Second Read: I don't recall what made me read this book again, but what kept me reading was the fantastic writing. I've been working on adding more siSecond Read: I don't recall what made me read this book again, but what kept me reading was the fantastic writing. I've been working on adding more similies and details to my writing and this book - oh landsakes people, it nailed it! I wanted to give it five stars for that. At the same time though, I really don't like all the sneaking out and some of what else happened. Plus, there was a kiss or two that was way too detailed. (I know that simply because of how many pages it was - yeah, seriously. I didn't read it though, because... No thanks.) But really such talented writing!
* * *
I found this book while looking for comp titles for my book, and although I realized pretty quickly it wasn't what I was looking for, the story was so intriguing that I read the book anyway.
Jenny B. Jones is an author I've greatly enjoyed even though I don't always agree with what she has to say. She writes in a very humous way that nearly always makes me laugh, and yet she also has solid truths to share through her stories. Her books are also what I would consider very girly, which means they're easy to relate to (at least on *some* level), and yet I'd never consider recommending it to my brothers because 1) I don't think they'd enjoy it 2) They wouldn't "get" it 3) It would be nearly embarrassing. :)
This book was a little bit too romantic for my tastes, and there was a kiss or two that was too detail-ish, and I didn't like the ending at all (oh, endings! Why are you so hard to like?). BUT! There was also a lot about this book that I really enjoyed a lot. Like the fact that the main character, Harper O'Malley, was adopted as a preteen and still has struggles from that. (And obviously, I didn't like that she had struggles, but you get the point.) I also *really* liked her relationship with all the guys from the football team. Her dad's the coach and her family is really involved with the team. I don't know when I have ever liked a fictional family faster. The author did an utterly fantastic job of dropping me in the middle of their lives, making me want more, and then tearing it all away. It was a stunning job.
A key plot line is Harper trading tutoring lessons with one of the popular guys from her high school in exchange for him teaching her how to flirt because she's a total nerd and has never had a boyfriend and yada, yada, yada. As you might have guessed, I don't endorse that and therefore don't recommend the book.
I personally found the plot line of her with her family and the football team to be far more intriguing and really, really wanted to get to know more of her family before it all exploded. I would greatly enjoy reading whole books that have families like the O'Malleys.
I'm giving this book 3 out of 5 stars, and 5 out of 10....more
This is one of the books I read while trying to find a comp title for my book.
There was a fair amount in this book that I enjoyed. There was also so This is one of the books I read while trying to find a comp title for my book.
There was a fair amount in this book that I enjoyed. There was also so much about this book that I didn't enjoy. So, I figured I would just do a quick did/didn't like list.
What I did like:
The beginning The musical emphasis How music was described at times The tension of her relationship with her dad The questions the book made me ask
What I didn't like: The ending The MMC Most of the second half of the book
There was so much beauty in the first half of the book, and then more beauty near the end, but well, the whole romantic part of the book just didn't sit well with me. I understood where the author was coming from, I just didn't like it. Nor did I exactly like any of the characters. (Or agree with everything that was done.)
So, sorry, but this wasn't really my style of book.
I'm giving it 3 out of 5, and 4 out of 10 stars. ...more
Even though I didn't appreciate everything in this book - and certainly didn't agree with everything - I did like it better than the last one. This seEven though I didn't appreciate everything in this book - and certainly didn't agree with everything - I did like it better than the last one. This series was intriguing for me because the author did a really good job of making each of the four girls unique, and that's what kept me coming back. It was especially interesting to see how the one girl, Kendall, sounds so normal and justified when it's from her point of view, and like a delusional, spoiled brat when from everyone else's point of view.
I'm giving the book 3 out of 5 stars, 4 out of 10. ...more
Simply enough because the cover is so peaceful-looking. I was also intrigued by the title and the promise it held. I’m working Why I Choose this Book:
Simply enough because the cover is so peaceful-looking. I was also intrigued by the title and the promise it held. I’m working on learning to be still and wait, so this book seemed perfect.
What I Thought about this Book:
This book holds an aura of calmness. It’s a restful, evenly paced book that goes through the account of Abram and Sarai (aka Abraham and Sarah) from Genesis. We get to peek inside of Sarai’s mind each chapter and see the world through her eyes – that was probably my favorite part about the book.
The author does a good job of gleaning a bucketload of life lessons from watching Sarai live out her life. We explore the reasoning, the culture, and the outcome that surrounded the choices Sarai made throughout her life. We get to learn and grow from her mistakes, and apply her difficulties to our own lives.
It was especially interesting when the author pulled in stories from her own life to illustrate a point. Knowing that she struggled with some of the same things Sarai did helped drive the book home, and made it make more sense.
Conclusion:
I’m actually a bit unsure why this book is only receiving 3 stars from me. I enjoyed the writing, the lessons, the research, and the interesting perspectives, yet for some reason it didn’t resonate with me like a 4 star book has to. All that to say, in all likelihood y’all would probably enjoy this book immensely, so go for it!
Rating:
I’m giving Waiting for Wonder 3 out of 5 stars, and 6 out of 10.
**spoiler alert** Why I Choose this Book: It's a contemporary about missionaries - specifically struggling missionaries. It sounded intriguing.
What I **spoiler alert** Why I Choose this Book: It's a contemporary about missionaries - specifically struggling missionaries. It sounded intriguing.
What I Thought about this Book:
WARNING: This review contains spoilers!
I literally had no clue what I was getting into. Of Stillness and Storms was gloriously beautiful. Heartbreakingly honest. Terrifyingly real. Horrible, amazing, gripping, totally wrong, and completely spot-on all at once. Each page was one more waving red flag, screaming about the train wreck that was taking place, slowly, one word at a time.
The writing, the storyline, the whole concept, was exceptional. The tension between the main character (Lauren) and her husband's (Sam) understandings of how God works and the compound effect of those views was expertly told.
Sam. Ugh. He changed so little throughout the book. His idealism at the beginning is basically the same at the end. Only the settings changed. His fierce desire to live largely and his devotion to his own convictions ironically make him appear predictable and stagnant by the end. You just know he isn't going to change, and Lauren's palpable frustration is shared. In spite of - perhaps because of - her mistakes, she seems like the most living character in the book, because she's acting like a real human. Sam's single-mindedness glazed his vision, and his undoing was when he stopped taking Lauren's input into whatever equation he was using to find God's will. He ended up being an absentee control freak - which sounds like an oxymoron, but is so true.
It was intriguing because it's not easy to tell exactly where everything fell apart. You can see the seeds early on (the book contained large portions of flashbacks), but the only real barometer we have is Lauren's response. If Lauren and Sam were completely united in their mission, the story would look completely different. What's disconcerting is that Sam could still be a stubborn control freak and no one might ever know. He would probably look like a great missionary and person to most people, and Lauren's support would validate that. As it is, our sympathy with Lauren's humanity cues us that something is off with Sam, and by the end of the book, it is tragically obvious.
Conclusion
This book is by far the best one I've ever read in regards to TCKs (Third Culture Kids) and the challenges they go through. I've grown up around TCKs, and many of my closest friends are TCKs. Sometimes I feel like one myself. It came to my attention a few years ago (when visiting some missionary friends), how there are so many misunderstandings when it comes to TCKs, and that can be a huge problem.
With my job I have the privilege of hanging out with missionaries a lot. I've heard stories that are comparable to this one, but with incredibly beautiful grace and mercy filled endings. I've seen how real the issues this book dealt with can be, and how much heartache can spring forth when miscommunications take over. This book handled the topic so vividly that it made me want to recommend it to everyone.
Unfortunately there were some borderline issues in this book - a couple scenes that I'm not comfortable recommending, as well as several words. There were also a couple of places that I couldn't tell if they were using God's name in vain or not (you'd have to see the writing style to know why it was confusing), so that was a disappointment. Also, the whole premise is rather disturbing (but, in like a really honest, needed type of way). Therefore I can't exactly recommend it to everyone. But! Depending on your personal guidelines, you might want to check the book out.
Rating
I’m giving Of Stillness and Storms 4 out of 5 stars, and 8 out of 10.
I rarely comment about covers, but this book pretty much dictates I do so. When I received an email asking if I wanted to reviWhy I Choose this Book:
I rarely comment about covers, but this book pretty much dictates I do so. When I received an email asking if I wanted to review this book the cover hadn't been released yet. The premiss looked interesting because Historical Fiction without too much romance is pretty much my favorite. So, after reading the blurb several times and deciding that there weren't any red flags, I excitedly signed up.
Then the book arrived with the above cover. And, well, I kinda lost interest in the book. (Sorry!) I'm sure there are some people who would find that cover promising, but to me it made the book look boring. It was with reluctance that I finally settled down to read the story. Then, crazily enough, the book was really interesting and drew me in right away. So, this is one book I wouldn't have signed up for if I had seen the cover, but happily I hadn't.
What I Thought about this Book:
I enjoyed it a lot - it wasn't what I expected, and that's a good thing. The book felt very well researched but without too many details to bog the story down. At the end of the book I felt like I understood some of what happened during the Civil War better, so yay.
I especially enjoyed Peter and Mr. Roper's interactions. Mr. Roper was probably my favorite character even though his scenes were rather brief. The characters were fairly different from each other, and for the most part their actions were believable.
Peter and Mary Beth had a some romance intertwined with their character arch (obviously), but it was done in such a way that, although it wasn't always completely believable, I actually appreciated it. I hate it when the romance in books is founded on misunderstandings and non-communications, and that was blessedly absent (from what I can remember) in this story. So yay, Miss Cynthia! I applaud you.
The book held my interest and made me want to find out what would happen next. The plot wasn't incredibly unique, and there were a few things that made me go riigghhhhtt, but for the most part it was well-written.
Conclusion
The book takes place during the Civil war and there's some violence and threats and people killed (although no direct war scenes). It wasn't too graphic though, so that was nice. There were also several places in the book that weren't edited as well as I would have liked, but nothing too horrible.
Overall I appreciated the book, and would like to read more from this author in the future.
Rating
I’m giving Pursuing Gold 3 out of 5 stars, and 7 out of 10.
I chose to read this book last night because I had a lot on my mind and couldn't sleep.
I'm not quite sure what to say about this book. It's written fI chose to read this book last night because I had a lot on my mind and couldn't sleep.
I'm not quite sure what to say about this book. It's written from the perspective of four different girls, and it's pretty impressive how each girl is unique and has her own voice. The storyline also kept my attention and made me want to find out what would happen next.
Unfortunately I skipped 90% of one of the story lines because there was stuff in it that wasn't good, and I felt like it was glorifying the wrong thing. I was also rather surprised at the conclusion because I kept expecting the one storyline to be teaching a certain lesson and at the end it was the opposite. I'm not sure if that's because there are more books in the series, or if because the author's conclusions are really that different from mine, but it was disappointing and, along with the storyline I skipped, lowered the book to two stars. ...more
Well. I read this book several years ago and remember really liking it. It was so good I had wanted to read the next books in the series and bought thWell. I read this book several years ago and remember really liking it. It was so good I had wanted to read the next books in the series and bought the next two or three books. (All that had been written at the time.) So, the other day when I was wanting something quick to read that wouldn't keep me up at night, I decided to re-read it. (Re-reads are like visiting old friends.)
Sadly I didn't enjoy it as much as I had the first time. I think my expectations were too high because my memories weren't exactly spot-on. It's not like there was much wrong with the book, it just wasn't as much my style as it had been before.
There was a little bit I didn't appreciate, but mostly it just wasn't my style this time around. ...more
Even though this is only my second time reading the series, the books feel like old friends. Yes, I remember what happened (mostly), so not many surprEven though this is only my second time reading the series, the books feel like old friends. Yes, I remember what happened (mostly), so not many surprises, but still there are enough to keep me being like "Wait, did *this* or *this* happen?" Plus, the characters. Ahhh! The characters. And the setting. It's so vivid to me. As I was reading through the series this time, all of my mind-pictures from two years ago when I read it kept popping up. It literally felt like I was visiting with friends.
My two little itty complaints would be: 1) The main character is 24, but most of the time I imagined her as in her late teens. I'm not sure why that would be, but she didn't exactly seem old enough for all she'd gone through. Although, now that I think about it, I have no clue why that would be, so that's probably just my fault. 2) There's a minor word that I didn't appreciate that was used several times throughout the book.
Other then that. Goodness. These books. They are amazing. And one of my favorite series. Although once again, I have no clue how to explain why. They're just beautiful. Beautiful and heartfelt. ...more
I don't know what it is about C. J. Darlington's books, but they somehow reel me in and really grab ahold of me. Even though I've read them before andI don't know what it is about C. J. Darlington's books, but they somehow reel me in and really grab ahold of me. Even though I've read them before and know what's going to happen, I still find myself just wanting to read, read, read them.
The books are really well written and going back to them feels like revisiting an old friend. There's some violence in the book, but I feel like it was handled well and everything in it added to the story. (As in, nothing was there simply for shock value.) There are also some amazing lessons woven all throughout the book in a very tasteful way. So much to learn without coming across as preachy.
Keep up the great writing, Miss Darlington! ...more
I'm pretty sure that both times I've read this series I've read this book twice. That's probably because it's hard to find which book is the first wheI'm pretty sure that both times I've read this series I've read this book twice. That's probably because it's hard to find which book is the first when reading on kindle.
Bound by Guilt was amazing. Let me start out by saying that I really don't like violence in books. Like, not at all. But, if it's done correctly, then that makes a huge difference. And, then violence in this book was real, raw, and hard, but also vague. (In fact, most people would probably laugh at my usage of the word violence in connection with this book.) I very much appreciated the way the author handles situations. She makes them so real, but not overly dramatic.
All three books in this series garner four stars, which is a pretty hard feat to accomplish with the way I rate books. I'm quite thankful to have this series on my phone kindle so I can read them wherever I am.
Way to go, C. J. Darlington! I hope you write another series (or more to this series?) soon!...more
This isn't the kind of book I'd normally read because it's really heavy on the romance. I'm pretty sure nearly every page has the main character thinkThis isn't the kind of book I'd normally read because it's really heavy on the romance. I'm pretty sure nearly every page has the main character thinking about hugging or kissing her boyfriend, so therefore I can't recommend the book.
BUT! It was amazing. And got four stars from me, which y'all know how rarely that happens. So, why the high rating? The book is from the perspective of a girl who has cystic fibrosis, something I'd never even heard of before reading this book. The first time I read this book was several years ago when I was still really struggling with Lyme disease. Although the character obviously had way different struggles and dealt with them far differently than I dealt with my own problems, I could relate to her. I wanted to cheer her on, show her how wrong she was in some areas, and shake my head at her attitude in other areas.
When I re-read it this time (in the space of less than 24 hours) I could remember how the story ended (although strangely enough, just the events, not which characters did which thing), and even though I was prepared for it, it still touched me. (And yes, that means I had tears in my eyes while reading it.)
This book isn't for everyone, and yes, the main character could be incredibly annoying at times, but wow. I am thankful it was written and found it quite relatable. I can only imagine how much hope it has given people who have cystic fibrosis. Thank you, Michelle Merrill for writing it!...more
This was a re-read because 1) I find it quite helpful to re-read cause it's a great book, and 2) Our group at church was reading through it together. This was a re-read because 1) I find it quite helpful to re-read cause it's a great book, and 2) Our group at church was reading through it together.
Mr. Wilkinson writes clear, concise thoughts in an easy-to-understand manner. His book brings out Biblical truths and helps every-day people learn how to apply them to their lives. I highly recommend it. At the retreat where I work, they regularly give this book out because it can be so helpful and life changing when the truths are applied to a persons life. ...more
I read the first book in the series back in May and really enjoyed it. When I saw the second book was coming out, I jumped at Why I Choose this Book:
I read the first book in the series back in May and really enjoyed it. When I saw the second book was coming out, I jumped at the chance to read it, too.
What I Thought About this Book:
The book had so many beautiful descriptions in it. I savored the words and flew right into the world they were portraying. I was stuck between wanting to read the book as fast as possible to find out what happened next, and to slow down and drink in the way the words swirled together.
I also found the first third of the storyline to be fantastically gripping. Then came a plot twist I had 100% not expected. The plot twist nearly made me drop the book. It was crazy. It's probably my lack of mercy, but I had a really hard time with how the main character dealt with what happened. I won't say more because of spoilers, ya know, but I'm still not sure I feel like it was adequately addressed in the rest of the book. That's what took the book from a very solid four stars down to three stars.
There was also a fair bit more romance in this book than I remember being in the first book, which also took the book down a little bit for me.
Conclusion:
All in all though, Shadow of the Storm was compelling, beautiful, and really helped the Exodus from Egypt come alive for me. Miss Connilyn does a fantastic job of skillfully weaving her words together and I look forward to reading the third book when it's published.
Rating:
I'm giving Shadow of the Storm 3 out of 5 stars and 6 out of 10.
*I received this book free from Bethany House Publishing* ...more
This book was short and sweet and very helpful. The author presents the information in an easy-to-understand and relatable fashion. It's practical, baThis book was short and sweet and very helpful. The author presents the information in an easy-to-understand and relatable fashion. It's practical, basic, and comes from an expert. What else could you ask for? There are step-by-step instructions, hints, ideas, and examples.
The Extroverted Writer was easily read over a couple-hour period of time, and I foresee myself re-reading it many times in the future. ...more
Overall I think this book has some amazing points. I especially like the first half, or maybe two thirds. The main character is someone who I relate to on a lot of levels (although I don't get quite as horrified with myself as she does). She learns a lot of good lessons during the books, and therefore it's practical.
Unfortunately, the book has a habit of dragging on. And on. And on. The story is written as a journal, and there are times when six or seven years are skipped at once. To me that kind of ruins the flow, and I'd have liked it much more if the book would have ended much sooner than it did. I ended up skimming a lot of the last 30 pages or so.
The book also contains some very "good" examples of how important it is to communicate, because the characters don't communicate. at. all. And it drives me nuts. It causes so much stress when people don't talk and let miscommunications fester.
I was also reading an e-version of the book, and there were tons of weird spellings, typos, and strange characters thrown in there, so I didn't actually get the full book, because some sentences I simply couldn't read. ...more
The premise sounded interesting, although it wasn't something I especially wanted to read. I have been curious about the subjeWhy I Choose this Book:
The premise sounded interesting, although it wasn't something I especially wanted to read. I have been curious about the subject though because I know a lot of teens who date and the rational behind it never made complete sense to me. Then I found out that the author of this book co-wrote it with his daughter, and that impressed and intrigued me. And, after watching a short interview with them, I was like "Hey! I want to read this!" and so I did.
What I Thought About this Book:
Just to be clear before we start: I'm not a fan of teenage dating, or dating just for fun, *but* if y'all are in that setting, then I highly recommend this book.
This book wasn't at all what I was expecting. The author says in the intro that he's a Christian, but it's not a Christian book, and it's not necessarily written for Christians. (Although biblical principles do leak onto the writings.) The author has been a high school teacher for over twenty years, and he's gained tons of insight into what all goes on, and has walked hundreds of teens through difficult times. Mr. Anderson wrote this book hoping that parents would take up the ball and begin having needed conversations with their daughters so that they wouldn't have so many troubles and heartaches. (Let me take a moment here to say that Mr. Anderson sounds like a totally amazing guy and exactly the kind of person I would have as my teacher if I had grown up in public school with absent parents. Way to go, Mr. Anderson! I also really appreciated Jacquelyn's honest and insight. Her parts really made the book more relatable and helped link the facts in numbers with reality.)
The book is obviously serious and has some heavy topics, but it was also written in a way that is easy to read and understand. There are tons of facts, scientific discoveries, and averages and percentages talked about in the book. We get to learn about how our brains develop and why people react to certain situations the way they do. The book makes modern teen dating trends make a lot more sense. There were a couple of chapters that I only skimmed because I don't feel the need to know all the information right now, but for parents I can see how it would be incredibly enlightening and helpful.
I didn't agree with everything the authors said, but that's to be expected. Overall though, the good info far, far out weighed what I disagreed with. And, I very much appreciated how the book was a father/daughter team effort.
Conclusion:
As I said before, if you have a daughter of dating-age (or even if you are a dating teen), then this book should probably be on your to-read list.
Rating:
I'm giving The 10 Myths of Teen Dating 4 stars out of 5, and 8 stars out of 10.
I generally shy away from books that have this type of cover because a lot of time that means they're too romantic for my tastWhy I Choose this Book:
I generally shy away from books that have this type of cover because a lot of time that means they're too romantic for my tastes. Then I saw that it was written by a Mennonite guy, and that totally intrigued me, so I requested it for review.
What I Thought About this Book:
It took me a long time to get into this book. I found the style difficult and the characters somewhat annoying. THEN a friend mentioned that she liked it because she had grown up hearing the story. I asked her what she meant and was shocked to discover that the book was based on true facts, and the author was a descendants of the main characters. (Which it actually says on the back cover, but I went into the book blind cause I can't stand spoilers.) After that the book was a lot more enjoyable.
Overall I *get* the point of the story. I can imagine that it would be really extremely difficult to deal with everything that was going on. I just wished though that the family had been more understanding of Christian. I can't stand miscommunications and misunderstandings, and in this book several of the characters basically refused to communicate with each other, even though they were family. I wanted to see love triumphing preferences, pride, and the past, but instead most of them were so stubborn. (I do realize this is realistic and probably very close to what happened, it just bothered me a lot.)
Anna was a dear and I was so happy she was part of the story. The other characters really should have learned from her. :) I also liked Christian as time went on, and he was realistic. I did have a lot of issues though with the focus. Like, Anna kept thinking, "Oh, if only Christian would like an Amish girl, then he would settle down and join the church." And yes, I know that's how people think, but it's really not the correct point of view. Also, when someone was interested in being born again, basically the first questions discussed were about outward appearances and what kind of baptism they would have. That's really not what the focus should have been on at the moment.
Conclusion:
Although the story didn't keep me on the edge of my seat and it was fairly easy to put down, I did get into it. I wanted to find out what happened, and grew to like more of the characters as time went on. The premiss was pretty intriguing and I kinda want to read the first two books in the series now.
Rating:
I'm giving Christian's Hope 3 out of 5 stars and 5 out of 10.
It’s a subject I’ve thought about for a while. Even though I haven’t had to deal with a lot of the stuff the book talks about,Why I Choose this Book:
It’s a subject I’ve thought about for a while. Even though I haven’t had to deal with a lot of the stuff the book talks about, I do know I have the habit of turning to the wrong things for comfort.
What I Thought about this Book:
Wow. There were some really amazing chapters in this book. The author writes in an easy to understand way while being open, practical, and willing to draw upon her own life for stories without bogging the book down. I appreciated seeing how her life was transformed through God and His Word, and then reading the hope that she’s passing on to others. I can only imagine how many people have been blessed through this book.
There was one point where I thought “Oh, well I wish she would have added this to what she’s saying” and sure enough, the next paragraph added it. The book was well thought-out, encouraging, based on Scripture, and extremely practical. (If you haven’t noticed, I’m big when it comes to practicality.)
Along with all the great stuff there were some things I didn’t agree with 100%, but it was mostly that she stated those things more strongly than I would agree with, not that I utterly disagreed with her.
Conclusion
I’m pretty sure I’ll be re-reading at least some of these chapters from time to time because they were incredibly helpful, spot-on, and full of God’s truth. I recommend this book to anyone who finds themselves turning to counterfeit comforts.
Rating
I’m giving Counterfeit Comforts 4 out of 5 stars, and 8 out of 10.
*I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers* ...more
**spoiler alert** I read this book several years ago when it first came out, and remembered thinking it had some really good points. During this read-**spoiler alert** I read this book several years ago when it first came out, and remembered thinking it had some really good points. During this read-through, I was a little bit amazed at several things, namely the fact that I legit only liked a grand total of one of the characters.
Selena (the main character) was pretty messed up, which is totally okay. She's supposed to be like that, and was fairly well written. Even though I didn't like her at all I was still rooting for her because she was trying. And she was believable. And she had a heart-tugging backstory. Only, she never really became likable to me, which is something I was sorta hoping would happen.
The supporting cast was also mostly unlikeable, which was also okay. Her friends though? I don't know if they were truly as annoying as they seemed at times, or if that's just cause they were coming from Selena's skewed viewpoint, but I wished I could have been a little more happy with them. Austin was (unsurprisingly) my only likable character, although I really wasn't a fan of the way he and Selena related to each other. There are many times when a romantic relationship is really not the best idea, and this is one of those times. But oh well.
This story deals with partying, drinking, smoking, teenage pregnancy, divorce, anxiety issues, etc... but it does so in a way that can be helpful without coming across as preachy, and without giving too many details to the issues. I really appreciate this aspect of the story and think it's a good read for kids who have dealt with any of the above mentioned troubles. I don't agree with all the author's conclusions, but overall she made some really good points. ...more
I thought this book would contain helpful information that would not only help me relate to veterans better in the future, butWhy I Choose this Book:
I thought this book would contain helpful information that would not only help me relate to veterans better in the future, but also anyone who has spent time in a war zone.
What I Thought About this Book:
Unfortunately I am really not the target audience for this book. I was prepared for that since I don't know anyone suffering from PTSD, but where I felt the disconnect was the book was mostly written to the spouse (or girlfriend/boyfriend) of someone with PTSD. And since I'm not married to someone with PTSD (or married at all), the book didn't really help me much.
Because of that, I don't feel qualified to give much of a review. I will say that I was pleased to see the over-all theme of turning to God when things get tough. The book also made me really appreciate everything that vets, and their families, go through after having served our country. I hate that we lived in a sin-cursed world where there is violence and fighting and PTSD.
Having gone through Lyme disease, and knowing what it's like to feel alone with that type of thing, I can only imagine that for people who have loved ones with PTSD, this book would be incredibly encouraging and helpful.
Conclusion:
There were some things I didn't agree with in the book, but since I'm not in a situation like the book was talking about, I won't discuss those instances. There were also some things that, while being totally fine for a married couple, left me skipping or skimming some pages. So, not exactly a book for young people.
Rating:
I'm giving Love Our Vets 3 stars out of 5, and 5 stars out of 10.
The author contacted me via email several months ago saying he seen on my blog that I "enjoyed Christian Living titles" and woWhy I Choose this Book:
The author contacted me via email several months ago saying he seen on my blog that I "enjoyed Christian Living titles" and wondered if I would be willing to review his book. My curiosity was peaked, because hey, helping out fellow authors is cool, but what really got me interested was his P.S. to the email where he said I could find out more about his homeschooling family of nine who lives in Alaska.
People. They live in Alaska. (For all you who don't know, I'm pretty sure Alaska and I would be best friends if we ever got to know each other.) Mr. Ladd and I emailed back and forth a few times because I had various questions about the book, and needless to say, I agreed to review it. (Although, to be clear, the book itself has nothing to do with Alaska.)
What I Thought About this Book:
The book is divided into three parts, and the first part was most assuredly my favorite. It received a very solid four stars. Parts two and three were a bit disjoined and made it somewhat hard to follow, but in the end I also appreciated the information that was presented.
Part One has more of the story of Mr. Ladd's life than the other two parts, and I really liked how he tied different lessons he'd learned into how they would later make sense to him spiritually. Mr. Ladd also described the world in a way that I greatly enjoyed. His word pictures and descriptions made me smile more than once.
Part Two explores a lot of various issues and sins in the world, and how they affect people, and how Christians should view those issues. Although Mr. Ladd explains in the introduction what Part Two is going to be, I was still really surprised by the sudden switch, not only in content, but also in style. Part Two took me a while to get through because I normally read in the evening, and I found it hard to focus when I was tired. I also skim-read a chapter or two because although I think the subjects presented in the chapters are very important to talk about, I don't feel the need to personally read about them at this time.
Part Three talks about other religions and how they are different from Christianity, and also why it's important to study things for ourselves and not just mindlessly accept what other people tell us.
Conclusion:
The book wasn't what I was expecting, and I wish it had all been more like Part One, but all in all I'm glad I read it. Mr. Ladd didn't grow up in a Christian environment, so it was especially neat to get to "watch" his journey toward believing the Bible and God. He obviously spent a lot of time exploring the topic before he believed, so that was really cool to see.
Although handled well, the book does talk about some subjects that aren't suitable for kids (plus, I don't think they'd grasp a lot of the info anyway), so I'd recommend this book for ages 17 and up. Rating:
I'm giving One of the Few 4 out of 5 stars and 7 out of 10.
*I received this book free from the author. Find out more about Jason B. Ladd at his website. ...more
Well, the title should be a sufficient explanation.
What I Thought About this Book:
It was really good. It was also one of thosWhy I Choose this Book:
Well, the title should be a sufficient explanation.
What I Thought About this Book:
It was really good. It was also one of those books that can't be gulped down, because, well, it's just *wrong* to slurp a book up in a couple of sittings when it talks so much about slowing down and spending time with God and listening for Him.
That, by the way, is my big take-away from the book. I have a hard time slowing down and spending time listening for God's voice. My imagination is so active that I have a hard time clearing it of activity to just be still, but that is something I'm working on. In the past I've prayer journaled a lot which really helps me to keep focus. Because of a wrist injury though, I haven't done as much journaling or typing in the last few months, and so I'd been just praying instead of prayer journaling. Going back to prayer journaling (something this book encouraged), was helpful and I realized how much I've missed it.
Mr. Goll's writing style is quite practical and easy to understand. The way he talks about God was really encouraging. It's obvious he views God with reverence, but also sees Him as a loving Friend and Father. In fact, he refers to God multiple times as "Papa God" which I really liked. Mr. Goll is personable in the book, sharing some of the things he struggled with, as well as times God worked through him.
Conclusion:
The book was easy-to-understand, challenging, practical, and a very worth-while read. Plus, the cover is beautiful, which is a plus.
Rating:
I'm giving Hearing God's Voice Today 4 stars out of 5, and 8 stars out of 10. I happily recommend it.
*I received this book free from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review*...more
I thought this book was a modern retelling of A Christmas Carol, and that sounded intriguing to me.
What I Thought About this Why I Choose this Book:
I thought this book was a modern retelling of A Christmas Carol, and that sounded intriguing to me.
What I Thought About this Book:
First off, this might contain slight spoilers, so read at your own risk.
The concept was really promising. The execution? Well, it didn't exactly thrill me. It felt like a trite, cliché, redundant story. My favorite part was probably the main character's relationship with her grandmother who raised her. Sweet parental-type relationships always make me happy. It was also cute that she called her grandmother "Sis" because that was different and I enjoyed it.
I also liked the idea of the plot line that had to do with the main character and her father, an ex-convict. The whole thought of redemption and trying to make right past wrongs is a story line that I find intriguing. The main character's actions at the beginning of the story were totally relatable and easy to imagine. Eventually though, even that sorta fell flat for me, because I wasn't convinced. As time went on though, the main character sounded like a over imaginative, high-strung, illogical female, who really needed to stop making a big deal out of nothing. My problem wasn't with the character though, but more that the story was using weak plot points that didn't endear me to the book.
The romance also was rather ugh-ish and unexpected, although it wasn't "wrong" per se. The main character had a crush on a kid in Middle School, didn't seen him for like ten years, and then fell in love with him within weeks after meeting up with him again. Besides, I didn't feel like it added much to the story. Thankfully it wasn't a huge part of the book, so that was nice.
Conclusion:
This just wasn't my book. It was a "cute" Christmas read, I guess, and I suppose a lot of people would really enjoy it. It did have a few good Biblical concepts like forgiveness, but that didn't play a huge part in the story. Rating:
I'm giving God Bless Us Every One 3 stars out of 5, and 4 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review* ...more
Life Creative. I see nearly everything in the world through the eyes of creativity, and the title of this book promised to do Why I Choose this Book:
Life Creative. I see nearly everything in the world through the eyes of creativity, and the title of this book promised to do the same. Besides, the back cover blurb sounded amazing, despite the fact that I'm not a mother.
What I Thought About this Book:
Where do I even start? How do I even go about reviewing a book like Life Creative? It was beautiful - every single aspect of the book was simply and incredibly beautiful. From the formatting to the page designs to the different fonts, to the dividers... The words flowed like art, flinging images into my mind, and creating wings that carried me away in my own imagination and inspired me and made me want to do more.
The scope of the topics that Life Creative covered was also amazing. The book was written in such a balanced and thought-provking way that multiple times I just wanted to shake my head and say "Wow, their insight is incredible." I was extremely impressed by how well-rounded and Biblically based their points were. It was clear that the authors not only *really* studied God's Word and listened for Him, but that they also took council from other Christ-followers.
I was delighted by how their view of art was extremely uplifting. I've been blessed for years at the thought that God is creative, and He's created me to be creative, too, and Life Creative really highlights that. God has given us each gifts and talents and it's our privilege to in turn use those gifts and talents to bless Him and point people to Him. Life Creative offers so much practical advice on how to do that, why it's important, and how busy moms can play the juggling act while staying accountable. I felt like clapping when they even included a section about how important it is to communicate with your family about art, because communication rocks.
Conclusion:
There were a few minor things I didn't agree with, but mostly I was blown away and impressed by the book. It will most assuredly be a re-read. The fact that I enjoyed and gleaned so much from the book when I'm not even it's target audience is a huge testament to how fantastic the book is. I can only imagine how much more I would have gotten from the book if I was a mom. Way to go, Miss Wendy and Miss Kelli! I hope you write more books together in the future. =)
Rating:
I'm giving Life Creative 5 stars out of 5, and 10 stars out of 10. I highly, highly recommend it to any mom, or even non-mom, who has a creative bend. (In fact, I took a break mid-review to email a friend about the book and ask her if I could buy her a copy. It's *that* good.)
Leadership is an important quality to have, so I thought reading a book about it would be helpful.
What I Thought About this BWhy I Choose this Book:
Leadership is an important quality to have, so I thought reading a book about it would be helpful.
What I Thought About this Book:
Unfortunately it wasn't my cup of tea. There were lots of good "nuggets" of wisdom all throughout the book, but sadly the nuggets were interspersed with a lot of information that I had a hard time following.
It was confusing trying to keep everything in order that they were teaching us about our brain and how brains work. There were also times when it felt like they were using their own "inside language" like when people who grew up in church have conversations with Biblical lingo that make outsiders go "What?" Yes, the book did give definitions and explanations, but there were so many of them that they got confusing.
Overall I *did* learn stuff, and it was intriguing to learn how the brain works. I appreciated how they used the Bible to back up what they were saying, and constantly returned to that authority. The biggest take away I got from the book is how easy it is to fall into the trap of motivating people by fear when in reality it should be joy that's our motivator. (Which makes sense when you think about verses like "The joy of the Lord is our strength."
Conclusion:
I'm not even sure how much I did or didn't agree with this book, because I was confused for about half of it. Considering that 80 % of the reviews on Amazon are five-star reviews, I'm going to guess that most people really liked this book, so there's a good chance y'all will, too.
Rating:
I'm giving Rare Leadership 3 stars out of 5, and 5 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Moody Publishers in exchange for an honest review*...more
The book looked interesting, and I figured it would help me relate and be more understanding to other people.
What I Thought AWhy I Choose this Book:
The book looked interesting, and I figured it would help me relate and be more understanding to other people.
What I Thought About this Book:
Part 1, which was the first 60% or so went through a lot of different problems that people have, and what could have caused those problems. It was enlightening and made sense. Since I haven't studied this type of thing a lot, a fair amount of the information was new to me, so it was interesting to learn about. Part 1 was about reacting: Why we react, how reacting looks, and the issues that come from reacting.
Part 2 was about learning how to respond instead of reacting. I enjoyed part 2 a lot more than part 1. It was great to see how they brought the Bible into the book and spotlighted the way we need to give our lives to God in order to make our lives work the way we're supposed to.
There were plenty parts in the book that I didn't fully understand, but mostly I appreciated and agreed with what I read. The book ended with a chapter of what our lives look like when we've given control to God which was very hope-filled.
Conclusion:
This book wasn't geared toward me, but I'm still glad I read it. I can see how it will help me understand people better. I recommend it to most people who have had trauma, abuse, or big issues in their past.
Rating:
I'm giving Take Your Life Back 3 stars out of 5, and 5 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Tyndale Publishing*...more
Names have always meant a lot to me. I not only find them intriguing, but also beautiful.
What I Thought About this Book:
I hadWhy I Choose this Book:
Names have always meant a lot to me. I not only find them intriguing, but also beautiful.
What I Thought About this Book:
I hadn't realized until I started the book that it was a devotional with thirty-one different names, corresponding with thirty-one different days. In the end I decided to read it over the course of two days, and really enjoyed going through it quickly.
Reading through the book while sick was a good way to find encouragement, and it helped me remember and dwell on how powerful, wonderful, and all-knowing God is. The book quotes a lot of Scripture, and talks a good amount about the attributes of God, so that was a big plus.
Unfortunately, I didn't find the formatting to be very appealing. There were also numerous grammatical inconsistencies that left me wanting to cringe. (For example, when talking about God the author sometimes capitalized the "H" in He, and sometimes she didn't, and there didn't seem to be any reasoning behind her choice.) There were also some times when the author sounded redundant, which could have been fixed with just a little bit of editing. Other then that though, I enjoyed the book and am thankful for it.
Conclusion:
I didn't agree with everything in the book, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if I picked it up again in a year or two to re-read it. Overall the content was uplifting, biblical, and easy to understand.
Rating:
I'm giving Experiencing God Through His Names 4 stars out of 5, and 7 stars out of 10. I would recommend it to people wanting a easy-to-read book that will help them learn a little bit more about the character of God.
*I received this book free from Litfuse in exchange for an honest review*...more
Prayer is a subject I've been working on studying, so this seemed like a good book to read through.
What I Thought About this Why I Choose this Book:
Prayer is a subject I've been working on studying, so this seemed like a good book to read through.
What I Thought About this Book:
Hummm...This is one of those books that is really hard for me to review. There were parts of the book that I really liked and agreed with. There were elements to spiritual warfare that were discussed that I think far too many Christians are ignorant about. There were inspiring stories and exciting answers to prayer.
The reading style was also easy to follow, and although I had to read the book in lots of short sittings (compared to all at once), it wasn't difficult to understand what was being said. The author also used a lot of Scripture to back up what she was saying.
My problem comes in with the fact that I didn't always agree with how she interpreted the verses she was quoting. Some parts left me shaking my head, or else wrinkling my nose, because I didn't see eye-to-eye with her. There were enough instances like that, that I wouldn't recommend the book, although I did learn a lot from it. Conclusion:
It was interesting to read this book right after reading Dutch Sheets' book, and this book actually quoted Dutch Sheets several time. The Intercessors Handbook was helpful, and eye-opening, but I don't see it being a re-read. Rating:
I'm giving The Intercessors Handbook 3 stars out of 5, and 6 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Chosen Books in exchange for an honest review*...more
I haven't read very much about the end times, so I was pretty curious to learn more about it from people who have studied the Why I Choose this Book:
I haven't read very much about the end times, so I was pretty curious to learn more about it from people who have studied the matter extensively.
What I Thought About this Book:
Unfortunately it wasn't really my style. Now this is going to sound quite lame, but the fact is, I like stories. I like being able to relate to people. Don't get wrong, nonfiction books are great - but I don't feel a draw toward a book when it's just fact after fact. I literally don't know a single thing about the author from reading the book (except that he's obviously studied the end times). I am able to engage in a book much better when they illustrate points by telling short stories that are true. Since we're studying the end times though, I can see how that didn't exactly fit into the picture. (All that to say, you'll probably like the book, so you should check it out.)
I did learn stuff from reading the book though, and although I didn't agree on 100% of his interpretations, it was encouraging to see how often he quoted or referenced the Bible. There were hundreds, if not thousands, of references, so yay for authors who really take the Bible as the authority.
The book discusses questions like "Who is the 'False Prophet'?" "What is the Role of Israel in the End Times?" "What Nations Will be in Power in the End Times?" and many other similar ones. There were some explanations that didn't make a ton of sense to me, but I have a feeling that if I would study the matter more throughly, then they would.
Conclusion:
Overall it's a pretty good overview of what the end times look like. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but that's only because it wasn't my style. Rating:
I'm giving Answers to the Most Important Questions about the End Times 3 stars out of 5, and 4 stars out of 10.
*I received this book free from Bethany House Publishers in exchange for an honest review*...more
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