a first time reader would know that the doors were special because they are colored gold. You just don't see gold colored door everywhere. These doors lead to a forest full of snow. In the far back here is a gloomy looking castle and a full moon. Full moon always mean something bad is coming. At least that's the myth. Awesome job there on the artists part.

And then the stars all lined up nicely lead me to believe something was going to happen. You know how you always here of lined stars as a sign that something was coming or going to happen? And the children are walking right into it all.

Let me know what you think about the Narnia books. If you haven't read them, let me know what you think about their covers. Or just feel free to leave a comment. I love all comments :]

Ligonier Ministries Likes Mail Boxes

2011-07-09T08:05:00.001-07:00

Have you ever heard of Table Talk by Ligonier Ministries? It's a reformed Christian magazine. It's very small and chalk-full of info and sermons and daily readings and resources and stories. I seriously suggest subscribing. Especially if you don't understand Christians or have recently become reformed. Trust me. I know it's hard to understand us. We are a crazy, God loving bunch of people. :] I'm not saying this magazine was made specifically for people who wish to understand Christians, it was to help fellow Christians in their daily walk, but it's just a thought. And for those who just recently come to understand what reformed theology is, boy is this going to be a good resource for you. Just click here to subscribe: Tabletalk

"Christian women are under tremendous pressure these days:

“Get a job, don’t waste your education.”
“You’ll only be fulfilled if you succeed in your career.”
“You need a new look, then you’ll be happy.”
“We can’t afford to lose your income, you have to work.”
Even, “Mommy, don’t go.”

But is the world’s model for womanhood the best there is?

In his study, God’s High Calling for Women, John MacArthur sorts out the New Testament’s encouraging instruction to women on their role, appearance, attitude, testimony, and contribution to the Lord’s work — the true path to fulfillment."

"Richard Dawkins is an author and pundit who sometimes writes about science, but most recently has published a book decrying religion in general and Christianity specifically. David Robertson, a pastor and author, read the book and was shocked into replying to it. But rather than producing a polemic or straight refutation of Dawkins’ text he decided to write Dawkins an open letter, posted on his church’s website. Then something unexpected happened.

Richard Dawkins posted the letter on his own website, and the response Robertson got from those who read it there inspired him to keep writing. In conversational, colloquial prose Robertson brings up questions and Christian angles on some of the issues in Dawkins’ book. Addressing what he calls “atheist myths”, the author uncovers Dawkins’ secular scientific bias without assenting to the false dichotomy between science and Christianity. A less in-depth study than some (such as The Dawkins Delusion? by Alister and Joanna McGrath) but more a personal and engaging invitation to Christians and non-Christians alike who have questions about these issues unanswered by Dawkins himself."

Both books are based on subjects that I'm completely enthralled with right now and am quite opinionated on. The opinions and truths interest me.

The most recent Tabletalk is about Classic literature. I can't wait to read and post about it. If you've subscribed to this magazine in the past let us know what you think. Or if you completely against everything that I'm reading, I'd be happy to hear from you too :]

Best Pictures That Could Ever Be Taken For Book Lovers...

2011-07-05T20:26:00.000-07:00

So true. And sad :[

I think I'll review one of his books. I absolutely love them. I haven't found even one that I'm not totally in love with (figurative of course).

I will be painting my stairs like this when I have my own house. And I really hope my husband will be okay with it :]

Cupcake toppers...is this going too far?

awesome tree or book lovers nightmare.

I will confess that I once tore a book up for the sake of art. But don't worry. It was a horrible book. It was called :How To Increase Your Popularity Through The Art of Being Social...and it was for free so I actually felt like I was doing the world a favor :]

What are you reading this weekend??

Happy Independence Day...

2011-07-04T18:57:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day!!!

Hope you all are enjoying the fireworks as much as I am and have. :] And the music...and everyone dressed up in red white and blue and stars and stripes...

Just a reminder the giveaway is still going on until the 14th. Spread the word.

What I've Been Reading

2011-07-01T11:36:00.000-07:00

Oh my...well. Lately I've been so busy. For the last three week I've been helping, along with my family, my grandmother because she just went through surgery recently for a quadruple bypass. I can't believe I spelled that all right the first time. Can you believe that??

Wow :]

Anyway, I thought I'd just give you all an update on what I've been reading lately.

A sharp, sophisticated fantasy dealing with an old problem-temptation-in a new world-Perelandra. The newest planet in C.S. Lewis's celebrated space world, Perelandra (the planet Venus), has been invaded by the devil's agent in the shape of an English physicist, Dr. Weston. Evil joins battle with good, represented by Ransom the philologist, as Perelandra and it's Queen and Lady Mother face the choice between ascending to perfection or following an older world to corruption.

It’s just a small story really, about among other things: a girl, some words, an accordionist, some fanatical Germans, a Jewish fist-fighter, and quite a lot of thievery. . . .

Set during World War II in Germany, Markus Zusak’s groundbreaking new novel is the story of Liesel Meminger, a foster girl living outside of Munich. Liesel scratches out a meager existence for herself by stealing when she encounters something she can’t resist–books. With the help of her accordion-playing foster father, she learns to read and shares her stolen books with her neighbors during bombing raids as well as with the Jewish man hidden in her basement before he is marched to Dachau.

This is an unforgettable story about the ability of books to feed the soul.

Camille Cauti, Ph.D., is an editor and literary critic who lives in New York City. She is a specialist in the Catholic conversion trend among members of the avant-garde in London in the 1890s.

Here's where I pause to say: I love this book!!!!!

^^^And this Picture ^^^

Okay...Moving on....

Godly and Righteous, Peevish and Perverse presents an extraordinary and motley collection of literary and real life characters sharing a common role and a common status, yet capable of every human strength and foible.

It is November. When Meg comes home from school, Charles Wallace tells her he saw dragons in the twin’s vegetable garden. That night Meg, Calvin and C.W. go to the vegetable garden to meet the Teacher (Blajeny) who explains that what they are seeing isn’t a dragon at all, but a cherubim named Proginoskes. It turns out that C.W. is ill and that Blajeny and Proginoskes are there to make him well – by making him well, they will keep the balance of the universe in check and save it from the evil Echthros.

Meg, Calvin and Mr. Jenkins (grade school principal) must travel inside C.W. to have this battle and save Charles’ life as well as the balance of the universe.

In this companion to the Newbery Award winner A Wrinkle in Time and A Wind in the Door, fifteen-year-old Charles Wallace and the unicorn Gaudior undertake a perilous journey through time in a desperate attempt to stop the destruction of the world by the mad dictator Madog Branzillo. They are not alone in their quest. Charles Wallace's sister, Meg—grown and expecting her first child, but still able to enter her brother's thoughts and emotions by "kything"—goes with him in spirit. Charles Wallace must face the ultimate test of his faith and his will as he is sent within four people from another time, there to search for a way to avert the tragedy threatening them all.

If you haven't guessed yet, I'm ma huge fan of Madeleine L'Engle. One of my favorite quotes from her is :

""I do not think that I will ever reach a stage when I will say, "This is what I believe. Finished." What I believe is alive ... and open to growth"

or

"A book comes and says, 'Write me."

or

"If a book will be too difficult for grown-ups, then you write it for children."

Yeah, she's a pretty awesome writer. I'd encourage all to read her books. I don't want to say she reminds me of C.S. Lewis because she's totally her own writer, but in the way that she writes. Everything she writes means something. None of it is just "fill in work". It's a painting and every piece is meant to show or say something. It's amazing really.

Leave me a comment telling me which ones you want reviews on, or which ones you've already read, or anything! I love comments :]

Thanks for stopping by!

Love,
Nonnie

When Life is Hard by James MacDonald

2011-06-29T13:45:00.000-07:00

Back Cover:

In the midst of the storm it's tough to remember when you first heard thunder. Some years ago my wife and I sailed into a series of trials that increased from gentle breezes to a Category 5 hurricane. At the time I wondered what God's purpose could possibly be in making life so hard.

How do we make sense of suffering? All I knew was that I had to find out. I needed help and I needed it fast, so I searched God's Word, not as an academic exercise, but as a desperate soul crying out for help.

What He gave me during those weeks has changed my life, and you now hold the written record of it in your hands. Of life has been hard for you, you're in the right place. I'm eager to share with you what God revealed to me through His Word...

- Dr. James MacDonald

My Thoughts:

When I first started to read this book I knew that I was probably going to laugh through most of it. Not because what he (MacDonald) was saying was humorous in a way of ignorance, but because he found a way to say truthful things in a way that was somewhat sarcastic. Which to me, always makes me feel comfortable. Because I'm a sarcastic person:] Which is odd for me, because I also take everything literally. Yes, I am difficult. But that is not what this post is about.

Anyway, there where a lot of different ideas and thoughts written in this book that I agreed with and then there were a few that I completely disagreed with. Here's what you should know before reading:

The first thing that caught my attention in a bad way was a very small comment on page 82 about people asking him (Mr. James MacDonald is a pastor) frivolous questions like "Should I move to Topeka, Kansas?".

"God's will is God's Word. People ask me frequently what God's will is for their life. 'Is it God's will for me to move to Topeka, Kansas?' Trust me on this: He doesn't care. He will still be able to do what He's doing here even if you're in Kansas and He will use you wherever you are if you're obedient to His word.
God's will for you is to keep your commitments.
God's will is for you is to be a person of integrity.
God's will is for you to be a hard worker.
God's will is for you to be a person of truth and sincerity and commitment to His way.
That's God's will. " (82)

In my opinion, he never should have answered the question with a "God's will for you is (fill in the blank)". Simply because, Dr. James MacDonald does not know what God's will is for your life or for my life or for anybody else’s life but his own. The bible says that God may even choose to harden the hearts of some. Meaning, God may choose some to go to Heaven and then choose others to go to hell. And just in case you think I'm pulling this from the sky, take a look at these passages:

John 15:16

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.

Romans 8:29

For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12

God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

These passages clearly state that, ONE: God chooses us, TWO: He can choose you also to go to hell and THREE: who He chooses to go to heaven or hell does not have anything to do with what you have or have not done. And there are more, but you probably are bored by now. And if that's the case, Stop Reading This. And skip to the section called read this.

This being said, there is no way for Mr. MacDonald to know the will of God for you. Simply because you and I have no way of knowing weather or not that man walking on the street is chosen by God or that woman who sits three pews ahead of you. You just don't know. However, you can know the will of God for yourself, and you are the only one to know the will of God for yourself. If you listen.

Another thing that bothered me about this short little excerpt was when Mr. MacDonald said that God doesn't care if you move to Topeka Kansas. That isn't true. God does care. He always cares. He cares enough to notice a bird being sold, or to count the hairs on your head...trust me...He cares very much about weather or not you move to Topeka, Kansas.

I will say though, that I think what Mr. MacDonald is trying to say is that he, as a pastor and mentor and confidant, cannot help people with those kinds of issues. Those are between them (the people moving) and God, not between Pastor MacDonald and whoever. Because again, Mr. MacDonald doesn't know the will of God for you. So he isn't able to tell you if that is or isn't the will of God in your life.

The last thing that I noticed, and there may be more (these are just the ones that I actually noticed), is that Mr. MacDonald's advice was not all times...the best.

i.e. "If you're not sure how to love, have a party. Invite people over." (86)

I can think of a thousand more effective was to learn what love is. Try, being in a consistently working family. And I don't mean working like mom is a nurse, dads a cop and brother a sister are never seen because they have their own jobs.

Try, serving in your community. It's both humbling and the surest way to know what selflessly loving means.

Try anything, anything at all before you try throwing a party. Because I know, being a hostess before myself, even on the smallest scale...masks are so easy to put on if you know it'll all end soon.

Other than that, I liked his thoughts on suffering on page 77. Wonderful stuff there. I also like that you can read this book with a group or just by your self. Versatile books like that make me eager to read. I don't know why they just do. You know...sometimes you have to get a separate study on the book to do a group thing. I don't know. I just like books that are all in one like this.

I also liked that he used his own personal reflection. Being able to see a leader fall or trip up and then be able to admit that he made a mistake and is now teaching from his own experiences...that's just a really great characteristic for a leader. I personally, look for those things. Not for them to wallow in their dirt, but to be able to teach from they're own point of view. This is not me saying, please tell me Mr. I-was-once-a-rapist what you believe about God. I don't mean that at all. But I like to be able to connect with those who are teaching.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

And thanks to Moody Publishers with providing me with a free copy of When Life Is Hard by James MacDonald for reviewing purposes.

Cover Crazy

2011-06-27T09:43:00.000-07:00

I liked this book. And yes I've read it. And no. I don't know if that's against the cover crazy rules or whatever. But I will say that the cover is what made me want to read it. Sometimes when I get caught into the awesome covers, I'll just start reading without reading the back cover or anything like that. I won't read any authors notes, or publishes notes at the beginning...it just makes the book a huge surprise. Plus, I believe I can still use this cover even though I read it already because I remember exactly what I thought when I saw it.

The first thing I noticed was...duh...the title; mainly because it’s in a giant red dot in the middle of the book. The title reminds me of a "you-are-here" dot that you will usually see on a stationed map. So my first thought was, "It's a map".

My second thought was a map to what...I see a key, a shoe, a lamp post, a book, a coat, a few buildings, a bag of something and money. I wonder if all these things are significant...(which by-the-way, they are).

My third thought was why a man’s shadow is coming from the mailbox...you think I'm joking...seriously. Go look. Bottom left and corner...mans shadow coming from the mailbox. So my second thought was, “Someone is there and no one can see him...or they see this person but not really." (Also very significant.)

The colors also made me want to pick the book up. Notice the background is all grey and sort of "blah". But all the random pieces are colorful.

Birthday Bash Giveaway!

2011-06-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

Today is my birthday. The 20th was my friend Caroline's birthday. And tomorrow is my Aunts birthday. This calls for an awesome celebration. Therefore, I will be giving away two books to two lucky people!! Just choose which one you want and leave a comment. Also, your chances for winning will be better when you follow me or subscribe. Just leave a comment letting me know you name, email, which book you would like and if you have subscribed or have become a follower. And lastly, when leaving your email leave it the form of youremail (at) whatever (dot) com...That way you won't get spam. Darn spammers.

Here's the book trailer:

And my copy of :

There is no book trailer. But here is a link to my review:

A Reluctant Queen

The winner's will be named on the 14th of July.

"Books I Should Have Read By Now" Challenge

2011-06-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

I joined a challenge hosted by Gabriel Reads. (<--Click ME for more info) Please join in! This is healthy even for me, the classic lover.

Dracula

This is the only book I've ever read (all the way through) that had vampires in it. No. I'm not joking. I think I picked up Twilight once and then after about the fifth chapter wanted to burn it. But I couldn't because I borrowed it from the school. :] This isn't to say that I don't like the post those of you make about the various different vampire themed books you've read, I like to hear all sides of the story. But for myself and I, I can't say I'm a huge fan (specifically of anything Twilight).

Why would you even attempt to read Dracula, you say? Well, I guess because it's one of the few classics I haven't read yet and because the story of Dracula went farther back into history than any normal novel could.

Meet the origional Dracula:

This is Vladislavs Dracvla...or Vlad III for short.

Nastiest man I've ever heard of. Not even Hitler was this crazy. Seriously guys, his nickname was Vlad the Impaler...this dude is a perfect fit for the bloodsucking king. I've been trying to find the best possible place that explains his history the way I studied it (darn me for never thinking to ask mom to keep all the textbooks). The closest I've found is actually from another blog called Vlad Dracula - The Truth (<--Click Me). Basicaly, Vlad III was a nasty man. He was big on killing those whom displeased him in very unique ways and scaring those he didn't wish to see in even more unique ways. I guess that's why I was so interested; I liked the idea of a Horror/Mystery being made based off of an actual historical character. I just thought that was so cool. So anyway, at the time of reading this novel I really wanted to watch the movie. My parents were not so up for that after the started watching a couple versions. And I can understand why:

I mean common'!! ^^Who wouldn't be terrified of that ^^

Except the Sesame Street Count. He's just plain awesome :] And no. I still haven't seen any version. I really have lost the want to. After the book...oh gosh...I'll need a break for about another year or so. I was reading this book in bed, at night. Not a good time to read this book. Here's the short summery for those of you who haven't read or do not know the story well yet:

Sometime in the late nineteenth century, Jonathan Harker, a young English lawyer, is traveling to the Castle Dracula, which is located in Transylvania, in order to finalize a transfer of real estate in England to Count Dracula. Harker becomes extremely nervous when all of the local peasants react in fear after they hear of his destination; nevertheless, he continues on to the castle until he meets an emissary of the Count in the Borgo Pass. The mysterious coach driver continues on to the castle, arriving in pitch darkness, to the accompaniment of howling wolves.
Even though his accomodations are comfortable, Harker finds Count Dracula to be a pale, gaunt, thin man, rather strange, and Harker is mortified when, after accidentally cutting himself shaving, the Count lunges at Harker's throat in "demoniac fury." Harker soon finds himself imprisoned within the castle and assailed by three seductive female vampires, whom he can barely stave off. Harker also discovers the Count's secret — that is, the Count survives by drinking the blood of human beings — and, now, he is intent on killing Harker. The Count escapes Jonathan's attempt to kill him, and he swiftly leaves the castle with fifty boxes of earth, bound for England. The last we hear of Jonathan Harker, he is weak and sick, left alone with no visible means of escape from the castle.

The novel then shifts to England, where Harker's fiancée, Mina Murray, is visiting her friend Lucy Westenra, who has accepted the marriage proposal of Arthur Holmwood, while rejecting the proposals of Dr. John Seward, head of a lunatic asylum, and Quincey Morris, an American from Texas, currently visiting Holmwood. Mina's two main concerns are that Lucy has taken up her old habit of sleepwalking, and that it is a long time since she has heard from her own fiancé, Jonathan.

One night while the two women are out walking, they witness the approach of a strange ship. When the ship is wrecked on the beach, the only creature which survives is a huge dog, which quickly disappears. We soon discover that the wrecked ship is carrying fifty boxes of earth from the Castle Dracula.

Soon after the shipwreck, late one night, Mina discovers that Lucy is sleepwalking again. In her search, Mina discovers Lucy on the ladies' favorite seat, near the graveyard overlooking the town. Mina is shocked to see hovering over Lucy a tall, thin, black shape, but when she arrives at Lucy's side the shape has disappeared. When awakened, Lucy remembers nothing of what has happened, except that she is chilled. In wrapping Lucy against the cold, Mina assumes that she inadvertently pricked Lucy with a pin, for she sees two tiny red marks on Lucy's neck. On later, successive nights, Lucy is often found standing at the women's bedroom window; next to her is a creature which appears to be a large bird, but it is, in fact, a bat. Lucy's health declines over the next few weeks, and because of this Mina refuses to tell Lucy about Lucy's mother's sickness. Meanwhile, Dr. Seward, Lucy's former suitor, is unable to ascertain the cause of Lucy's decline.

Soon, Mina hears from Jonathan, and so she leaves Lucy and goes to nurse him. Almost immediately, Lucy's condition deteriorates, and Dr. Seward finds it necessary to wire for his old friend and mentor, Dr. Abraham Van Helsing, who offers another medical opinion. Van Helsing is particularly disturbed by the two tiny spots on Lucy's throat and her apparent but unexplainable loss of blood since there are no signs of hemorrhage.

It becomes necessary to give Lucy numerous blood transfusions, and after each one she improves significantly, only to deteriorate quickly in the next couple of days. Van Helsing finally deems it necessary to drape Lucy's room, as well as her neck, with garlic, a technique, we learn later, which is used to ward off vampires. Eventually, however, the vampire manages to evade the spells against him, and he attacks Lucy again. One significant night, an escaped wolf is used to smash the window of Lucy's room. The wolf's attack so frightens Lucy's mother that she dies of shock, and Lucy, left helpless, is again attacked by the vampire.

Van Helsing, knowing that Lucy is near death, summons her fiancé, Arthur Holmwood, to her side. Holmwood himself comes from the deathbed of his father. As Holmwood bends to kiss Lucy goodbye, Lucy, whose canine teeth have become strangely lengthened, attempts to attack Arthur. As Van Helsing throws Arthur back from her, Lucy dies.

After Lucy's death, the papers report the strange appearance of a person whom the village children label as "the Bloofer Lady," a creature who has been attacking young children in the area. Van Helsing, shaken by the reports, summons Dr. Seward to attend him in an examination of Lucy's coffin. After Seward's initial shock, he agrees, albeit with reservations, to open Lucy's coffin.

In the meantime, Mina and Jonathan have been married, and they return to England. Mina has transcribed Jonathan's diary of his journey in Transylvania, and soon afterward Van Helsing reads it. Van Helsing then calls all of Lucy's ex-suitors together, and he explains to them his belief that Lucy has been bitten by a vampire and has become one herself. The only way to save her soul, he says, is to drive a wooden stake through her heart, cut off her head and stuff it with garlic. Eventually Van Helsing convinces them of the truth of his claims, and the "service" is performed on Lucy.

Now the protagonists begin a search for the Count and also for the fifty boxes of earth which he brought with him to England; these six people — Jonathan, Mina, Dr. Seward, Van Helsing, Holmwood, and Quincey Morris — vow to confront the vampire. Soon after the search begins, Van Helsing realizes that a dreadful change is taking place in Mina. One horrific night, Van Helsing and Seward break into Mina's room, find Jonathan unconscious, and Mina being forced to suck blood from a deep slash across Dracula's chest. In a twinkling, Dracula disappears.

They finally discover and destroy all of the fifty boxes except one, which they learn has been sent by ship back to Dracula's castle. Using various methods, including the hypnosis of Mina, they follow Dracula all the way to the Borgo Pass in Transylvania, where they find the last remaining box being transported to Castle Dracula by a group of gypsies. They overcome the gypsies, throw the box to the ground, tear open its lid, and discover the body of the Count. With a huge thrust, Jonathan cuts off the vampire's head, while Morris drives his knife into the Count's heart. The Count himself crumbles into dust, and Quincey Morris, having been wounded by the gypsies in an attempt to retrieve the box, dies of a mortal wound, and so the novel ends.

-Cliff Note (Duh)

The scariest part of the whole book, for me, was probably when everyone found out that Mina was turning into a vampire. Everyone found out because the caught Dracula feeding her his own blood. I seriously wasn't to barf at this point, and then cry and I probably winced and shook my head around this time as well. :] It was sort of a big deal for me. I liked Mina. Otherwise, the whole novel felt more like a scary mystery than a horror. Not because it had a who-done-it feel, but because everyone was trying to figure out how he did it so they could stop him. I like the almost, puzzle like mentality I had to have to try and figure it out. And this will probably be the only "vampire" themed novel I will ever give five stars to. In the end good vanquishes evil. And that truly is why I love it so much.