Although my day is often non-stop, toddler-chasing, house-cleaning busy, I have found that I must find a way to escape. Often, that escape comes from a good book or two. I am thankful for the opportunity to review these books. They often provide the mini-vacation this mom needs.
A good craft or decorating project always leaves me feeling accomplished, creative and renewed. I thoroughly enjoyed the projects presented in this book, Petit Collage: 25 Easy Craft and Decor Projects for a Playful Home. This hardcover book full of colorful images immediately made my creative juices start flowing again. I plan to implement a version of a few of these crafts into my baby girl's room.
I loved first looking at the projects and templates provided. Even someone who would not call themselves "crafty" would find success with this book. The easy-to-follow directions and provided templates are the perfect jump start many wanna-be crafters would need. The book is full of step by step pictures, as well, to guide in the execution of the projects.
The crafts are practical and useful. The supplies mentioned are easily obtainable. I found myself thinking how I could re-make a few of these projects myself. They are all presented in a way that allows the reader to either follow step by step or make it their own.
You may find these resources helpful.
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for review.
Dee Henderson's work never leaves me disappointed. I actually had to make myself finish a few other books before I would allow myself to read her latest, Undetected. Referencing some of the characters from her recent best seller, Full Disclosure (a favorite of mine), it was fun to jump back into the lives of these fictional people I've grown to love.
Although this book didn't have the same sense of thrill as her last few books, I still enjoyed her character development and storytelling method. I did find the technical language used to describe a lot of the submarine's functions to be a bit boring. However, someone who knows more about the Navy's way-of-life might find that part of the book to be entertaining.
Just like all her other books, I found myself staying up way too late into the night finishing the book. I was left feeling satisfied. I am thankful that my favorite author is still developing great stories.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed reviewing Serita Ann Jakes' (TD Jakes' wife) book, The Princess Within for Teens: Discovering your Royal Inheritance. This book was written to direct teenage girls through the crazy issues that they are facing today. It encourages the girls to turn to God to be their "Secret Keeper" through prayer and journaling.
Using the familiar story of Cinderella, many issues that teen girl's face are brought to light. I had never really considered the added peer pressure that girls today must feel with social media. Back when I was in high school, face-to-face peer pressure was hard enough. I can only image the struggle to "measure up" in a world where your every move is documented for all to see and comment on. The content is up-to-date, referencing instagram, snapchat, etc. as well.
This book would be great for a girl to read and study on her own, given that the author encourages a lot of personal reflection and journaling. I appreciated that Scripture was used to guide girls in the right direction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sometimes, some books are just hard to keep reading. I felt that All for a Sister by Allison Pittman had a gripping idea, however, the story could have been told in a more compelling way. I forced myself to keep reading because I wanted to answer the questions mentioned in the synopsis on the back cover but not because the story was keeping me turning the pages.
The book seemed to jump from the story's timeline to a written confession penned years and years before. It was hard to keep the timeline straight and remain engaged in the story. I find it frustrating when the author is not able to develop the characters in a way that urges me to become involved in their "lives."
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts and opinions are my own.
I had heard my parents and sister talk about how great this book was many times. I'd even seen the "rules" hanging in a printed version in my sister's home. I was excited to be able to review the book The Red Sea Rules: 10 God-Given Strategies for Difficult Times by Robert J. Morgan. It's not a very large book - but I decided to take my time reading the chapters.
The Christian life can be hard. Days can seem long and it can be easy to question God, His direction and His timing. This book is the perfect antidote for those difficult times. The author presents ten truths to cling to when life gets hard.
I read one chapter a day for ten days, taking my time and reflecting on each rule presented. At the end of my little quest, I was encouraged, challenged and left wanting to revisit this book from time to time. The truths presented pushed me to continue on despite difficult times.
I plan to hold onto this little hard back book and re-read it often. I also hope to print out the rules in a cute graphic way to frame. I hope that by reading them often, I will remember the ways I was challenged by this excellent classic. Reading through this version for the first time, I did not use the study questions in the back. I look forward to using them my next time through the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts and opinions are my own.
A good craft or decorating project always leaves me feeling accomplished, creative and renewed. I thoroughly enjoyed the projects presented in this book, Petit Collage: 25 Easy Craft and Decor Projects for a Playful Home. This hardcover book full of colorful images immediately made my creative juices start flowing again. I plan to implement a version of a few of these crafts into my baby girl's room.
I loved first looking at the projects and templates provided. Even someone who would not call themselves "crafty" would find success with this book. The easy-to-follow directions and provided templates are the perfect jump start many wanna-be crafters would need. The book is full of step by step pictures, as well, to guide in the execution of the projects.The crafts are practical and useful. The supplies mentioned are easily obtainable. I found myself thinking how I could re-make a few of these projects myself. They are all presented in a way that allows the reader to either follow step by step or make it their own.
You may find these resources helpful.
I received this book for free from Blogging for Books for review.
Dee Henderson's work never leaves me disappointed. I actually had to make myself finish a few other books before I would allow myself to read her latest, Undetected. Referencing some of the characters from her recent best seller, Full Disclosure (a favorite of mine), it was fun to jump back into the lives of these fictional people I've grown to love.
Although this book didn't have the same sense of thrill as her last few books, I still enjoyed her character development and storytelling method. I did find the technical language used to describe a lot of the submarine's functions to be a bit boring. However, someone who knows more about the Navy's way-of-life might find that part of the book to be entertaining.
Just like all her other books, I found myself staying up way too late into the night finishing the book. I was left feeling satisfied. I am thankful that my favorite author is still developing great stories.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts and opinions are my own.
I enjoyed reviewing Serita Ann Jakes' (TD Jakes' wife) book, The Princess Within for Teens: Discovering your Royal Inheritance. This book was written to direct teenage girls through the crazy issues that they are facing today. It encourages the girls to turn to God to be their "Secret Keeper" through prayer and journaling.
Using the familiar story of Cinderella, many issues that teen girl's face are brought to light. I had never really considered the added peer pressure that girls today must feel with social media. Back when I was in high school, face-to-face peer pressure was hard enough. I can only image the struggle to "measure up" in a world where your every move is documented for all to see and comment on. The content is up-to-date, referencing instagram, snapchat, etc. as well.
This book would be great for a girl to read and study on her own, given that the author encourages a lot of personal reflection and journaling. I appreciated that Scripture was used to guide girls in the right direction.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts and opinions are my own.
Sometimes, some books are just hard to keep reading. I felt that All for a Sister by Allison Pittman had a gripping idea, however, the story could have been told in a more compelling way. I forced myself to keep reading because I wanted to answer the questions mentioned in the synopsis on the back cover but not because the story was keeping me turning the pages.
The book seemed to jump from the story's timeline to a written confession penned years and years before. It was hard to keep the timeline straight and remain engaged in the story. I find it frustrating when the author is not able to develop the characters in a way that urges me to become involved in their "lives."
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Tyndale, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts and opinions are my own.
I had heard my parents and sister talk about how great this book was many times. I'd even seen the "rules" hanging in a printed version in my sister's home. I was excited to be able to review the book The Red Sea Rules: 10 God-Given Strategies for Difficult Times by Robert J. Morgan. It's not a very large book - but I decided to take my time reading the chapters. The Christian life can be hard. Days can seem long and it can be easy to question God, His direction and His timing. This book is the perfect antidote for those difficult times. The author presents ten truths to cling to when life gets hard.
I read one chapter a day for ten days, taking my time and reflecting on each rule presented. At the end of my little quest, I was encouraged, challenged and left wanting to revisit this book from time to time. The truths presented pushed me to continue on despite difficult times.
I plan to hold onto this little hard back book and re-read it often. I also hope to print out the rules in a cute graphic way to frame. I hope that by reading them often, I will remember the ways I was challenged by this excellent classic. Reading through this version for the first time, I did not use the study questions in the back. I look forward to using them my next time through the book.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from BookLook Bloggers, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts and opinions are my own.
Since I have my list of favorite authors, I am often leery of reading from someone "new." My favorite time period is World War II and one of my favorite female Bible characters is Esther. For Such a Time by Kate Breslin promised to combine those two favorite elements.
Reading a fictionalized tale based on the story of Esther was both entertaining and enlightening. I have read other fiction works based on Biblical stories and have loved them. I was equally pleased with this book. The character development was gripping. The descriptions were vivid, and the story was moving.
If you also love WWII and the story of Esther, this book would be an excellent tale for you to try. Stella, hiding her Jewish identity, is pulled from a concentration camp to live a "normal" life. It was compelling to read of her journey, her fears, her emotions and her outcome.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Bethany House Publishers, but I was not otherwise compensated for this review. All writing, thoughts and opinions are my own.
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