Archive for November, 2009

November 4, 2009

#67 – What Difference do it Make by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

DifferenceRead because: Thomas Nelson (the publisher) sent it to me to review.

Received from: Thomas Nelson.

Rating: 7 out of 10 (might have been higher had I read the first book — this is the second)

Synopsis: The more than four hundred thousand readers stirred by the story of Ron Hall and Denver Moore will resonate with the all new, stand-alone true stories of hope and healing offered in this intimate, authentic follow-up to the New York Times bestseller Same Kind of Different as Me. With new “Denverisms” and reflections from Denver on his personal dealings with homelessness and disrespect from others, additional insights from Ron on what we can learn from people not like us and from those dealing with a terminal illness, and the stories of readers who have been impacted by the book’s central themes, this inspirational reader will generate a host of new fans.

My review: I really wish that I’d read the first book, Same Kind of Different as Me, before I read this one. I have it coming to me from the library, so I’ll review it soon. This book says it’s standalone, but I really think I would have benefited from reading Same Kind first, just so I could have known the background of the three people What Difference focuses on — Ron, Denver, and Deborah. Half of the chapters of the book are written by Ron, and half by Denver. Both had a lot of interesting things to say on the subject of homelessness and Christians. There are also stories of people around the country who were inspired by the first book. There was even a woman from West Sacramento mentioned — her story hit very close to home. Needless to say, I really got a lot out of this book. It shifted my views of homeless people quite a bit, and it challenged me to think differently about the people I pass every day on the street. I don’t have enough space to quote all of the different passages that affected me, but this one that really stood out (it was written by Denver, in his own voice):

“Since I been visitin a lotta churches, I hear people talkin ’bout how, after readin our story, they felt “led” to help the homeless, to come alongside the down-and-out. But when it comes to helpin people that ain’t got much, God didn’t leave no room for feelin led. Jesus said God gon’ separate us based on what we did for folks that is hungry and thirsty, fells that is prisoners in jail and folks that ain’t got no clothes and no place to live. What you gon’ do when you get to heaven and you ain’t done none a’ that? Stand in front a’ God and tell Him, “I didn’t feel led”? You know what He gon’ say? He gon’ say, “You didn’t need to feel led ’cause I had done wrote it down in the Instruction Book.”

Hello conviction, I’m Cori.

(Finished 10/30/09)

November 4, 2009

#66 – Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by JK Rowling

PotterRead because: I liked it the first time.

Borrowed from: the Sacramento library

Rating: 8 out of 10

Synopsis: This sequel brings back the young wizard-in-training to face suspicious adults, hostile classmates, fretful ghosts, rambunctious spells, giant spiders, and even an avatar of Lord Voldemort, the evil sorcerer who killed his parents, while saving the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry from a deadly, mysterious menace. Ignoring a most peculiar warning, Harry kicks off his second year at Hogwarts after a dreadful summer with his hateful guardians, the Dursleys, and is instantly cast into a whirlwind of magical pranks and misadventures, culminating in a visit to the hidden cavern where his friend Ron’s little sister Ginny lies, barely alive, in a trap set by his worst enemy. Surrounded by a grand mix of wise and inept faculty, sneering or loyal peersplus an array of supernatural creatures including Nearly Headless Nick and a huge, serpentine basiliskHarry steadily rises to every challenge, and though he plays but one match of the gloriously chaotic field game Quidditch, he does get in plenty of magic and a bit of swordplay on his way to becoming a hero again.

My review:
Ah, the adventures of the young Harry Potter continue. Again, I listened on audio book and fell in love all over again with Jim Dale’s reading. He just brings everything to life. Also, he sounds exactly like Maggie Smith. Which is weird and awesome. This book is a little more intense than the first, especially toward the end. The characters are expanded more in this book, as are the growing mysteries surrounding Voldemort and Hogwarts. It’s was also really well-paced — unlike some of the others in the series, this one doesn’t really get bogged down in the middle (I’m talking to you, Deathly Hallows). Plus, we get to see more of Ginny. And I just adore her. (Finished 10/13/09)

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