The Sunshine Mind is your guide to finding hope and joy in every day and embracing the beautiful person God made you to be. As modern women living and working in LA, Tanya Rad and Raquelle Stevens know what it's like to feel overwhelmed by trying to keep up, develop real relationships, pursue life passions, and hear from God at the same time. Real, honest, and shared from personal experience, Tanya and Raquelle wrote The Sunshine Mind with today's woman on their hearts. Each of the 100 inspiring readings offers faith, hope, strength, and peace to encourage you to become the beautiful person God made you to be. Through short encouraging readings on how to become less obsessed with perfection, seek validation from God rather than others, see negative circumstances as new opportunities, and more, you'll learn to . . . Leave anxiety and stress behind, find a better way to conquer your struggles, and create a life of peace and joy with The Sunshine Mind .
I read a good amount of self improvement and devotional books and The Sunshine Mind: 100 Days to Finding the Hope and Joy You Want is definitely one of the better ones I've read! The book itself is bright and cheery...yellow...sunshine...joy and hope.
Before this book came out I was unfamiliar with the authors and unsure what to expect. I love the dual author perspectives and how each day alternates from Raquelle to Tanya.
A wide variety of topics are covered throughout the book. & Although the book has an overall positive and uplifting tone there are several times when difficult subjects are tackled. One of my favorites is day 44: Make it Through Heartbreak. I feel like I can not only use it in my own life but I gained the tools to help others along their way too.
Each day includes a scripture, author's personal story or notes, ways to get through this trial in life, and so much positivity & best of all it's relatable.
Get your highlighters out and get a spare copy to give to someone who could use a little sunshine in their life! 4 stars Thank you to Bookish First for a giveaway copy of this book.
They LA girl-bossed the Bible. Idk who Tanya is but this was 100 days of her giving loosely contextualized advice that may or may not be sound (e.g. carrying around cards with you phone number and giving them out to every attractive person you see as a means to getting a husband). At the end of the day, Tanya needed to pick between writing a memoir because she is “known for being positive” and wanted to tell stories about herself, and making a devotional. This ended up being a weird hybrid where her self-inserts about all the famous people she knows felt out of place and misguided.
Christian women, please do not read this atrocity. This is a woman so blindly mislead by her own thoughts + attempts to disguise it as “the will of God.” Regarding her relationship, the author says “one day..my hope was restored in the form of a man….” Your hope is to be restored in the form of Jesus Christ. He did not send a Jewish man with children to “restore your hope”.
Huge thanks to Tanya and Raquelle for being willing to write this bright and uplifting devotional book! As these are two young women who move in prominent media circles in LA, I actually feel proud of them for standing up for their faith and being willing to share with others how to find true joy through Christ alone.
I don’t normally write reviews of devotional books I read/use (and there have been many of different types.) But I’m reviewing this one because I actually consumed it more like a book - going straight through it. I got it on Libby thinking it was more of an inspirational book, then realized it was designed as a 100 day devotional. I think it would actually be a great devotional resource book for young adult women to have and read daily.
Each day (devotion/chapter) includes a key Bible verse, a personal inspiring story by Tanya or Raquelle, a prayer, and practical tips on how to apply the help on the topic to one’s daily life. They touch upon many important issues in ways that are easy to understand and are relatable. Great insight - especially for young women.
It’s not an in depth Bible study. It doesn’t include much theological exploration. I’m sure I don’t agree with the authors on everything theologically (especially since they sing the praises of all they’ve learned from Oprah and Brené Brown,) but I did really appreciate their positive approach to living a life of joy to honor Christ. The Bible verses listed are just kind of used as a jumping off point to support the topic at hand, but they definitely used many of my favorite Scriptures that are memorable and impactful in addressing common issues. Each story that is shared is very relatable and down to earth, with helpful tips mixed in. It’s not cheesy and old fashioned. It’s very modern and engaging. Well, maybe it’s a little cheesy as they keep talking about how to have a sunshine mind, but I’m also a bit cheesy in wanting to share the joy of the Lord, so it was ok by me. As with any book, there are some parts I wouldn’t follow completely, but there are many very helpful and practical suggestions.
I loved the tone and intention of this endeavor. It’s not perfect, but it’s a valiant effort. I’m sure I’d highlight lots if I got my hands on a print copy of this devo, and it might be something I’d point my daughter to use.
I think some reviewers find their celebrity name dropping to be off putting, but after hearing of especially Tanya for many years I was glad she got personal enough in some of her stories to give some names and details. Many years ago I volunteered with a ministry that focused on being a safe place for celebrities to be in Bible studies, etc. It really is a different world that is challenging to maneuver and maintain a deep Christian faith. I’m really glad that these two women are prioritizing their own faith and trying to help others do the same!
This book is definitely not for me. I’m not Christian and I hadn’t even heard of a devotional before this book. Bought it because I love the author (Tanya Rad’s) podcast and wanted to support and read something I’d never pick up. I think this will hit you different if you believe in God. I liked the stories and messages though and admire people who are comforted by faith. Think a lot of the parameters and lessons for the Sunshine Mind could also be achieved through good therapy. Though not religious, I connected with many of the ideas they discuss.
Thanks to The Sun Shine Mind, I have spent the last one hundred days filling my heart and soul with hope and joy. Each day starts with a Bible verse, followed by a super short inspirational story and ended with a brief way to implement the verse and lesson. It is very easy to implement joy into your daily personal life with the lessons you will learn in this book. An easy to turn to devotional, this book is sure to stay on my shelf as a resource for years to come. My favorite topics were: forgive yourself, change your mindset, find light in the darkness and shake it off. I found every page useful, full of hope and inspiring of joy! This book is beautiful inside and out making the reader want to return to it daily. It’s beauty makes it a great gift! I know I will be enjoying it over and over again. Thank you Tanya and Raquelle - I do feel like I have gained two new best friends that are full of sunshine!
The Sunshine Mind: 100 Days to Finding the Hope and Joy You Want will take you on a journey to create peace and joy in your life.
What I loved — ☀️ the daily readings cover very relatable topics like imposter syndrome, knowing your worth, holding on to hope, and finding light in the darkness ☀️ you are left with something to think about and put into practice. Great reflection topics for those that like to journal! ☀️ each reading starts with a Bible verse that aligns with the topic
Tanya Rad and Raquelle Stevens share their personal experiences of how using the Sunshine Mind approach has enriched their lives. I loved that each day has small, attainable goals that will make a big difference in the long run!
Thank you to Bookishfirst, Zondervan, Tanya Rad, and Raquelle Stevens for sending me this book in exchange for an honest review.
When writing a devotional, or book geared towards helping a Christian grow in their faith, the focus should always be God.
While reading through this devotional, the focus was always on self and how God can help you be "better." Never about what we as Christians need to do so we can better serve God.
I have nothing against uplifting devotionals and encouraging your fellow believer, in fact I'm known for being someone who is always cheerful and uplifting. However, when all of the focus is on that and never how you can grow spiritually, there is never a deepening of faith and service.
I have been a Christ follower for almost 19 years and was practically born in church almost 12 years before that. I have read many devotionals and done many Bible studies. The ones that have made the most impact on my life are the ones that called me to action.
I fear this devotional leans more towards what's known as prosperity gospel (if you follow God's rules, you'll be wealthy and have all you need) which is not Biblical. In fact, being a true Christ follower will bring persecution and difficulty. 1 Peter 4:14 in the ESV Bible says, "If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."
Being a Christ follower isn't about getting a bunch of material things or becoming famous. It's about daily surrendering yourself in service to God and being filled with an unending, indescribable joy because of it.
No rating for a self help book. I wouldn’t have ever read this if I wasn’t a big fan of Tanya Rad’s podcast. I been listening it for years now & been on her life journey with her. She definitely is sunshine in a human. I think this is good if you need a little sunshine everyday & like to read Christian scripture. It has a great balance of both. Definitely learned some tips to bring more sunshine in my daily life
Positive and uplifting - I’ve been a listener of Tanya Rad’s podcast for years, she has a beautiful outlook on life. I was so excited to support her with reading The Sunshine Mind. I read this devotional straight through - this book was a great start to my morning and great end to my day!
There are many books on how faith and mental health converge especially in times of stress and change, however few do it with such a modern and light touch. It’s not over powering in quoting chapter and verse but it does acknowledge the wisdom of the Bible, a book around for a thousand years about raising the spirit of humanity, which is at its core about uplifting the human spirit. Sometimes irreverent so as to be approachable and the youthful counter voice of Raquelle to Tanya adds increased freshness to the easy applicability to day to day lives we each live and lead. It’s also a great insight into those we want to be and want around us to lessen the weight of the world. A great small bites read when have a few minutes each day as each chapter lesson about 2 pages. Worth it to just have around the house
First off, I would like to mention that this book was a bright spot in my day. The Sunshine Mind really overflowed with the bright, happy, motivating optimism that the author's are known for. It came through their words clearly, and brought a smile to my face. I feel like these two lovely ladies are warm, genuine people, who truly care about each and every person who picks up this book. They are approachable, but they don't shy away from the truth. They have the best intentions behind every piece of advice given in throughout the book. I think they succeeded at motivating people to be a light. I don't know how someone could go through this devotional and not have an optimistic look at life afterwards.
That being said, it didn't quite have enough scriptural references for me to call it a devotional. It felt like more of a self-help book. However, I actually think it may have worked for it. Some of the days did provide more than just the beginning Bible verse, but a lot of them were just advice. It's good advice, don't get me wrong. I just would have liked to see a bit more Scripture and focus on God.
I do think the book touched on a lot of Christian behaviors. As Christians, we should be spreading love to those around us, serving them, doing good things. The book talked about that a lot, which I really think is needed in this day and age. Reading one of these a day pushes you to really think about those around you and how you interact with others. We all have things we should do more. Perhaps we need to step out of our comfort zone in order to make a deference. This book motivates you to do that in a gentle, friendly manner. It never felt condemning or judgmental, everything was spoken in love,
I really think this book is well worth a read, and a reread. Each day is short enough that you can pick it up and read it in no time. Especially when you are in need of something to bring a little light into the moment and encourage you. A lot of the days lessons spoke to me and gave me a different perspective on things. As with all devotionals, some things speak to different people. I think this book has a lot of different things that will appeal to a broad range of women.
I think this book could easily be a blessing to anyone who reads it. There was so much to love about it. I truly think each time you read it you will have certain lessons that jump out to you. It has a lot of different topics, but all with a focus on being a positive influence to those around you.
I. It is approachable and has in mind many modern everyday issues.
II. Day 2 of Sunshine Mind (and many of the other relationship focused chapters) felt like an answer to part of Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation single/dating section.
III. It has actionable steps alongside each devotional.
IV. Short approachable chapters that you are able to read every day.
V. There was a prayer that was put at end of some of the devotional days.
VI. It made me reflective – a devotional would come up that would be something I needed to read.
VII. It is about giving back positivity which I think is not talked about enough.
The Bad
It is more self-help with scripture tacked on top than devotional at times? It can feel not God centered because it is not focused as much on the relationship with God as other devotionals?
Thoughts
I. Devotionals
A. Some are meant for different seasons, people, etc.
B. Is there a difference between devotionals by those of cloth and those who are not of cloth?
II. To be fair about what was said in The Bad section I think that other devotionals are probably not as focused on giving back to others as this one. (I still stand with the critique though)
III. Day 2 of The Sunshine Mind (and many of the other relationship focused chapters) felt like an answer to part of Truth’s Table: Black Women’s Musings on Life, Love, and Liberation dating portion.
IV. There is a lot of pressure inside and outside the church to have your life together by your late twenties. This idea that you are successful because you are married, have kids, and have a high paying career is interesting. What if Gods plan is for you not to get married until later in life? Or not have a high paying job? Are we so caught up in checking off boxes that we are missing the joys of the journey of life? Is the world’s idea of success in conflict with Gods plan for your life?
B. I want to see more focus outside of kids, marriage, and jobs in media.
It would be interesting seeing a Christian book from someone who does not plan on having kids, getting married, or having a big corporate job.
V. Do we let negativity be our default too much and not put out enough energy into spreading positivity.
I think my overall rating is more 3.5, rather than a pure 4 star because, well, as a non-religious person, all the talk about God was... hmm, imma say annoying, even though annoying is a big too strong of a word to describe how I felt. However, I don't have any other to describe my feelings about it, which is why I don't wanna go with rating 3/5 — because not enjoying it fully is a me thing, not a book thing. The book was good. The book was fun, light and extremely optimistic. I loved the last sections in every chapter "The Sunshine Mind way to [insert whatever the chapter was about]" because I feel like it gives cute daily "tasks" or journaling prompts on how to bring more of this positive, sunshine mind into your everyday life. I think it's a very cute concept.
Why did I read the book if I'm not a religious person? Well, I didn't know it was a devotional. I thought it was just some plain ol' self-help, but since I committed, I decided to finish it. Religion and faith are a wonderful thing! They're not my thing, but it's beautiful to see it brings comfort and joy to other people. Tanya and Raquelle seem like wonderful women on a mission to uplift other people and bring smile on others faces — which is stunning! What's even more stunning is them writing a book where they encourage people to do so as well.
So yeah, The Sunshine Mind, overall, was not 100% my thing but a wonderful book nonetheless.
Written in a conversational tone right from the start, this one hundred day devotional feels as if I were sitting down with two close, long time friends of mine, listening as each shared personal obstacles as well as achievements in her life. I enjoyed reading about their struggles and how they turned these difficult times into times to trust God. The forward by their good friend Selena Gomez was a delight as I know Selena Gomez has reached out publicly about her own struggles with society's expectations and her mental health.
Each day's entry begins with a scripture relating to the following discussion. I enjoyed the highlighted sections following the personal stories that delved deeper into the meaning of the entry as well as the last section of each entry which gave me actions/suggestions of how I could potentially apply the message to my own life. I especially enjoyed when they offered a prayer I could talk to God with to help me focus on my relationship with Him. Each day only take a few minutes to read, but the lasting messages remained with me for much longer. I will be returning to this inspirational book again.
I truly enjoyed The Sunshine Mind with its radiant cover and positive messages on every page throughout. The authors Tanya Rad and Raquelle Stevens each have a unique voice and deliver a scripture-based reading then offer ways to put those readings to practical use. For example, on Day 15 Tanya explores the topic of giving cheerfully. She offers the reader a scripture followed by ways in which she learned to give cheerfully after being blessed herself. Then she offers the reader ways in which they too can practice giving cheerfully.
On Day 43, Raquelle explores the topic of finding light in the darkness by sharing how she overcame a difficult situation in her life then offers the reader tips on how to deal with difficult situations along with a beautifully written, soothing prayer.
My advice is to purchase a blank journal along with The Sunshine Mind to record your journey of becoming a more positive, faithful person. I will return to my own copy of The Sunshine Mind for reference when I need a pick-me-up or when I'm in search of an inspirational gift for a friend.
I’ve read several days of The Sunshine Mind and find it enjoyable. It’s a different kind of devotional where they are giving modern examples from their lives. I like to read these day by day so I haven’t ready the whole book yet but I do feel like I will enjoy the rest of just as much. I look forward to finishing the book!
It doesn’t give examples from the Bible so if you are looking for that type of devotional it probably won’t be your type of book. It has verses but it talks about the authors lives.
My one complaint is that my eyes aren’t great so the in the physical copy there is some yellow text on yellow background and I have had to get my light out to read those parts. It does make it hard to read also and my plan when I got it was to read more than one a day so I could finish it but I’ll have to stick with one a day which is what I prefer anyway! When I was reading the First Look online I didn’t have a problem with it. So I would suggest if you have vision problems maybe get the an ebook :)
(Won this book in a raffle on Bookish First for review thank you so much!)
I’m only on Day 31 out of 100, but I can say I look forward to this devotional everyday. It’s inspiring, really makes you think and makes a you appreciate God even more. This devotional brings sunshine to even the most simplest of topic you didn’t know you needed inside and grace from how you feel. @tanyarad and @raquellestevens have written a devotional everyone would appreciate. I can’t wait to continue the journey for the next 69 days. You read one day and you want to read the next one in the same sitting, but at the same time each days entry makes you reflect and take it all in and see how it applies to your life. #sunshinemind #devotional #dailydevotional #relateable #joyful #hope #god
This devotional is a modern way to connect with your faith with your real life decisions, relationships, daily conflicts without feeling like you are reading the Bible. These ladies also make you feel like you’re not alone, they give examples from their own lives. I want to gift this devotional to all the ladies in my life.
Thank you Zondervan for this advance copy and I can't wait for the book to be out in the world and making a difference in the lives of those who pick this book up and read it.
The best way to describe this book is that it was truly a ray of bright light. From the colorful pages and sun illustrations throughout I couldn't help but smile each time I turned a page. I think this book will be truly amazing for people at different stages of life.
While parts of this book didn't relate to where I'm at in life, I greatly appreciated them and thought back to how much I could've used this book during my dating days and just starting out in the workforce. I enjoyed that each day was broken into manageable short chapters and would best be absorbed if you read just one message per day and take the time to think through the theme for that day. Overall, I would recommend to anyone looking for ways to bring joy and optimism to their lives.
If you are a religious Christian, this book is meant for you! The Sunshine Mind is a book that had a lot of great faith and positivity surrounding it. I loved all of the Bible quotes throughout the book and thought both of the authors, Tanya and Raquelle, were very relatable. I think they did a great job of representing what it means to be a Christian and gave little suggestions at the end of each chapter based on what that topic was about. Every chapter, or "day," had a different theme. I liked the way they were both vulnerable at times and shared personal stories. I have not seen a book like this in a long time. I feel like I am seeing less and less of God's words being talked about and rejoiced as time goes by. I was very pleased with the way both women took examples from their lives and directly related it to the daily prompt. I found what they said to be truthful and most of the tips per chapter were beneficial.
The bright yellow cover completely caught my eye! At first, I did not realize it was a Christian devotional because I'm not used to seeing covers like this one in that particular genre.
While I haven't finished with it yet, I am impressed by what I have so far. Each reading is definitely one with a helpful message, and while it speaks to young women, the messages could have meaning for somewhat older ones also. The daily readings deal with issues women face today, which is very helpful for these times when we are faced with modern times.
Tanya Rad and Raquelle Stevens are very transparent about circumstances they have found challenging and lessons they learned along the way in life. They graciously share their experiences and especially relevant is how their faith has seen them through difficult times. .
I am grateful for the opportunity to read and review this book. Four stars.
First off, I would like to thank BookishFirst and Zondervan Books for the opportunity to read and review this book.
I don't usually go for self-help books are devotional type books. I always feel like it's a chore to check off everyday. This book changed my opinion. As someone who struggled with finding everyday joy and fulfillment in this modern world, I had high hopes with this book. I enjoyed the little stories that coincided with the daily bible verse with a prayer and how to apply the verse to your everyday life. Some of the stories the authors told was relatable and each day had something new to give. My favorite part of each devotional was probably the bible verses. I would recommend this book to any young people who struggle with keeping a relationship with God in this modern world and who just need a word of encouragement to keep going.
This book was like a breath of fresh air for me. Although this book was intended to be a daily devotional, each section was so quick I could not read it in one-day pieces. In Day 81, one of the authors tells a story of finding new friends though a bible study group and how she “was greeted with smiles and hugs and a discussion that was so relatable and relevant in my life.” That is exactly how I felt reading this book. It felt like listening to of my friends tell stories about their life and offering encouragement, positivity, and support. As a daily devotional I found that this book didn’t offer as much to reflect on daily, if I would have read it that way. However, by reading the book straight through I found it enjoyable and applicable to my own life.
3.5*. Thank you Bookish First for an ARC of this book. The happy in this book starts with the vibrant cover. I enjoyed the book, though it isn't meant to be read in a chunk all at once as I did in order to write a review. The book is meant to be used for daily positivity and personal energy references. There are many positive examples and quotes from authors/speakers such as Maya Angelou, for example. Also Bible verses for reference. There are exercises to do such as one to note what makes you happy. There are actionable tips such as if you want to work on independence, go to a movie alone. Something for everyone. Recommend.
The Sunshine Mind was a great addition to my morning routine! After finishing my Bible reading for the day, I would crack open this book for a quick word of encouragement. Each page was filled with hope, bold faith and love. Though Raquelle and Tanya don’t personally know each individual reader, you could feel their yearning for each one to be able to connect with God to harness their deepest potential in life. I recommend this book, especially for people going through tough times, in order to gain a fresh, positive and bright perspective. It will change your mind from one of doom and gloom to one of pure sunshine.
This is far from my usual read, but I had a ton of credits on Audible so I decided to go out of my comfort zone. I also happened to see an advertisement that it was with Selena Gomez (who I love) and was further intrigued.
I was unfamiliar with the authors Tanya Rad and Raquelle Stevens prior to this book and unsure what to expect. But after reading this book they feel like friends. I enjoyed the dual author perspectives and how each day alternates from Raquelle to Tanya. It gave the book extra perspective and I particularly loved hearing it from their voices. It felt like a conversation, rather than being told what to do or how to act in order to change your life. And you can tell that both Tanya and Raquelle have worked in the media industry for a long time, hosting radio shows and podcasts, they come off as skilled professionals (meaning I found them to have very soothing voices).
This book is on the religious side which I didn’t realize but it was something I throughly enjoyed. Each day (chapter) includes a key Bible verse, a personal inspiring story by Tanya or Raquelle, a prayer, and practical tips on how to apply the help on the topic to one’s daily life. They touch upon many important issues in ways that are easy to understand and are engaging. And it’s not an in depth Bible study, more so their positive approach to living a life of joy. Yes, there is some celebrity name dropping, but to me it doesn’t come off as cheesy or showy, it’s just their lives. I didn’t agree with everything they said, but I thought they made some interesting, thoughtful points.
I’m not sure if this was meant to be read over 100 days with a chapter a day, but I ended up reading it like a book, all at once. If you’re in need of a little sunshine ☀️ in your life, I highly recommend picking this up wether in audio form or physical book.
Picked this book up because my go to book club girl is reading this.
I’m torn on this book because I think all of the advise they gave chapter after chapter I would love to put into practice into my life, but how they started each chapter of a verse from the Bible didn’t connect with me.
The advise this book gave was very uplifting and some chapters made me specifically think of certain friends. If you need small steps on how to change things in your life (personally or professionally) this should be added to your tbr