Bent, Not Broken

Nice story about compassion, understanding and empathy.  I was really able to "feel" the angst that the main character with OCD was feeling.  I thought there were times that the girlfriend fed into his compulsions, almost to the point of encouraging them, but then there were times she showed great compassion.  Overall, I feel that this book showed how difficult it is to live life and have relationships with others when you suffer from OCD.  I also feel that the story shows that there is hope...that there are people who are willing to try to understand the hardships of the disease and are willing to love regardless.

This read fulfills 1 of 12 books for the Mental Illness Advocacy Reading Challenge 2014.

OCD: National Institute of Mental Health

2014 Monthly Keyword Challenge

The last reading challenge I will join this year.  I am addicted....

Monthly Keywords:

• JAN- Angel, Secret, Clock, Black, Day, Wild         
• FEB- Her, Life, Night, Red, Dark, Island
• MAR- Forever, Inside, Storm, Sky, Flower, Stay 
• APR- Star, Light, Never, Princess, Break, Clear
• MAY- Dawn, Death, End, Lost, Beautiful, And
• JUN- Color, Beyond, Found, Place, Grave, Road
• JUL- Crash, Ship, Prince, Whisper, Sun, Of
• AUG- Forgotten, Down, True, Run, Danger, Me
• SEP- Number, Take, Shadow, Ice, Who, After
• OCT- Ocean, Blood, Still, Out, The, Fate
• NOV- Into, Sound, Blue, House, My, Last
• DEC- Kiss, Fire, Ruin, White, Promise, Infinity

• JAN-  Wild: Lost and Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed
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Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith

 This is a story about a double murder committed, in the name of God,  by two Fundamentalist Mormon brothers.  Along with telling the story of the murders, the author also details the history of the Mormon church.  I was intrigued and confused by what I read and found myself really thinking about religions and religious extremists.  The section of the story where the author retells events of the murders is gruesome and stuck with me for several days.

 I found myself intrigued, bothered, concerned....just a lot of different emotions!  This was definitely a "thinker" book for me.  I now have many, many questions.  So Mormon friends, you have been warned!!  I'm coming with my questions!!

   

Brenda, Erica and Allen Lafferty

Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer fulfills #2 (true crime non-fiction) book in The Eclectic Reader Challenge 2014 and "Suspense or Crime" for the Full House Challenge.

Lucky No. 14 Reading Challenge

more info here

And yet another challenge!  I'm still picking out my books....

The Categories:

1. Visit the Country:  Under the Tuscan Sun
2. Cover Lust:
3. Blame it on Bloggers:  The Happy Ending Book Club (hat tip to Shelleyrae from Book'd Out)
4. Bargain All the Way:
5. (Not so) Fresh From the Oven (2013):  Allegiant
6. First Letters Rule (Letter J):  The Joy Luck Club
7. Once Upon a Time (pre-me):  
8. Chunky Brick (500+ pages):  Winds of War
9. Favorite Author:
10. It's Been There Forever:
11. Movies vs Books: The Help
12.  Last Freebie:
13. Not My Cup of Tea:
14. Walking Down Memory Lane:

USA Fiction Challenge: State by State in 2014

Very excited about this one, folks!  The challenge is to read a work of fiction set in each of the states.  As I complete a book, I'll post it here with a link to my review.

Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Washington DC
Delaware
Florida:  Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa:  A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming

2014 Ebook Reading Challenge

I've chosen to participate at the CD level which is 10 ebooks.

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The Color Coded Reading Challenge 2014

I had a hard time finding "brown" books.  I'm really eager to see what others have chosen for that color...

Blue:  Blue Asylum by Kathy Hepinstall   my review
Red:  The Red Lory by Dave Newell
Yellow:  The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles by Martin Gayford
Green:  Green: Book Zero by Ted Dekker
Brown:  The Walnut Tree by Charles Todd
Black:  Black by Ted Dekker
White:  White by Ted Dekker
Orange:  Five Quarters of an Orange by Joanne Harris
Stripes: Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne