Silver Linings Playbook

Matthew Quick

Summary:

Meet Pat. Pat has a theory: his life is a movie produced by God. And his God-given mission is to become physically fit and emotionally literate, whereupon God will ensure a happy ending for him -- the return of his estranged wife Nikki. (It might not come as a surprise to learn that Pat has spent time in a mental health facility.) The problem is, Pat's now home, and everything feels off. No one will talk to him about Nikki; his beloved Philadelphia Eagles keep losing; he's being pursued by the deeply odd Tiffany; his new therapist seems to recommend adultery as a form of therapy. Plus, he's being hunted by Kenny G!

Plot:

This is a great story that keeps you interested throughout. It keeps you guessing, but never gets too complicated or hard to follow. It’s a simple story, but the author manages to turn it into something unforgettable and unique.

Characters:

The characters are the best part of this book, they are unique and interesting, yet still relatable. The main character, Pat, sees the world in a different and fascinating way. He’s an optimistic guy, who tries his best to be a good person, and except for some slight lapses succeeds. You definitely start rooting for him, and want him to be happy. The other big character, Tiffany, takes a little longer to be likable, since she’s pretty messed up, yet you start feeling sorry for her and rooting for her after you hear her story. Even though none of the characters are what you would call normal, they’re still relatable.

Who should read this:

(13+) Mainly for language. Tiffany especially curses in almost every sentence she speaks. Also the themes of this book are pretty mature, and, I think, would be lost on younger readers. If you like books that are deep and thought-provoking, yet easy to read I would definitely recommend this one.

My rating:

I really enjoyed this story, the author’s writing style is great, and I loved Pat’s perspective of the world. 4/5

Quote:

“Life is not a PG feel-good movie. Real life often ends badly. Literature tries to document this reality, while showing us it is still possible for us to endure nobly.”

As the Crow Flies

Jeffrey Archer

Summary:

Charlie Trumper’s earliest memory is of hearing his grandfather’s sales patter from behind his costermonger’s barrow, and when Grandpa Charlie dies, young Charlie wants nothing more than to follow in his footsteps-his burning ambition to own a shop that will sell everything: ‘The Biggest Barrow in the World’.

Charlie’s progress from the teeming streets of Whitechapel to the elegance of Chelsea Terrace is only a few miles as the crow flies.

But in Jeffrey Archer’s expert hands it becomes an epic journey through the triumphs and disasters of the century as Charlie follows a thread of love, ambition and revenge to fulfill the dream his grandfather inspired.

Plot:

This is a wonderful story of one man’s extraordinary journey to follow and achieve his dreams. It has many twists, turns, sad parts as well as humorous moments that make up Charlie’s life. Archer manages to capture the characters entire existence in one book without leaving too much out, yet not overdoing it. It keeps you guessing, and has a great ending.

Characters:

Archer uses a different tactic in this novel, creating memorable characters and making them more than just part of their story. Also we get to see things from most of the main character’s perspectives as well as a 3rd-person narrator. This is a very interesting technique that gives the reader great insight into the story as well as the characters.

Who should read this:

(13+) there are some sexual content and violence, but nothing extreme. This is a pretty long novel, but it’s not hard to read, although some people may find the size of the book a little daunting. If you enjoyed books like ‘Great Expectations’, that is also about a man’s life, but want something a little easier to read, you might like this one. It does get a little complicated at times, Archer isn’t known for simplicity, but it’s never overly hard to understand.

My rating:

This is probably my favourite Archer novel, perhaps because it was the first I read, or the interesting narratives from the different characters, or just the intriguing storyline...I don’t know. 5/5

Quote:

When Grandpa asked me what I wanted for my fifteenth birthday I replied without a moment’s hesitation, “My own barrow,” and added that I’d nearly saved enough to get one.

Hadassah: One Night with the King

Tommy Tenney

Summary:

Bestselling author Tommy Tenney expands the extraordinary story of Esther like no novelist has done before. Both a thriller and a Jewish woman's memoir, Hadassah takes readers to ancient Persia (now known as Iran), into the inner sanctum of the palace and back out into the war zones of battle and political intrigue. This gripping drama of a simple peasant girl chosen over many more qualified candidates to become Esther, Queen of Persia, captures the imagination and fires the emotions of men and women alike.

Plot:

This is an intriguing story, even for someone who knows the basics of it. It started off a little confusing, as there were two characters with the same name, but living in different times. It was a little hard to decide in what time-zone the story was being told, but it soon got easier as you started understanding what the author was doing. The story itself isn’t a new one, but based on the bible-book Esther. It had just enough historical content to make it authentic, but enough personal looks into the character’s thoughts & feelings to save it from being boring. The historical parts are also very well-written and exciting.

Characters:

It’s fascinating to see those well-known yet slightly vague characters come to life. While I don’t know how accurate the descriptions of these characters are, they are relatable, imperfect and yet they have a regal air about them that make them stand out.

Who should read this:

(16+) Mainly for very violent scenes, but also for quite a bit of sexual content (which is not extremely graphic, but implied and mentioned frequently throughout the book). If you enjoy historical, Christian fiction, this is definitely something I would recommend for you. This isn’t a light read, but it’s not hard.

My rating:

I really enjoyed this book. The violence was a little much for me, but I know it was necessary. The writing style was better than I expected and I wasn’t bored once...4/5

Quote:

I knew then that being chosen Queen was the only way my life – or his – would ever be made right. Beyond that, it was in YHWH’s hands.

The Best Book and Movie I Read/Watched in 2013

I saw the Thousander Club (another blog about books) did a post about the best books they read this year, and I decided I'll do the same. Only I'm going to try to choose one movie and one book. These may not have been published/released in 2013, but I read/watched them this year.

The Book:
Not a very easy decision. Thank goodness for goodreads, so I can see everything I've read! But my favorite book I read in 2013 is: Thr3e by Ted Dekker. As I was scrolling down my 'read' list I found myself looking for this book. It's kind of strange that my favorite should be a thriller, since I used to dislike them, but this book and the others by Dekker completely changed my opinion on that. Truly an eye-opener that I will definitely recommend and that changes your perspective on people completely.

The Movie:
Easiest decision ever, I've never loved a movie like I love this one: The Perks of Being a Wallflower. This movie is life-changing and every time I watch it it touches me and makes me feel so many emotions that I can't even describe. This is the first movie I can call my absolute favorite, and I'll always love it. You can also go read the post I have on my other blog about how this movie makes me feel...

The links are to my reviews of the book and the movie.

Also I based my choices on books/movies I watched/read for the first time this year and reviewed, not ones I've already read before I started blogging, or that I read for the second time this year.