Join My Book Club

I moved to California after going to first grade in Taiwan. The transition to a foreign country was hard and scary although I don't remember too many details. The memories I do have are still quite vivid though. The memories come in emotional bites. Like I remembered I felt scared when my two classmates harassed me because I was different. Or the joy and triumph I felt the first time I read an English book and I understood every word in it. I still remember the children's book was about apples. :)

When I was in elementary school and much better at English, I read--a lot. I loved reading. I read Beverly Cleary and was well aquainted with Ramona and Ralph. I went on mysteries with Nancy Drew. I read classics and most of the Newbery Medal books and I loved Shel Silverstein's poems. And... I admit I read the Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High too.

From junior high to college, I took a long hiatus from reading for pleasure. Actually, no. In high school, I still read, but mostly nonfiction and mostly have to do with Christian living.

But since I have been in Taiwan, I pick up reading again. And I love it! I want to recommend some books I just read and not just enjoyed them but am changing because of them.

1. The Shack
Fiction written by William P. Young
www.theshackbook.com
The tagline is something like "when tragedy meets eternity". I won't tell you about the plot but friends, can I just tell you what God has done in me through reading this book? God has set me free from a lot of misconceptions I didn't know I had of him. And I sense a new fresh awareness and the truth that Holy Spirit lives in me!

2. The Kite Runner
Man, was this a hard read! But I am so glad I did. Verses popped in my mind when I read this book actually. Verses about Jesus and how he willingly laid down his life for us. Jesus as the innocent lamb. Themes of sacrifice and redemption and how evil the human heart is. More thoughts about this book but don't want to spoil the plot for those that haven't read it yet. So talk to me in person or email me for more details. :)

3. Hadassah
By Tommy Tenny
I read a bit of God Chasers when I was in school. And I thought it was pretty cool. And I heard him share a few times at Harvest Rock in LA. God Chasers and his talks were all very good. But it's this book, Hadassah, that I learned the most from Tommy. I read it before my wedding and marriage to Campbell. And I thought it was so fitting that I did. Tommy weaved historical accounts into the story and gave us a better context for what took place in Esther's time. I cringed and teared up with Hadassah and shouted "Glory!" when God's faithfulness and sovereignty triumphed. But more than anything, Hadassah reminded me of what is true beauty in the eyes of the Lord. The secret is found in 1 Peter.


And now I am reading Khaled Hosseini's second book, A Thousand Splendid Suns. More book review later...