My Epic Blog Catch Up Post

Here I am! As promised, today I am catching up on my 30 Day Book Challenge. Sorry I'm so behind! April has been turning out to be a crazy busy month! Here we go. Days 13-17. I'll do my best to keep it short.

Day 13: Your Favorite Writer

Beyond authors I've already talked about on this blog, I love the Christian author Francine Rivers. If you wander around the Christian fiction section of the book store or library you will find these types of books: Christian Romance, Prairie, Girly-girl novels, Amish.

BARF. Francine Rivers does not write like that. I love her stories, and many of them are based off of stories from the Bible. She really knows how to bring the characters to life and keep the readers focus on God and all that he has done. I love it!

Day 14: Favorite Book of Your Favorite Writer

My favorite Francine Rivers novel is A Voice in the Wind.

I LOVE THIS BOOK. It's the first in the Mark of the Lion Trilogy. All three books are wonderful, but this is my favorite.

The book follows the story of slave girl Hadassah, the people of the family she works for, and German gladiator Atretes. If you read the back of the book, you may think that it's only a love story. But it's so much more than that. It's amazing to think of all of the hardships they had and how strong their faith was through it all. Even for Christians around the world today, this book makes me think of them as well and the persecution they go through.

Day 15: Favorite Male Character

This category was a bit harder - but once I decided I knew it was the right choice. No doubt. The Vampire Lestat

When you first read and/or watch Interview With The Vampire by Anne Rice you can't stand Lestat. He's a jerk, selfish, plays mind tricks - you learn to love to hate him. You don't blame Louis and Claudia for wanting to kill him. Then comes along the book The Vampire Lestat...

The more the book went on the more enthralled I became with this character. I could never completely understand him, so I wanted to read more. I wanted to learn more about this strange vampire who could be so cruel but so charming at the same time. He was a villian who became a hero in my eyes. I loved in Queen of the Damned he "wrote" the introduction and called himself the "James Bond of vampires." I was disappointed when the story had to be narrated by other characters later on. I'll post two pictures of him. One is Tom Cruise in Interview With The Vampire and the other is Steweart Townsend in Queen of the Damned.

 

Day 16: Favorite Female Character

I've already somewhat mentioned her in another post (When The Bad Guy Wins), but I feel like I should talk about her again. Scarlett O'Hara from Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell.

I love her! I'm sure part of it is simply because for some reason my mom let my sister and I watch this movie when we were kids (I feel like my Barbie dolls acted out scenes several times), so Scarlett is part of my childhood. But she's fantastic. She's a brat, spoiled, selfish, home wrecker, jealous, will do anything to get her way, and just plain mean. That's what I love about her though. She's so human. Scarlett refuses to give up and fights her way to survive. I feel like in her situation, that's simply what most people tired to do. You love her, but she has so many faults. There are times she has some kind moments, but they are few and far between. Isn't that so human? She's fabulous.


Day 17: Favorite Quote From Your Favorite Book

I'm not sure if this is my all time favorite book - but it's pretty high up there. It's not a novel though, sorry. It's also a bit long... but hopefully you don't mind. It's from The Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning. I'll do my best to paraphrase/summarize/quote it.


Manning says that in heaven we will see a prostitute who had no other way to feed her child, a woman who has had an abortion, a business man who is in debt, a clergyman who is obsessed with being liked and loved, a sexually abused teen who is now selling his body on the street, the man who converts on his deathbed after breaking every rule and law in the world.
"'But how?' we ask.
"Then the voice says, 'They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.'
"There they are. There we are - the multitude who so wanted to be faithful, who at times got defeated, soiled by life, and bested by trials, wearing the bloodied garments of life's tribulations, but through it all clung to the faith.

My friends, if this is not good news to you, you have never understood the gospel of grace."