Kaye, M.M - The Ordinary Princess

What can I say... I picked it up for a bit of fun.
Very fairytale style a down the line sequal to Sleeping Beauty.

Lucado, Max - Cure for the Common Life

The first half made me angry. The second I quite liked.

I'm not sure about how well his writing style gels with what I like to read. The actual content was good and I have yet to do the survey in the back. It makes sense. In some ways it was encouraging in others, simply frustrating.

Dahl, Roald - George's Marvellous Medicine

It was a last minute descision before going to sleep. A toss up between George's Marvellous Medicine, The Twits and Fantastic Mr. Fox. George won out for 'the first one'. It didn't take long to get through and still managed to have some of the magic it did when I was younger. I appreciate Roald Dahl's writing and for that short fun story you can't go past pretty much anything he's written.

Sachar, Louis - Holes

Fantastic read. It's a kids novel but pure genius.

Very clever. Nicely written. Won a stack of awards. Highly entertaining and touches on lots of important stuff ever so lightly.

Apparently they've even made a movie of it: screenplay by the author. I'm keen.

"If you take a bad boy and make him dig a hole every day in the hot sun, it will turn him into a good boy." Such is the reigning philosophy at Camp Green Lake, a juvenile detention facility where there is no lake, and there are no happy campers. In place of what used to be "the largest lake in Texas" is now a dry, flat, sunburned wasteland, pocked with countless identical holes dug by boys improving their character. Stanley Yelnats, of palindromic name and ill-fated pedigree, has landed at Camp Green Lake because it seemed a better option than jail. No matter that his conviction was all a case of mistaken identity, the Yelnats family has become accustomed to a long history of bad luck, thanks to their "no-good-dirty-rotten-pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather!" Despite his innocence, Stanley is quickly enmeshed in the Camp Green Lake routine: rising before dawn to dig a hole five feet deep and five feet in diameter; learning how to get along with the Lord of the Flies-styled pack of boys in Group D; and fearing the warden, who paints her fingernails with rattlesnake venom. But when Stanley realizes that the boys may not just be digging to build character--that in fact the warden is seeking something specific--the plot gets as thick as the irony.

It's a strange story, but strangely compelling and lovely too. Louis Sachar uses poker-faced understatement to create a bizarre but believable landscape--a place where Major Major Major Major of Catch-22 would feel right at home. But while there is humor and absurdity here, there is also a deep understanding of friendship and a searing compassion for society's underdogs. As Stanley unknowingly begins to fulfill his destiny--the dual plots coming together to reveal that fate has big plans in store--we can't help but cheer for the good guys, and all the Yelnats everywhere. (Ages 10 and older) --Brangien Davis" (review from Amazon)

James, Steven - Story

I did forget to put this up. I believe I got sidetracked. Exceptional book! I bought it on a whim and didn't realise quite what a find I'd made.

Very different way of apporoaching the Bible and the narrative that it is. Absolute gold. Covers a range of themes and doesn't sugar coat much - and oddly at the same time has some poetry through it (don't run away screaming) - it's quite bearable, quite good, quite candid.

Worth tracking down. If not. I'll force it into your hands (if I happen to know you) and make you read it.

stevenjames.net

Feldhahn, Shaunti & Jeff - For Men Only

Okay. I'm not a Man. But I've read the female version (For Women Only), infact I even own it. That got recommended by someone at Tabor. It was... interesting, although I'd have to go back and reread for a better idea. So I've been eyeing off the alternate version at Sam's house. Managed to borrow it and gave it the read in one hit test.

These books both acknowledge that they do make large assumptions about women/men based on their findings and I'm glad they do. Reading this was my 'test' for potentially how accurate the other book is. This one I can guage with personal experience (being female and all).

So, it's not perfect. Things so rarely are. But I was still intrigued by what was put forward (a lot of which I would pick) and impressed by their ability to name and describe some of the stuff I was only semi-conscious of. It is nice now and then to have that insight in to why you react/respond. I also found that in recognising some of what (some) guys don't understand the converse of understanding their differences was further emphasised despite it thoroughly not being about them.

So there you go. Now I'll just have to trial both copies on... some happy to oblige male. (I might have one in mind). It'll at least make for interesting discussion. Here's to slamming theories and generalisations into the dirt and to maybe even getting something out of it.

NB: Although they do write to couples (eg. boyfriend/girlfriend) and married couples - they more frequently write towards the married direction. This is something to be wary of. It depends on the individuals, how you treat it and what you clarify before shoving this at the person you spend lots of time thinking about. A little discrection advised.

btw.... I don't just read 'relationshipy' books - I just finish them quickly as they merit x amount of time and not so much more. The next up should be 'Story' by James someone. And I'm telling you it's brilliant! Warrants far more than a read in one sitting.