This novel explores so many subjects that it is hard to imagine how they could all be woven so expertly into the story line without feeling like you are ticking off a list; however, the author skillfully does so.    Saving Cicadas shares with us an adult unplanned pregnancy, we learn of a teenaged pregnancy, an estrangement from parents in a time of need, we get a window into what it is like for a parent to deal with life’s ups and downs while parenting a special needs child.   Along with those issues we get exposed to the consequences of relationship failures and how they not only impact those in the intimate relationship; but also, into other peripheral relationships and how they are affected.   This story explores the raising of children without fathers, it dives into adoption, abortion, abandonment, and the complicated layers of influence that religion plays on our decisions and our choices in our daily lives.

         There are some definite artistic licenses taken with traditional Christian beliefs when it comes to exploring the concept of angels and the limits, or lack there of, that they play in our earthly lives.   The line between our physical selves and our spiritual selves is explored too.    I love how the story line explores the ramifications of what would have, should have, or could have been, in regards to the life of the unborn who’s lives were terminated through abortion.  This may be a hard read for those who have been touched by abortion.  However, the book also underscores the power of repentence and forgiveness which is exactly what scripture promises to those who truly seek it.

          All in all, this book is a life affirming book which I believe makes it worth the time and emotional energy that the reader expends while unfolding the storyline.  It is a good book and I like that the author takes the time to write questions at the end of the book which helps guide the reader’s feelings and understanding of the different areas of thought on these subjects. 

            The author is Nicole Seitz and the book was published in 2010 by Thomas Nelson Publishers.   The publisher’s website can be found here:  http://www.thomasnelson.com/consumer/  and here is the author’s website:  http://www.nicoleseitz.com/

       Her life as a young child can be described as, one horror after another.  Her definition of family was redefined by her experiences.  She considers one certain foster family to be her parents and that would be Barb and Dave.  Jessica considers their children Tony and Alyssa her brother and sister. 

        They were a foster family that had the care of Jessica within their family for one blissful year.  They accepted her as their own until the foster care system decided to end her stay there.  The tragedy is that she doesn’t know their last name or, what city in Indiana that they lived in.  To top it off…the system will not allow her to try to trace them or contact them.   It would be an amazing miracle to find them after all of these years.  Her heart aches to reconnect with them and to tell them of their impact on her life.  They gave her gifts that they may not realize that they bestowed upon the young girl who had never known unselfish love and acceptance.   How different would her life have been had she been allowed to put down roots in this family and grown to flourish and flower?

      There has been a long history of betrayal in Jessica’s life…through foster care and in her personal romantic relationships.   It is hard to trust when a childhood is filled with betrayal and abuse; so that makes it especially evil to have others in your life, as an adult, treat you with violence, abuse, neglect or betrayal.   Jessica developed a life long love of reading, horses and empowerment.  These are tools she employed to survive the torture that she endured.

       She has learned how to survive and how to overcome.  As a mother of two boys she has passed on her commitment to living a life of purpose.   She has documented her journey in The Road To Me.   As she says, her life isn’t pretty…but, it is real.  I like the fact that Jessica has strengthened her relationship to God.   She is still here on Earth because God ordained it.  She has resolved that she was allowed to go through so many soul wrenching situations so that she could be a voice for children and for individuals who suffer and come through stronger, because she knows what they are going through.  She also knows that it shouldn’t and doesn’t have to be that way!

        Jessica has developed what she calls her Definitive Voice.  In fact, she uses her voice to call attention to organizations and non- profits that change peoples lives for good.   She is a strong voice for things such as Live Strong the organization that Lance Armstrong started to create an awareness about cancer and it’s touch on the lives that it affects.  She is a strong supporter of CASA , advocates for children in foster care…this is one of her biggest legacies…as a champion for children.  In fact, she also  a strong advocate for Children’s Rights.   Another recipient of her support is The Lampion Center in Evansville, IN . 

        The human spirit is an amazing thing.  It has an powerful ability to heal & survive when all odds seem stacked against it’s very existance.   All it needs is a kernel of real love, real affection, real hope, real peace to begin rebuilding what forces of destruction have tried to tear down.  Those very things that have come against it to destroy, only serve to strengthen the wings of that person’s soul.  To reclaim joy and direction; the human spirit needs a purpose in life to be effective in connecting to others to make the most out of the short time that the human spirit has here on earth.   I believe that Jessica Angelique has found the path that God would have her on and I believe that he will reward her efforts to be obedient to her calling.  

        Jessica’s book, The Road To Me can be purchased on http://www.amazon.com . 

       Many people did stop and listen because Mattie’s personality and the way that he delivered that message of hope, love, and peace was such that he was very engaging.  I remember seeing him on talk shows and news programs and being very impressed by him.  He was a gifted writer and a deep thinker.  He knew, communicated and worked alongside of celebrities like Oprah, presidents like Jimmy Carter, media personalities like Chris Cuomo, or musicians like Christopher Cross, actors like Sean Austin from the Harry Potter movies, champions like firefighters and advocates, like Jerry Lewis, for those suffering with muscular dystrophy and everyday people; to share his message of peace and hope.  I am grateful for and respectful of his sacrifices while delivering the message he bore in his heart.  That is commitment.

        He suffered much in his physical affliction.  He suffered much emotionally at the loss of his siblings.  He was loved and guided by a mother named Jeni who not only raised her child to be so special but also recognized that he had something to accomplish in the short time that he was given to live here on Earth.  I think that she is pretty inspirational too.   She lost all four of her children to this disease and she lives with it herself.  She has not let it stop her from living her best life or from continuing to spread the message that God put on Mattie’s heart while he lived.  Surely God will bless her for continuing to be faithful in her love for him inspite of all of the challenges that her family has faced.

     Mattie Stepanek was a young man with an amazing personality and wisdom far beyond his 13 years.  He lived his best life to the fullest by fulfilling his purpose to the best of his ability.  I think you will be blessed by this behind the scene’s story of Mattie’s life and mission.  You will be blessed by reading any of Mattie’s writings, his series of books called Heartsongs.   I dare you to read them and not be changed in some positive kind of way!

     If you want to learn more or are interested in one of his books you can go to the site that was set up for Mattie before his death here:  http://www.mattieonline.com/ .

        Instead, Jason brings his own perspective about how living a life in pursuit of a close learning relationship with God, through his son Jesus, will allow all who accept him and strive to live by God’s principals to be admitted to heaven.  God says that no sin will enter into heaven; and trust me, no one is going to want to be left here on Earth once Jesus has come back for the saints; because, Satan will be unleashed to wreak havoc on those who have not commited their lives to God before hand.

         Jason felt God delivered the title of the book to him and that he planted the need to write this book because Armageddon is coming soon and God wishes that none miss their opportunity to avoid the trials and tribulations that are to come for those who are not ready when he returns for those who have prepared their hearts and minds, before that takes place.   It is going to be hell on earth after Jesus returns and takes his saints away.   The book of Revelations describes in great detail what will happen and how it will happen.  Jason’s book strives to point out the wisdom in heeding the warnings in the book of Revelations by learning the lessons that God wanted the churches and the individuals in the Bible to understand.  Grow and seek his guidance and approval in all things so that all who read it may draw closer to him and be saved!

        Jason does not claim to be a pastor or a theologian; but he writes the book with a sincere heart.  He felt compelled to write the book to share with as many people as possible.  He does a very fine job of breaking down some very difficult to understand Biblical text that many people avoid reading because they say they can’t understand it.  This book would be a great way to witness to those who are on the fence with making a commitment to God and the calling that he has on their lives to live according to his purpose.

        Thank you Jason for being obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit by writing, In Case Of Armageddon, Break Glass.   The book was copyrighted in 2009 and it can be purchased on Amazon.com. 

       It seemed that no matter what Ruth’s mother, Miriam/Mim, attempted to do; she did it poorly when it was compared to the expectations of other women her age.  Miriam wanted and needed more out of life than to be “just” a wife and mother.  She wanted and needed to have a job or career where she felt like she was contributing to society as a person.  Not just becoming a servant to a husband or children. 

       Mim was brow beaten emotionally by trying to live up to her parents expectations for her life; what did they want or expect for her?  They wanted her to meet and marry a nice man who would support her.  She was told that she was not beautiful and therefore would have a hard time finding someone who would take her on.  She was educated and she was gifted but those were not qualities that were valued in large measure by her parents.  So she married and had a child and the marriage did not work.

      Mim married again and had another child…but again, trying to fit her soul into the expected norm of a homemaker was slowly killing her and making her emotionally ill.  Her attempts at entertaining or fulfilling the role of a Brownie leader for her daughter Ruth’s troop were disastrous.   Her mother could not cook…but would often mix up strange concoctions that actually could and did make people ill (including the wedding party for her son which she turned into a fundraiser).  

        Mim became a very unhappy woman because she was unfulfilled.  Was she always manic-depressive or was her illness brought on by her dissatisfaction with her lot in life as a married woman.  She began teaching her daughter to understand that she did not need to get married; that she not only was within her rights to get a job as an adult, but that it was the only way to fulfill her self worth.  She taught her daughter to be independent and somewhat defiant. 

        Which is why she had a hard time helping her daughter plan her wedding…she just didn’t believe in it or want it for her daughter; in fact, she actively tried to dissuade her from geting married.  When her daughter announced that she was going to write a book, her mother Mim was outraged that they had sent her away to study only to write a “cook book”. 

         Ruth swore she would never be like her mother who she found embarassing and bitter.  After her mother passed, Ruth went through her mother’s personal letters and documents.  She discovered a woman who was doing her best to teach her daughter to not follow the advice of others like she herself felt compelled to do.  She taught her to think and choose for herself.   Mim was a woman who was living her life through the expectations of her parents and others.  She did not even gain a moments joy in living until she grieved the loss of her husband and then discovered with him gone and her parents gone…she was “free” to choose to live the way she wished.

        In her heart, she felt she wasted her life by not doing what she wanted to do by becoming a physician.  That had been her dream; instead she went and got a degree in music and then got married because it was expected of her. 

         As an adult, Ruth came to realize through her mother’s writings; a woman who forfeited her life for others.  She had compassion on her mother who had a difficult and unhappy life.  She gained a new respect for who her mother was and appreciated her mothers subtle attempts to raise her to ask questions, to stand her ground and go her own way.

         This book is a good read for anyone who struggles living with a loved one who is trapped in the illness that is bi-polarism or what used to be called manic-depression.  It is good for mothers and daughters as they read and understand the need to openly communicate and accept the freedom of choices in how each other lives.  I recommend this book. 

           Not Becoming My Mother, was published in 2009 by Thorndike Press.  The author is Ruth Reichl and she is the editor in chief of Gourmet magazine.  She is also the published author of  Tender At The Bone & Comfort Me With Apples.

Jewel is her mother Angela’s joy, her savior, and her anchor.   She is also the ball and chain to Angela’s relationships.   Angela puts Jewel on the back burner until she needs her when her latest man walks out, beats her up, uses her or just plain and simple demands that she dump Jewel into the foster care system.

Jewel is used to saving Angela from her poor choices.  She has changed roles with her mother and becomes the responsible adult in the relationship.  Even in foster care, Jewel has to steady and calm her mother over the phone.

The downside is that Jewel’s emotional needs are always put aside; buried, disregarded and deminished.  Jewel has learned not to trust, not to expect too much…and, to be ready to move at a moments notice.  She is smart but uses confrontational interaction to keep others at a distance.  She yearns to be accepted, loved and nurtured…but is unable to accept that she is worth it.   She holds out hope that she and her mother will have the life that they dreamed of…the fantasy life.  However, she really doesn’t expect it to happen.

Like many State Kids, Jewel has never really fit in.  This last time though, she has found a teacher who supports her, who understands her and who believes in her.  She toys with the concept of having friends…even though she doesn’t expect much from them.   She makes some poor choices and endangers herself after finding her mother Od’d.   She is sexually assaulted.  She saves someone who thinks little of her and in doing so…she finds a grudging respect and opens the door to some adult acceptance.  Her mother has abandoned her and is lost to her forever.

Jewel is strong…too strong; she is vulnerable…too vulnerable.  Jewel is precious and she is worthless at the same time.  Does she find a way to find value in her own life before it is too late?  Does the system destroy her or help her to build upon a foundation that is cracked and crumbling?  Does anyone really reach out far enough to help her to save herself?   You’ll have to read The Throwaway Piece to know for sure.   I enjoyed reading it…because it is real.

Just for full disclosure; I did receive this book as a free review copy.  This in no way, affects my opinion of it.  It is worth reading.  If you would like to purchase this book you can go Amazon.com.  Otherwise, here is a link to the publisher’s website where you can purchase the book directly:  http://www.latinoteca.com/app-home/app-inprints/Pinata_Books .   This book was copyrighted in 2006 by Pinata Books an imprint of Arte Publico Press.

Enjoy getting to know Jewel so that you can have compassion in your heart for foster children everywhere!  Every life has value and meaning…look beyond behaviors and read and understand the heart.

        When his failure to overcome financial obstacles starts to consume him and destroy him…it causes her to leave temparily.  This in turn leads him to a life of crime and an over-indulgence in substances that numb him and allows him to lower his moral standards even farther until he can no longer tolerate the man he has become.   As he tries to regain his self worth he attempts to reconnect with his wife who has divorced him.  Can they find their way back to one another after such devastation?

        One last time, they agree to camp and fish together on the land they love so that they can have closure on their relationship.  He has hurt her badly and regrets it; knowing that when he let her go it was a huge mistake.  He had temporarily in the midst of his addictions had a relationship with a fellow addict…his wife Vonnie knows of this and is hurt.  On this last time together on the land that drew them together in the first place and upon which their love was grown they come to a place of healing only to find their future endangered by the past illegal relationships that Mack had tried to walk away from.  Where they go and how they get their is why you will want to dive into the words between the covers of this book.  If you love action, stories about commitment and relationships you will enjoy this book.

          The Signal was copyrighted in 2009 by Viking.   You can visit their site here: http://www.vpbookclub.com/

All military troops face challenges in war circumstances; but the precept behind this book is the particular challenges that face the women soldiers who are far outnumbered in ratio to their male counterparts. There are issues for these women in the performance of their duties due to issues with race, gender, personal space issues, health issues, respect of their fellow troops, sexual assault and sexual harassment issues.   The isolation that the female soldier experiences in dealing with these issues is compounded due to the fact that there has not been a large number of women in each troop.   In some cases, resentment is rampant and a lack of organized leadership seems to prevail, causing ongoing harm between the enlisted men and women, as well as their leadership.

The fact of the matter is that this war in Iraq is like no other that this nation has ever fought. Women are not “allowed” to fight on the front lines…and yet, because of the nature of this new kind of war fought in ways previously unknown to military personel; women are serving on the front lines under the guise of support services.

Post tramatic stress disorder affects both men and women and the rate of homelessness that seems to shadow our service people after their time is served is a disgrace. Services are not readily available without a fight. There is much between the covers of this book that will shock you, sicken you and terrify any parent or loved one who knows that their loved one has signed up to serve what used to be an honored job of service in the armed forces. It is alleged in this book and in the media that our service men and women are used in a careless fashion by shots that have not been proven to be safe health-wise.   During the time that many of these women served, our troops did not even have adequate protective equipment due to mismanagement at a high level…much of which has been addressed in the media.

Getting follow up care for the trauma that these women soldiers have experience is almost non-existent. It is a shame that our military women (and men) are not being properly trained, cared for nor are they being taught appropriate boundaries between the sexes. It is an outrage that suffering in silence is encouraged over addressing these issues to create a healthier and safer military force.

This book was written by Helen Benedict and it was copyrighted in 2009. The publisher is Beacon Press and this is their website:  www.beacon.org .

         We follow his upbringing with his family as a youngster, to that of a young married man, to a man seeking to support his brothers in politics, to fleshing out his own place within the realm of power and purpose.  Ted Kennedy has been portrayed in the media over the years as a powerhouse, as a man of mystery, a man of conflicting habits and purpose.  He commands both respect for his troubles, as well as ridicule for some of his personal choices over the years.

         In the photos we see documented an individual and a family that has faced adversity and triumph.  We see scandal and we see sacrifice in other photos.  This book is a bit of a time capsule in that it reflects the changing times and the manner in which people adapt to that change.  This book is worth spending some time and money on.

          This book was published by Simon & Schuster in 2009. 

          Nora Murphy talks about women who create clothing for their loved ones and how items are crafted through relationships up and downs, events, difficult circumstances and how homemade clothing makes us feel connected to others.

          We learn alot about the process of string, yarn making from its humble beginnings as raw fiber into the finished product that you see lining the shelves of the local yarn/craft shop.  There is much reference to traditions and cultures and how those very things bind women together over the past, the present and into the future.  It was an interesting read. 

           The book was published by New World Library in 2009.