Random Reads: Friends in High Places and One Call Away
I haven't done a RR post in a long time, but I hope to post more. I've been reading in spurts. I'll devour books left and right for a while...and then come to a screeching halt. It comes and goes as I have time and decent reading material.
Since I buy a lot of books in thrift shops, I often stumble across books and end up being very surprised. Sometimes it's a bad surprise, sometimes it's a good surprise. Friends in High Places by Marne Davis Kellogg was definitely a good surprise. Now, even if I had come across this book in the thrift store, I would haven't given it a second glance. Total chic lit, for sure. However, my mother-in-law passed it on to me and I trust her judgement. I wasn't disappointed! There's not much depth here, and there's a bit of language, but it's a fun, zippy, read with lots of vivid descriptions of the high life. Lots and lots of fun! If you need a little escape then this is the book for you!
Kick Keswick is a super-classy, reformed jewel thief who gets dragged back to her former place of employment where she finds she needs to replace some of the jewels she'd once stolen. Plus, she needs to figure out who's trying to close down the auction house she used to love so much. She gets drawn into a high-profile mystery and resolves to solve the case. She has exciting adventures and makes a few unexpected friends along the way. There are lots of fun tidbits in this book regarding Kick's designer wardrobe and jewels, her delectable meals and wines, and travels.
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Quick, interesting, fun read.[/caption]
Another good surprise was One Call Away by Brenda Warner. I happened to see this book on an end cap at B&N one day. I sneered at it, but since I had some time to kill I picked it up, anyway. And I was totally drawn in. I got about a third of the way into the book before I had to put it down. I told myself I'd put it on my wishlist and then ended up forgetting about it. I ran across it again - where else - in the thrift store! I scooped it and finished it in just two sittings.
Loved. It.
Brenda Warner is the wife of former NFL player Kurt Warner. You fellow St. Louisans no doubt remember him! He led the Rams to the Superbowl and was MVP for at least two years before moving on to the Giants and then the Cardinals. I was in my early 20s when the Warners lived in STL, and certainly no football fan, but I do remember watching the Superbowl. I also remember thinking that his wife look harsh and old. Not very kind, I admit. Other than that, and the fact that they were Christians, I knew nothing about her. This book tells about her life growing up in Iowa, her dream job, her first marriage, her disabled son, her divorce, being a single mom, going back to school to start a new vocation, how a natural disaster changed her life forever, how she met and married Kurt, their time in STL and beyond. Oh, not to mention two miscarriages, raising 7 kids, and surgery and recovery. Whew. Oh, several big moves, too. There. I think that covers it.
I find Brenda's honesty refreshing. She doesn't try to portray herself as perfect. She's honest about her mistakes. She doesn't sugar coat them, but she doesn't wallow in them, either. I love how, challenge after challenge, and trial after trial, she picks up and moves on. She does the best with what she has even when what she has isn't much! There are some reviews that feel Brenda was sorry enough about her mistakes. Whatever that means. She seems to live by the phrase, "when you know better, do better" but that's not good enough for some people. The don't see that as...repentant enough...sorry enough...Christian enough. I disagree. I felt like this book was a perfect example of how God uses even us imperfect people to his glory. If you want an easy read and want to be inspired, then One Call Away is a great choice.
Since I buy a lot of books in thrift shops, I often stumble across books and end up being very surprised. Sometimes it's a bad surprise, sometimes it's a good surprise. Friends in High Places by Marne Davis Kellogg was definitely a good surprise. Now, even if I had come across this book in the thrift store, I would haven't given it a second glance. Total chic lit, for sure. However, my mother-in-law passed it on to me and I trust her judgement. I wasn't disappointed! There's not much depth here, and there's a bit of language, but it's a fun, zippy, read with lots of vivid descriptions of the high life. Lots and lots of fun! If you need a little escape then this is the book for you!
Kick Keswick is a super-classy, reformed jewel thief who gets dragged back to her former place of employment where she finds she needs to replace some of the jewels she'd once stolen. Plus, she needs to figure out who's trying to close down the auction house she used to love so much. She gets drawn into a high-profile mystery and resolves to solve the case. She has exciting adventures and makes a few unexpected friends along the way. There are lots of fun tidbits in this book regarding Kick's designer wardrobe and jewels, her delectable meals and wines, and travels.
[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300"]
Quick, interesting, fun read.[/caption]Another good surprise was One Call Away by Brenda Warner. I happened to see this book on an end cap at B&N one day. I sneered at it, but since I had some time to kill I picked it up, anyway. And I was totally drawn in. I got about a third of the way into the book before I had to put it down. I told myself I'd put it on my wishlist and then ended up forgetting about it. I ran across it again - where else - in the thrift store! I scooped it and finished it in just two sittings.
Loved. It.
Brenda Warner is the wife of former NFL player Kurt Warner. You fellow St. Louisans no doubt remember him! He led the Rams to the Superbowl and was MVP for at least two years before moving on to the Giants and then the Cardinals. I was in my early 20s when the Warners lived in STL, and certainly no football fan, but I do remember watching the Superbowl. I also remember thinking that his wife look harsh and old. Not very kind, I admit. Other than that, and the fact that they were Christians, I knew nothing about her. This book tells about her life growing up in Iowa, her dream job, her first marriage, her disabled son, her divorce, being a single mom, going back to school to start a new vocation, how a natural disaster changed her life forever, how she met and married Kurt, their time in STL and beyond. Oh, not to mention two miscarriages, raising 7 kids, and surgery and recovery. Whew. Oh, several big moves, too. There. I think that covers it.
I find Brenda's honesty refreshing. She doesn't try to portray herself as perfect. She's honest about her mistakes. She doesn't sugar coat them, but she doesn't wallow in them, either. I love how, challenge after challenge, and trial after trial, she picks up and moves on. She does the best with what she has even when what she has isn't much! There are some reviews that feel Brenda was sorry enough about her mistakes. Whatever that means. She seems to live by the phrase, "when you know better, do better" but that's not good enough for some people. The don't see that as...repentant enough...sorry enough...Christian enough. I disagree. I felt like this book was a perfect example of how God uses even us imperfect people to his glory. If you want an easy read and want to be inspired, then One Call Away is a great choice.
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