New York, 2016
Natalie Abbott offers answers for hurting listeners on her popular radio program. But she struggles to connect with her teenagers, with her daughter in an unhealthy relationship and her son uncommunicative and isolated. When one member of the family commits an unspeakable act, Natalie is forced to uncover who she truly is under the façade of her radio persona.
New York, 1776
Mercy Howard is shocked when her fiancé, Nathan Hale, is arrested and hanged as a spy. When she’s asked to join the revolutionary spy ring in Manhattan, she sees an opportunity to avenge Nathan’s death. But keeping her true loyalties hidden grows increasingly harder as the charming Major John Andre of the King’s Army becomes more to her than a target for intelligence.
Mercy’s journals comfort Natalie from across the centuries as both women struggle with their own secrets and shame, wondering how deep God’s mercy extends.
My Thoughts:
This story was heavy…it is the kind of story that will stay with me for a long time and caused me to think a lot about the issues that were presented.
I had a hard time getting into the story…it took me about 150 pages to really start to enjoy it but once I hit that point, I flew through the book. I became very invested in the characters (past and present) and learned a lot about historical events.
I love how the author took a story from the past and present and connected them. I also loved the faith content in the story. There are many quotes from scripture and references to the Lord as our “hiding place”, which I loved.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story, it just took a bit of time for me to become invested in it (but once I did, I was hooked!).
My Rating:
I received this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
According to Dr. Maggie Maguire, happiness is serious science, as serious as Maggie takes herself. But science can’t always account for life’s anomalies–for instance, why her fiancé dumped her for a silk-scarf acrobat and how the breakup sent Maggie spiraling into an extended ice cream-fueled chick flick binge.
Concerned that she might never pull herself out of this nosedive, Maggie’s friends book her as a speaker on a “New Year, New You” cruise in the Gulf of Mexico. Maggie wonders if she’s qualified to teach others about happiness when she can’t muster up any for herself. But when a handsome stranger on board insists that smart women can’t ever be happy, Maggie sets out to prove him wrong. Along the way she may discover that happiness has far less to do with the head than with the heart.
Filled with memorable characters, snappy dialogue, and touching romance, Kristin Billerbeck’s The Theory of Happily Ever After shows that the search for happiness may be futile–because sometimes happiness is already out there searching for you.
My Thoughts:
I wanted to love this book and I really thought that I would but unfortunately that was not the case. I love the cover of the book and the setting is a cruise ship which is one of my favorite scenes to read about.
The plot was decent…a woman who wrote the book on happiness gets dumped and falls into a slump filled with Hallmark movies and gelato. Her friends convince her to go on a singles cruise, where of course, she meets men. I wasn’t a fan of how the plot was executed…there was a lot of emphasis on Maggie’s research and a lot of scientific/psychology talk that I became very bored with. I also found the writing style to be difficult…it wasn’t an easy read, something about it didn’t flow well.
I also found the characters to be exhausting and unlikable. I had a hard time rooting for any of them.
I did find the faith content to be good and appreciated how it was included in the book.
Overall, this just wasn’t the book for me. I enjoy the occasional cute chick-lit, but this one just didn’t do it for me.
My Rating:
I received this book from the publisher to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Author: Robert Wynalda (a local businessman) and Dr. Joel R. Beeke (President of Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary)
Genre: Non-fiction, Bible study tool
Release Date: Series released in 2009
Why the 17:18 series?
In Deuteronomy 17, Moses is leaving final instructions concerning the future of Israel. As a prophet of God, Moses foretells of when Israel will place a king over the nation (v. 14). In verse 18, the king is commanded to not simply acquire a copy of the law (the entire book of Deuteronomy) from the scroll publishing house, but to hand write his own copy of the law. Thirty-four hundred years later, educators are discovering that students that physically write out their notes by hand have a much greater retention rate than simply hearing or visually reading the information. Apparently, God knew this to be true of the kings of Israel also. From such understanding came the conception of this series of books.
How to Use These Books
Each book is organized so that you can write out your very own copy of Scripture. You will be writing the Bible text only on the right hand page of the book. This should make for easier writing and also allows ample space on the left page to write your own notes and comments. From time to time a question or word will be lightly printed on the left page; these questions are to aid in further study, but should not interfere with your own notes and comments.
I had the opportunity to review the Romans Journible. This is such a simple concept but it’s amazing in many ways. I learned in my college days that I retained and remembered information longer when I wrote my notes down as opposed to the times when I recorded the lectures or simply read the text. Writing things down definitely seems to cause me to think and reflect more on what I’m reading than when I’m only reading over it visually.
Another amazing benefit of the Journible is that I can have an entire Bible hand-written by me to pass down to my children and grandchildren some day. There is something very special about seeing a loved ones handwriting, especially when they are no longer with you…how special it would be to read God’s precious words in their handwriting. They can also write notes on the left hand side of the pages…notes of reflections, study notes, or even do Bible journaling and artwork on that side. There are also questions on the left side to prompt the Journible user to think about the verses…these questions are in light colored ink so that they can use them or write on top of them.
The books themselves are very nice looking and of great quality. The covers are black with gold lettering and a black ribbon bookmark is included. The spine has the title of the book in gold lettering as well. These books would look very nice lined up on a shelf.
Overall, this is an amazing concept and I’m very excited to have discovered it. I already shared about the Journibles with my small group at church and look forward to starting a new volume soon!
My Rating:
I received this book from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
About the Author
Dr. Joel R. Beeke is president and professor of systematic theology and homiletics at Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary, a pastor of the Heritage Netherlands Reformed Congregation in Grand Rapids, Michigan, editor of Banner of Sovereign Grace Truth, editorial director of Reformation Heritage Books, president of Inheritance Publishers, and vice-president of the Dutch Reformed Translation Society. He has written, co-authored, or edited seventy books (most recently, A Puritan Theology: Doctrine for Life, Living Zealously, Friends and Lovers: Cultivating Companionship and Intimacy in Marriage, Getting Back Into the Race: The Cure for Backsliding, Parenting by God’s Promises: How to Raise Children in the Covenant of Grace, Living for the Glory of God: An Introduction to Calvinism, Meet the Puritans, Contagious Christian Living, Calvin for Today, Developing a Healthy Prayer Life, and Taking Hold of God), and contributed 2,000 articles to Reformed books, journals, periodicals, and encyclopedias. His Ph.D. is in Reformation and Post-Reformation theology from Westminster Theological Seminary (Philadelphia). He is frequently called upon to lecture at seminaries and to speak at Reformed conferences around the world. He and his wife Mary have been blessed with three children: Calvin, Esther, and Lydia.
Framed for the murder of his ex-girlfriend—and then attacked at the crime scene—fire investigator Mitch Callahan turns to ER nurse Dana Petrie for help. As they fight for their lives, can she be convinced of his innocence—and in his promise of love?
Feel comforted and at peace when you read these uplifting romances of faith, forgiveness and hope from Love Inspired. There are 12 new books each month! 6 from Love Inspired for those who love contemporary romance and 6 from Love Inspired Suspense who like some danger with their romance stories
My Thoughts:
This was my first experience with reading a Love Inspired Book. I’ve heard great things about them so I was very excited to pick one up. I received 4 books to review and chose the suspense title as suspense is one of my favorite genres.
The story focuses on Mitch, who is being framed for murder and struggles to clear his name and solve the crime before he’s caught. I found this story to be very fast paced and action packed. I was able to read it in 2 days that were full of other activities. The author was good at hooking the reader at the end of the chapters in a way that makes them keep reading (with cliffhangers).
The story-line was interesting but felt a bit familiar. I also felt like the characters lacked depth and substance.
Overall, this was a fast, fun mystery that was enjoyable to read. I would definitely pick up more Love Inspired books in the future.
My Rating:
I received this book from the publisher to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The CSB Worldview Study Bible features extensive worldview study notes and articles by notable Christian scholars to help Christians better understand the grand narrative and flow of Scripture within the biblical framework from which we are called to view reality and make sense of life and the world. Guided by general editors David S. Dockery and Trevin K. Wax, this Bible is an invaluable resource and study tool that will help you to discuss, defend, and clearly share with others the truth, hope, and practical compatibility of Christianity in everyday life.
Features include:
Over 5,900 extensive worldview study notes
Over 130 articles written by more than 120 notable Christian scholars
Center-column references
Smyth-sewn binding
Presentation page
Two ribbon markers
Two-piece gift box
General Editors: David S. Dockery and Trevin Wax
Associate Editors: Constantine R. Campbell, E. Ray Clendenen, Eric J. Tully
Contributors include: David S. Dockery, Trevin K. Wax, Ray Van Neste, Kevin Chen, John Stonestreet, Ted Cabal, Darrell L. Bock, Mary J. Sharp, Carl R. Trueman, Bruce Riley Ashford, R. Albert Mohler Jr., William A. Dembski, Preben Vang, David K. Naugle, Jennifer A. Marshall, Aida Besancon Spencer, Paul Copan, Robert Smith Jr., Douglas Groothuis, Russell D. Moore, Mark A. Noll, Timothy George, Carla D. Sanderson, Kevin Smith, Gregory B. Forster, Choon Sam Fong, and more.
The CSB Worldview Study Bible features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible’s original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture’s life-transforming message and to share it with others.
My Thoughts:
The cover of this Bible is Navy Leathertouch and it feels amazing. It is beautiful, smooth, and very luxurious. The edges are silver and the Bible includes 2 ribbon bookmarks (blue and cream), which I love. There are many occasions where 2 bookmarks are extremely helpful. It also comes in a very nice, sturdy gift box with a lid that is very nice for storage.
This Bible focuses on the Christian worldview. A worldview is described as “a lens through which a person looks at the world”. This worldview affects how we think, act, and treat others so reading the Bible and having a Biblical and Christian worldview is extremely important.
There are over 130 articles throughout the Bible that focus on various topics that are relevant to our world today (Church and State, Animal Rights, The New Atheism). Included in the front of the Bible is a table of contents for where to find each of the articles. The articles are written by over 120 Christian scholars and are very interesting and thought provoking. One of my favorite articles is titled, “Speaking to a Non-Christian about Jesus”…it provides powerful examples from the Bible of how to witness to others and share about Jesus.
The Bible also includes footnotes that are helpful to understanding the verse better. In some cases, the footnotes are more limited than I prefer, but for the most part, I am pleased with them.
There are center column references throughout the Bible and many full-color maps in the back of the book. It also includes the CSB concordance.
The Christian Standard Bible translation is my favorite translation. It is very accessible and easy to read, while remaining true to the Bible’s original meaning.
Overall, this is an excellent Bible that is extremely relevant to the world today. I highly enjoyed reading the various articles and would definitely recommend this to other Christians.
My Rating:
I received this Bible from the publisher to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Explore a world of amazing trivia and exciting spiritual truths!
Every daily devotion in 365 Trivia Twist Devotions is based on a historical happening, intriguing invention, or offbeat holiday associated with that calendar day. From George Washington’s birthday to National Waffle Day, each reveals the truths of God’s Word in a fun new way. Bible verses and additional fun facts help to give every day of the year its own unique trivia twist.
My Thoughts:
This devotion is different from any that I’ve ever seen. It has a very fun and unique concept…there is a devotion for every day that relates to the date (for example, May 11th, (when I’m writing this post) is the birthday of Irving Berlin. The devotion begins by discussing Berlin’s life and career as a composer and then goes on to discuss how God is delighted when we use the gifts and talents that we are given. There is also a another fun fact about the day on each page (the first tubeless tire was manufactured on May 11th). Each devotion is also accompanied by a Bible verse that goes along with the devotion.
The book is very inviting and fun, each page has fun illustrations and the days that are featured are very interesting. I learned a lot as an adult reading through this book and I know that kids would also find it very enjoyable.
The devotions are short but meaningful.
This would make a great gift for a trivia lover or someone who loves fun facts.
My Rating:
I received this book from the Publisher to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The most comprehensive study Bible ever prepared for women and by women, the CSB Study Bible for Women invites you to explore the riches of God’s Word. Follow God’s grand story across the Bible, guided by threads of specialized study that explain essential doctrines, answer hard questions, discuss biblical womanhood, and apply truth to our hearts and lives.
The CSB Study Bible for Women is edited by Dr. Dorothy Kelley Patterson and Dr. Rhonda Harrington Kelley, both long-time women’s ministry leaders, authors and seminary professors at two of the nation’s most respected seminaries. As you learn from these women extensively educated in Biblical studies and languages and passionate about God’s Word, you will be equipped in turn to mentor others in the truth and hope found in Scripture.
Features include:
6,490 extensive study notes
Over 500 word studies, 25 full-color maps and reconstructions, and 95 charts
Introductions to each book of the Bible
A comprehensive concordance including every woman and reference to women in the Bible
Threads of specialized study woven throughout, pointing to God’s larger story:
Biblical Womanhood articles
Answers to “Hard Questions”
Character profiles
Doctrinal notes
“Written on My Heart” applications
Smyth-sewn binding
Two-column text in 9.25-point type
The CSB Study Bible for Women features the highly readable, highly reliable text of the Christian Standard Bible (CSB). The CSB stays as literal as possible to the Bible’s original meaning without sacrificing clarity, making it easier to engage with Scripture’s life-transforming message and to share it with others.
My Thoughts:
To sum it up simply….I LOVE this Bible!! Bibles can be difficult to review as they consist of many elements so I am going to break it down a bit…
Appearance:
The cover of the Bible is probably the only thing I don’t love about this Bible. It’s a bit too plain for my taste. It has a mint green (which I love) and cream cover with the words “The Study Bible for Women” printed near the spine. I was a little disappointed when I received it as the picture shows the floral design but that is a removable paper dustjacket and when removed, the Bible is plain. Some people would really like this but I enjoy a bit more color and design.
One thing I love about Holman Bibles is that they tend to include 2 ribbon bookmarks. This Bible has a green and tan bookmark. Having 2 bookmarks is extremely helpful.
The artwork in this Bible is gorgeous. I love the color scheme of mint green, peach, pink, and yellow that is very trendy right now. Each title page for the books of the Bible are decorated with a beautiful floral design and a very nice font.
This Bible is perfect for me as I am a very visual person and it is very colorful. The maps are full color and all of the special features are also very colorful and adorned with pretty artwork.
Content:
With all the beauty of the Bible, the content is always the most important part. This Bible is packed with great, relevant content that is geared towards women and issues of today.
Each page has footnotes with commentary for many verses in the Bible. I use the commentary of study Bibles the most as I love to read extra insight on the verses.
There is a special feature called “word study” that discusses a word (for example: “forgive”) and then explains the word further and in the context of the time and verse.
Another special feature is called Doctrine, in which different topics are discussed (divorce, the Holy Spirit in Old Testament, Sin and Forgiveness). There is an index in the back with each topic of Doctrine and where to find it in the Bible.
There is a section throughout the Bible called Biblical Womanhood that describes an issue that affects women (sanctity of life, sexual purity, inner beauty). There is a very helpful index in the back of the Bible that lists all of the places these sections are found based on the topics.
One of my favorite special features in this Bible are the Hard Questions. These are scattered throughout and pose a question that is controversial or difficult and gives a Biblical answer. There is also a great index with the hard question topics in the back of the Bible. Examples of topics for hard questions are abortion, racism, war, homosexuality, and infertility.
One thing that sets this Bible apart from typical study Bibles are the Character profiles…these highlight the women of the Bible and show us what we can learn from them. Again, there is a great index in the back with all of the Character profiles listed.
At the end of each book, there is a feature called, “Written on my Heart”, in which the story can be applied to the reader’s life.
This Bible also contains many charts (with an index in the back) and maps as well as a concordance that includes all the women in the Bible.
I also want to mention that the Christian Standard translation of the Bible is my favorite. It is very accessible and easy to read but is also highly reliable.
I own many Bibles but this is by far one of my favorites. I will treasure it throughout my life.
My Rating:
I received this Bible from the publisher to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Every woman is intimately acquainted with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. Whether fueled by a culture of makeover shows, by the lingering memories of mean girls, or by events much more wounding to the soul, we can become so conditioned by self-doubt that it becomes our inner monologue.
What we want is to be free of shame and comparison, to turn our uncertainty into a bold confidence. But to flourish in our own skin, we first have to rewrite the narrative.
In this fearless, funny, and refreshingly relatable chronicle of her own metamorphosis from the insecurity that once held her captive, author Kayla Aimee unfolds the blueprint for women to:
• Identify the deep-seated sources of our assumed inadequacy and replace them with steadfast truths of scriptural affirmation
• Replace our need for approval with the enduring promise of acceptance
• Uncover our purpose, unlock our potential, and celebrate the God-given gifts in our unique personality
To every woman who longs for belonging, this journey through Kayla’s inviting prose, biblical promises, and journaling prompts will help guide her from restless insecurity to a beautiful becoming.
My Thoughts:
First of all, Kayla Aimee is a very gifted storyteller. I knew of Kayla many years ago, as she was a big part of the scrapbooking community. I then followed her blog during her extremely difficult time after her daughter was born as a micro preemie. I’ve found everything that she writes to be very enjoyable and funny so I was eager to read this book that deals with the subject of insecurity.
Kayla discusses her life and many times where she has felt excluded or rejected and I found myself relating wholeheartedly to most of her experiences. I wish we could have known each other in our Junior High years, as I think we would have bonded over our love for The Babysitter’s Club.
I highly enjoyed every moment of this book but did find that it felt much more like a memoir than a book for personal or spiritual growth. There were a few things thrown in that added to the “spiritual” aspect but for the most part, it really seemed mainly like a memoir that helps women realize that they’re not alone in their insecurities.
Kayla has a witty and sometimes sarcastic sense of humor, which I enjoyed but by the end of the book, I grew a bit tired of. This is just a matter of personal taste but at times I felt like she was trying a bit too hard to be funny.
Overall, this was a very fun book to read that I thoroughly enjoyed but there wasn’t a lot that I took from it.
My Rating:
I received this book from the author/publisher to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Grace Summer lands herself in a melon load of trouble when she becomes torn between the boy of her dreams and the boy almost next door. As the newly-crowned Watermelon Queen, she is thrust into the spotlight, meets the dreamy Warren Hartley, and continues trying to get over an accident that rocked her world. Mix in working with Beau Baron who Grace happens to fight with just about as much as breathing and the metaphorical sparks fly.
Like most things in life, Grace must learn to take the good with the bad. While the good is the handsome and fun Warren Hartley, the bad is Beau Baron—or at least being around his annoying and rude self way more than she would like. For Beau, Grace is nothing more than aggravating and an irritating reminder from the night of the accident. Tensions soar as Grace and Beau fight to love themselves and maybe, just maybe, each other.
My Thoughts:
This was a super cute and sweet story (no pun intended) about a girl named Grace who becomes the Watermelon Queen. Grace is dealing with a lot of difficult things in her life and finds herself caught between two boys…one who she finds super dreamy and the other who drives her crazy.
Under the surface of the fun and cute scenes of watermelon pageants and banquets is a plot with depth and drama. The character of Grace was lovely and the way she handled her grief was very realistic. There were moments when I just wanted to wrap her in a hug.
I enjoyed the story but found that the pacing was a bit slow at first and took some time to get going.
This is a very clean, sweet story that teenagers would really enjoy. It’s a great alternative to the mainstream contemporary that is in the market today.
My Rating:
I received this book from the author/publisher to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
If you’ve ever read the book of Acts, it probably didn’t take you long to notice: The early believers were on fire! They were full of the Holy Spirit, had wonder for God, and did great things in His name. And sadly, many of us seem nothing like them.
An Unexplainable Life is a call to reignite the mission and movement of the early church individually and collectively. This in-depth Bible study transports readers back to the early days of the Christian church, challenging our modern-day assumptions and inviting us to join Jesus in His work today.
Divided into 10 weeks, this study:
Guides participants verse-by-verse through Acts 1–12
Equip readers for transformation through challenging Scripture application
Teaches basic principles for personally studying the Scriptures
Brings Scripture to life with historical, cultural, and theological backgrounds
Provides a “going deeper” section for curious students
Ideal for groups, this study will help readers spur one another on toward adopting the qualities and passions of the early Christian church, providing built-in accountability.
The fervor of the early church isn’t restricted to the first century. Unlock the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ, and join His great work today.
My Thoughts:
I’ve been working my way through this study for the past 4 weeks and I have found it to be very challenging and intense (in a good way). It’s divided into 10 weeks that consist of 5 days of study, with each day taking about 20-30 minutes to complete.
The study dives deep into the book of Acts and challenges the person who’s studying to live an “unexplainable life”. I really like the author’s writing style and the way she helps the reader to really think further about the verses and how they can apply them to their own lives.
I do find that some of the questions are difficult to answer…there are times when I don’t know what the author is asking in the questions.
There are sections at the end of each day to reflect and pray and to write anything that the Lord reveals.
Overall, this is an excellent study on the book of Acts that is challenging and will definitely help the reader to grow in their faith.
My Rating:
I received this book from the author/publisher to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
amandainpa 