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: 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.