Academy 7

by Anne Osterlund

Looking back on my review of Osterlund's debut novel, Aurelia, I am surprised I even gave her a chance at redemption with Academy 7. I am so happy I did.

Osterlund has found her niche in this space-age, sci-fi novel. The plot was well-developed, as were the characters, there were a few well-place plot twists and a very engaging romance. The writing in Academy 7 was exponentially better than that of Aurelia. Osterlund managed to create a very real collection of worlds and cultures and I was relieved that she wasn't inclined to delve too deeply into them, instead relying on a surface facade in description and interaction of the worlds. This simplification maintained the focus on the story and the characters, rather than deterring attention on inadequacies or unimaginative development I felt might have been present, based on the society she created in her previous novel.

There was excitement, teenagers and rebellion in this story, but I don't believe there was one profanity, and the only physical intimacy was a kiss.

The Goose Girl

by Shannon Hale

I have had The Goose Girl sitting on my shelf for MONTHS, but for some reason I haven't been able to pick it up. Once I did, I didn't want to put it down.

The book starts off a little slow, typical of Hale. I like that the story starts out in one place and the story evolves from there, creating history and depth as you're reading. I also appreciated the fact that there weren't hundreds of pages dedicated to narrating weeks-long journeys; apples gathered, bales of hay slept in, etc. The best part of this book was the way the protagonist, Ani, changed and gained an awareness of who she was, who she wanted to be and, ultimately, who she became. It was all very subtle and enmeshed in the story.

Hale is a very accomplished writer and the culture of Bayern flowed seamlessly. I liked the characters, although I would have enjoyed a more complete development of Geric. The antagonists were deliciously villainous and possessed intelligence, which I find more realistic than a group of dumb thugs. The jealous goose boy, Conrad, provided some wonderful, if predictable, conflict as well.

The biggest complaint that I have with The Goose Girl is the gory and morbid imagery of punished miscreants and, especially disturbing to me, was the sub-plot involving Ani's horse, Falada. It was heart wrenching, but too graphic and cruel.

This book would have a "G" rating if not for the violence. Excellent and fun read despite.

What's He Really Thinking?

How to be a Relational Genius with the Man in Your Life
by Paula Rinehart

What's He Really Thinking? is a "field guide" into the minds of men. The book offers advice on understanding men by understanding yourself and the differences between men and women. The book delves into the relationships between men and women and the elements that contribute to healthy interaction and better communication.

Initially, when reading through a sample chapter on the Thomas Nelson Publishing site, I thought this book showed real promise. Rinehart's writing was not over complicated and it appeared to be the beginning of a wonderfully insightful guide into the male psyche. That being said, I was disappointed with this book. It was only 160 pages, but less than halfway through I found I was looking forward to the end.

The title of this book is promising, but somewhat misleading. Rinehart has some great ideas about what women should be doing, but never actually gets down to HOW to do these things. I felt that the juxtaposition of her professional insight, scientific explanations, and religion did not work well. The flow of the book began to dissipate shortly after the first chapter and the organization of the book seemed jumbled, perhaps because the author kept throwing in scripture and lessons on relationships with God. Also, I thought the way she discussed sex and intimacy was a little tacky and very unorganized. This book reminded me a lot of something from Laura Schlessinger, but a very poor imitation.

What's He Really Thinking? is lacking, but not completely deficient. There were some excellent personal accounts and points that made me sit up a little straighter in my chair, jabbing me in the stomach, saying "You knew that all along and now there it is in black and white." One quote in particular struck me like a slap in the face:

"If we hitch our sense of feeling good onto the coattails of someone else- especially a man- then, generally speaking, we'll feel anything but good. The weight of carrying someone else's emotional life can pull any relationship down."

My overall impression: Not necessarily a waste of time, but a second time through would be.