Storm Front. By Jim Butcher

A couple of years ago the SciFi (SyFy) channel had a short lived series called The Dresden Files.  This book is the first book in the series that the short television series was based off of.  The series revolves around the main character Harry Blackstone Cooperfield Dresden.  He is licensed wizard for hire living in Chicago.  He isn't a Harry Potter wizard, but an adult wizard.  He has adult problems like having to make his rent payments and even keeping a steady girlfriend. I really liked this character, he is self deprecating and doesn't take himself too seriously.  He is often a down on his luck kind of guy. He is trying to make a living working practical magic in a modern world that's foolishly rejected the supernatural in favor of science and technology.  Harry does "consulting" work for Chicago PD's detective Karrin Murphy.  Much of this book they are at odd mainly because Harry keeps much of the magical world from Karrin.  Karrin is a hard nose cop and tries to do things by the book.  In this book he helps track down a killer who uses magic to kill people.  This was very entertaining. It doesn't get too deep into the "magic" arena but it just happens to be his profession.  All in all, I had fun with this book and this character.

The Millionaire Mind. By Thomas J. Stanley

I read The Millionaire Next Door a couple of year ago.  I enjoyed it so much, I picked up the next book.  If the millionaire next door told us what millionaires do, ie frugality,  The Millionaire Mind gives a sneak peak into the mindset of a millionaire.  Dr. Stanley seeks to answer many questions: What success factor made them wealthy in 1 generation?  What part did luck and school grades play?  How did they find there ideal vocations? How did they find the courage to take financial risks?  what are their spouses like and how did they choose them?  How do they run their households?  How do they bury and sell their homes?  What are their favorite leisure activities?  This book helps get inside the head and though patterns of millionaires.  We aren't talking about Hollywood millionaires or lottery winners, but first generation, hard working millionaires.  Honest work and many times doing jobs that other people over looked or thought were just  plain unattractive are what helped these people become millionaires.  This was a common sense guide into the mind of successful people.  I would recommend this book anyone looking to better themselves.

Superfreakonomics. By: Steven D Levitt & Stephen J Dubner

Another fantastic read.  It is more of the same if you liked the first one, which I did. Statistics can be used almost to prove any point, but one thing that is interesting about these books is that I don't get the impression that the authors have an agenda other then presenting crazy theories based on statistics.  One of the studies I found very interesting was the one about global warming and pollution.  Common knowledge has been telling us that automobiles, deforestation, industrial pollution have been the major contributing factor of global warming and pollution.  But what the authors have shown is that a single volcano has done more for both then any man made contribution.  Second, cow flatulence.  That's right, you read that correctly, cow farts. With an increase of bovine and their gaseous by product, they produce an alarming rate of methane gas. So next time you order that hamburger or steak, you are encouraging global warming. ;) Remember this book is more for entertainment purposes, and is not scientific conclusion.

Shoot Christians Say.

I just saw this again today, and couldn't help but share it.  I have been guilty of using a phrase or two of these. Enjoy.

50 Rules for Dads of Daughters. (A linked post)

http://www.fromdatestodiapers.com/50-rules-for-dads-of-daughters

Well, like some of my other posts, this is another one I wish I would have written myself.  With Scarlett's 6th birthday coming up in a couple of weeks, this was a very appropriate post.  I agree with all of these, except number 11 and 16. Sorry honey, you're not getting any type of furry animal while you live in the same house as I do.  My allergies will not tolerate it.  And your Grand-daddy will have to be the one to take you fishing.(that darn fish phobia of mine.)  Though I would like to add three more points:

51.  Show her how a women is to be treated with honor, respect and love.
52.  Take her on lots of Daddy-Daughter dates.
53.  Teach her about God, his love, and how we are to love others.

I know there are so many more I could come up with but these where the ones to first come to mind.  Please  click the link above to see the first 50.

Ion: The Dying Flame. By: Ron Marz

Though I didn't hate this book, can't say I really liked it.  I felt like I was reading it just to check it off my list. I think I've just come to the realization that I don't really care about Kyle Rayner.  I like him in the Green Lantern Corps stories, but not as a solo book.  I just don't find myself caring.  Not much to say about this book. I didn't care for the art.  The story was confusing. Unfortunately this is another book to take a pass on.

Steve Jobs. By: Walter Isaacson

After reading this book, it is hard not to have feelings or form opinions about Steve Jobs.  But to put it simply, he was human.  He was a multifaceted, passionate, cold, visionary, calculating, selfish, loving, constant learner, troubled, imperfect human being.  But who's perfect.  We are all built and wired differently, but when Steve was made the model was broken and I don't think we'll ever see another like him again.  He had little to no social graces and that filter most people have between their brain and their mouth, Steve didn't have that.  He always felt it was his job to always tell the truth and what he thought.  And with Steve, there was only black or white, right or wrong, genius or idiot, perfect or the worst ever.  He only wanted to surround himself with 'A' players.  Anyone else only took away from the excellent.  He had a firm belief that the best way to provide an excellent product was to control 100% of the experience.  He did not believe in giving the customer what they wanted, because in his words "they don't know what they want until we show them."  He like to quote Henry Ford saying "If I asked the customer what they wanted, they would just say they wanted a faster horse."  More times then not he would give you his brutal unforgiving opinion, whether you wanted it or not.  Steve was always searching for peace in his life, which I do not think he ultimately found. Being in the technology profession myself, it was very interesting to see Steve's point of view on the direction of the technology.  Where it started, where it is, and where he envisions it going.  Most of the book I though he was nothing short of a jerk.  I still think that.  But as he knew his life was coming to a close, he did make an effort to right some of the wrongs he felt he committed.  That is why I said he was an imperfect human.  This was a very well written book.  Anyone interested in technology, apple, or Steve Jobs will like this book.

Ion: The Torchbearer. By: Ron Marz

Just after Hal Jordan came back from being parallax, and was reinstated as a green lantern, that kind of left Kyle Rayner with not much to do.  But the Guardians have other plans for Kyle.  He is the new host for Ion, the embodiment of will power.  If parallax is the embodiment of fear (mascot like), Ion is the same for will power. But with the embodiment of will power in him, he no longer needs a ring or a battery.  But he is as confused as ever.  With all this new power, how is he to control it? Ion is a short run series, it's just OK.  Unless you love all things green lantern, this is probably just a pass.

Green Lantern, Volume 1 : Sinestro By Geoff Johns (The New 52)

Now this was more like it.  This is where things should have directly picked up after war of the green lantern.  I am really excited to see where this story line is heading.  At the of the ware of the green lanterns Sinestro has a green lantern ring put back on him and it isn't by choice either.  Hal Jordan has been striped of his ring and is stuck on earth.  So now what happens to a green lantern corp with Sinestro and no Hal Jordan?  That is what is making this story really interesting.  The Green Lantern Universe did not get a reboot after the New 52.  But like many things with the New 52, this would also be a good book to pickup for someone who wants to get into the green lantern. This is a must read for any comic book fan.

War of the Green Lanterns: Aftermath By: Tony Bedard

With some of the questions that where left unanswered at the end of the war of the green lanterns, I was looking forward to finding out some of those answers.  Well unfortunately the main questions I had never got answered.  I was really disappointed to find out that it didn't answer any of them.  This book was more of a compilation of the final issues of the green lantern, green lantern corps and emerald warrior.  These were the last of the stories before DC's New 52.  They were more one off stories than anything that could be plugged into a larger story arch. Unless you want to have a minor question answered in only the first two issues, this is definetely a pass.  Instead, head straight for the New 52.

Winter Soldier: The Longest Winter. By Ed Brubaker

After reading The Winter Soldier story arch in the Captain America Omnibus's and Bucky Barnes becoming Captain America while Steve Rogers was dead?, I really liked the idea of a Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier book, and I got it.  I really liked the fact that Bucky got his own book and is now trying to go back and secretly clean up his mess while he was under control of the soviets.  The writing is good, but I don't care for the art style.  It's just a little to messy for my taste.  I like that we are getting to see more of what Bucky's life was like while he was the Soviet Winter Soldier.  If you liked Bucky's time as Captain America, you make like this book.  Its not the greatest, but I stilled enjoyed it.

Justice League, Volume 1: Origins By Geoff Johns

This was one of the very first book publish for the new 52.  What is the new 52?  Well basically DC decided to reboot its entire universe.  No more past story lines you needed to know about, no more conflicting stories.  The new 52 is a continuity all its own, and Justice League: Origins is just that, the origin of the Justice League.  This is where Batman, Superman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Cyborg come together to defeat a common enemy.  Though they don't officially form a team... yet, they do realized by the end they are going to be working together again in the future. I just loved the dialog in this book.  It doesn't take itself too seriously.  For example:
Green Lantern: "What are your powers anyway? Can you fly?"
Batman: "No."
Green Lantern: "Super-strength?"
Batman: "No."
Green Lantern: "Hold on a second...You're not just some guy in a bat costume, are you?  Are you freaking kidding me?!"

Got to love that.  I know this hasn't gotten fantastic reviews by others on Amazon, but I really enjoyed it.  If you are a DC fan like I am, and like DC's major characters, I think you'll enjoy this book like I did.

ReFOCUS. By Jim Daly

This was the first book I picked up after the family vacation.  It was given to me by a member our neighborhood group.  (neighborhood group = people from our church that live in very close proximity to one another, that meet together to study Gods word, build meaningful relationships with one another, pray for one another, serve our neighbors, to be and make disciples of Jesus Christ.)  This was a very quick read for me.  I just ate it up.  I felt that Jim was writing my attitude towards people exactly.  As Jim writes, "This isn't a book about what's going badly in the culture, but rather about how Christians should respond to it."  This book isn't about politics, but how to stand firm on principles while we make sure our hearts are in the right places.  He reminds us the God doesn't call us to "win" but to obey him and be faithful, and letting God handle the rest.  He doesn't tell us to remove ourselves from the world or those who disagree with us, but to engage those who we disagree with in a loving way and find common ground with them.  I would recommend this to any Christian.

Freakonomics. By: Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner

Another book I read over vacation was Freakonomics.  Now I know what you are probably thinking, "why in the world would you read a book on economics for fun?".  Well because it was.  This isn't your typical economics book, this is freakonomics.  What is more dangerous, a gun or a swimming pool?  What do schoolteachers and sumo wrestlers have in common? How much to parents really matter?  These are not your standard economic questions.  But these are the types of questions that the authors try to answers.  Some of their conclusions may surprise you.  The data may surprise you.  They cover controversial topics like abortion, crime, the KKK, and why drug dealers still live with their mothers.  Not only are many of the topics entertaining and interesting, but some may even be uncomfortable and shatter "common knowledge".  Now, morality plays no barring on their findings and definetly do not have any influence on their conclusions.  Just the facts, and only the facts. (per the data they use)  If you are easily offended by opinions that do not line up with your own, don't read this book.  If you do not like having "common knowledge" challenged with facts, don't read this book.  If you want an entertaining book that will challenge the way you though things worked and don't take everything at face value and want to have some fun with economics, you will greatly enjoy this book.

Green Lantern: War of the Green Lanterns By: Geoff Johns

I just finished this, and man did I enjoy it.  Not quite at much is i liked the Sinestro Corps wars, but I think I liked it better then the Blackest Night.  This book isn't just a green lantern collection, but green lantern, green lantern corps, and emerald warrior issues in a single bound issue.  It is the only way to make sense of the war of the green lanterns.  Though I have ready everything leading up to this book, starting back as far are Green Lantern: Rebirth, you don't have to have read the earlier stuff to enjoy this.  I just think it makes the story that much richer.  After the events of the Sinestro Corps wars, Blackest Night,  and Brightest Day we have the war of the green lanterns where one of the corps oldest enemies returns with a vengeance.  There are so many little details that tie in other stories to this book that makes following the green lantern universe so much more enjoyable.  An interesting note is with the new 52 reboot, batman and green lantern never had their universes rebooted, so the new 52 is supposed to flow on with the green lantern events here.  As you can see from the heavy green lantern reviews, Hal Jordan is my favorite comic book character by far and this story doesn't disappoint.  For green lantern fans, this is a must read.

All Star Superman. By Grant Morrison

All Star Superman is a one off story that really helps define the icon of Superman. In this story Superman is not like any human. Though he may have the emotions, he is portrayed as a god-like figure and that his purpose in life is to help and protect humanity. All Star Superman is basically the story of, if you knew you only had X amount of days to live, what would you do with those remaining days.  This story answers that for Superman.  It touches on his relationships with Lois Lane, Lex Luther, and Jimmy Olson.  I really liked this story.  It really gives you a great understanding on why Superman isn't just an iconic comic book character, but an icon in and of itself.  The art is very good.  I would recommend this book to anyone starting out it comics.  There is no need to have any background to know whats going on.

Crisis on Infinite Earths. By: Marv Wolfman

This is one of the very first "EVENT" story lines that started it all.  The book was a very ambitions project back in 1985. The purpose of this event was to take all the different DC universes and merge them in to a single universe. No more earth 1, 2, 3, 4, Prime....etc.  It would now make the DC universe more accessible for new readers to get on board.  I personally think they accomplished it.  Having read alot of the main DC characters, this was really a fun read to get some more specific background on why some of the characters are they way they are, and it was cool to actually see how Barry Allen (The Flash) dies. This book was very good for an almost 30 year old story. Though I would recommend it, I would not give it to a new reader.  There are a lot of characters there you have to have some type of working knowledge to be able to truly enjoy this story.

Making Love Last Forever By: Gary Smalley

Last week the family and I drove down to Myrtle Beach, SC for a little rest and relaxation over Easter break. Over that break I was able to get a lot of reading done.  One of those books that was I able to finish was Gary Smalley's book Making Love Last Forever.  In my never ending quest to be a better husband, father, and person in general, I picked this book up.  This is a book to help improve not just your marriage but yourself as a person.  He starts this book off by laying a foundation of emotional health that needs to be present in every person to build and be apart of healthy relationships.  Then he builds on that with practical ideas on how we can make your marriage relationship more intimate and enduring.  Although this book is specifically written for married coupled, there are a number of insights that can be applied to many other types of relationships as well.  I would certainly recommend this book for anyone looking to build better relationships in general.

Ultimates 3, Who Killed the Scarlet Witch? By: Jeph Loeb

Having enjoyed the first 2 Ultimate stories, I was hoping this would be just as good. Well is wasn't. This greatly departs from what was put together with the first two books and made them entertaining.  It also poorly introduces x-men and mutants in to the ultimate's world.  Though the art was very good in its own right, it was a drastic departure from the first two. If you really like the Ultimate universe and want to know more about stuff leading up to Ultimatum, you can read this.  Otherwise I would put this on the pass list.

Thor Omnibus. By J. Michael Straczynski

This was my first time reading of any standalone Thor story.  The only thing I knew about Thor is from the movies and other comic’s that he has been a part of.  So when I started this book it was a little confusing.  But after a couple of issues, I was able to piece together a working knowledge of what had happened in the past to be able to enjoy the rest of the book.   This is a very Asgardian focused story.  Being introduced to all the different characters like Lady Sif and the warriors three, Odin, Odin’s father and even Dr. Doom was really kind of cool.  The book starts out a little slow but once it establishes all the main characters, it start to get really good.  My only complaint is that the ending established more questions and started more storylines then it finished.  But all in all, it was very entertaining.  I don’t know if I would recommend it as a must buy because of the price, but if you have an opportunity to read it, do it.

The Warren Family, Mental Illness, and the Church.

I just read a blog post today that hit very, very close to home. With what has happened this past weekend in the lives of the Warren Family (Pastor Rick Warren, author of The Purpose Driven Life), I thought this was a very appropriate blog post. One of the most frustrating things about the Church is that we can be more judgmental then the world, and even worse to one another. Panic Attacks, depression, mental illness is not a faith thing, or a not being in the word thing, or bad prayer life thing, (fill in the blank with stereotypical Christian rhetoric) sometimes it just happens.  Heck, look at what Job went through.  He didn't do or not do anything.  God let it happen. Just because we are Christians, doesn't mean life will always be sunshine and roses. God allows us to have thorns.  He allows us to go through difficult times and to be tested. The verses that have helped me through tough times are 1 Corinthians 10:13, Matthew 11:30, and James 1:3. Though my issues haven't been temptations per se, I still find comfort in the fact that God will not allow us to go through something that we cannot bare. Please take a minute and read the following blog post.

My Panic Attacks, My Mental Illness, and The Church's Dirty Little Secret.

Green Lantern: Emerald Warriors Vol 1. By Peter J. Tomasi

This Green Lantern book focus's on Guy Gardner. The former University of Michigan football player. :) Go Blue!  Guy has made a pact with Ganethet (the Guardian that voluntarily demoted himself to Green Lantern of sector 0, Oa)  and the Red Lantern leader, Atrocitus, to trick the Guardians of the Universe to let him explore the uncharted sectors.  Even though Guy has a big mouth and big ego, he has doubts and feels he is in over his head.  He is accompanied by Kilowog and Arisia to the uncharted sectors but make a couple of pit stops first.  We find out that Sodam Yat is not dead after all, and we find out that we are visited by an old enemy.  This is a great book that leads up to the War of the Green Lanterns.  I can't wait to read them.  This book gets my recommendation. (surprise... another green lantern book I like. )

Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer. By Tony Bedard

Another really fun Green Lantern Corps story.  This one still takes place during the Brightest Day events.  This picks up where Revolt of the Alpha Lanterns dropped off.  At the end of that book the Weaponer (though we don't know his name then) finds a net made from white light energy.  He is able to craft a weapon using the white net. The Weaponer is from the anti-matter universe and the planet Qward.  He is the one who crafted Sinestro's yellow power ring.  And now he wants revenge for what destruction Sinestro has brought to his people.  He kidnaps Soranik Natu and tells Kyle Rayner to bring Sinestro to him to Qward.  With the truce between the green and yellow lantern corps, Kyle needs to find a way to bring Sinestro without starting a fight and breaking that truce.  This was a really cool story with some really interesting new characters like the weaponer and the thunderer's from the planet qward.  This was a really fun book and gets my recommendation.

Batman: R.I.P. By Grant Morrison

While sitting trying to figure what to write for this review, I wanted to write a whole bunch about it, but I couldn't think about what write without ruining it.  Long story short is that this is a crazy story (but a good crazy) that is very entertaining, and pulls batman's life apart thread by thread.  This book was planned to be apart of a five story arc.  This would be book four.  The first three are Batman and Son, Resurrection of Ra's Al Ghul, and The Black Glove.  This story can be pretty confusing at times.  Batman looses his minds after all.  This is not a book to jump into reading Batman stories. If you are a Batman fan, I would recommend reading the first three books first.  Otherwise save this book for much later in your reading.

The 4-Hour Body. By Timothy Ferriss

My wife likes to read health books every once in a while, and she was one that actually purchased this for her Kindle.  And since I'm over weight and haven't taken a single biology course in my life (I'm not sure how I went through junior high, high school, college and graduate school without ever having to take one still surprises me.), except maybe health class, I figured this book might finally give me enough technical answers and explanations to things that I might actually do something about my ever increasing waist line.  Unlike the the title may suggest, this isn't a quick fix book.  You still have to do the work, but it does focus on the Minimum Effective Dose.  Meaning putting the least amount in while getting the greatest returns.  For an example Tim uses in the book.  If you went to the beach looking for a tan and were in the sun for an hour and a half, you'd burn.  Your skin would turn red, eventually peel, and you'd be just where you were before you went.  However, if you instead broke that hour and a half into 6 chunks of 15 minutes each, by the end of the week you'd be mistaken for a hot South American.  The key is dosing. Water boils at 212 degree F.  Boiled in boiled.  Higher temperatures will not make it "more boiled".    You don't have to over do it to get the better results.  Exercise also follows the law of diminishing returns.  More is not always better. The book covers a wide verity of topics everything from the Slow-Carb Diet, using supplements, utilizing temperature to aid in weight loss, building extreme muscles, perfect sleep, and much, much (sometimes too much) more.  One of the things I really appreciated about his book was you could read as much into it technically as you like.  You knew the sections that were going to get very technical and just skip it but still get the idea of the concept.  For example you don't have to know how an internal combustion engine works to be able to drive a car.  Tim is also a techie at heart.  Being a programmer by trade, it was pretty cool to read about his body experiments for a tech geek.  All that being side, I am going to attempt to get off my tail and do something.  I'm going to give the slow-carb diet and exercise a month and re-evaluate from there.  That is kind of scary putting in writing, but I can do it.  The thing that  I think will help me the most will be the once a week, anything goes, day for food.  If you are looking to loose some weight, or just want to do a "life-hack" on your body to get the most from it, this could be a fun read for you.

Deadpool Volume 1. By Daniel Way

Deadpool is one of Marvel's more popular B-list characters.  He is known as the Merc with a Mouth.  Without giving too much away about what makes Deadpool special, he is almost impossible to kill.  For reason you will find out if you read any Deadpool story, he is able to regeneration and heal himself.  He is also insane.  Which is what kind of makes him fun to read.  Deadpool books are just that... fun.  They do not take themselves seriously, will not win any awards for story, and the characters can have potty mouths at times. (thus the merc with a mouth)  It really took me a while to like this character, but about half way through I started enjoying his crazy conversations with himself. He is insane after all.  Everything is a joke to him.  This is not a book for kids.  He is a mercenary with a crud mouth, he kills people for money and he is insane.  If your an adult and are looking for something out of the ordinary, a not so feel good story, can enjoy twisted humor, this book might just be for you.

The Amazing Spider-man: Kraven's Last Hunt. By J.M. DeMatteis

Even though I've read an entire omnibus of the amazing spider-man, I still don't feel like I really know the spider-man character.  Because of that it was a little hard to get a point of reference on who Kraven was.  There are plenty of flashback with Kraven, to know who he is, where he came from, and why he is the way he is.  In a nut shell Kraven is the ultimate hunter. He has hunted and caught everything he has set out to, except spider-man.  Spider-man has bested him a number of times, but this time will be different.  Kraven sets out to kill spider-man and take his place and prove to himself that not only can he kill spider-man, but he can be a better spider-man then Peter Parker.  It was an interesting story, but for some odd reason, I find that I don't really have a big attraction with spider-man like I do other comic book characters.  I do like him, but he just isn't my favorite.  If you already like spider-man, you'll probably enjoy this one.  If you are just getting into comic, pass on this one.

The Infinity Gauntlet. By Jim Starlin

The Infinity Gauntlet is a story that revolves around two main characters; Thanos and Adam Warlock.  Thanos, who after dying, made a deal with death (lady death) to go back and rebalance those alive with those who are dead.  Upon being brought back to life Thanos falls in love with Death and wants to please her. To fulfill her request, he will need to kill almost half of the entire population of the universe to complete this.  He then proposes to her that he needs to assemble the infinity gauntlet (made of six gems) that give the wearer omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, god-like power, and absolute dominion over all realities.  Once the gauntlet is assembled, Thanos becomes even more powerful then death.  People across the universe start disappearing.  Adam Warlock basically recruits as many super heroes that are left to help execute his plan. Though the Avengers, Wolverine, Dr. Doom, Hulk, Spiderman, Dr. Strange and others are in this book, they only play supporting role.  So ultimately Thanos has to power to defeat anything or anyone ever.  So how do you defeat the undefeatable? You'll have to read and see.  I originally read this thinking that the Avengers 2 movie would be based on this story, but after reading it I have a hard time believing this is the story they will tell.  In my opinion there are too many characters that Marvel does not have the movie rights to, such as Wolverine and Spiderman, and that the continuity they have worked so hard for in their movies leading up to the Avengers, this would be too complicated.  Though I am still convinced that the next Avengers movie will some how involve Thanos.  I believe we see a shot of him at the very end of the Avengers movie. It was a fun read, but in my opinion, not a must read.  If you want to learn more about Thanos, its a worth while read.

Green Lantern Corps: Revolt of the Alpha-Lanterns. By Peter J. Tomasi

Revolt of the Alpha-Lanterns takes place just after the events of the Blackest Night and at the beginning of the Brightest Day.  The newly created Alpha-Lanterns are now being controlled by Cyborg Superman.  The thing I found the coolest in this story was the fact that the Guardian Ganthet decideds to step down as a Guardian of the Universe and to become the Green Lantern of Oa.  It is this twist that gives the story more depth. We also get to see a race of people from the anti-matter universe that stumble upon what looks like a white ring construct of a net.  This race takes it and says it will be there best weapon yet.  I'll have to wait until the next book, The Weaponer, to find out what that is all about.  I enjoyed the story and the art.  Like always if you like the green lantern corp, you'll probably like this book.

Shepherding a Child's Heart. By Tedd Tripp

I just finished Tedd Tripps book "Shepherding a Child's Heart".  It was very eye opening.  There were a lot of really good things in this book.  I read this book on the recommendation of Dave Ramsey.  He is also an avid reader and a christian man I respect so I though I would give this book a try.  While preparing to write my review, I looked at some of other peoples reviews of this book on Amazon.  WOW is this a polarizing book.  Either people hated it stating that Tedd claims the bible wants us to use fear and pain to punish children as soon as they disobey, or they really liked it saying that it gave them a greater perspective on how to parent there children.  Though I wouldn't give this book a five star rating, I don't agree with the people who claim that Tedd says that the bible wants us to parent with fear and pain.  My gut feeling tells me they couldn't get past the fact that he encourages spanking.  At no point in this book does he tell us or say that the bible tells us to use fear and pain at every opportunity.  The core of the book is exactly what the title states: Shepherding a child's heart.   Shepherding a child's heart to rely on God.  The principles outlined in this book were meant to be applied gently, sober-mindedly, calmly, and lovingly.  Tedd uses biblical truths to child rearing in a godly and gentle manner.  He shows how spanking, time out, punishment, all have there place is raising a child.  The main things I gathered from this book were that spanking is a portion of godly correction when raising a child.  It in and of itself is not a solo form of discipline.  It is to be used in conjunction with.  Also, in regards to spanking, it is NOT to be given when you are angry.  You as a parent must deliver correction in a calm manner.  Also, discipline is not to be a public event.  We are not to shame our children as a form of embarrassment.  Discipline should be administered in private.  He does not say that you should hide while disciplining, (that would indicate that what you are doing is wrong ), but to be sensitive to the unbiblical state of our society.  All disciple is given in love.  Many times we as parents are the reason our children behave the way they do.  We constantly send mixed signals.  One day disobedience will get disciplined and another we will ignore it.  Well which is it? We as parents need to be consistent in discipline.    The biggest thing that stood out for me is that I am to act as God's agent and help my children develop a godward orientation and understanding Jesus Christ's atoning death on the cross.   My only complaint about this book would be that I wish there were more real world examples.  Maybe its just me an my thick head, but I would have like to have seen different scenarios and how you can handle them as a parent.  I would recommend this book to all christian parents.  Even if you aren't a christian there are some very good skill that you get gather from this book.

My 100th Post

Wow, my 100th blog post.  And the blog looks nothing like what I though it would over a year ago.  I'm slightly surprised I've continued writing.  I originally set out with a very loose idea of what I would write about.  At first I planned on writing about family, faith, food (BBQ), and maybe even video games. I have done posts on all of those, but what this blog has really turned into is more of what have I been reading lately.  The books were a natural transition for me as it gave me an opportunity to reflect on what I had just read and just practice writing in general.  It allowed me to practice putting my though in written form. So far it has been a very good exercise for me, with most of the benefits happening at work within my emails and appropriate requests.  But what I think is the biggest surprise with this blog that I would have never have guessed would have be the number of comic book reviews I have done.  When I started this blog, I had never even read a full comic book.  After trying out a Green Lantern comic book back in April, I found that I really enjoyed the experience.  And since I was already writing about the books I was reading, why shouldn't I do the same for comic books.  I've read some really, really good ones, and also rather bad ones.  But I still find myself enjoying the medium.  I still plan on covering thing on family, faith, food, and video games, but because I do read so much, the bulk of my content will continue to be what I've read lately.  This blog will continue to be free form.  An outlet for what is on my mind.  As a family we have some fun events planned this coming year.  We will be spending some time in Myrtle Beach, SC and Crystal and I will be celebrating our 10th wedding anniversary.  Of course we will be going to a trip to celebrate that one.  Crystal wouldn't have it any other way. I look forward to what the next 100 posts will be.  I hope you enjoy them.

Batman: Heart of Hush. By Paul Dini

Batman: Heart of Hush takes place after the events that happened in Hush.  As the title suggests, Hush is back to destroy Bruce Wayne.  We tries to attack Bruce by going after everyone he holds dear.  The maner in which he tries to accomplish that is completely twisted.  The events of this story supposedly take place right before the story of Batman: R.I.P.  That will be my next book to read because I did receive it for Christmas.  I really like to character of Tommy Elliot and what he brings to the Batman mythos.  If you enjoyed Hush, Heart of Hush is another must read for the Batman fan.

Batman: Hush. By Jeph Loeb

This book was fantastic.  Great story, great art, and great characters.  The main villain in this book, Hush, isn't a well known villain, but man are they are good one.  This book covers all the bases.  It shows you why Batman is called the worlds greatest detective.  You have a budding romance between Batman and Catwoman, or should I say Bruce Wayne and Selina Kyle. You've got most of Batman's most famous bad guys like the Joker, Posion Ivy, Harley Quinn, Two Face, and Killer Crock just to name a few. You've got other good guys like Jim Gordan, Oracle, the Huntress, Superman, Nightwing, Robin, and Harvey Dent.  The Hush story really has it all. For those that aren't familiar with the Bruce Wayne/Batman there are enough flashbacks that tell that story.  Batman has to make a huge decision on whether or not to reveal his identity to Catwoman. There are plenty of twist and turns. This book is the perfect book for those new to comic book or someone that wants to get back into them.  This is one of the best comic books I've ever read.  A must buy.

Green Lantern Corps: Emerald Eclipse. By Peter J. Tomasi

I don't know why it surprises me every time I come back to a Green Lantern story, but I love them.  I've been reading Batmans, Captain America, X-Men, but when I read a Green Lantern story, its like I'm home.  This book is the last book on the Green Lantern Corps side that leads right up to the Blackest Night event.  The corps members are still coming to grips with the new rules to the book of Oa, expecially the rule about there being no love relationship between corps members.  This is especially hard for Kyle and Soranik Natu as they express their love for one another.  But that isn't the only difficult thing for Soranik in this book, She ends up finding out the Sinestro is her real father. But unlike Darth Vadar in star wars,  Sinestro actually paints a picture of a caring father who watches over her, her whole life.  I can't wait to see where they take that story line.  The other big story line involves Sadam Yat and going back to his home planet of Daxam where Mogal has taken over the Sinestro Corps and setup Daxam as their home planet of operations. Sadam has to confront he own dislike for his own people before he can help them.  To what extent will he sacrifice himself inspite of his home worlds prejudice towards anyone that isn't from Daxam?  This was a very good book leading up to the Blackest Night. I would recommend this book.

Batman: The Dark Knight Strikes Again. By Frank Miller

To follow up The Dark Knight Returns, I decided to go with Frank Miller's follow up Batman book, The Dark Knight Strikes Again.  This story takes place three years after The Dark Knight Returns.  Batman had faked his death and has been underground training a group of the former mutant gang.  This book was a huge disappointment to me.  It was interesting at best, but for the most part it was a hot mess.  The art was way too crazy.  It looked like it was done by a junior higher.  I'm sure there are some people out there that like this style of art, I am not one of them. It felt rushed.  The story could have been really interesting but there where times I had no clue what was going one or who was talking.  I think a lot of that was due to the fact that I didn't like the art and it was hard to figure out what was supposed to be going on.  Also, some of the subject matter and language where bad.  For a Batman story, I want that type of language or imagery.  I understand the author was trying to depict how society had degraded in Gotham City and Metropolis, but I did't appreciate it.  I would not recommend this to others. Even if you are a big Batman fan, this book gets a big pass.

Batman: The Dark Knight Returns. By Frank Miller

The Dark Knight Returns is a story about Batman where he is in his 60's.  Has been retire for 10 years and Gotham City hasn't seen him for that long as well.  Jim Gordon is day's away from retiring and there is a mutant gang that is terrorizing the city.  I've always read that Batman is a kind of the anti-hero. Well this book defines what it means to be that anti-hero.  It is dark.  Batman hold true to the code that he set out for himself many many years ago.  He is close to breaking down both physically and mentally.  There is a new Robin.  There is a new commissioner that puts out a warrant for the Batman's arrest.  There are so many cool story lines going on this book, once you get into it, it's hard to put down.  The internal struggle Batman faces both with his past and his aging body are fantastic. This story was really, really good.  The art was pretty good as well.  Though it seemed sloppy to me, I think it fit the tone of this story well.  Because of the darker nature of this story, I wouldn't recommend this to younger reader...yet.  But if you like Batman or noir type stories, this is a must read.

Batman: Haunted Knight. By Jeph Loeb

Batman: Haunted Knight is a collection of three different Batman stories.  The first is a story about Bruce Wayne and how he begins to get serious with a woman while the Scarecrow terrorizes Gotham.  The second is about the Mad Hatter and how he kidnaps Jim Gordon's daughter.  And finally, the third is a Batman version of the Dickens classic, "A Christmas Carol."  All three stories were very good.  I think I liked the last one the most.  It was interesting to see how Batman can sometimes be the worst enemy for Bruce. I give this book a recommendation, and if you liked the other two Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale books, you will like this one as well.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

Well this will be my first video game review.  I do enjoy playing video games but I get a chance to play a lot of different ones.  I really try to get as much replay-ability out of the games I purchase as possible. Saves money that way. I loved this game.  I loved the first two Uncharted games.  This game had one of the best stories I've ever played in a video game.  The character development, dialog, gameplay, voice acting, and action sequences were fantastic.  Just like the first two games you travel the world and explore a variety of different locations. The stories in all 3 Uncharted games are so good.  If Hollywood ever decides to rip this game off and make it into a live action movie, they actually have a pretty good script to work with.  I can't say enough good things about this game.  Everything you could want in a game to prove that video games can be a form of art, this is one of those games.  This game shows that not all video games are one dimensional and are only terrorist trainers.  Adult language is used so I wouldn't recommend this for anyone under 13 at the youngest, but this is a quality video game.  I only played the solo mode, no online multiplayer.  If you happen to be at a GameStop and see any of the Uncharteds for really cheap, pick them up, you won't be disappointed.

Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Volume 3.

I finished Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Volume 3 the other night.  Just like the first two volumes, this book tells more historical stores of the Green Lantern Corps.  Obviously this book tells the most recent stories of the Corps (if you consider mid 1980's as recent).  This was a little more interesting for me then the first two because Jon Stewart play a bigger roll in these stories.  After reading all three volumes, all I can say is that if I had been into comic books when I was a kid in the 80's, I would probably not have been a Green Lantern fan.  The stories seemed really cheesy to me, overly simple.  But I also think that is a credit to Geoff Johns and what he has made the Green Lantern into now.  That a being said, this is a pass unless you already love the Green Lantern Corps and can't get enough.

EntreLeadership: 20 years of practical business wisdom from the trenches. By Dave Ramsey

Over seven years ago I was listening to a podcast about LOST (the television show) and the host was talking about his personal life and how he was trying to get out of debt and he was trying to follow a plan called "The Total Money Makeover" by a guy named Dave Ramsey.  This guy had a radio show (that wasn't in the Detroit area at the time) and he "preached" a debt free life style and saidt that it was biblicaly based. Not being completely happy with my family's finance's (honestly what 25 year old married guy really is) and with our first child on the way, I decided to see what this guy had to say.  Not only did he present his plan in a common sense method (common senses isn't so common any more) but I felt his interpretation of the bible and what it had to say about money was right on.  So I started downloading his free podcast's and listening to him that way for a number of years.  Since then, we have paid cash for three cars and haven't had a car payment in over 6 years.  We started more retirement accounts and college savings accounts for the kids.  Our only debt is now our home. (we are on baby step 6)  Much of that has been from the guidance of Dave Ramsey.  All that is to say that before I read this book, I already had a high opinion of this gentlemen.  Now after reading it, I wish I could work for an organization like his.  But in the same breath, I have to look at myself in the mirror and ask the question, would Dave Ramsey even higher me?  He only hires rock stars.  Though I would like to concider myself one (which in most lazy working cultures isn't hard to do, just getting to work on time seems to be a big accomplishment for a lot of people), am I rock star enough to work for him?
One of the main reasons why I wanted to read this book was because I am constantly looking for effective leadership books.  No quick fix stuff.  But idea's that I can incorporate into my life.  Not just at work but even at home.  How do I become a better leader?  Everyone one is a leader, in some form or another we all are.  At its most basic form, we are leaders for our own life.  You can be influenced, but ultimately you are responsible for yourself.  And from there you can be a leader of a family, small groups, church, community, or a leader in the work place.  The bulk of this book revolves around Dave's 20 + years of being in business for himself.  Starting from a card table in his living room with himself as his only employee, to a 300+ employee organization, that is debt free, and is consistently voted as one of the best places to work in Tennessee.  He talks about everything from purchasing, to hiring and firing, to benefits, communication, to expectation, to how to create a place of business that is pleasant for the employee's and a company culture polices itself.
There was a ton of great stuff in this book.  Whether or not you want to own your own business (I didn't phrase as "being in business for yourself" because ultimately we are all in business for ourselves) there are so many useful pieces of information in here, as a leader you will be hard pressed not to come away with pages of action items you can apply to your own life.  For any leader, this is a must read.

Aquaman: The Trench. By Geoff Johns

 I was looking forward to this book for several different reasons. The main reason being that Geoff Johns is the author that got me into comic books in the first place.  The second, Ivan Reis has become one of, if not my favorite artist out right now. And thirdly, since Aquaman seems to be the character everyone likes to pick on, I kind of wanted to root for the underdog.  I can see why some long time comic book fans wouldn't care for this, but I enjoyed it.  They might say that Arthur Curry (Aquaman) is too emo and constantly looks depressed.  I kind of liked that.  Others also might say that even in the comic book itself Aquaman isn't taken seriously and that would be true.  But again, I also kind of liked that element.  Arthur comes in and saves a situation serveral times but even the local cops kind of poke fun at him thinking that his only power is to talk to fish.  He can't talk to fish by the way, fish do not have intelligent though to communicate with.  He is just able to influence them to do what he wants.  Dolphins are a whole other story though.  I like all the different dynamics going on with Aquaman.  He is King of Atlantis, with citizens that don't want him, and he doesn't live there.  He lives on land, where people think him a joke.  And he has a wife that originally was sent to kill him, but has come to fall in love with him.  All this while trying to protect land dwellers from the Atlantians.  I enjoyed the sea creatures from the trench.  They very much remind me of aliens but instead of coming from space, they come from the sea.  I think there is a good correlation between space and the deep sea.  We only know a little about both and don't truely know what is out/down there.  I think what is even more fascinating about the sea is that it is actually apart of earth and in our own back yards, yet the depths are still relatively unexplored.  We don't know what truly is lurking down there.  The art by Ivan Reis once again is fantastic.  I really like the fact that he has a new primary location to draw in under water. It looks amazing.  At this point I don't mind the cheesy Aquaman being lame jabs or his emo attitude, but we'll see has this new reboot goes on.  All in all I really liked this book and thought it was worth while.  Wait until the price comes down or DC publishes it in trade paperback form.

The Flash: Move Forward. By Francis Manapol

I was really looking forward to reading some of the New 52 books that DC started publishing last year.  Since the Flash was one of the books I received for Christmas, this is where I started.  This book collects issues 1-8 and is really two different stories.  The first deals with Barry Allen (the flash) and his struggle against an organization called Mob Rules. The second story deals with an enemy called Captain Cold.  I was really, really disappointed with both stories.  The stories didn't leave me wanting more until the last 3 pages of the entire book.  Not enough for me to pick up another.  The art was OK. It took me most of the book to come to an appreciation for the art style.  I wanted to like this book but the story telling to me was sub-par and the art was was just OK.  Unless you are a HUGE Flash fan, pass on this one.

Tales of the Green Lantern Corps Volume 2. By Alan Moore

Not much to really say on this one.  Same idea as the first volume, just a couple of more stories.  It was kinda cool to see some back story on the robot, insect, chipmunk and even planet green lanterns.  Like I stated about the first volume, this is not for everyone.  But if you like the world of Green Lantern and just can't get enough, this could be for you.  Otherwise, I give it a pass.

A vs X. By Brian Michael Bendis

This book was really, really cool.  Not only was it my first Avenger book, but it was also my first X-men book ever.  From a story standpoint, I really enjoyed it.  Only knowing what I've read in the Captain America books and reading a story description here and there, I didn't have a whole lot of back story.  But for the most part, it didn't really matter.  I was able to follow the story rather easily. The art in this book was really, really good.  This story revolves around the dark phoenix.  I was slightly familiar who/what the dark phoenix is from watching the x-men cartoon as a kid.  This is indeed the same dark phoenix, but this is its second coming.  Because the dark phoenix possesses several X-Men, it gives them to power to basically do whatever they want, even changing the world however they want.  This creates two sides, those that support the X-men that are changing the world, and those that support the avengers.  One of the other cool things about this book was marvel's AR.  It is an app that lets you basically scan AR labeled frames and it will automatically open a web page for some additional information from marvel pertaining to the frame.  I thought it was really cool and was kind of fun to get some explanation and or back story on some of the frames.  Even if you haven't stayed up to date in the marvel universe, I felt this book was pretty easy to get into.  This book is a worth while read.

Tales of the Green Lantern Corps. By Mike W. Barr

This book is collection of stories revolving around the mythos of the Green Lantern Corps.  It introduces some of the charactors like Nekron and Kronos that are key bad guys in the Green Lantern Universe.  Though Hal Jordan was in a lot of the stories, he is not the main focus in most.  Each story gives you a background of some of the other corps members from other sectors.  Originally published in the early 80's with stories collected from 20 years earlier, some of the art and story telling can seem dated.  This is definitely not for everyone. But if you like the world of Green Lantern and you just can't get enough.  This may be for you.  For everyone else, its a pass.

Captain America Lives! Omnibus. By Ed Brubaker

This was fantastic.  I really like Ed Brubaker's take on Captain America.  The first third of this book is carry over from the previous omnibus and follows Bucky.  But once the reborn story of Steve Rogers starts, it gets really good and everything comes together really well in the end.  I know some people may disagree, but I really like Brubakers take with Bucky Barnes as Captain America.  I love that Bucky's past as the Winter Soldier keeps coming back to haunt him and he has to deal with those issues.  Now I know one of the things that makes people that don't read comic books laugh at them is that a character never really stay's dead.  Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) didn't stay dead and Barry Allen (The Flash), though he probably stayed dead the longest (20+ years), didn't stay dead either.  But sometimes that is what makes comic books so fun.  There are elements of the fantastical, elements that aren't even possible, but still are very entertaining.  There is a certain level of reality that you have to be OK with not existing.  If you can get past that, this book is really, really fun. Steve Rogers being Captain America is such comic Icon, its hard to keep such a beloved character dead for long. This book is must read if you've read the first two Ed Brubaker Omnibus's.

MockingJay. By Suzanne Collins

I hope everyone had a great Christmas season.  I was able to get a bunch of reading done over my 11 day break from work.  I was finally able to finish the Hunger Games trilogy.  The third and final book is Mockingjay.  It picks up were Catching Fire left off.  Katniss has been pulled out of the arena and is finally coming to.  She is taken back to District 13 and is wanted to be the face of the rebellion, the mockingjay.  But as most stories go, it isn't smooth sailing or overly predictable.  Things that you thought Katniss would have a choice over, she doesn't.  Things that you thought would happen, don't.  And people you thought you had figured out, you haven't. As a whole I really liked the series and liked this final book.  But something about it just felt lacking.  I'm not sure what it was.  I really liked the first two books but then the manner in which the final book ended, I guess I was just expecting something different.  There is some hard hitting events in the end, so it isn't for lack of shock factor.  All in all this was a very entertaining series.  Some of it reminded me of Harry Potter.  I would recommend it to anyone looking for some light, entertaining reading.