Leah E. Good

December 20, 2013

Book Review: Silent Night

“I looked up this holiday of yours,” he said, seeming to ignore the question. “It was very enlightening.”

Jeffry Floyd is one of the few (maybe the only!) people who would spend Christmas Day dying instead of accepting an invitation to celebrate with the woman he’s falling in love with. Of course, Floyd isn’t technically a person and he doesn’t really understand Christmas. He does know that he’s tired of Joseph Adams asking him if he’s okay. The truth is, he isn’t. And he doesn’t know if he ever will be again.

Let me start by saying that if you haven’t read first six supervillain books, you shouldn’t start with this one. Go back to the beginning and work on catching up. Silent Night is a short story that fits right in with the longer books in the series. Not the most polished writing style, but the quirky, loveable characters make up for it. This story jumps around a lot, making it a bit hard to follow at times, but you’ll get the hang of it. 😉 It’s a nice follow up to book six, and a nice filler while fans wait for the next “season”.

Read my review of book 1, Supervillain of the Day.

P.S. Because of Christmas, there won’t be a Guess a Quote this Monday.

December 13, 2013

Book Review: The Ultimate Gift

When Theodore’s best friend dies, the aging lawyer is left in charge of Red’s will. The most unique aspect of the will sends Red’s great-nephew, Jason, on a year long journey of gifts. Not ordinary, material gifts, but gifts of discovery. After a pampered, privileged life, Jason finds himself struggling to learn the value of money, family, giving and more. He must learn each lesson to Theodore’s satisfaction in order to continue his great-uncle’s challenge and obtain The Ultimate Gift.

This book is not a Christmas story, but I wanted to read it and the topic seems fitting for Christmas. I started reading this book with two expectations, and (largely because of my expectations) ended up feeling let down. I anticipated a highly emotional story (this was because I’d seen the movie) and I expected a strong faith element (because of the Christian publisher). When none of the gifts included anything about God and the ending just barely mentioned Him, I felt dissatisfied. I mean, any gift that doesn’t include Him falls short of “ultimate” in my book. My expectations aside, the book was ok. More of a fictional essay than an actual story, though. The narrative never goes very deep. All tell and Despite being written for adults there is nothing objectionable. I’d be perfectly comfortable reading this with young children. So, if you’re looking for an easy read with good morals, you might enjoy this. And while you’re thinking about it, watch the movie. This is a rare case of the movie being better than the book (I love the movie)!

December 6, 2013

Book Review: The Bird’s Christmas Carol

“Mama, dear, I do think that we have kept Christ’s birthday this time just as He would like it. Don’t you?”

The whole Bird family (with the exception of the displaced baby of the family) knows something is special when the latest addition to the family (and the first girl) comes into the world on Christmas day. Mrs. Bird names the child Carol. Carol grows to become the angel of the Bird household, but she’s a frail angel. The day finally comes when Mrs. Bird must accept that summers in the country and expensive doctors cannot cure her little girl. But despite her illness, Carol enjoys life. And she takes special joy in her plans to give her Christmas away to the poor children who live next door.

This is a really short book, easily read in an hour or less. Carol, the main character, reminded me a lot of Little Lord Fauntleroy. She’s one of those flawless embodiments of virtue sometimes favored by old-fashioned writers. If that sort of thing turns you off, you probably won’t enjoy The Bird’s Christmas Carol. Personally, I felt the narrative was a bit boring in parts, but the story is so short it didn’t really matter. And the ending was poignant. One of those bitter sweet, glad but sad endings. If your a fan of classics this would be a perfect Christmas read. And it’s in public domain, so you can easily find it for free. Bonus!

I’m trying to do a Christmas theme for this month. I did it last year for December, though, so finding books is that much more challenging. Any suggestions?!

December 4, 2013

Let Us Follow

In this lukewarm world below,
In Thy footsteps steadfast go.
Give us grace to know Thy will.
Of Thy peace to drink our fill.

Give us minds that seek to know,
How You lead to fight the foe.
Steadfast walking on the path,
Drawing others from the wrath.

Fill our weakness with Thy might,
Never tire from the fight.
Chase the shadows with Thy light.
Keep us on the way that’s right.

November 29, 2013

Book Review: Successful Adoption

Almost everyone I spoke with had one of two replies: “I have thought about adopting, but I wouldn’t know where to start,” or “We would love to do that, but we’d never be able to afford it.” Those statements kept haunting me…I couldn’t help thinking about all the children who might never have a loving home and family just because the adoption process seemed too difficult and too costly.

Successful Adoption: A Guide for Christian Families is one of the best books out there for getting a foundation understanding of adoption. It covers private domestic adoption, foster adoption, and international adoption. It also talks about adopting older children versus younger children, transracial adoption, special-needs, changing family dynamics, how to handle the waiting periods, and how to handle post-adoption “stuff”. A whole chapter is devoted to the cost of adoption, where the money goes, and how to raise the funds.

One of my personal favorite parts of the book is the extensive appendix. Many of the links of the resource page on Teens Interceding for Orphans were located using Successful Adoption appendix.

Some people might wonder why I read and enjoyed this book. I’m not even nineteen yet. Much too young to adopt. (They’d find it even more confusing to know I purchased and read this book several years ago.) However, no one is too young to get educated. Having that knowledge could enable you to help someone who is adopting.

November 22, 2013November 22, 2013

Book Review: Red Thread Sisters

Wen and her best friend, Shu Ling, have a deal. Whoever gets adopted first will find a family for the one left behind. When Wen finds her forever family and travels to America, she discovers her promise will be difficult to keep. She is overwhelmed by the intensity of learning a new language, fearing her family might send her back, and feeling disloyal to Shu Ling as she begins to form new friendships. How can she get an American family to want Shu Ling before it’s too late. Time is running out. Soon Shu Ling will be too old to adopt. Can Wen keep her promise and find a family for her friend? Can she find security in her own American family?

When Goodreads recommended this book to me, I pounced. While it’s not difficult to find books about orphans in historical settings (Orphan Trains anyone?), contemporary orphan stories seem far and few between. This one was a gem. I devoured it in every spare moment and put it down wishing more authors would tackle similar stories. There’s no high action, life-threatening quests and adventures in this book. Instead it’s the slow blossoming of a heart and a devoted, desperate search for family. If you’re a girl who cares about orphans and adoption, you’ll enjoy this book.

Do you know of any other fictional contemporary orphan/adoption stories? Please tell me! I’d love to find more of them.

November 15, 2013November 22, 2013

Book Review: Orphan Justice

There are no easy answers except to walk away. But we dare not, because Jesus Himself said, “Suffer the little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven (Matt 19:14).”

Lots of people know about adoption and are at least aware of the fact that our world is home to tens of millions of orphans. The number of people acquainted with the social, moral, and political problems creating orphans is much smaller. This book seeks to solve that. However, it’s much more than a methodical fact book about these issues. It delves to the heart of problems like sex slavery, HIV/AIDS, abortion, poverty, foster care, and more. It’s heart wrenching, challenging, and thought provoking.

I grabbed this book for my kindle because I needed to read some more orphan care related books to fill up the slots for this months book review theme. I have to admit, I’m one of those people who often judges a book by its cover, and I didn’t find this cover too impressive. However, it was either free or 99 cents so why not. (It was on sale, it’s $9.99 for kindle now.) I’m so glad I read it. The second chapter dealt with human trafficking and had me sliding out of my bed at midnight to kneel and pray for these girls. If you’re a young teen I would recommend running it by your parents before you read this. If you’re an adult or older teen, though, just go get it. It’s a book that will shake you and challenge you in a good way.

Did your church do anything for Orphan Sunday on the third? Do you have plans to do anything for National Adoption Awareness Month?

P.S. Don’t forget to check out my new blog over at Teens Interceding for Orphans.

November 8, 2013June 5, 2020

Movie Review: Stuck

I know, I know. Fridays are for book reviews, not movie reviews. I didn’t have enough time to read a new orphan/adoption book this week, though, so a movie review it is. If you want a book review check out Saving Levi, A Horse to Love, or Bridge Called Hope. But for now…

All of these kids have families. All of these kids have homes in the US, and they have for years. And ye here they’re sitting, waiting, suffering.

International adoption is known for it’s hefty price tag and frequently long duration. Why does it take so long when so many children around the world wait for forever families? This documentary follows three families through their international adoptions, and provides a very personal look at the joys and heartaches of the process. It also provides a glimpse at international laws and treaties that cause adoptions to be held up for years with very little reason.

Yes, it’s true, I cried my way through this film not once, but twice. It’s heartbreaking to watch parents struggle against a convoluted system while loving children they can’t be with or take care of. And it’s wonderful (in a tearful sort of way ;)) to see these parents finally united with the children they have fought for. You can rent it for a week on Amazon or buy the DVD off the Both Ends Burning website. Want to know more? Read my friend Marli Renee’s blog post or watch the Stuck trailer over on the Teens Interceding for Orphans.

What do you know about the cost and time involved in international adoption? What are your opinions on the subject?

Care about orphans? Check out my new website, Teens Interceding for Orphans.