Book Banter Café

The Christmas Bookshop Plot Summary   When the retail shop where Carmen works closes, she has no education, skills, or motivation to help her land a new job.  She moves back in with her parents, but it's not long before a new opportunity comes her way.  Carmen's super successful sister, Sofia, is an attorney with a new home in Edinburgh.  With baby number four on the way and her husband out of town on business, Sofia could use an extra hand, even though she doesn't relish the thought of dealing with her contrary sister. As luck would have it, one of Sofia's clients, Mr. McCreedie, is about to lose his beloved bookshop.  He's an eccentric man with little people or business skills, and his shop is dirty, outdated, and failing.  Sofia convinces Carmen to work temporarily for Mr. McCreedie and help him turn things around to see if the shop can be salvaged. Carmen resents her sister's success, never feeling like she can measure up, and she has no interest in her ni

Not Your Typical 2023 Reading Challenge When you're a voracious bookworm, a new year means a fresh start on tackling your TBR list.  We somehow think this is the year we will mark every book as read and finally reach the end of our list, knowing the lofty goal will always remain a dangling carrot of vain pursuit.   With renewed vigor and time on our hands in the colder months, we also accept reading challenges to expand our literary horizons.  Like many New Year's resolutions, our enthusiasm quickly wanes when we fall further and further behind, and the challenge becomes more like a tedious chore than something to savor. Let's change that in 2023! Reading should always be a rewarding, worthwhile experience.  Life is busy, so when you can squeeze in time for reading, it should be like sitting down with your best friend--a fun and unhurried time of delightful engagement.   Challenges that include specific books, themes, or genres that don't interest you or ones that tax y

Is the End of the World Near?  When you watch the news and read the headlines, it seems our world is hurtling towards disaster.  Christ followers are taught to be ready for His Second Coming, although no one knows the day or the hour He will return. The Bible is filled with prophetic passages to give us clues about what to expect in the end times leading up to the apocalypse; however, unless you're a Biblical scholar, many of these scriptures may seem cryptic.   In The Book of Signs , Dr. David Jeremiah shares deep insight into complicated Biblical prophecy to make it digestable and easy to understand.  Your eyes will be opened, and the meaning behind familiar scriptures will be revealed  like never before.   How The Book of Signs is Structured The Book of Signs is a comprehensive manual that breaks down end time prophecies into manageable chunks over the course of 31 chapters: PART 1:  International Signs Chapter 1:  Israel Chapter 2:  Europe Chapter 3:  Russia Chapter 4:  Babylo

  The Christmas Town Became a Hallmark Movie Fans of Candace Cameron Bure will remember her portrayal of Lauren Gabriel in Hallmark's 2019 movie,  Christmas Town , which is based on this book by Donna VanLiere.  However, the Hallmark version has almost nothing in common with the novel.  The book and the movie share only three things:  character names, setting, and the fact Lauren was once a foster child.     Since the storylines veer in different directions, the book will take you on a far deeper and better journey.   Lauren is a 21-year-old cashier who grew up in foster homes, always hoping the relationship with her drug addict mother might one day be restored.  She longs for family.  One day, she witnesses a car accident that thrusts her into the small town of Grandon.  She loves the town and all the people in it and finds the faith, hope, love, and family her heart has always longed for. The Christmas Town is a very uplifting story brimming with faith, generosity, servanthood,

Books Make Wonderful Christmas Gifts Just like the Jelly-of-the-Month Club Clark Griswold receives in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation , books are the type of gift that "keeps on giving the whole year."   Since most avid readers have a to-be-read list longer than Santa's Naughty and Nice list, books extend the recipient's enjoyment long into the New Year.  They eagerly look forward to "getting to" the book, savor the time spent finally reading it, share it with friends, and finally shelf it to read again in the future (or at least look at fondly in remembrance).   The life cycle of a book never reaches an end until it falls apart in tatters.  Even if the book is sold or donated later, it will delight new readers for the first time. Benefits of Reading In this modern age, it's easy to get lost in technology, but how much of our screen time actually enriches our minds?  There is no better way to download knowledge into the brain than by reading.

  The Phantom of the Opera Plot Summary Originally written as a serial story for the Le Gaulois newspaper, The Phantom of the Opera was released as a novel in March 1910.  It remains as captivating today as it was then thanks, in part, to the enticing score composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber that debuted in 1986.  In 2004, Joel Schumaker's film adaptation of the musical provided a chance for everyone to experience this thrilling and chilling romance.  The Phantom of the Opera is a gothic tale about a deformed musical genius who "haunts" the Paris Opera House.  He lives in a secret lair of his own creation by a lake in the deepest recesses of the opera.  The Phantom, whose real name is Erik, becomes obsessed with Christine Daaé, and under his tutelage, he prepares her to be the next prima donna of the opera in place of the current soprano, Carlotta.   Thinking the Phantom is the Angel of Music her father promised to send her when he went to heaven, Christine blindly submi