Off the Shelf: The Shack

The first thing I want to lay out there is that The Shack will not be for everyone.  It's a work of religious fiction that deals with some very heavy themes, and the page total is not an extremely high one for me (my average fun-reading book runs 300-500 pages), but this book is not an easy read. 

The Shack or The Shack: Where Tragedy Confronts Eternity
William P. Young
256 pages

The story being told is a tear-jerker of dealing with a horrible personal tragedy mixed with themes of Christianity and forgiveness (I think the book's religious basis could potentially cross religions, but the base values used in the book are Christian).  The themes being dealt with are not light or cheerful, and wrapping your head around some of the concepts, even as simple as they sound in hindsight and written in novel form, makes this book a relatively difficult read.

That being said, even while I cried through a lot of this novel, I found this book to be an extremely fantastic read.  Even if you view religion from a more schoolastic approach of study, I think you could find this book a really interesting read, and anyone going through a loss that is at all religious could really find this book helpful, as it tackles dealing with drastic loss and balancing that with the view that God is a loving, caring, forgiving power.

For those that find the book to be a little too hard to wrap your head around (I consider myself smarter than the average dodo, and there were parts I had to read and re-read to really come to grasp what was being said), The Shack was made into a film in 2017 that I have watched since reading the book.  It is extremely well done and parallels the book nicely, but I will say the book is the far more detailed and better of the two, but there is only so much that can be done in the length of time a movie allows.  But the movie does make the heavy themes easier to understand, and it is always nice that is stars some big names in it (Avatar's Sam Worth plays the lead, and Octavia Spencer from The Help and Hidden Figures plays another important role, while Tim McGraw plays a minor role and also functions as a narrator).

All that being said, I loved this book.  I picked it up blindly at Walmart in July, never having heard of it, as the only thing to remotely attract my attention.  After reading it, then re-reading it, I hunted down the movie, then re-read the book again.  I will admit that I cried, a lot, both reading and watching The Shack, and I know this book will be polarizing and have a list of people with zero interest in it after finding out that it's religious fiction, but I honestly loved the book, have it featured prominently on my bookshelf, and know I'll read it again.

Target-audience wise, while some teens may like the book, with the difficult themes, I really think this book is more for adults.  While I think that anyone could enjoy this book, even as just an interesting way to look at dealing with loss and forgiveness, I think those who are at least open to religion will accept this book's central themes more, but gender-wise, both men and women can definitely find worth in this book.

~*~

Off the Shelf: Dicey's Song

This one is an award-winning classic I originally remembered from my school days, but was actually excited to see again.

Dicey's Song
Cynthia Voigt
211 pages

Originally published in 1982 (before I was born), this cover I've shown is the copy I have, printed in 1987.  The most recent publication is from 2012, and is available on amazon in hardcover, paperback, and kindle, though it puts the pages at 256 versus the 211 of my copy.

This book is easy to read, but the subject matter can be a difficult.  Four children are adjusting to life under the new guardianship of their grandmother after their extremely ill mother ends up in a psychiatric hospital.  The book mainly centers around the new family dynamic and adjusting to life while dealing with the differences between what most would consider "normal" family and their own, as well as the struggle of dealing with their mother's health issues.  While mental illness is addressed more freely now days, it still carries a heavy stigma, and at the time of this book's original publishing, that stigma was even more heavily felt.

The book center's mainly on Dicey, settling in to her new life, dealing with her family, her school, and growing up a bit in this alternative family dynamic.  The writing flows smoothly, carrying the reader through home life, school, after school jobs, but also tackling some pretty heavy subject matter, especially towards the end of the book, as the family really has to focus on what is going on with Mama.

Honestly, I loved Dicey's Song since childhood, though I think it is because I found many parts of the book relatable, which is why I still read this book today.  It's a book that sticks with you.  You'll most likely find this book in the Young Adult's section, and I think that is where it belongs.  While some advanced readers or those with an interest in more serious, real-life-like subject matter will like it at a younger age, as I did, I honestly think those in the mid-teens and up will get the most of of this book.  When most people thing "young adult, teen book," they think happy endings, romance, or Twilight, and this is none of these things. I won't spoil the ending, but while things start to come together, this is not a book for those looking for a rosey happy ever after ending.

So, my conclusion?  This book, while featured on a female protagonist, is good for any gender to read, but this is not light, feel-good material, but thoughtful.  I think those with a more serious mein will get more out of the book, but that young adults to adults are the best to pick up and read this aware-winning classic.

Off the Shelf: The Jolly Postman

I was super-excited to be unpacking after moving and find this children's classic amongst my things, with all of the parts miraculously intact, considering this book is from the '80s and has been in my family since... at least early 1990s, through at least a dozen moves to different houses in three different states.

The Jolly Postman or Other People's Letters
Janet & Allan Ahlberg
32 pages

This book is a little different spin on fairy tales, with the postman delivering letters to such fairy tale classics as the three bears, the big bad wolf, Goldilocks, Cinderella, and the wicked witch.  At each step, there is something within each letter that can be pulled out and read, letting the audience actually see what kind of mail each is being sent.  The main book is done in rhyme, with illustrations, and each of the pieces of mail are unique to each recipient.

While definitely a children's book, I would say this is aimed mainly at elementary students, though I even enjoyed a nostalgic read-through as an adult, and some of the pieces of mail would need explaining.  The original tags on the book say for kindergarten and up, but I think that depends on the child involved... many won't have the attention span for some of the "mail" at that young of an age, and if you don't keep a close watch, the mail is sure to end up disappearing, as the envelopes are attached to the pages, but the contents are removable.

That being said, this book is good for any gender child.  The main story is easily read to the younger crowd, and the older ones will enjoy the mail, which includes advertisements and even legal documents.  I personally could see my 5-10 year old nephews getting excited about the story and some of the mail, but the aforementioned legal ones would probably bore them to tears or confuse them, but elementary kids probably make the best audience with child-at-heart adults behind those.  I will admit that I totally am keeping this book, and got excited to find out there are at least two more books, one a Christmas one that I am committed to buying.

Off the Shelf: Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man

Yeah, the title is a bit off-throwing, but I promise it's not anything x-rated.

Don't Stand Too Close to a Naked Man
Tim Allen
210 pages

Honestly, I don't actually know much about Tim Allen as a stand-up comic, but I grew up watching Home Improvement as a kid, and I've also seen his Last Man Standing, so I was intrigued as to what kind of book he would write.  Starting off, you have to keep in mind that this man is not a professional author.  If you're looking for a clean-written biography, look for something else.  This is more an autobiography mixed with a bit of diarrhea of the mind/keyboard.  While not overly long, the fact that he seems to be a bit of a stream-of-consciousness writer does tend to complicated the reading a bit, so I just took it slow.

However, he is a comic who uses real-life situations to find the funny, and it shows in his book.  While I can't say I agree with everything he has to say, he does give some interesting insight in the male mind, using comedy as an offensive/defensive tool, and he puts an interesting spin on it.  For instance, just in the intro, you'll get to see such interesting things as saying the main reason he finally got off his duff and wrote the book is that his publisher kidnapped his cat, and this wonderful quote:

"The truth is that writing is a challenge.  It's great to see your stuff in print.  I also desperately wanted to see the words "fart lighting" and "sack" on a page." ~ ... Naked Man, pg 4

This book is an interesting mix of male/female worldviews, autobiography, comedy, history, parenting, and growing-up.  It's not all in chronological or even subject-cluster order, so that can be off-putting to some readers, but the honesty and hilarious first-person view is great.  I would recommend this mostly for adults, mainly those into autobiographies, or those with any interest in Tim Allen at all.  Also, if you're looking for just a glimpse into a male mind (as a female, that was intriguing to me) and what puberty and awareness can be like, it's not bad.

Is the book for all audiences?  No.  I think males may get more out of this book than women, though I do think it opens an insightful door that makes it good for either gender, and this book is definitely better suited to adults, or maybe college-level young adults.  Do I think it was worth the read?  Yes.

Off the Shelf: Winter Wishes

I love me an anthology.  I think you really do get more bang for the buck, getting a selection of reading material grouped together on a central theme.  If one story isn't quite up your alley, other may well be.

This is a newer addition to my bookshelf - in fact, I just got it last week as a present while grocery shopping.  I love romance anthologies, as I feel they offer more, and they are normally more romance-oriented over adult themes than other members of the genre.

Winter Wishes
Christmas Kisses by Fern Michaels, 101 pages
Blue Moon Harbor by Susan Fox, 104 pages
Second Chance Christmas by Jules Bennett, 81 pages
Finding Colin by Leah Marie Brown, 98 pages

Book total: 399 pages (there are some blank pages and after words in there)

Each of these novellas is an easy read.  They are all relatively short, and each is different in it's own way.  The first has a quirky, creative heroine starting over fresh, the second are old lovers reunited, the third are people who originally met in hard circumstances being reintroduced in a different light, and the last is a woman fixated on the unattainable setting out to find it, but finding something new that may be a better fit.

Nice taglines, huh?  I'm proud to say those little summaries are my own.

While each of these shorts are similar in that they involve Christmas, they are all different, too.  Personally, I got the least enjoyment from Blue Moon Harbor, but that is, conversely, because it seems the most realistic to me.  In the heroine's shoes, I'd want to punch the male lead, which makes the fictional lead a better woman than I am... maybe a little too unrealistically so?  My favorite is a toss-up between lead author Fern Michael's addition and then Jules Bennett's Second Chance Christmas.  Of the two, Michael's is the more light-hearted read, and a little more traditional for a quick, neatly-tied romance offer, while Jules adds in a bit more weighty subject matter, dealing with loss and, of course, second chances.  I found Finding Colin enjoyable and different, both in that it is the only of the four stories to use first-person perspective, and that the heroine is relatably realistic in her quirks, if a bit, um, fan-girl-extreme for my tastes.

I was open about the fact I like sappy romances, and this is in that category.  I honestly love books like this, especially around Christmas time.  I can't explain why, I just do.  I've been looking for these at my local used book store, but haven't had much luck, so I was overjoyed to find one at the grocery store that I was allowed to splurge on for $5.99.  I won't completely gender-lock this one, as I know some men who read romances, but I do think it's geared more toward female audiences.  Anyone who wants romance without in-your-face adult themes and likes the holidays will get something from this book, with probably young-adults and up that are interested in the genre being the best audience for the collective work.

Hijacking the Blog for Off the Shelf!

Hi, my names is Amanda, and I'm hijacking Katie's blog.  Wait!  Wait!  Don't rebel yet - it's with permission.  She asked me to do some book reviews, as she knows I'm a hard-core reader, and I have a backlog to share with you.

My name is Amanda, Katie and I have been friends for more years than either of us wants to own to, but I feel like she is my sister.  I'm glad to do this for her, but I'm a bit of an easily-distracted scatterbrain, so I'm way behind.  I'm hoping to make it all up to her, though.

About me:

1) I like books.  A lot.  As a change from Katie, I prefer solid book form to an e-book, as I tend to multi-task on a computer a lot, and I also lose my place a lot easier when I'm reading from an Adobe-like file.  I love the feel of a book in my hands, new or used, and the ambience and smell of a library or a good used book store is amazing to me.

2) I own a menagerie.  Four cats, a moose disguised as a dog, about a dozen fish in two aquariums, a hamster, and now an axolotl.  It keeps me busy.

3) Since agreeing to do these reviews, I've bought a house, renovated, moved, and supported my fiance through the trials of getting his NREMT (he just completed this within the last month).  So I slacked off horribly, which left your book reviews in limbo, me being a bad friend to Katie, and more on her shoulders.  But I'm gonna try to change all that now.

4)  Back to books... I like to think my favorite genre is fantasy, but honestly, it's romance.  Now that I'm older, I can admit this, though I promise not to deluge with a bunch of torrid x-rated items.  Not really my thing, and I do have more varied tastes.  Just do not be surprised if some of the fantasy or other items have at least a tiny bit of romance somewhere in there... but I also have Katie's list, and a treasure trove of books from before I became Prince Charming obsessed to fall back on, so you're in for a variety.

Enough with excuses and introductions... It's nice to meet you all, I'll hopefully see you fairly regularly, and she hopefully won't kick me off her blog when she sees my taste in books.

Ciao, book lovers!