Book Review: Arson by Estevan Vega

From the back cover:

Arson Gable feels like a freak.  He can create fire.  He never asked for it. He never wanted it.  But he can’t shut it off.
 
Before now, three things were true:  he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone.  But when a strange girl—who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin—moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he’s never had: purpose.  Using what he fears most about himself, Arson must face his consuming past and confront the nightmare that is his present as he walks the fine line between boy and monster.  Dark, moody, and breathtakingly relevant, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated boy with unimaginable ability, is sure to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.

*  *  *

Over the years I’ve enjoyed stories that include characters with special abilities or powers.  Their discovery of their talent/curse, their mastery of it and how they choose to use it can make for some interesting moments. Jumper, Harry Potter, X-Men and The Time Traveler’s Wife, some of my favorites, are examples of this.

In Estevan Vega’s Arson, we not only find a young man who is struggling with his fire-making ability, but also other characters who are wrestling with issues of their own.  Arson’s new next-door neighbors are a former minister’s family which seems to be coming apart at the seams. The Phoenix family (interesting choice of name, by the way) includes Emery, a young lady who’s about Arson’s age. She struggles with tough issues of her own, hiding behind a mysterious mask. In addition, Emery’s parents are having serious problems in their marriage, which makes Emery’s home life almost unbearable.

Arson’s home life isn’t much better.  With his mother dead and father gone, his grandmother has always been his guardian.  In her advanced age, she is beginning to lose her mind and is abusive to Arson, whom she resents and taunts frequently.

Arson and Emery meet and form a bond as two teens who are struggling in similar ways. Neither fit within their societies, and neither has a pleasant home to which they can return each night.  It’s more than just a romantic connection—it’s like they’re partners in a wartime bunker.  Their relationship grows and changes over the course of the book, and at its conclusion, they are completely open with each other, mask-free in literal and emotional ways.

Estevan Vega is a young and very talented writer.  His words reached far beyond his age, and he captured feelings in his characters that I myself have felt as a 39 year-old woman who’s been married for 15 years.  How he enunciated those thoughts and emotions as such a young man is amazing to me.  There were times when I could feel the tears welling up at the recognition of some of the painful issues that these characters were dealing with.  He is certainly insightful, and he knows how to put that on the page.

Having said all of this, I was glad when Arson was over.  At times it was difficult to read, as it continuously deals with dark and serious issues. It is certainly no fairy tale, although I didn’t expect it to be.  I think I needed a few more moments of levity, sprinkled throughout the difficult scenes, which came in almost every chapter.   There were a few incidents of abuse that were a bit disturbing to me, although those moments were consistent with the characters.  It all just wore me down after a while.  I suppose you could conclude from this that Estevan’s writing engaged me enough to bring me to a place of emotional fatigue.

So I would conclude that on one level, I enjoyed Vega’s work and admire him very much.  But on another, I feel worn out and do not have the need to read any sequels that may come forth later.  That is unless I learn that some moments of mirth are just occasionally sprinkled in to douse the flames of pain and suffering.  Arson definitely has a certain audience, and while I’m not in it, I do hope this leads to much success for Estevan Vega.

**GIVEAWAY CONTEST CLOSED**

If you'd like to win my copy of Estevan Vega's Arson, here are the contest rules:

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, May 8th, 2010.
• Open to U.S. addresses only.
• Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
• I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 9th for your mailing information.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message! (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries

Please make note of all your bonus entries in your comment(s).  You may post separate comments or a single large comment.  Here are your bonus entry options:

• Follow The Calico Critic by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just let me know you're following).
• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter (Please tell me your @UserName).
• Tweet about this book's giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this blog posting in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and May 8th at 11:59pm EST.  For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username.

That's it!  Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to all the entrants!

Next stop on the Arson blog tour:  The Moody Teenager

Book Review: The Darcy Cousins by Monica Fairview

*          *          *

From the back cover:


Dispatched from America to England under a cloud of scandal, Mr. Darcy’s incorrigible American cousin Clarissa Darcy manages to provoke Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Mr. Collins, and the parishioners of Hunsford all in one morning!

And there are more surprises in store for that bastion of tradition, Rosings Park, when the family gathers for their annual Easter visit.  Georgiana Darcy, generally a shy model of propriety, decides to take a few lessons from her unconventional cousin, to the delight of a neighboring gentleman.  Anne de Bourgh, encouraged to escape her “keeper” Mrs. Jenkinson, simply…vanishes.  But the trouble really starts when Clarissa and Georgiana both set out to win the heart of the same young man…

*          *          *

The Darcy Cousins is Monica Fairview’s follow-up novel to the previous The Other Mr. Darcy, reviewed here on The Calico Critic last fall.  Once again we return to Regency England and the social circles that include the Darcy family of Pride and Prejudice.  Robert and Caroline Darcy are again a part of the story, but theirs is not the main focus this time.  In this installment, another American cousin, Clarissa Darcy joins Georgiana Darcy in their first Seasons as young ladies available for courtship.  Multiple dashing (and not so dashing) suitors cross their paths, which makes things interesting throughout the novel.  Anne de Bourgh also has her own story line, making some decisions that will affect the entire family in one way or another.

As in Fairview’s previous novel, the language of The Darcy Cousins holds the flavor of the original Pride and Prejudice, but is a bit more readable.  The main characters are once again navigating the intricacies of Regency life, searching for love, security and general happiness for all.  While a few moments of villainy emerge, most of the plot is driven by relational issues, misunderstandings and mystery.  There are several moments that are reminiscent of other Austen works, such as Sense and Sensibility or Emma.  It’s all very well within the style that Jane Austen exhibited in her storytelling.

While The Other Mr. Darcy remains my favorite of the two novels, I enjoyed The Darcy Cousins very much.  The characters were enjoyable, the plot always kept a reasonable pace and I enjoyed seeing how the characters grew as people.  In particular, by the story’s conclusion 18 year-old Georgiana is no longer the same 15 year-old girl we met in Pride and Prejudice.  She indeed comes into her own as a woman.

Although The Darcy Cousins is a sequel to The Other Mr. Darcy, I didn’t feel that it was necessary to read Book 1 in order to appreciate Book 2.  Knowing the first installment was helpful and aided me in understanding a few plot points, but readers beginning with this title will have no trouble immersing themselves in the tale.  Cousins can for the most part stand on its own.

I’m so pleased that Monica’s previous novel was successful enough to bring about The Darcy Cousins.  Due to some other literary obligations, I had to put Cousins down and return to it several times before completion.  However, each time that I returned, I was always glad to dive back into the story, as it was consistently an enjoyable read.  I certainly hope that Ms. Fairview goes on to bring us another chapter in the life of the Darcy family.

This title was provided to me by Sourcebooks.  No obligation other than an honest review was required.

**Giveaway Contest**

CONTEST NOW CLOSED

Would you like to have my ARC of The Darcy Cousins?  The cover is a little travel-worn, as I frequently took it with me about town, enjoying any pages that I could squeeze into my busy schedule.  If you’d like to enter my giveaway to win this copy, here are the instructions:

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, May 8th
• Open to U.S. addresses only.
• Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
• I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 9th for your mailing information.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message! (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries

Please make note of all your bonus entries in your comment(s).  You may post separate comments or a single large comment.  Here are your bonus entry options:

• Follow The Calico Critic by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just let me know you're following).
• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter (Please tell me your @UserName).
• Tweet about this book's giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this blog posting in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and May 8th at 11:59pm EST.  For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username.

That's it!  Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to all the entrants!

Wednesday Contest Report - April 28th

Every Wednesday I begin a new post, detailing contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere for that week. This week I was so busy, I never got around to posting anything on Wednesday!  So as I type this, it's actually May 3rd, because I have at least one fabulous giveaway to share with you:

My Overstuffed Bookshelf is hosting a really nice Mother's Day giveaway.  Amy has a fabulous give basket full of books, bath goodies and more!  Happy Mother's Day to us moms, and head on over to enter before May 8th.  Here's the link:

http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com/2010/05/huge-mothers-day-contest.html

Guest Post - Discovering Emery Lee

*          *          *

Today The Calico Critic welcomes our first guest blogger, writer Emery Lee.  She is the author of The Highest Stakes, a novel recently published by Sourcebooks and reviewed here on April 20th.  Stakes was very enjoyable, and I'm honored that Emery would share her thoughts with us.  If you're interested in winning my ARC of The Highest Stakes, the review and contest rules are posted here.

And now, a few words from Emery Lee:

*          *          *

If anyone had told me just four years ago that I would one day become a writer, incredible as it sounds, I would have thought them deranged. How could a person without a creative bone in her body write a novel?

After a fifteen year career as a medical imaging professional, I had risen to a comfortable and fairly lucrative middle management position, having followed the logical progression for my chosen career… but something indefinable was missing.  I felt stifled and restless.

I was, to be blunt, …bored.

I began reading  - voraciously, something I hadn’t done since the bookworm days of my youth. 

I found myself pouring back over the novels of my old favorites: Georgette Heyer, Jean Plaidy, Daphne Dumaurier, William Makepiece Thackeray, Charles Dickens, James Fennimore Cooper, and the Bronte sisters. I discovered new favorites in historical romance: Lisa Kleypas, Diane Gaston, Mary Balogh, Madeleine Hunter, and Elizaeth Hoyt.

Incredibly, somewhere within this diverse mix of old and new, history and romance, I discovered Emery Lee.

It is said that one should write what one knows, but I will add that one should also write one’s passions. In my case, this would converge horses, history and romance. These three elements at first glance appear very much at odds, but the combination, to me, was irresistible.

A story began churning around in my head, breaking my concentration during the day, and invading my dreams at night. The premise was a pre-revolutionary love story with dark and dramatic elements, much like a Tale of Two Cities, or Last of the Mohicans.

It would involve characters torn between two worlds. It would also involve horses, racehorses. But where did the horses come from?

My research led me to the discovery that nearly all Thoroughbred racehorses (even to this day) can trace their blood back to the sire lines of Herod, Matchem, and Eclipse.  These unparalleled champion sires in turn sprung from three distinct progenitor stallions that were all imported to England from the Middle East in the late 17th and early 18th centuries.

Bingo! Why not start at the beginning? 

My intended storyline suddenly shifted backward an entire generation to mid-18th century England in the reign of George II, when the horse that would become known as the English Thoroughbred was first created.

Although THE HIGHEST STAKES is undoubtedly a love story, the characters and the horses- the progeny of the Byerley Turk, and the Darley and Godolphin Arabians, are seamlessly woven into the plot that drives the story.

The pure sire lines are as important in the stables as they are in the noble houses; and just as the success of Sir Garfield’s racing stud is elemental to his schemes of social advancement, a racing wager becomes the only pathway Devington sees to win his true love, Charlotte.

The rest, as they say...is history.

*          *          *

For more information on The Highest Stakes and Emery Lee, visit her website or Facebook page.

Book Review and Giveaway: The Bridegrooms by Allison Pittman

The Bridegrooms by Allison Pittman is a family tale set in late 1890’s Ohio.  The story revolves around elder sister Vada Allenhouse, who takes on the mothering role for her three younger sisters when their mother leaves the family for another man.  Their father, “Doc” Allenhouse, struggles with much pain with his wife’s vanishing and does his best to rear his daughters to be upstanding women.

The novel covers nine days in the lives of Vada and her sisters, mostly chronicling some abrupt turns that happen in their love lives.  Vada faces temptations and decisions regarding her long term relationship with Garrison Walker, a local musician and lawyer.  Hazel yearns to be married and is developing a long-distance relationship with a glorified pen pal.  Althea, who hasn’t spoken since the day her mother left 17 years ago, pines away for a man who remains speechless for most of the story.  Lisette, the flirtatious youngest daughter who has always had more than one boy on her trail, finally seems to be taking a firm interest in one young man. In the lives of these women, changes and decisions are made that could change things forever.

I found The Bridegrooms to be a pleasant Christian novel with four interesting love stories intertwined within the Allenhouse family.  Their lives are not cookie cutter perfect and they struggle with many of the same things that we struggle with today.  Loneliness, temptation, loss, insecurity and deception were themes that came up often.  The girls frequently turned to their relationships with God for strength and guidance.  The story ambles its way along until a pleasant conclusion.

I can’t find much to criticize in Pittman’s book.  The characters were real and recognizable, the romantic story lines were enticing yet chaste, and the fate of these characters kept me guessing.  At the same time, I find this book to be fairly unremarkable, forgettable and almost vanilla-like.  I’m not sure how I would change it, but Bridegrooms left me feeling blasé and a little bored.  It’s a pleasant enough story, but I doubt I’ll remember much of it a year from now.

Some of you may disagree with my assessment of this novel, so I’d like to offer up my copy for one of my readers to try.  It’s a quick read, and maybe your experience with it will prove to be different than mine.  If you’d like to win my copy, here’s what to do:

**CONTEST RULES**

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, May1st
• Open to U.S. addresses only.
• Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
• I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 2nd for your mailing information.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message! (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries

Please make note of all your bonus entries in your comment(s).  You may post separate comments or a single large comment.  Here are your bonus entry options:

• Follow The Calico Critic by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just let me know you're following).
• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter (Please tell me your @UserName).
• Tweet about this book's giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this blog posting in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and May 1st at 11:59pm EST.  For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username.

That's it!  Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to all the entrants!

This title was provided to me by  WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group's Blogging for Books program. No obligation other than an honest review was required.

Wednesday Contest Report - April 21st

*                    *                    *

Every Wednesday I begin a new post, detailing contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere for that week.  Some of these might appeal to you as well.  Check them out!

• Liz at Cleverly Inked is holding a HUGE birthday giveaway.  Stop by her blog before May 13th and enter to win-- She has a massive amount of books, swag, etc. to be given away.  Don't miss out!  Here's the link:

http://cleverlyinked.blogspot.com/2010/04/birthday-phenomenon.html

 

There are a number of sites that are giving away a copy of Stephanie Meyer's The Host.  Here are the links and deadlines:

• Chrissy's World of Books, with a deadline of May 4th.  Here's the link:

http://chrissysworldofbooks.blogspot.com/2010/04/stephenie-meyers-host-book-giveaway.html

• Review from Here, with a deadline of May 17th.  Here's the link:  

http://reviewfromhere.com/?p=763

• Kristi at Books and Needlepoint, with a deadline of May 4th.  Here's the link:

http://booksandneedlepoint.blogspot.com/2010/04/host-by-stephanie-meyer-giveaway.html

Emery Lee's The Highest Stakes: Review & Giveaway

From the back cover:

Charlotte Wallace is orphaned and alone until a sympathetic stable boy takes her under his wing and teaches her everything about thoroughbred racing.  In the process, the two discover in each other a love destined to be thwarted at every turn…

Robert Devington has tried everything to persuade Charlotte’s uncle to allow them to marry. Then an ill-fated friendship, a scandal in the making, and one desperate act of folly rob them of their love and his livelihood…

Dead set on retribution, all Robert’s hopes are hanging on one small horse—his only chance to reclaim his land, his dignity, and his love, against all odds…

*          *          *

As a child, my love for books took root when I discovered Walter Farley’s Black Stallion series. I bought all the books that were in print at that time, reading some of them more than once. They transported me to a world about which I knew very little, and their exciting tales thrilled me.

Years later as an adult, I discovered the works of Jane Austen and the many Austen-themed novels that are now so prevalent. Again, I was transported to another unfamiliar world, albeit a more romantic one than that of thoroughbred racing (or so I thought).

With Emery Lee’s The Highest Stakes, I find my two beloved genres almost perfectly mixed. Set in the mid-18th century (slightly predating Austen), Stakes tells of Charlotte Wallace and Robert Devington, two soul mates bound by their love of horses and each other. Like Austen’s works, they abide in a genteel society, encumbered by rules and norms that they themselves frequently would rather eschew.

Along with friends, kin and enemies, Charlotte and Robert embark on an epic journey spanning several years and more than one continent. Horseracing and breeding comprise much of the story, as does English military history. As such, there are several exciting races, duels and accounts of risky wagers gone bad. Unrequited love and misunderstanding provide many moments of tension, and an interesting twist at the novel’s conclusion provides a satisfying end.

I enjoyed Emery Lee’s debut novel very much. While written in a more modern style and a touch saucier than Jane Austen, Lee’s writing had a similar feel, excitement and tension. And like my beloved Walter Farley books, Stakes held many moments of horseracing drama. It felt very epic in scope, a grand tale with many venues and enriching characters.

I only have a couple of quibbles. First, those enriching characters. It may have been due to Lee’s writing style or just my weakness as a reader, but some of the secondary and minor characters frequently became jumbled in my mind. Second, I felt that Lee could have spent just a touch less time recounting English war history. As her bibliography evidences, she has certainly done her homework in regard to this topic, as well as all of the equine-related issues.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable read. I hope Lee’s work is noticed by those in Hollywood, as this movie fan would love to see this on the big screen, with possibly Natalie Portman as Charlotte. Emery’s story and characters are compelling, and it was a treat to be a part of their world. The Highest Stakes is no gamble—Be taken in, and enjoy!

*          *          *

Giveaway Contest!

If you'd like to win my ARC of The Highest Stakes, here's what to do:

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, May1st
• Open to U.S. addresses only.
• Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
• I will compile the entries and the winners will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 2nd for your mailing information.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message! (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries

Please make note of all your bonus entries in your comment(s).  You may post separate comments or a single large comment.  Here are your bonus entry options:

• Follow the blog by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just let me know you're following).
• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter (Please tell me your @UserName).
• Tweet about this book's giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this blog posting in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and May 1st at 11:59pm EST.  For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username. 

That's it!  Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to all the entrants!

My complimentary copy was given by Sourcebooks, with no obligation other than an honest review.

Quick Giveaway Notice: Princess of Glass

Hello Cinderella fans!  There isn't much time left, but if you'd like to enter to win Princess of Glass by Jessica Day George, Two and a Half Book Lovers is holding a giveaway.  Deadline is April 20th, so hurry on over!

Here's the link:

http://twoandahalfbooklovers.blogspot.com/2010/04/princess-of-glass-by-jessica-day-george.html

New Venture - MovieRoomReviews.com

*           *           *

While The Calico Critic will remain the main area for my reviews, I've been given the opportunity to write for another website.  Please stop by MovieRoomReviews.com for the latest in movie & DVD reviews.  My first post is a DVD review of Crazy Heart, starring Jeff Bridges.  You can also visit my Film/DVD Reviews page here on The Calico Critic to see a listing of not only my regular critiques, but also the ones posted on Movie Room Reviews.

I hope these resources are helpful as you make choices in entertainment.  Thanks for your support!

Book Review and Giveaways: The Twilight Gospel by Dave Roberts

Welcome to the next stop on Litfuse Publicity's blog tour of Dave Roberts' The Twilight Gospel: The Spiritual Roots of Stephenie Meyer's Vampire Saga.

For the past several years, I’ve been intrigued with the popularity of the Twilight saga.  It certainly has rivaled the hysteria seen with Harry Potter, though this audience seems to be skewed slightly older and with a higher percentage of females.

Although I’m a fan of the Potter series, I didn’t feel highly compelled to read Stephenie Meyer’s books.  I don’t prefer vampire stories.  In fact, the subject of one of my lectures in a college speechmaking class was Bram Stoker’s Dracula and why my fellow Wheaton students should choose to not patronize the 1992 film.

There’s much debate in the Christian community about whether believers should be reading Twilight and its subsequent sequels.  Vampire mythology has always been rooted in death, darkness and occultist practices.  Just this month I read in Home Life magazine, “[we] encourage readers to think about why so many Christian women are drawn to the Twilight series when the plots and characters depicted are obviously contrary to biblical principles.” (April 2010)

As a reviewer for Litfuse Publicity, I was pleased to receive Dave Roberts’ book, The Twilight Gospel.  I wanted to get his perspective on this topic, especially as a Christian writer, speaker and minister. Dave is the author of the best-selling The Toronto Blessing and Red Moon Rising. He is a former editor of Christianity magazine and won awards for his work on Renewal magazine. He is a church pastor and conference director for three major annual conferences on worship, children's ministry, and women's ministry.

In order to prepare for Roberts’ book, I thought it would be appropriate to at least read Twilight, the first book in Stephenie Meyer’s series.  This would give me at least a working knowledge of Roberts’ topic, if not a completely informed one.  Because this book has been reviewed dozens of times over the years, I don’t feel the need to post a full critique.  I will say that I found Twilight entertaining, not as sinister as some have made it out to be, yet not for children or young teens.

After reading Twilight I dove into Roberts’ The Twilight Gospel.  He begins with short plot synopses of all the books in the series, plus the unpublished draft of Midnight Sun, available on Stephenie Meyer’s website.  Roberts then goes on to explain his motivations and goals for the book, showing that he has no desire to turn his back on popular culture.  Unlike many who criticize popular culture, he doesn’t write from a place of fear, but “from a place of wisdom”, wanting “to help people understand and respond and make good choices.” (p.22)

Chapter 2 is centered mostly on the history behind vampires and other “undead.”   I found this to be very helpful in understanding the bigger picture, as I’d either forgotten these themes or had never explored them.  The mythology behind these characters and stories has a long tradition, with varying degrees of darkness and occultism.  Fortunately for the readers of Twilight, there are no coffin-shaped beds, sinister gothic clothes or repellent crosses.

The rest of the book explores several themes that are of interest to Mr. Roberts.  He addresses the seemingly heavy emphasis on materialism and physical beauty seen in the lives of the vampires. We see how sexuality and occultist issues are handled, the “theology” of Meyer’s vampires, free will and pacifism. He concludes with a few personal words of wisdom, and a few book recommendations of his own.

My thoughts:  At 155 pages, The Twilight Gospel was a quick read and held my attention well.  I felt a little out of sorts at times, as Roberts refers to plot elements in books 2-4, which I haven’t read.  If you want to avoid plot spoilers, read this book after you’ve finished the series.  However, if this isn’t a concern because you’re reading this to be an informed parent or reader, do read The Twilight Gospel first.

While I don’t disagree with Mr. Roberts’ assertion that materialism and beauty are given a lot of emphasis in the Twilight series, these elements didn’t concern me.  Those factors are a part of the fantastical tale—to complain about them would be like complaining about Snow White being the “Fairest of Them All” or Cinderella having the most beautiful gown at the ball. However, if you are easily influenced by these issues, then he has some good points to consider.

Although the sexual tension in Twilight was much chaster than I’ve seen in other romantic stories, Roberts tells us that it takes a more predominant role in the subsequent books.  I admired Meyer’s choice to have abstinence to be the rule rather than the exception in Twilight, but Roberts writes that things become spicier as the series goes on.

Overall I enjoyed The Twilight Gospel.  I didn’t feel the urgency that Roberts feels in some of his topics, but I can understand where he’s coming from.  I wouldn’t call this the definitive Christian response to Twilight, but it certainly raises some interesting ideas, ones that are worth considering as these stories continue in popularity, both in print and on screen.  I’m glad that he was able to show us how good, admirable themes are found in Meyer’s books.  He also presented some negative aspects that should be considered.  I agree with him: “Enjoy, but do not believe.”

*          *          *

For our readers, a double contest!

CONTEST #1: If you'd like to win one of two copies of The Twilight Gospel, here's what to do:

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, April 24th
• Open to U.S. addresses only.
• Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
• Two copies will be available to win.  Winner #1 will get a new copy directly from Litfuse, and Winner #2 will receive my review copy.
• I will compile the entries and the winners will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 25th for your mailing information.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message! (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• If you're Winner #1, I will forward your mailing information on to Amy at Litfuse, and she will be responsible for mailing the book to you. 
• If you're Winner #2, I will be responsible for mailing my review copy to you.
• More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries
Please make note of all your bonus entries in your comment(s).  You may post separate comments or a single large comment.  Here are your bonus entry options:

• Comment on this:  What is your experience with the Twilight saga?  Have you read all the books, seen all the movies or consider yourself a "Twihard"?  Or are you more like me, new to the books or just considering the series?
• Follow the blog by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just let me know you're following).
• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter (Please tell me your @UserName).
• Tweet about this book's giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this blog posting in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and April 24th at 11:59pm EST.  For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username. These tweets are separate from the ones for Contest #2 below.
  
  

That's it for Contest #1!  Good luck to all the entrants!

CONTEST #2: $50 Amazon.com gift card from Litfuse!

Want another contest?  Litfuse is giving away a $50 Amazon.com gift card.  Here are the instructions:

Twitter members,  TWEET this to be entered for a chance to win a $50 gift card to Amazon.com:

Understand cultural and Biblical insights surrounding The Twilight Saga by reading #TheTwilightGospel. Please RT! http://ow.ly/1vjc6

You must use the hashtag #thetwilightgospel to be entered.  These tweets are separate from any tweeting done for Contest #1. You do not have to return here and offer the URL of your tweet, as Litfuse will be tracking them with the hashtag.  Of course, sharing that you tweeted for Contest #2 will make me smile! ;)

Good luck to all, and thanks for stopping by!

Coming Soon:  Book review and giveaway of Sandra Gravett's From Twilight to Breaking Dawn: Religious Themes in the Twilight Saga (Chalice Press)

FTC Disclaimer:  All books have been provided to me free of charge to review, with no other expectations, obligations or other compensation.

Giveaway: 3 Advanced Readers Editions of Ted Bell's "The Time Pirate"

*          *          *

Thanks to Sarah at St. Martin's press, I'm giving away three advanced readers editions of Ted Bell's latest novel, The Time Pirate.  This is the second book in his Nick of Time series, and its release date is April 13th.  Believe it or not, I haven't yet read any of Ted's work, but I'm really excited about this series.  I just picked up a copy of Nick of Time (Book 1) from my local library, and I can't wait to dive into it.  These books remind me of my father's Tom Swift books and the amazing artwork is reminiscent of the Peter and the Starcatchers series.  If you get a chance, go visit the official website.  It's pretty amazing.

 In case you're unfamiliar with Nick McIver, here's a plot summary from Amazon.com:

A thrilling sequel to the instant New York Times bestseller Nick of Time, in which the young time traveler Nick McIver must prove his courage once more, on two fronts: in World War Two–era England, where Nazis have invaded his homeland, and in America during the Revolution, where Nick stands shoulder to shoulder with General George Washington

It’s 1940 and the Nazis are invading Nick’s beloved home, the British Channel Islands. So Nick takes to the skies: He has discovered an old World War One fighter plane in an abandoned barn. Determined to learn to fly, he is soon risking life and limb to photograph armed German minelayers and patrol boats, and executing incredibly perilous bombing raids over Nazi airfields by night.

Meanwhile, the evil pirate, Captain Billy Blood, still desperate to acquire Nick’s time machine, returns to Greybeard Island. He kidnaps Nick’s sister, Kate, and transports her back to Port Royal, Jamaica, in the year 1781, leaving Nick a message that if he wants to see her alive again, he must come to Jamaica and make an even swap: Kate’s life in exchange for Nick’s wondrous time machine—that’s Blood’s bargain.

Having traveled back in time, Nick discovers a plot that might change the outcome of the American Revolution. Disguised as an eighteenth-century cabin boy, he travels to the Caribbean and confronts his old enemy, who has assembled the world’s largest pirate armada.

From the battlefields of the New World to the brutal German occupation of English soil in World War Two, The Time Pirate has Nick McIver fighting once again to defend his country, the outcome of two wars resting on his young shoulders.

*          *          *

If you'd like to be one of the three winners to snag a copy of The Time Pirate, here are the contest rules:

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, April 24th
• Open to U.S. addresses only.
• Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered here.
• I will compile the entries and the winners will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 25th.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message! (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• Once I have your mailing information, I will forward your address to Sarah at St. Martin's Press.  She will then be responsible for sending you the prize.
• More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries
Please make note of all your bonus entries in your comment(s).  You may post separate comments or a single large comment.  Here are your bonus entry options:

• Like many of you, I love time travel stories like The Time Pirate.  What is your favorite time travel book or movie?
• Follow the blog by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just let me know you're following).
• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter (Please tell me your @UserName).
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this contest in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and April 24th at 11:59pm EST.  For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username.
  
  

That's it!  Thanks for stopping by, and good luck to all the entrants!

Barnes & Noble Contest Winner

*          *          *

What a great birthday month it's been in our house-- I had a wonderful 39th birthday on the 1st, an amazing 15th anniversary date on the 2nd, we celebrated my husband's 40th birthday on the 3rd, my son Colson turned 5 on the 9th, and yesterday we held his birthday party.  What a whirlwind!

In conjunction with all of this, The Calico Critic held a contest to give away $20 to spend at Barnes & Noble.  We've had a great turnout and gained a few followers in the process.  To celebrate our now 150+ followers, I'm going to throw a little somethin' extra into the prize mailing for our winner.  Thanks for all your well wishes and entries!

And now, without further ado, the winner of the Barnes & Noble contest is:

Katy F. of  A Few More Pages!!

Congratulations, Katy!  It was your extra tweet on April 3rd that was the winning entry.  That was entry number 59, which came up in the Random.org drawing.  Click here to see the drawing's pic.  

Come back soon to The Calico Critic for our next giveaway!  

We'll be offering up three copies of Ted Bell's The Time Pirate from St. Martin's Press.

Wednesday Contest Report - April 7th

*                    *                    *

Every Wednesday I begin a new post, detailing contests that I'm entering around the blogosphere for that week.  Some of these might appeal to you as well.  Check them out!

• Tiger at All-Consuming Books is giving away a copy of the graphic novel version of Twilight.  Deadline is April 19th.  Here's the link:

http://tigersallconsumingbooks.blogspot.com/search/label/Tiger%20Turn-Arounds

• Darlene over at Peeking Between the Pages has three copies of Stephenie Meyer's The Host to give away.  She'll draw the winners on May 2nd.  Here's the link:

http://peekingbetweenthepages.blogspot.com/2010/04/giveaway-3-copies-of-host-by-stephenie.html

• Mary at Book Hounds is giving away The Host, too!  Deadline is April 27th.  Here's the link:

http://maryinhb.blogspot.com/2010/04/giveaway-host-by-stephanie-meyer.html

• Movie Room Reviews is giving away the ENTIRE Stargate: Atlantis series on DVD.  Deadline is April 10th at 8pm EST.  Here's the (kinda long) link:

http://www.movieroomreviews.com/stargate-atlantis-the-complete-series-giftset-dvd-giveaway?utm_source=getresponse&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Movie+Room+Reviews+News+-+April+10th+Site+Redesign+edition!&utm_campaign=movieroomreviews

• Linna at 21 Pages is hosting a SUPER giveaway for the month of April.  Lots of good stuff is being given away.  Deadline is May 1st.  Here's the link: 

http://21pages.x10hosting.com/?p=203

Book Review - Good Game: Christianity and the Culture of Sports by Shirl James Hoffman

*           *           *

As Professor Emeritus of Exercise and Sport Science at UNC-Greensboro, Executive Director of the American Kinesiology Association, son of a Baptist minister and seasoned athlete, Shirl James Hoffman is more than qualified to address the issue of Christianity’s relationship to sport.  In his work Good Game: Christianity and the Culture of Sports, he addresses many sides of this issue.

Good Game begins with a thorough introduction, drawing a picture of how sports and faith have been interwoven for centuries, referring to Frank Deford’s hybrid term “Sportianity”.  Hoffman’s goal for the book is “to examine how Christians, and especially evangelicals, have managed to live in these two diametrically opposed worlds, even to the point of harnessing one to serve the other.”(p.11)

The first half of the book is devoted mostly to the history of sport’s relationship with Christianity, beginning with “the dawn of a faith that made its appearance in the context of sports-crazed societies.”  Hoffman discusses this in great detail, not only giving a history lesson but also a study in religious sociology as well.  I found this portion to be very interesting and educational.  Sports and the Church have been inextricably linked for millennia.

The second half of Good Game contains Hoffman’s commentary on the current state of Sportianity.  Some of the issues he addresses are:

• Evangelism in sport, including chaplains
• How much should a Christian develop a “killer instinct” as an athlete?
• Hyper-valuing and under-valuing God’s creation, our bodies
• Prayer’s role in sport
• Christian athletes as role models
• The value of championships and awards

It is in this second half that my interest took a turn.  I went from being a student, learning about the history of the early Christian church, to a contemporary reader, seeing the perspective of a fellow believer.  The number of notes I had been taking began to increase dramatically and my attitude toward the subject became more passionate than I’d expected.

I am not and never have been athletic.  In fact, for most of my life I’ve battled my weight and my lack of desire to move my body and take care of the temple the Lord has given me.  I’m frequently ambivalent about sports in general. I’ve never watched a hockey game, nor did I attend any basketball games as a student at Wake Forest University.  Like Hoffman, I believe that sports centered on fighting are unnecessary.  I watch the Super Bowl for the commercials.  When I married my sport-loving husband, my father rejoiced—he finally had someone in the family with whom he could discuss sports (because my brother and I certainly wouldn’t)!

Having said this, I must say I was surprised at how much I disagreed with much of Hoffman’s statements regarding current church practices and beliefs regarding sports and the care of our bodies.  He spends quite a few pages taking a condescending view toward practices with which he has little empathy.  Hoffman takes a derogatory tone toward evangelical sports programs like Fellowship of Christian Athletes (an organization that was a blessing to me as a high school student, even though I wasn’t an athlete) and fitness centers at large church facilities.  He paints with a very broad brush, assuming that most Christian programs linked with sports or fitness are a waste of time, resources and true opportunities to minister to the world.  In his view, participants in Christian weight-loss programs are merely masking vanity with their Christian faith.

I agree that some church programs may overdo their emphasis on sports, such as becoming aggressively competitive in inter-church softball leagues or rescheduling the church calendar around the airing of the Super Bowl.  Not every member in my own First Place 4 Health program has joined with 100% pure motives.  However, my beef comes in Hoffman’s seemingly categorical and sweeping chastisement of the majority of sports and fitness within church life.  I also take issue with his condescending tone towards programs that have been a blessing to millions and have brought many to Christ who would have otherwise been hesitant to walk into a church. 

When Hoffman does offer some suggestions for change, sometimes they seem unrealistic if not completely ridiculous. Any sport that could possibly risk any bodily injury should be avoided, such as basketball, baseball, soccer or tennis.  Tennis(p.183)!  And at the same time, we should always be using that time of activity to minister to others in (what sees as) non-indulgent ways.  So he suggests jogging as an appropriate choice (while he mentions the long-term damage done by running on page 183), and that we should deliver meals to shut-ins during our time out jogging.  I don’t know about you, but when I deliver a meal to someone in need (which I have done many times, independent of any exercise routine), the meal is decent enough that it would never survive a trip on a jogging route!  Hoffman’s jogging illustration may have been intended to be tongue-in-cheek; his other suggestions reveal his disdain for anything resembling a fitness routine, like an aerobics class or even a scripture-quoting walking group. 

While Hoffman is highly critical of the contemporary church, his love of sport is evident.  He just seems to be frustrated with how the Body of Christ is interacting with and over-valuing it.  His mocking tones frequently made me angry, but I believe his intentions are good.  He has a very utopian vision of how sports should be, and I commend him for that attitude.  This book would be excellent for any collegiate sports science class, particularly at Christian institutions, if for no other reason than to inspire thoughtful debate.  We as Christians really should examine the importance we place on sports and/or the care of our bodies.  There’s nothing wrong with these practices in and of themselves, provided they don’t supersede our devotion to Christ.  I appreciate what Mr. Hoffman was trying to present in this expansive work—He truly had me considering some important issues.  What I didn’t appreciate were the words and attitude that seemed to be delivered from a very high horse.




This review is linked with:

This title was provided for me to review by The B&B Media Group, with no other compensation or obligation implied.

Happy Birthday, and the Gift Is For You-- No Foolin'!

Barnes and Noble Contest Now Closed: Winner is Katy F.!

*          *          *

I've seen other bloggers do this in the past and I thought it was a great idea--  Gift giving on my birthday, only YOU get the gift!  It's also the 15th anniversary of the day I married Jonathan Hartness, my best friend and Soul Mate.  I'm so grateful that we were brought together all those years ago in college, and I'm privileged to be his wife.  And to top it off, it's going to be his 40th BIRTHDAY on Saturday!!  So we're both 39 for two days, and then he leaps forward into middle-agedom.  I'm right behind you, honey!

A comment on the wedding photo:  We were both 24 that day, with Jonathan turning 25 two days later.  The ceremony was held at Myers Park Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC.  My parents were married there in 1968.  We had the same florist, baker, processional music, recessional, organist and cake design.  Both mom and I were married on our 24th birthdays, and my brother @DonovanWoodside later married on his 26th birthday on 8/25/2000.  We love carrying on traditions!  I would've worn my mother's beautiful gown, but it had not been preserved and was falling apart.  Instead, I found a $1,100 gown in New Jersey that I liked - but found it on the rack as a bridal salon sample dress in Biloxi, MS for $450!!  It was a beautiful spring day, the best way we could have begun our lives together.

In addition to celebrating these wonderful milestones, I'm celebrating 6 months of The Calico Critic. Without getting too personal, the last year was really difficult.  I began this blog in October of 2009, and it's brought me so much joy.  I've loved meeting so many interesting people from around the world, both on my blog, on others' sites, Facebook and Twitter.  We've exchanged ideas, debated a bit, shared books, cried on virtual shoulders and tweeted about anything and everything. This "hobby" has brought quite a bit of sunshine (and more than a few books!) into my life.

So to thank you loyal readers (and newbies who discover this site), I'm offering $20 in credit at Barnes & Noble (two $10 GCs).  Here's how to enter - read carefully!

• Leave a comment below; this counts as your entry.
• Entries accepted until 11:59pm on Saturday, April 10th
• Open to U.S. addresses only.
• Make sure at least one posted comment includes your email address. If you'd rather not have your email posted here, you may contact me directly to give me that information after you've entered.
• I will compile the entries and the winner will be chosen by Random.org, so even one entry can make you a winner!
• Should you win, I will contact you on Sunday the 11th.  Please take measures to ensure that my email will make it past your spam filters, lest you miss my message! (CalicoCritic@gmail.com) You'll have 72 hours to respond before I pick another winner.
• More information on the giveaway policies can be found on the Contact / Policies page.

Bonus Entries (Please make note of your bonus entries in your comment(s)):

• Follow the blog by clicking on the Google "Follow" button on my sidebar (old or new followers both get the bonus entry, just let me know you're following).
• Follow me (@LHartness) on Twitter (Please tell me your @UserName).
• Tweet about this giveaway on Twitter.com; be sure to use an URL linking back to this contest in your tweet. You may do this as frequently as every 8 hours between now and April 10th at 11:59pm EST.  For each tweet, please come back and post the direct URL link to that specific tweet, not just your @Username.
  
  

So that's it!  Thanks again for stopping by and HAPPY APRIL FOOLS DAY!!

 Our anniversary date location- Ocean Grill in Vero Beach
We had the best seat in the house, the corner table facing out toward the beach.