EBN A Humorous or Satirical Book: The Only Pirate at the Party by Lindsey Stirling and Brooke S. Passey

Several of the books I had put on hold at the library came in this last week, which was good. I was worried I would have to start aimlessly hunting the library shelves for books to fill out the categories on my list.

YouTube is one of those things that I've gotten into via my siblings. YouTube was born when I started college and, other than short silly videos that made me laugh, I didn't think much of it. Nearly 10 years later, I see it has really developed into an interesting internet space with some pretty stellar creators (YouTubers). Lindsey Stirling is one of several channels I follow and subscribe to. I first saw a cover she did of Legend of Zelda music, and have enjoyed watching her creations grow and develop.

While reading this autobiography, I was surprised to find out that she and I are the same age and come from similar backgrounds. We are both LDS, her dad was also a teacher who wrote on the side, her mom worked in the school cafeteria while my mom worked in the school library. She and I also grew up in very frugal households. And we both went to church universities. I loved reading about how her life developed from a typical start to an extraordinary present.

I also really enjoyed her silly and slightly irreverent sense of humor. I often find LDS authors are so nervous about misrepresenting their religion that their genuine nature doesn't shine through. Stirling doesn't seem to suffer from that problem. She unashamedly states her standards and bears her testimony of God without stifling her vibrant personality.

The chapters and moments she talks about her struggle with anorexia were appropriately serious, but were also very heartening. I think almost all teenage girls at least flirt with the idea of extreme weight loss measures. I know I did, but it was a silly teenage thing that I never thought seriously about. True eating disorders are not something you choose to have or not, they are just something that develops in the brain, usually without the person recognizing it. Because of this, many people see it as incurable, but this phrasing is so discouraging. Like someone who suffers from clinical depression, or extreme addiction, the problem never does really go away. The thoughts and desires will always sit somewhere in the back of a persons mind because it is how that brain has been hardwired, but, as Stirling shows, it can be overcome. A person is made up of a body and a spirit, and that spirit is powerful.

EBN A Book Recommended to You by Someone You Just Met: The Linclon Hypothesis by Timothy Ballard

So I've joined a book club. I am really excited about this; I'll finally have people outside my family to talk analytically to about books. I haven't been part of a book club since college and have really missed it. Most of my excitement is coming from the chance to read books and have intriguing discussions about them, but a little part of me is just excited to have a little intellectually stimulating adult conversation. Don't get me wrong I love the adults in my day to day life (namely my husband), but I'm really craving some variety. Plus the combination of stay-at-home-mom and firefighter's wife doesn't automatically provide for a lot of time spent with grown-ups.

This book is written by an LDS author for an LDS audience. That being said, although I think anyone would find this book interesting, unless they had a basic knowledge of church history and Mormon doctrine, they would be a bit lost. The hypothesis, in a nutshell, is this: Partway into his presidency and the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln identified the covenant between God and the inhabitants of the United States. He recognized the countries need to repent of its sins (slavery and the violent oppression of minority groups). Once he and the Union saw this and sentiment changed, the tide of the war changed too.

According to The Book of Mormon, the American continent is a "promised land", meaning a place where God can establish his church and see it thrive. LDS people also believe that God influenced the founding of the United States. Within a promised land there is always a "covenant people". These people promise God that they will do his will and keep his commandments, and in return He will bless those people and the land with increased prosperity. Now, I fully believe this and accept it as truth, but did Abraham Lincoln? That's the theory.

The idea that America is an unique and blessed country is not new. Even before it was an independent nation, inhabitants felt like it was meant to be more than just another place to live. They felt like it was going to be a "light upon a hill" or an example to other nations and that God would make it so. When the Civil War broke out, it seemed like that status was would fail, but it didn't. Through the leadership of Abraham Lincoln and assistance from Heaven, the country was saved. It didn't happen though, until Lincoln and the nation changed their feelings about slavery and violent oppression.

While reading this book, which has a lot more detail then I could outline here, my mind kept thinking of the failings of the 13th and 14th amendments. Yes, slaves were freed and all citizens were given federal protection, but how long did it take before that protection was actually enforced. About a hundred years. I wasn't sure why God would grant forgiveness when the repentance was only halfway felt. I'm still thinking about it, but I have come to some conclusions.

I remember hearing somewhere that it doesn't matter how good or bad you are in comparison to other people; what matters is where your heart is and where it is heading, Just because I make mistakes and am often imperfect in my actions doesn't mean that I have no hope of eternal life and salvation. Heavenly Father knows my desires and as long as I am actively striving to be better and continually repenting and trying, it doesn't matter where along the path to perfection I am when I die. I just need to be heading the right direction. Why didn't God sweep the United States from off the earth during the Civil War? Because the change in Lincoln's heart and the heart of most of the North was a step in the right direction. It was far from perfect and not all citizens felt it, but it was still in the right direction. This gives me, at least, a tiny bit of hope for America today. The country might be pretty disgusting in many ways but there are still times when we make steps in the direction God would have us go. In a direction that supports this promised land in a way that allows His gospel to thrive and spread.  

EBN A Book with Music in It: The Day the Music Died by Ed Gorman

I seem to be doing okay with this challenge. I have a good sized list of books to read that can be applied to the various categories. About three of them are on hold at the library, but the rest I have actual copies (I raided my parent's library over the weekend). Now I just need to make sure I make the time to read all these books. I think I'll be fine, though I've got a couple of heavy duty bricks in that pile.

I really enjoyed this book; I didn't think much of it at first but by the end I really liked it. It takes place right after Buddy Holly's plane crashed, hence The Day the Music Died. It's a straight forward murder mystery with pretty natural feeling plot devices and an semi-unresolved but still satisfying ending. The characters were all terrible reprobates and charming (Judge Whitney was especially fun). The voice had a strange rhythm to it (reminiscent of those old smokey private I movies with all those stellar one liners). It took me a little time to jive with it, but once I did I really liked it.

So, amongst images that make me think of American Graffiti, and Mad Men, a really great story of death and change is told. The shift of life played out by the characters is a type for the shift that American culture underwent at about the same time. The Utopia that those who survived WWII created for themselves is becoming disillusioned and challenged and that brought about change (on all levels of life) and death. There is a small part where the main character is reveling in the beauty and happiness of life, in the vitality of youth and all its promise, and then in an instant he is filled with an overwhelming sadness. Life isn't all sunshine and daisies and never can be. Teenagers grow up and become adults with all the pain and confusion real life can produce. The "perfect" American family always has sorrow and difficulties. As prosperous as the economy can be, there will always be those who are oppressed by poverty. This story portrays the death of a dream that comes clear, for the main character any way, after the death of a rock and roll singer.

This story certainly wasn't without its faults. It could have been twice as long as it is, but it was still very good. And I appreciated the short chapters.

EBN Cozy Mystery: Hare Today, Dead Tomorrow by Cynthia Baxter

A cozy mystery. I wasn't exactly sure what this was supposed to be. What is it that's supposed to make a mystery cozy. Turns out, "cozies very rarely focus on sex, profanity or violence. The murders take place off stage, and are often relatively bloodless (e.g. poisoning), while sexual activity (if any) between characters is only ever gently implied and never directly addressed.The cozy mystery usually takes place in a small town or village. The small size of the setting makes it believable that all the suspects know each other. The amateur sleuth is usually a very likeable person who is able to get the community members to talk freely about each other. There is usually at least one very knowledgeable, nosy, yet reliable character in the book who is able to fill in all of the blanks, thus enabling the amateur sleuth to solve the case."

http://www.goodreads.com/genres/cozy-mystery

So basically the book version of all those TV crime shows people watch. I actually really enjoy those type of shows. NCIS, Bones, Murder She Wrote,and Castle are some of my absolute favorites. I didn't realize this till I had already started one of the books on the library's suggestions list for this category. If I had, I probably would have chosen a different book. Probably an Agatha Christy or maybe a Lee Child. Oh well...

So, this wasn't that bad of a book. Parts of it were actually kind of funny. I liked that the book could stand alone even though it was in the middle of a series. A lot of the story line seemed contrived and a bit forced though, pretty typical of this style of novel. This is something I would firmly place under the category of "beach reading"; something that doesn't require much concentration, can still entertain, but won't distract you from supervising your kids at the park too much. 

My personal feelings for the book are kind of lukewarm. I enjoyed it well enough (the S&M dungeon party was pretty funny) but I didn't really feel much of a connection to the main character. She was just very into her pets (she is a vet so it totally makes sense). Don't get me wrong, I like animals well enough, especially my own giant beast of a puppy, Jazz. The sight of animals just doesn't seem to elicit the same feelings in me that the character has. Maybe if I had picked a book where the sluth and I have a little more in common I would have liked it better. Maybe a stay-at-home-mom, or English professor, or maybe even a couple of old-lady gardeners (e.g. Rosemary and Thyme). I think I'll make that a goal of mine. To find a cozy mystery series with a main character I can fall in sync with.