Confessions of a Completely (In)Sane Mother by Kersten Campbell

Confessions of a Completely (In)sane Mother


Rating:
This book is highly entertaining and indeed humorous. My only problem with the book came from my own discomfort at the realization of how much I had in common with the author. A couple of the chapters caused me extreme embarrassment and shame at my own lack of organizational skills. I laughed out loud over the zucchini chapter having tried to put several gargantuan zucchini "up for adoption" when I was a child. I wanted to cry with the author over the depth and breadth of disasters than can occur in one household (I probably have her beat in this category). I did enjoy this book thoroughly. I would not hesitate to share or recommend it to any mother who feels overwhelmed and overworked. To know that I am not alone is invaluable. The best consequence of reading this book was that I was finally motivated to clean out my church bag!

Description:
(Taken from the front Cover) Welcome to the world of Kersten Campbell! She's a mother of 5 children, a devoted wife, and an extremely enthusiastic homemaker. As she strives to have sanity in her crazy household, Campbell infuses her humor in every situation that she comes up against. Whether it's her two-year-old creating a mushroom cloud of powdered milk in the kitchen or trying to sleep in a tent with five children on a campout, Campbell works with her family to overcome their problems and find laughter in all situations.

The Door Within by Wayne Thomas Batson

The Door Within

Rating:
This is the first book in a Trilogy and it’s an okay book. The one angel rating is not at all for content. This is a Christian fantasy book and is written to be clean and teach good values. I just didn’t think it was that great of a story. It almost seemed like it was trying to be little like Narnia without copying anything. I just felt that it wasn’t the best mesh of theology and fantasy. In this book Aidan Thomas finds some ancient scrolls that tell of another world full of knights and kings. Aidan travels to this other world and becomes the twelfth knight as part of an elite fighting force. He must choose whether he is willing to put all on the line to serve the one true King.

The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy

The Scarlett Pimpernel (The MacMillan Classics, 76864)

Rating:
Normally, I don’t particularly like historical fiction, but this book is an exception. I have seen a few movie versions of this story and so when I read the book, I had some expectations. The actual events were different than I expected, but the story was great. I really like this because I like the idea of someone secretly rescuing those who can no longer help themselves. This story takes place during the French Revolution, when men, women, and children were taken to the guillotine daily for committing no other crime than being born a part of the aristocracy. The Scarlett Pimpernel is a secretive and mysterious person who is committed to saving as many innocents as possible. However, he is hunted on every side and a when the two sides of his life conflict because of the woman he loves, it will take all his tricks to survive.

The Once and Future King by T.H. White

The Once and Future King

Rating:
This book is the classic story of King Arthur and Camelot. I really enjoyed the story and the book. I have always liked the story of King Arthur and although the book is really sad in many ways, it is also a great story about overcoming the evils around us. The reason the rating is so low is because later in the story there is a lot of discussion about adultery with Lancelot and Guinevere. The book is split into four parts. The first is my favorite since it covers the story of the sword in the stone off of which Disney based the classic movie of the same name. Each of the other parts covers a different stage of Arthur’s life. This is a classic piece of literature and is a great read, but may not be the best for younger readers.

The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum

The Bourne Identity

Rating:
This book is very exciting as well as a very interesting read. I really like the story, but the problem is that there is also a considerable amount of swearing and violence in the book. For this reason, it gets the low rating. It is definitely an adult action book. In the story, a man is pulled from the water. He has been shot several times and is barely alive. He doesn’t remember who he is but he is equipped with a wide range of “particular” abilities. Things about him point to a life full of assassins and danger. Now, he is in a race to discover who he is and stay alive.

The Return of the King by J.R.R. Tolkein

The Return of the King

Rating:
This is the climax of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. I thought it was a spectacular ending to the story and I loved every part of it. I especially liked the part after the major confrontation when the hobbits returned home. It added a lot to the story and was very enjoyable. In this book, Aragorn and his companions are preparing for battle with the forces of Mordor. At the same time Frodo and Sam are painstakingly making their way across Mordor to Mount Doom. The armies of Gondor and Rohan must do all they can to give Frodo the chance to destroy the ring or all hope of defeating Sauron will be lost. There is fighting and some reference to drinking.

The Two Towers by J.R.R. Tolkein

The Two Towers

Rating:
This book continues the story which began in The Fellowship of the Ring. It is its own book but it doesn’t really contain a stand alone story. I loved this just as much as the first book. One major difference is that the fellowship created in the first book is dissolved and the story is split into two different sections, one for Frodo and Sam, and the other for the rest of the companions. I thought it was interesting to see what was going on at the same time in different parts of the world in this book. In this book, Frodo and Sam go on their own to try and reach Mordor, while the other companions go in search of the other hobbits. Unfortunately, not only must the companions face the servants of Sauron, but a once trusted ally has turned against them as well. Once again there is fighting and some reference to drinking.

The Fellowship of the Ring

Rating:
This is the first part of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It is one of the greatest works of fantasy ever written. I was pretty young when I first read this book and I remember having some trouble with all of the descriptive writing, but even then the story was too good for me to put the book down. I have since read it many times and still love it just as much. I recommend this book to everyone. This book contains the story of Bilbo’s nephew Frodo. On Bilbo’s earlier journey, he found a magic ring that can turn him invisible. Little did he know that it was actually a ring of power created by the great enemy in order to control the world. Frodo must join with others from all the races of middle earth on a journey to destroy the ring before its master can regain it. In regards to content, there is a war and they talk about drinking.

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkein

The Hobbit

Rating:
This is definitely a piece of classic literature. I first read this book when I was twelve and I read it again and again throughout the years. I think that this book is what hooked me into liking the fantasy genre. I absolutely love the story and way that Tolkien has created such a rich world. It’s an excellent book whose story can be enjoyed by anyone. In this book, a hobbit, named Bilbo Baggins is caught up in an adventure to recover stolen dragon gold. Although reluctant, Bilbo proves many times over that a small stature can hide great courage and resourcefulness. (The book does contain some violence)

Beacon Street Girls by Annie Bryant

Rating:
This tween series is well written, and actually kind of funny. I enjoyed reading the books and would reccomend them to pre-teens. Some of the books do deal with issues such as divorce, and the enviroment, but they do so in a lighthearted kind of way.

1 - Worst Enemies/Best Friends (Beacon Street Girls #1) (Beacon Street Girls) - Charlotte is new at Abigail Adams Junior High, and after an embarrassing moment in the cafeteria, all the girls at school hat her.
2 - Bad News/Good News (Beacon Street Girls #2) (Beacon Street Girls) - Isabel moves into town and becomes friends with Maeve and Charlotte. But there is just one problem, Avery and Katani want nothing to do with her.
3 - Letters From The Heart (Beacon Street Girls #3) (Beacon Street Girls) - Maeve's parents are separating, and her dad is moving out? Will her life ever be normal again?
4 - Out of Bounds (Beacon Street Girls) - The school talent show is almost cancelled when the auditorium starts leaking.
5 - Promises, Promises (Beacon Street Girls #5) (Beacon Street Girls) - Avery and Katani both decide to run for class president. Will their friendship survive the competition?
6 - Lake Rescue (Beacon Street Girls, No. 6) - The girls take a class trip to Lake Rescue, New Hampshire.
7 - Freaked Out (Beacon Street Girls #7) (Beacon Street Girls) - Julie Faber, a popular girl in school, throws a huge birthday party, but doesn't invite everyone in the BSG.
8 - Lucky Charm (Beacon Street Girls #8) (Beacon Street Girls) - Marty is missing!
9 - Fashion Frenzy (Beacon Street Girls #9) (Beacon Street Girls) - Katani's cousin invites her to help with a real fashion show in NYC.
10 - Just Kidding (Beacon Street Girls #10) (Beacon Street Girls) - Isabel is caught up in the middle of a terrible gossip chain.
11 - Ghost Town (Beacon Street Girls #11) (Beacon Street Girls) - While traveling to a ranch in Montana, the BSG is separated during a violent snowstorm.
12 - Time's Up (Beacon Street Girls) - When Katani enters a young entrepaneur contest, she learns that she can't do everything alone.
13 - Green Algae and Bubble Gum Wars (Beacon Street Girls) - When a Bubble Gum Factory opens in town, Avery and Katani find themselves on a different side of an enviromental issue.


Super Specials
Isabel's Texas Two-Step (Beacon Street Girls) - Isabel travels to Texas for her sisters Quincenera, and finds herself in a lot of trouble.
Maeve on the Red Carpet (Beacon Street Girls) (Beacon Street Girls) - A real Hollywood Director is going to run a film camp at Maeve's dad's theater.
Freestyle with Avery (Beacon Street Girls) (Beacon Street Girls) - While visiting her dad, Avery competes in a snowboarding competition and makes an interesting new friend.
Charlotte in Paris (Beacon Street Girls) (Beacon Street Girls) - Charlotte visits her old friends in Paris.
Katani's Jamaican Holiday (Beacon Street Girls) -Katani goes to Jamaica to help her Grandma keep the family business alive.