Book Review: Let There Be Light

'In the very beginning, God's love bubbled over when there was nothing else---no trees, no birds, no animals, no sky, no sea---only darkness.' Let There Be Light combines the love and warmth of Nobel Peace Prize Winner Archbishop Desmond Tutu with the extraordinary talents of bestselling author and illustrator Nancy Tillman. This retelling of the biblical story of creation vividly portrays the wonder and beauty of God's creation on each of the seven days. Using Archbishop Tutu's lyrical text from the Children of God Storybook Bible and Tillman's remarkable illustrations, Let There Be Light brings the story of creation to life for readers young and old.

My Review:

Ahh... this book is gorgeous!  The pictures are so beautiful and the story is so simply told.  This is a wonderful book that draws everyone in.  It is definitely going to be a favorite in our house.  The story is very close to the Biblical version and I appreciated that very much.  I highly recommend this book for every family.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review: Riley Mae and the Ready Eddy Rapids

Book Description

If you’re gonna run for your life, you gotta wear the right shoes.

Life is rapidly changing for pre-teen shoe spokesperson Riley Mae. After the last photo shoot and trek up the Half-Dome in Yosemite, Riley Mae and her Swiftriver friends find themselves in Northwest Montana, the perfect backdrop for a river sandal campaign. The first problem is a plane malfunction. Then the rigorous raft training for the “Ready Eddy” river sandal campaign brings more bumps and bruises. And given that she is in Montana for a shoe campaign instead of back home with her friends, Riley thinks life can’t get much worse. But then she meets Sunday, a 10 year-old boy from Kenya, who wrestles fish, battles bears, and tackles leukemia. And Riley soon learns that life is as unpredictable as the raging waters, which, if she is not careful, will sweep her away and into the hands of the enemy - who is even closer than she thinks.

My Review:

I am always trying to get my 10 year old daughter to read.  It is always a fight.  Always.  Not only do I want my daughter to read, but I want her to read books that are not filled with trash.  I think part of the appeal is that Riley has a pretty awesome sounding life.  She is a pre-teen and a famous shoe spokesperson.  My other daughter's name is Rylee, so I think that also appealed to my oldest.  She is actually reading this book and enjoying it.  I read it and I definitely recommend it, but I think that starting with the first one in the series would be best.  I was a little lost in the beginning since this book seemed to start off where the last one ended, but my daughter didn't seem to complain about that at all.  It was a great story with a great message and we will definitely be looking for more from this series.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review: Riley Mae and the Rock Shocker Trek

If you’re gonna run for your life, you gotta wear the right shoes.

Riley Mae Hart loves sports and action - so when the Swiftriver Shoe Company offers her a contract to be the spokesperson for their new outdoor sport collection, she jumps at the chance. Soon she’s appearing in commercials and magazine ads, and every girl in town wants to wear Riley Mae shoes. Well, except for Riley. Because walking in those shoes means missing out on softball season, making her best friend TJ mad, and embarrassing her new friend, Rusty. It also means sneaking around, hiding, and keeping secrets - because suddenly something isn’t quite right at Swiftriver. But a contract’s a contract, so Riley laces up her “Rock Shocker” hiking boots for a climb up Half-Dome in Yosemite. Will they be the right shoes to get her back on solid ground?

My Review:

I requested the second in this series first and although it was a great book I had regretted not reading the first one first.  This series is wonderful and I definitely recommend it to young girls seven and up.  It has great morals and shows girls being hardworking, dedicated and sporty.  My daughter, who is ten, really enjoyed this book and actually read it without complaining.  The characters are fun and the story line is also.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review: Celebrate Recovery Bible

This softcover Bible is an ideal, real-life spiritual guide for anyone looking for hope in the face of difficult circumstances and the negative habits they are trying to control. Based on eight recovery principles found in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and on the underlying Christ-centered twelve steps of the proven Celebrate Recovery program, this Bible lifts readers up and shows them how to walk, step by attainable step, on a path of healing and liberty.
Featuring a foreword by Rick Warren, the NIV Celebrate Recovery Bible offers hope and encouragement to all who feel powerless and stuck. Through developing a relationship with Jesus Christ, readers will be empowered to rise above their hurts, hang-ups, and habits.




Features:

• Full text of the world’s most popular modern English Bible—the New International Version (NIV)
• Articles explain eight recovery principles and accompanying Christ-centered twelve steps
• Over 110 lessons unpack eight recovery principles in practical terms
• Recovery stories offer encouragement and hope
• 30 days of devotional readings
• Over 50 full-page biblical character studies are tied to stories from real-life people who have found peace and help with their own hurts, hang-ups, and habits
• Book introductions
• Side-column reference system keyed to the eight recovery principles
• Topical index

My Review:

I am not in recovery for anything so it might seem strange that I ordered this Bible to review.  I thought that there would definitely be someone who I could give it to and so I thought it would be a great resource to have.  I was right.  The Bible is amazing on its own, but this one is full of little extras that make it that much more enriching and easy to understand.  I love all of the features this Bible has.  I highly recommend this Bible for anyone, but the reflection aspects are more geared toward those in some kind of recovery.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion. 

Book Review: Accidental Saints

New York Times Bestseller | One of NPR's Best Books of 2015


What if that person you've been trying to avoid is your best shot at grace today?

And what if that's the point?
In Accidental Saints, New York Times best-selling au­thor Nadia Bolz-Weber invites readers into a surprising encounter with what she calls “a religious but not-so-spiritual life.” Tattooed, angry and profane, this former standup comic turned pastor stubbornly, sometimes hilariously, resists the God she feels called to serve. But God keeps showing up in the least likely of people—a church-loving agnostic, a drag queen, a felonious Bishop and a gun-toting member of the NRA. 

As she lives and worships alongside these “ac­cidental saints,” Nadia is swept into first-hand en­counters with grace—a gift that feels to her less like being wrapped in a warm blanket and more like being hit with a blunt instrument. But by this grace, people are trans­formed in ways they couldn’t have been on their own. 

In a time when many have rightly become dis­illusioned with Christianity, Accidental Saints dem­onstrates what happens when ordinary people share bread and wine, struggle with scripture together, and tell each other the truth about their real lives. This unforgettable account of their faltering steps toward wholeness will ring true for believer and skeptic alike. 

Told in Nadia’s trademark confessional style, Accidental Saints is the stunning next work from one of today’s most important religious voices.

My Review:

I was really intrigued  by this book and the author but I was not as impressed with this book as I thought I would be.  It is a very easy, enjoyable read and the author sounds like a lot of fun.  I enjoyed everything in the book except that the stories were... just not doing it for me-I'm not sure why.  The stories are about ordinary, imperfect people who influence us and "show" us a bit of God.  The stories were touching but so much of the story was spent on the author continuing to tell about her imperfections.  I appreciate reading that so much, but only so much, I guess.  I am excited to gift this book to someone who I think will easily relate to the author.  

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.  

Book Review: Before I Forget

Before I Forget: Love, Hope, Help, and Acceptance in Our Fight Against Alzheimer's

“I know where I’m going. I’m still myself. I just can’t remember things as well as I once did. So on short trips, I work hard not to be confused. I’ll say to myself, What are we going to do? How long are we staying? It’s like I’m talking to my other self—the self I used to be. She tells me, This is what we need to buy—not that. I’m conscious of that other self guiding me now.”

Restaurateur, magazine publisher, celebrity chef, and nationally known lifestyle maven, B. Smith is struggling at 66 with a tag she never expected to add to that string: Alzheimer's patient.  She’s not alone. Every 67 seconds someone newly develops it, and millions of lives are affected by its aftershocks.

B. and her husband, Dan, working with Vanity Fair contributing editor Michael Shnayerson, unstintingly share their unfolding story. Crafted in short chapters that interweave their narrative with practical and helpful advice, readers learn about dealing with Alzheimer's day-to-day challenges: the family realities and tensions, ways of coping, coming research that may tip the scale, as well as lessons learned along the way.

At its heart, Before I Forget is a love story: illuminating a love of family, life, and hope.

My Review: 

This book was heartbreaking for me especially because my grandmother just died and she had Alzheimer's.  The disease is real and scary.  It confuses everyone.  I loved reading this because much of it was written from the woman who is struggling with Alzheimer's.  Her viewpoints were different from what we often hear about and see.  We imagine what it is like to deal with someone who has the disease but we often don't think about how the person with the disease feels. 

This is a great book and unfortunately it is one that we all could use on our shelves.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review: How to Be Married

Everyone tells you marriage is hard, but no one tells you what to do about it.

At age thirty-four, Jo Piazza got her romantic-comedy ending when she met the man of her dreams on a boat in the Galápagos Islands and was engaged three months later. But before long, Jo found herself riddled with questions. How do you make a marriage work in a world where you no longer need to be married? How does an independent, strong-willed feminist become someone’s partner—all the time?

In the tradition of writers such as Nora Ephron and Elizabeth Gilbert, award-winning journalist and nationally bestselling author Jo Piazza writes a provocative memoir of a real first year of marriage that will forever change the way we look at matrimony. 

A travel editor constantly on the move, Jo journeys to twenty countries on five continents to figure out what modern marriage means. Throughout this stunning, funny, warm, and wise personal narrative, she gleans wisdom from matrilineal tribeswomen, French ladies who lunch, Orthodox Jewish moms, Swedish stay-at-home dads, polygamous warriors, and Dutch prostitutes.

Written with refreshing candor, elegant prose, astute reporting, and hilarious insight into the human psyche, How to Be Married offers an honest portrait of an utterly charming couple. When life throws more at them than they ever expected—a terrifying health diagnosis, sick parents to care for, unemployment—they ultimately create a fresh understanding of what it means to be equal partners during the good and bad times. 

Through their journey, they reveal a framework that will help the rest of us keep our marriages strong, from engagement into the newlywed years and beyond.

My Review: 

     I saw the author on a morning show and thought her book sounded interesting.  I was excited to see it offered as a book for me to review.  I have been officially married for 11 years but consider it more like 14.  I have been married longer than many people in my family and even longer than a few of the contributors in this book, which made it fun.  I really enjoyed reading about the different customs and cultures around the world and the perspective that gave them on marriage.  This was definitely a fun read!  

     I highly recommend it for newlyweds or for anyone looking to get some fun (and often powerful) marriage tips and advice!

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.  

Book Review: Andi Under Pressure

Book Description

Twelve-year-old Andora ‘Andi’ Boggs and her new best friend Colin Carter couldn’t be more excited to attend the prestigious science camp at the local university in Killdeer, Ohio. Unfortunately, Discovery Camp’s curriculum appears to include much more than just chemistry and biology. From day one, the university is plagued by a series of pranks—missing markers, loose crickets, and stolen scales. Campus security blames the mysterious janitor Polk, but even though Andi agrees he’s acting suspicious, she can’t believe the gentle old man would do anything illegal. Then one prank goes too far and their chemistry professor is injured by an explosion in the lab, upping the stakes of the investigation. Andi and Colin must unravel the secrets behind the chemistry department and Polk’s dark past before danger closes the camp for good.

Book Review:

I am always looking for new books for my 12 year old daughter to read and enjoy.  I gave her this one hoping she would.  She loves mysteries and spy stuff.  She really did enjoy the book and read it quite quickly.  She loved that it was a series and we are definitely going to order more from Andi's adventures.  The book is clean and not full of stuff that I don't want my daughter reading or dwelling on.  It is similar to the Nancy Drew series in my opinion.  I definitely recommend this book and the entire series for your young daughter.

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.  

Book Review: Get Your Story Straight

Get Your Story Straight (New Growth Press, October 2015)

What’s your story?

We all tell stories to each other–stories about what happened when we were kids, stories about last night, and stories where we dream about the future. Some stories are funny, some are amazing, others are sad, but they all have something in common–each of us is the hero of our own story. Our thoughts, feelings, hopes, and dreams take center stage. But when it’s all about you, it’s also all up to you. You have to make life work, find meaning, and hope for the best even when you mess up or things go badly wrong.

But what if we were made for something different? What if the main character in our life story isn’t us, but it is the God who became like us and is now with us? What if being fully human means knowing him and growing to be like him? What if the way to be fully alive is to be caught up in Jesus’s story?

This 52-week devotional book and small group resource is designed to help you live with Jesus in his gospel story–the good news that your sins are forgiven, your future is assured, and following him is the only meaningful way to live. No matter your age, where you live, who your family is, or what your past, God wants you to experience the freedom that comes in being secure in his love.

Divided into three parts, starting with creation, each section progressively explores the idea that the whole Bible is the unfolding story of Jesus. Through this grid, who Jesus is and why we need him will shape your understanding of freedom and grace and how you grow to be like him. This yearlong study for teenagers and young adults is designed for individual devotional times, but a small group discussion guided by a mentor would help participants to absorb and live out the truths of each week’s teaching.

Kristen Hatton is a native Texan now putting roots down in Edmond, OK with her church-planter/pastor husband and their three children. With a public relations background from Southern Methodist University, Kristen has a wide array of professional experiences, none of which she counts as important as the job of being a “present” mom. Through leading a small group Bible study of teenagers, she has discovered her passion for teaching and writing about God’s grace.

My Review:

First of all, the layout of this book is wonderful!  I love how it is broken down into three parts and then broken down further into small sections.  It would be a tremendous devotional or Bible study for teens and young adults.  I plan to have my daughter go through it in a couple years when she will be old enough to really grasp the concepts and teachings.  It is very well written, enjoyable and extremely engaging.  I love that the principle of the book (in my opinion) is that your life was created and is designed for God.  It is yours to live, but the purpose is to glorify Him and live a life that shares His story with others no matter what you do.  It would make a wonderful Christmas present for the teen or young adult in your life!!

I received this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review: A Love Like Ours

Fall in love with Becky Wade's new book, A Love Like Ours, a story of healing, romance, and cowboys. A glimmer of the hope Jake thought he’d lost returns when Lyndie lands back in Texas, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend? 

{MORE ABOUT A LOVE LIKE OURS}

A Love Like Ours (Bethany House, May 2015)

Former Marine Jake Porter has far deeper scars than the one that marks his face. He struggles with symptoms of PTSD, lives a solitary life, and avoids relationships.

When Lyndie James, Jake’s childhood best friend, lands back in Holley, Texas, Jake cautiously hires her to exercise his Thoroughbreds. Lyndie is tender-hearted, fiercely determined, and afraid of nothing, just like she was as a child. Jake pairs her with Silver Leaf, a horse full of promise but lacking in results, hoping she can solve the mystery of the stallion’s reluctance to run.

Though Jake and Lyndie have grown into very different adults, the bond that existed during their childhood still ties them together. Against Jake’s will, Lyndie’s sparkling, optimistic personality begins to tear down the walls he’s built around his heart. A glimmer of the hope he’d thought he’d lost returns, but fears and regrets still plague him. Will Jake ever be able to love Lyndie like she deserves, or is his heart too shattered to mend?

Learn more and purchase a copy at Becky’s website.

{MORE ABOUT BECKY WADE}

Becky Wade is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and moved to Dallas. She published historical romances for the general market, took time off to raise her children, then felt God nudging her to pursue contemporary Christian fiction. Becky’s work has been a finalist for both a RITA and an INSPY Award.

Find out more about Becky at http://beckywade.com.

My Review:

I love all of Becky Wade's stories.  She is such a great storyteller.  Everything is so vivid and realistic... the characters, the setting, the story line.  It usually seems that the man in the story is the one who is trying to get to a woman's heart.  She has usually been hurt and damaged from the past and he has to win her over.  This story is kind of the opposite.  Lyndie has to get to Jake's heart.  

I love stories in this genre because they are romantic and yet not anywhere close to trashy.  They are hopeful and leave you feeling positive after you put the book down.  These are my kind of romantic books and I love reading them all!

I recieved this book for free in exchange for my honest opinion.