-
Book Review: Home Run by Travis Thrasher
Genre: Drama Publisher: David C. Cook Publication Date: March 1, 2013 Reviewed by Lori Twichell Baseball star Cory Brand has a perfect life. Or nearly perfect. As a star player in the big league, he seems to have everything someone could ask for in life. Fame. Talent. Wealth. What more could someone need? But behind the scenes, when the lights at the field are out and Cory’s on his own, his life is a far different story. Years spent running away from memories of an abusive and demanding father have left Cory as an alcoholic who battles heavy rage issues. Convinced he can keep going the way he has been…
-
Book Review: Chronicles of Downton Abbey
Genre: Non-Fiction Publisher: St. Martin’s Press Publication Date: November 13, 2012 The Great War has ended. Almost everyone made it home and the residents of Downtown are beginning to pick up the scattered pieces of life before the conflict. However, with war, many changes have come, and going back to the way it used to be is not nearly as simple as one might imagine. It comes as no surprise to many of you that I am a huge fan of Downtown Abbey. I loved the first book (check out my review here) so when I saw that there was another one scheduled to coincide with the new season, I wasted…
-
Book Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass
Reviewed by: Lori Twichell Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance Publisher: HarperTeen Publication Date: March 8, 2013 America Singer is hanging in there. In a nationwide reality television program, she’s vying with girls from all over the country to win the hand of the most eligible bachelor in the world; Prince Maxon. When she was first chosen (in the first book, The Selection) she really didn’t care. With a boyfriend at home, she was completely content to stick around for a while, earn some benefits for her family and her region, and then go home. She couldn’t have cared less whether she even met Prince Maxon or not. But things have definitely…
-
Review: Thomas Nelson’s Compact, Ultraslim Designer Bible
Holy Bible (Designer, compact ultraslim) Reviewed by: Lori Twichell Genre: Bible Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publication Date: October 2, 2012 This ultra-compact version of the Holy Bible is definitely something to behold. Covered in butter soft light purple leather, it’s held closed with a lavender satin ribbon that wraps around a button that looks like a peppermint. The verse from I Timothy 4:12 about not letting anyone despise you in your youth, it’s obvious that this Bible targets tweens and teens. Labeled as ultra-compact (so you know it’s slim and light) you would think that it would be bare bones scripture, but Thomas Nelson has packed an incredible amount of information into…
-
Review: Right Where I Belong by Krista McGee
Right Where I Belong by Krista McGee Reviewed by: Lori Twichell Genre: YA Publisher: Thomas Nelson Publication Date: December 11, 2012 Natalia has watched her father bounce from marriage to marriage during the course of her lifetime. It’s gotten so bad that she’s completely written off love herself. But when he announces that he’s divorcing his third wife, the only woman who has ever been even close to a real mother for her, Natalia is completely ready to give up on everything. Instead of staying with her father in Spain, where she’s grown up, Natalia decides that she’d like to go and live in the United States with her soon to be…
-
Review: A Cast of Stones by Patrick Carr
Cast of Stones by Patrick W. Carr Reviewed by: Lori Twichell Genre: Fantasy Publisher: Bethany House Publishers Publication Date: February 1, 2013 Errol Stone doesn’t really have an ideal life. In the small village of Callowford, he’s known as the town drunk. He gets kicked out of the local tavern on a regular basis and everyone in the village knows that if he gets any money, he’ll spend it on ale. So when an urgent message arrives for a hermit priest who lives in the hills, Errol isn’t exactly at the top of the list to deliver it. However, the church’s messenger needs it delivered quickly and Errol is the only one…