Review: "Woman of God" by James Patterson & Maxine Paetro

The pattern at every bookstore visit is this: If a book caught my eye, I'd check it out immediately on Goodreads. The synopsis had me sold instantly:

St. Peter's Square, Rome. White smoke signals that a new Pope has been chosen. Is it possible that the new Pope...is a woman?  

The world is watching as historic crowds gather in Rome, waiting for news of a new Pope, one who promises to be unlike any other in the Church's history. Some followers are ecstatic, but the leading candidate has made a legion of powerful enemies.  

From a difficult childhood with drug addled parents, to a career as a doctor on the front lines in Sudan, to a series of trials that test her faith at every turn, Brigid Fitzgerald's convictions and callings have made her the target of all those who fear that the Church has lost its way - dangerous adversaries who abhor challenges to tradition. Locked in a deadly, high-stakes battle with forces determined to undermine everything she believes in, Brigid must convert her enemies to her cause before she loses her faith ... and her life.

I didn't even notice the description on the back of the book is different. 

So this became one of those books I grabbed on impulse. I mean, how could I NOT be intrigued? I wanna know how modern society looks like if it's run by a woman pope.

Books I Want to Read For the Remaining of 2017

2017 has been my most active year in page-turning. The last time I ate words this swift was when I was in high school. Now that I'm pregnant and basically trying to catch my breath at every word I speak, I naturally resorted to hiding behind paperbacks to make myself and the growing baby comfortable.

These are the remaining books I'm looking forward to read before 2017 ends:

Warcross by Marie Lu

Player. Hunter. Hacker. Pawn. Those four words sold me right away. Ever since getting into "Ready Player One", I've been actively looking for Second Life-esque virtual reality books. "Warcross" looks to be a promising one, and it'll be the first book of its own series to come. (Publication date: September 12, 2017)

Turtles All the Way Down by John Green

Nobody actually knows what this new John Green book will be about exactly, but it'll portray the tragedy of the witty and socially-awkward young adult he's best known for. I'm just excited that this time, he'll be exploring a female protagonist, and Aza Holmes will navigate "lifelong friendship, the intimacy of an unexpected reunion, Star Wars fan fiction, and tuatara." Sounds ambiguous enough to pique my interest. (Publication date: October 10, 2017)

Origin by Dan Brown

The book I'm most excited about out of the bunch. Robert Langdon returns to navigate sacred history in this one. Set in Spain, "Origins" promises to reveal the scientific discovery of a lifetime, one that a certain people of power won't stop at keeping it a secret. (Publication date: October 3, 2017)

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

I gotta admit, it's the all-star cast in the upcoming movie adaption that got me hooked. I haven't read a single Agatha Christie up to this day, despite the hype, and I want to make her breakout paperback as my first. (First published in 1934)


P.S. I will be making the NEW and *sealed* books of these four titles available once they're published on the bookstore. So stay tuned.



Love, Stace

God Changes Caterpillars Into Butterflies

God changes caterpillars into butterflies, sand into pearls, and coal into diamonds using time and pressure. He’s working on you, too. - Rick Warren

Why You Should Write Down Your Ideas

Dark Matter by Blake Crouch, page 186

Amanda glances up from the notebook, asks, "You're sure writing it down is the best way to go?"

"When you write something, you focus your full attention on it. It's almost impossible to write one thing while thinking about another. The act of putting it on paper keeps your thoughts and intentions aligned."

Review: "Dark Matter" by Blake Crouch

He says, "Every moment, every breath, contains a choice. But life is imperfect. We make the wrong choices. So we end up living in a state of perpetual regret, and is there anything worse? I built something that could actually eradicate regret. Let you find worlds where you made the right choice."
Daniela says, "Life doesn't work that way. You live with your choices and learn. You don't cheat the system."

I seldom give 5 stars, but this one's mindf-ingly good. The basic premise is something I think anyone can relate: "Are you happy with your life?" What if … ? What if you did the things you've always wanted to do? What if you haven't made that big decision? What if you chose the path not taken instead?

For the author himself, "Dark Matter" was his most ambitious novel yet. Best known for his Wayward Pines trilogy, Blake Crouch dove into quantum mechanics and came up with three potentially separate novels in the initial stages of this book. During a round of brainstorming sesh with fellow novelist Marcus Sakey, the separate drafts unfolded into three different aspects of one story that he went on developing into the brilliant New York Times Bestseller it is today. There have been talks over the years about a movie adaptation, a similar path to his previous works on the small screen with Wayward Pines and Good Behavior, so we'll just have to wait and see.

"It's terrifying when you consider that every thought we have, every choice we could possibly make, branches into a new world."

I want to be careful not to give too much away because if I say something I shouldn't say I'll be revealing everything there is to know in this book. It literally works like a dark hole. If you think the first act is a strong propeller for you to keep the page turning, the plot twists toward the end could literally spiral you down into the end in no time.