Saturday, August 31, 2013

A Man in the Making | Book Review

Strong men…where do they come from?  What characteristics do they possess that make them who they are?  How can we teach our boys to become strong men who are ready to make their mark in the world?  Well, with Rick Johnson’s new book A Man in the Making you will have some inside information to help you parent your son so that you can instill the proper characteristics needed and grow him to be a wonderful man who will succeed in life. 

Through this book Rick shows you many men who have made a mark in history by being a man of value and character.  Those men included George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, David, and more.  They exhibited characterizes such as common sense, intellect, compassion, honor, courage, etc that made them men that were seen as successful and men to be looked up to.

While I loved the concept of this book and it’s message and helpful tips on how to raise our sons so that they are valuable members of society, there is one thing that I couldn’t get past.  At the beginning of this book Rick talks about how women are at fault for the way men are in our current society.  He said that women are making “girlfriends” out of men.  As much as I wanted to get past this statement and his quick but harsh bashing of women, it left a bad taste in my mouth

Available August 2013 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.*

Thursday, August 29, 2013

The Homeschool Mom's Bible | Book Review

The cover is so cute.
For those parents that home school their children there will never be enough encouragement and help for the tough, but rewarding, job of teaching your children.  Most homeschooling parents have a biblical based curriculum so the new Bible from Zondervan offers a two in one reading experience. 

The Homeschool Mom’s Bible is a new bible from Zondervan, in the KJV translation (also available in NIV), helps you have your quiet time spent in God’s word, all the while, offering 365 devotionals from Janet Tatman to help encourage you through your year. 

Janet Tatman has been a homeschooling mom for the past 25 years so she knows the ups and downs, twists and turns, that being a homeschooler can offer.  Her daily devotionals are filled with honesty, empathy, and more than enough encouragement to get through the very reward, albeit difficult, days of teaching your children. 

One day she might be talking about what the home school stereotypes are, on another she might be talking about how you might have to change and adapt to make sure your children have everything the need, and on another day she is talking about what your greatest need is as a home schooling parent is…Love.  Significance.  Acceptance.

It’s rough teaching our children at home and there are days when you feel like you are all alone since most of society sends their children to some form of outside school, but with this new devotional bible you can have someone right beside you who has been in the same spot many times and can help you keep it all together. 

I highly recommend this for any mother who is taking on the tough task of homeschooling her children.  Spend some time with God and another mother who has been in your shoes.  

{From Publisher}
Features include:
  • 365 daily meditations with prayers written by Janet Tatman, a veteran homeschooling mother with more than 25 years of experience homeschooling
  • The full text of the classic King James Version (KJV) Bible
  • Foreword from Vickie Farris, author, homeschool mom, and wife of Michael Farris, founder of the Homeschool Legal Defense Association
  • Topical index

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review. *

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

The Artisan Jewish Deli At Home | Book Review

I love to cook so I especially love cookbooks that will offer me a wonderful array of delicious items for my family.  It’s even better if there is some connection of faith with the food that I am making.  What better way to get that connection than cooking kosher? 

In the wake of all the Jewish delis popping up everywhere there is a gorgeous cookbook called The Artisan Jewish Deli At Home by Michael C Zusman and Nick Zukin with images from Caren Alpert.  This cookbook will cause your mouth to water so you might want keep a napkin on hand. 

If you don’t live in a big city then you most likely don’t have a Jewish deli around that you can just pop into and pick up some kosher delicacies.  Thanks to this book you don’t have to have one near by, you just need to make your way to your kitchen, after you have made a trip to the store that is. 

Included recipes will help you plan an entire meal from start to finish since they have chapters dedicated to:

Food Basics (all the basics you will need for your meals)
Starters and Sides
Soups and Salads
Eggs, Fish, and Dairy
Beef
Bagels, Bialays, and Breads
Pastries Deserts and Drinks

Some of the recipes included in these chapters are Knishes, Dressings, Chicken Schmaltz, Noodle Keegal, Chocolate Babka French Toast, and of course, Bagels and Lox.  Some of the recipes are easy to make while others might take some more dedication and work, but all of them sound and look delicious thanks to the photography by Caren Alpert. 

The thing that I loved though, is that this isn’t just a cookbook.  They have include some history about Jewish cuisine and a list of places to find certain ingredients that might be a little difficult for you to find if you are not in a metropolitan area.  So...it's time to cook up a storm in my kitchen.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.*

Saturday, August 24, 2013

Becoming God's True Woman While I Still Have A Curfew | Book Review

Teenagers have it rough in today’s society.  Especially teenage girls.  Being a young lady can be a very turbulent time when you are learning how to be one woman from the bible and then society is saying that you should be someone else.  What do you do?

From the A True Woman line of books come a wonderful study called Becoming God’s True Woman: While I Still Have A Curfew by Susan Hunt and Mary A Kassian.  Our young ladies need all the help that we can give them and this book is a true blessing and an amazing guide. 

In this book there are 35 devotionals that address all the issues that a young teenage girl would have to face.  While addressing all topics of interest to a girl, these devotions are grounded in scripture and offer a lot of views that will get your daughter thinking about which way they need to go in life. 

There are two things that I just love about this study.  The first is all the space that is set up for your young lady to journal in.  They are given questions that will provoke a special time of journaling and possibly some self-discover in who they might be as a woman of God. 

The other thing that I found a great help is the stories included from other young women.  The reason that I love them is that it can offer an outside opinion and give young women the feeling that they are not alone during this difficult time.  It’s a feeling of community and that someone else can understand how they are feeling and dealing with the same issues as themselves. 

I can’t wait to share this book with the teenagers in my life, because every teenage girl needs to know that they are not the only one dealing with this rough time in life.  A time of finding who you are and who God wants you to be. 

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own.*

Thursday, August 22, 2013

The One Year My Princess Devotions Preschool Edition | Book Review

Every little girl loves to play dress up and pretend they are princesses.  What they don’t know, unless their family teaches it to them, is that they don’t have to play dress up to be a princess because they are already a princess of our wonderful King.

There is a new book from the One Year line of books called The One Year My Princess Devotions Preschool Edition by Karen Whiting.  If you are familiar with this line then you know how great the books are.  This one is no different.

Your little girl can be shown each day of the year that she is truly a princess in the glorious kingdom of God.  Since this is the preschool edition, the devotions are short and sweet keeping in mind the fact that a preschooler has a short attention span. 

What I love about the daily devotions is that even though they are short they pack a lot of teaching in a small time.  Each devotion includes a Royal Word (scripture verse), Princess Thoughts (short teaching), A Prayer for the King (daily prayer), and Princess in Action (way to implement the teaching.)  Topics of the devotions range from friendship to hearing God’s word to obedience to God and many, many more. 

My favorite part of this book is that the Princess in Action part allows me to reinforce the devotion with activities that my daughter loves.  Some of them are making royal crowns, practicing walking gracefully, and lighting a candle for Jesus’ birthday just to name a few. 

I am thrilled that I FINALLY found a devotional that works for my daughter.  It’s hard because most devotionals are created for an older demographic but, this is the best preschool edition that I have found and I couldn’t recommend it enough.


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own. *


Wednesday, August 21, 2013

A Most Peculiar Circumstance | Book Review

Arabella Beckett is a head-strong, opinionated, young lady who is a fighter for women’s rights which take her down a path she never expected.  She is also the sister of Hamilton Beckett, the wealthy aristocrat from Jen Turano’s previous book A Change of Fortune. 

In her new book A Most Peculiar Circumstance, Jen Turano continues her entertaining historical romance with a continuation of the Beckett family story, but this time, focusing on the younger sister Arabella.

We first meet Arabella while she is sitting in a jail cell because she got caught up in a problem that turned out to be more than she thought.  Entering to be her savior is the noble, but aloof, Theodore Wilder.  He has been sent to find Arabella so that she may attend her brother’s wedding, but he never expected the wild ride it would be just to track her down. 

Arabella is always ready to help a suffering woman but this time she may have bit off more than she can chew.  She innocently fell upon a prostitution ring and thought that when she left Gilmon Ill that it was left behind also.  Little did she know that some things would follow her all the way home. 

I have to say that I am in LOVE with Jen Turano’s books.  They are filled with romance, twists and turns and even some laughs here and there.  They are very well written and I can fly right through her books.  There are a few books for me that I am sad when they finish and Jen Turano’s books are one of the few. 

I was so happy to see that she had the same characters as A Change of Fortune because I enjoyed watching them develop and evolve as the story went along and this book was no different.

 Turano is an amazing writer and I can’t wait till her next book.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.  All opinions stated are my own.*

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Blood and Bone | Book Review

Jack Hawthorne has a life that most would love to have.  He has traveled the world, treasure hunted, and been in may exciting adventures.  Now, Jack had settled down with Espy and started a family.  He has a quiet life teaching at a university but, one night and one call change all of that.

In Blood and Bone by Don Hoesel, Jack is reminded of a time when his life was crazy and a treasure hunt that had gone wrong.  He thought that all of this was past since the person that hired him had died.  Little did he know that the bones he had buried in an Australian desert would be an issue years later.

Jack receives a call from his long time friend Ducky, that lets him know he has only minutes to leave his house before people sent to capture him arrive.  This might be easy for the “old” Jack, but now he has a wife, Espy, and kids. One of his kids has cystic fibrosis so its not that easy to pick up and leave but, they make it out of their house right before the men get there. 

Taking Ducky’s advice they travel to an airport to get out of town, but this only starts the trip around the world as the people trying to get Jack kidnap his sons.  Having enough to deal with, he finds out after traveling to South America that the bones he buried are no longer there. 

This is another great thriller from Don Hoesel.  It’s wonderful to read his books because he has a way of taking you around the world in the comfort of your own home.  The only downside to this book was it was an extension of his other book Elisha’s Bones, where the whole story started.  Not having read this book I was a little lost at times, but I truly enjoyed another trip around the world and all the exciting twists and turns that came with it.
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.*

Monday, August 19, 2013

Firsthand | Book Review

While growing up, we are taught by our families, the faith that they want us to follow.  But, what happens with you feel that what you have been taught doesn’t work for you?  In Firsthand by Ryan and Josh Shook, they take a look at how to find a faith that is all your own.  Not one that your parents want you to have.

In this book the Shook brothers walk you though  the steps to finding a faith that is all your own.  The do this because they are addressing a widely ignore problem that is facing today’s younger members of society.  When people in their late teens and early twenties leave home to start a life of their own they are stuck with a faith that is their parents.

Now, most would tell you that questioning your faith is wrong but, according to the Shooks God actually tells us to question what he says in Psalms 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him.”  It’s our human nature to have questions but, all the answers lie in the Bible.  We must find the answers for ourselves.

What I love about this book, besides the steps to finding a faith all your own, are the included stories from others who have already taking the first steps to having a personalized faith.  To see that others have had the same questions that you might have is a wonderful feeling.  It’s a feeling of community and connection.  A feeling that your not alone and when it comes to questioning your faith or trying to find your way in this world, that is a wonderful feeling. 

There is so much more to Firsthand than just the book.  There is even an online community that you can connect with to take the walk with others. 

If you have a teenager that is struggling with their faith or a child that is getting ready to head off to college, I highly recommend this as a gift to them.  It will help them make their faith all their own, while keeping them immersed in God. 
*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.*

Thursday, August 8, 2013

The Miracles of Archangel Gabriel | Book Review

I have always been fascinated by angels.  This fascination has been a life long thing.  So when Doreen Virtue released her new book The Miracles of Archangel Gabriel, I knew that I had to read it and I am so happy that I did.  Most people know Gabriel from the books of Luke (the Christmas story) and Enoch from the Bible but, most don’t realized that he/she is always around.

As with her previous books about angels she talks about how they can help, what signs there are around us that show that the angels are there and who they are most inspired to help.  While any angel will help whomever calls upon them they each have certain people they are drawn to help.  In the case of Gabriel, he/she loves to help those whom are pregnant, trying to conceive, those who are writers or anyone that is trying to communicate to others.

Now the reason that I said he/she is because angels are not restricted to just one form.  They can chose the form that would suit the person they are trying to help the best.  Some might be more comfortable with a man while others might be ok with a woman.  Either way, the angels form doesn’t hinder how they can help.  This is proven throughout the book by stories from people who wanted to share their experiences.  It gave me goose bumps to see how many people can be helped by just one angel. 

During the time of this books arrival I was going through a rough time.  I was searching for any sign that I wasn’t alone and thanks to this book I saw signs of Gabriel all around me.  Mostly in the form of the color that is associated with him/her, orange or copper.  It was amazing to see this color everywhere in my life and to know that Gabriel was around. 

I couldn’t put this book down.  I actually read it in a matter of hours and want to find the rest of Doreen’s angel books since this is the first one I have read.  This has only strengthened my connection to angels and I know that if I ever need help I can always call on them.  I suggest that you read the book and then you will start to see the signs that angels are in your life.  They want us to know they are there so why not get educated on what to look for so that you can know who is there. 

*I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for the purpose of this review.*

Thursday, August 1, 2013

My So-Called Life As A Submissive Wife | Book Review

Submission.  That word strikes fear in the heart of any modern woman.  The question is…Why?  Well, when we think about submission, definitions that come to mind are: feeling like a slave, being a lesser member of society, and just basically being someone that forfeits our own self-worth to subject ourselves to others for their will.  There was a reason for the feminist movement and we aren't trying to go back in time. 

The definitions that we all think about are nothing in comparison to what God really has in store for you when taking that role.  Sara Horn finds this out first hand while taking on the task of living as a submissive wife in her new book My So-Called Life As A Submissive Wife.  She found out that true submission is becoming your husband’s helper and letting go of all the feelings of wanting to run everything. It’s about letting your husband have his God-given place in a household…the head of the household just as Christ is the head of the church.

Sara decided that after trying to be a Proverbs 31 wife, and writing her previous book about that journey, that she would take up the role of a submissive wife, one that the Bible says we should all be.  This is not a decision that should be taken lightly so she talked to her husband and they both decided that she would attempt this experiment.  Only after a few concerns from her husband.  He was not in the market for a doormat when he got married so he was a little weary of this experiment. 

During that year she went through a lot that would have tested her submissiveness such as living with her in-laws, buying a new house, dealing with a future deployment of her husband, a hurricane, her husband having surgery, and many more daily issues that we all have to deal with.  But, not once did she stop her experiment.  She allowed her husband to be the head of household like God had intended and let go of the reigns.  Letting go and letting her husband run everything was a big turning point for her.  She realized that letting go is a huge part of submission, but not always an easy one.

Now, Sara’s journey wasn’t smooth sailing.  There were plenty of times where she would get a little off track and falter while on her path, but she always found a way to get back on the path that God laid out for her with His help.  Sometimes she would make a big decision on her own and would later find that a submissive wife would consult their husband first and found that it was better that way.  She is not perfect and never claimed to be.

The title and subject of this book, alone, will turn some people off and that’s ok.  This book comes with a warning.  In the very first sentence Sara warns that this book isn’t for everyone.  It’s not a gimmick to get you to read her book or reverse psychology, and after reading it I understand why.  Not every woman will be ready for the way this book will change their lives.  Some are to busy ladder climbing at a cooperation that they will not even think twice about becoming a submissive wife.  She does address the whole “being equal to a man in the workplace” issue and I love what she had to say about that…”Maybe we’re really not supposed to be just like men.”  Taking care of our families starts in the home. 

I’m sure there are a few of you reading this that are really mad right about now and that’s quite alright.  Take the time to read the book for yourself and you just might find a new perspective on what your role in your marriage is.  Your husband’s helper.  You can still have a great career and be his helper at the same time.  You just have to find a perfect balance and with God’s help that will be possible.

This book will change your whole outlook on your marriage if you give it the chance.  I know it did in mine.  I see things that I was already doing that are part of a submissive wife and things I needed to change.  I am by no means a submissive person and actually got some really funny looks from members of my church and close friends that found it odd that I was reading this book.  But, I am extremely grateful that I did.  It has made me a better wife and mother and I have no regrets…not one!!!


*I received a complimentary copy of this book from Harvest House Publishers for the purpose of this review.  All opinions are my own. *