tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27909923165318275902024-03-19T03:18:42.078-07:00My WorldAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.comBlogger113125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-84937068391381115292018-03-02T19:06:00.000-08:002018-03-02T19:06:09.864-08:00My Review of "A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hcNDZ4OGnrGmOX123RRNBypi-pPVeRuOzmZoQBqFXOBSF6HqSTV-aHtmMizK0i8M4e8N5_C214kZ7mgOwebnxXIImWmaDgvI8b88M_PlfBnrIuWZFb9ZCicexBkR3c0mX3AqBIdL0jhA/s1600/contrarian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="428" data-original-width="276" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-hcNDZ4OGnrGmOX123RRNBypi-pPVeRuOzmZoQBqFXOBSF6HqSTV-aHtmMizK0i8M4e8N5_C214kZ7mgOwebnxXIImWmaDgvI8b88M_PlfBnrIuWZFb9ZCicexBkR3c0mX3AqBIdL0jhA/s320/contrarian.jpg" width="206" /></a></div>
Larry Osborne's <i>A Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God: Spirituality for the Rest of Us</i> is a must-read for those who aren't sure a relationship with God is possible for ordinary folks. In a no-nonsense style, Osborne offers real words of hope for those who struggle. What readers will find here is a clear spirituality with a deep connection to the real world -- that world in which we live, and the one God loves so much.<br />
<br />
<i><b>I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-53310503057507318272018-02-09T20:06:00.004-08:002018-02-09T20:06:49.485-08:00My Review of "How to Be a Perfect Christian"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AjrN-8VPLZgLZzonmfjC-zd0q2gHANzositF35Vjn-2F6_1l756PkJC10p5ESVcFBCbkw9EsMwj1eih1OoN0rBzcAHsfO1o16yG9Cn3XioSiSgIXq0lF807CcMD4SmhRhtAZF9EN_y2T/s1600/how+to+be+a+perfect+christian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="267" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0AjrN-8VPLZgLZzonmfjC-zd0q2gHANzositF35Vjn-2F6_1l756PkJC10p5ESVcFBCbkw9EsMwj1eih1OoN0rBzcAHsfO1o16yG9Cn3XioSiSgIXq0lF807CcMD4SmhRhtAZF9EN_y2T/s320/how+to+be+a+perfect+christian.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
The Babylon Bee's <i>How to Be a Perfect Christian: Your Comprehensive Guide to Flawless Spiritual Living</i> brings the satirical style of The Onion into conversation with Christian culture -- and the product is hilarious.<br />
<br />
This
book is a satirical look at what passes for cultural Christianity,
particularly in America. There's plenty of humor and sarcasm to go
around here, and I love the chart that gauges the reader's progress
toward "spiritual perfection" at the end of each chapter. What some
readers will miss, sadly, is just how much genuine Christian faith you
glimpse in these pages, even while poking fun at the sacred cows of that
cultural embodiment of the faith. <br />
<br />
I've been a fan of The Babylon Bee's <a href="http://babylonbee.com/">website</a>
for a long time. This book did not disappoint. In fact, it was a real
treat! (And the free coloring page on p. 115 is totally worth the
price of the book!)<br />
<br />
<i><b>I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-8513202845602534542018-01-27T09:49:00.000-08:002018-01-27T09:49:00.629-08:00My Review of "Open to the Spirit"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0pWAMlVqZkqgjado8py_BkqMFYIjK97GKK5CYVPp0JCcFuBHizc2iyop55SokpwlSpbc7OiZE89oR72KcfIdRXvivlsLCHzBwsum92ueDniFcfTWyWnYytguxIM0mMxvPqQ-qG_ce8k2/s1600/open+to+the+spirit.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="460" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ0pWAMlVqZkqgjado8py_BkqMFYIjK97GKK5CYVPp0JCcFuBHizc2iyop55SokpwlSpbc7OiZE89oR72KcfIdRXvivlsLCHzBwsum92ueDniFcfTWyWnYytguxIM0mMxvPqQ-qG_ce8k2/s320/open+to+the+spirit.jpg" width="210" /></a></div>
Scot McKnight's <i>Open to the Spirit: God in Us, God with Us, God Transforming Us</i> explores one of the most misunderstood and underrepresented beliefs of the Christian faith these days: The Holy Spirit. Who is he? What does he do? What difference does the Spirit make in our everyday lives? McKnight explores those questions with all the depth of a New Testament scholar while also making sure what he says "meets the road" in the lives of everyday believers like himself.<br />
<br />
It's a must-read for Christians.<br />
<br />
<b><i>I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review here.</i></b>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-21837524101966118322018-01-05T16:24:00.003-08:002018-01-05T16:24:59.656-08:00My Review of "L'appart"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNJclw8rh2atJmd3UsKvZNI2oRDdyTZLY0lSjlJ1ueBoybWNyW3JFMjr8OAJNYi_tHVVh91JCIfMX-cRnJRd5gnmD6173uIlMP-j61AgiQtnTOpLuI8L45gyar7g91cyl41YcjHGtZTmh/s1600/l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvNJclw8rh2atJmd3UsKvZNI2oRDdyTZLY0lSjlJ1ueBoybWNyW3JFMjr8OAJNYi_tHVVh91JCIfMX-cRnJRd5gnmD6173uIlMP-j61AgiQtnTOpLuI8L45gyar7g91cyl41YcjHGtZTmh/s320/l.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
David Lebowitz's <i>L'appart: The Delights and Disasters of My Paris Home</i> is a tale of the miseries and woes of buying and renovating a home in Paris. In spite of his attempts to convince readers how much he still loves
Paris -- when describing being able to run down the street for a freshly
made baguette or getting to know the ruggedly handsome man at the little
café close by, for example -- Lebovitz peels off the plaster to reveal a
Paris beyond tourism. Lebovitz's stories shimmer with despair, distress,
and regret, but he nevertheless embraces life with all its flaws in the
city he loves.<br />
<br />
It was, overall, a depressing little book, whose only real redemptive value are the genuine French recipes scattered throughout.<br />
<br />
<i><b>I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-21673772997594949592017-12-02T09:57:00.003-08:002017-12-02T09:57:49.769-08:00My Review of "Shaken"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid95Sj9yP_vKkBKNGLa7bFsmg1GWGaDe5wc4_FNhekIVPkBKJuEDRl4gEwdYN7n2GtPhT097rEYWQbs7vefONfnGDtRhlgsr3q1_P6Xte57aDzfN0nzWcGipPmBNSo5ZeiY7YMkfWnVj5C/s1600/289963_f450.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="299" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid95Sj9yP_vKkBKNGLa7bFsmg1GWGaDe5wc4_FNhekIVPkBKJuEDRl4gEwdYN7n2GtPhT097rEYWQbs7vefONfnGDtRhlgsr3q1_P6Xte57aDzfN0nzWcGipPmBNSo5ZeiY7YMkfWnVj5C/s320/289963_f450.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Tim Tebow's <i>Shaken: Fighting to Stand Strong No Matter What Comes Your Way</i> is written for young people to find a better way
to live.<br />
<br />
Using examples from his own
tumultuous career, Tebow encourages readers to stay focused on their dreams,
fight negativity, and stand up for what is right. And while the resource is
focused on Christian principles, the lessons concentrating on hard work,
determination, and kindness hold universal appeal. Tebow additionally draws
upon examples of other young people who have faced adversity -- cancer, limb
amputation, and organ failure -- as cases of how even in the most desperate
situations, one can refuse to fall into self-pity, anger, and depression. Tebow's
easy, plainspoken style will give young fans the feeling that he is speaking
directly to them. Biblical examples range from the steadfast endurance of Job
to the selfless courage of David facing Goliath. Other stories include
references to Michael Jordan and Albert Einstein. Tebow's candid talk of his
struggles with dyslexia and anger further humanize him.<br />
<br />
This is an excellent book for older children and young adults.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><b><i>I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-1752845488245112622017-11-21T16:55:00.002-08:002017-11-21T16:55:22.770-08:00My Review of "The Power of Meaning"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWkzDE4Du9VRjzB1GOsMNv2KqHflO0ziU54PvseFQkQxOF4TH1tlcSVldR52Rc9WK64SM0kV5TCPUPVgYKTcGzoH5qqMZQg2uPIC3OHWnWfAXsTnajlCaG4gu6fc3F2Mxa5tAYL_zOdKw/s1600/the+power+of+meaning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="287" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmWkzDE4Du9VRjzB1GOsMNv2KqHflO0ziU54PvseFQkQxOF4TH1tlcSVldR52Rc9WK64SM0kV5TCPUPVgYKTcGzoH5qqMZQg2uPIC3OHWnWfAXsTnajlCaG4gu6fc3F2Mxa5tAYL_zOdKw/s320/the+power+of+meaning.jpg" width="204" /></a></div>
Emily Esfahani Smith's <i>The Power of Meaning: Finding Fulfillment in a World Obsessed with Happiness</i> is a ground-breaking book in positive psychology that argues against the importance of happiness for the good life, and in favor of finding meaningful as a fulfilling, good life.<br />
<br />
Like many self-help books, this one uses empirical studies,
abundant anecdotes and wisdom gleaned from various writers and philosophers to
support the idea that four "pillars" can give life meaning: Belonging,
purpose, storytelling, and transcendence. These pillars "are central to
religious and spiritual systems, and they are the reason why they historically
conferred (and continue to confer) meaning in people's lives". Smith found
these pillars emphasized in her own childhood, growing up in a Sufi community
whose members did not doubt the value of their own lives. But even without the
bulwark of religion, individuals can build their own pillars. No matter what
work one does, even menial jobs, "when we reframe our tasks as opportunities to
help others, our lives and our work feel more significant".<br />
<br />
While I doubt that everyone will be convinced, this is not a book to be overlooked. In the process of struggling throughout it, there are epiphanies for what a "good life" can mean in every reader's life.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><b><i>I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.</i></b></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-82382703962323786342017-11-11T06:16:00.003-08:002017-11-11T06:16:33.485-08:00My Review of "To Light a Fire on the Earth"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4IY75cXAaOZilVlOUVQWgRTXGjvSQ9MnfrZ_SoSMtwkQn38S7wTC01c_J6UlcNuixgvB4VaaNCFWqamugWfA1s8s7zM2B4XTUeOlS37xmjHRzrmv8p-w_QvDe6XGJJD-vz2w5Yx7Bfqk/s1600/to+light+a+fire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt4IY75cXAaOZilVlOUVQWgRTXGjvSQ9MnfrZ_SoSMtwkQn38S7wTC01c_J6UlcNuixgvB4VaaNCFWqamugWfA1s8s7zM2B4XTUeOlS37xmjHRzrmv8p-w_QvDe6XGJJD-vz2w5Yx7Bfqk/s320/to+light+a+fire.jpg" width="211" /></a></div>
Robert Barron's <i>To Light a Fire on the Earth: Proclaiming the Gospel in a Secular Age</i> offers one of the sanest, most sage voices of Catholic teaching a chance to demonstrate, yet again, that reason and faith properly belong together. That truth, beauty and goodness are noble pursuits. And that both of those things properly inform the evangelical mission of the Church in our postmodern, skeptical age.<br />
<br />
I've been a "fan" of Bishop Barron for a long time. His ministry in YouTube videos alone staggeringly reflects on the faith once received and in dialogue with the wider culture (he quotes Bob Dylan -- a lot!). <span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body">This book
looks at both Barron's life and his philosophy behind "proclaiming the
Gospel in a secular age". It is the result of twenty hours of interviews
conducted by John L. Allen, Jr., who is an acclaimed Catholic author
and journalist. I was really looking forward this book -- and it lived up
to my expectations!</span><br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body">What you'll find in these pages is a picture of what a life of friendship with Jesus really looks like. And it can't help but transform your own friendships with others and with Jesus.</span><br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><br /><b><i>I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.</i></b> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-46602545804307548222017-11-01T18:10:00.002-07:002017-11-01T18:10:40.522-07:00My Review of "How to Find Love in a Bookshop"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwYRgshYQZPxoqt5bEZGz-9zoVYDmiCw3KsX1oH9Xd6K-8XZLxlFcXE_N_vTUaRNXza7a-EpfN2Q1IUybEvYYjCVPKa0QDgPSGkeTHeksGt_57cREz6KtKAT0H-NnVYqKWIJUh0CybeBf/s1600/How+to+find+love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="271" data-original-width="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMwYRgshYQZPxoqt5bEZGz-9zoVYDmiCw3KsX1oH9Xd6K-8XZLxlFcXE_N_vTUaRNXza7a-EpfN2Q1IUybEvYYjCVPKa0QDgPSGkeTHeksGt_57cREz6KtKAT0H-NnVYqKWIJUh0CybeBf/s1600/How+to+find+love.jpg" /></a>Veronica Henry's <i>How to Find Love in a Bookshop: A Novel</i> is a fun-filled read about a young woman takes over her father's bookshop and discovers its
importance to its small-town clientele.<br />
<br />
Emilia Nightingale is called back to her childhood home in the
English Cotswolds when her father, Julius, is on his deathbed. Emilia makes a
final promise to her father that she will look after the bookshop that has been
his life's work and, following his death, sets about trying to fill his role at
Nightingale Books. Through an outpouring of affection from the town's
residents, Emilia realizes that Julius was a beloved fixture of the community,
and she has big shoes to fill. She also sees how integral the bookshop has been
in facilitating relationships throughout the town. As she refamiliarizes
herself with the village of Peasebrook and its people, six different love
stories begin to unfold, all of which are somehow connected to the bookstore.
Unfortunately, Emilia quickly learns that her father was more of a bookworm
than a businessman. The store has amassed tremendous debt over the years, and
Julius' habit of selling books at deep discounts has not helped. Complicating
matters further, a local real estate developer is pressuring Emilia to sell him
the shop.<br />
<br />
Henry is able to create one obstacle after another for Nightingale and her bookshop. At the same time, this is a beautiful novel that explores all the ways in which love takes forms.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this game from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-37204173883269322112017-10-16T16:34:00.003-07:002017-10-16T16:34:53.827-07:00My Review of "The Creeps"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvISAhJm5f4qhwyNzAIdVuOi9psdp1KklKNS9JebmY7S1KiXOxj5vXCFaVkaO8XiKJ4F_rmvmGB8yzvop5JFEAvK6Msa22HolgriCbFNLZ0elcDYr34Igj8d7CuleW1UWsQbP6_xopG-UM/s1600/creeps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="248" data-original-width="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvISAhJm5f4qhwyNzAIdVuOi9psdp1KklKNS9JebmY7S1KiXOxj5vXCFaVkaO8XiKJ4F_rmvmGB8yzvop5JFEAvK6Msa22HolgriCbFNLZ0elcDYr34Igj8d7CuleW1UWsQbP6_xopG-UM/s1600/creeps.jpg" /></a></div>
Fran Krause's <i>The Creeps: A Deep Dark Fears Collection</i> collects a number of Krause's own reader's fears. Each is <span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body">given eerie, undead life by the author's illustrations. The result is a little uneven, but ultimately enjoyable.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body">With more than 90 fears, readers are bound to find a few that speak to/for them. Fear #7 names one for the McCarter household, for sure.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body">I was slightly surprised the near ubiquitous presence of ghosts, and the near sheer absence of zombies.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body">But <i>The Creeps</i> is certainly a fun-filled book for this time of year. Just be sure you don't read it when you're anxious.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this game from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-40711681730211358442017-09-23T06:11:00.002-07:002017-09-23T06:11:22.110-07:00My Review of "Taking Aim"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cUlZFX1_f3OYhCjj8EADITzqoG_Ip_WqkOT9BaYp5Q_M3g5ICPNvFih_nHVxNtPU1hynhjd-MEvLtKBRt5uh9iBtCUVk7VhfsnaztReQGhFRU2a2vVWv1vRjklxCVgRInPmtlreYx__V/s1600/Taking+Aim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4cUlZFX1_f3OYhCjj8EADITzqoG_Ip_WqkOT9BaYp5Q_M3g5ICPNvFih_nHVxNtPU1hynhjd-MEvLtKBRt5uh9iBtCUVk7VhfsnaztReQGhFRU2a2vVWv1vRjklxCVgRInPmtlreYx__V/s320/Taking+Aim.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Eva Shockey's <i>Taking Aim: Daring to Be Different, Happier, and Healthier in the Great Outdoors</i> is a memoir that takes readers through Eva Skockey's adventures, sharing a unique glimpse of what it is like to be a women in a traditionally male-dominated world.<br />
<br />Growing up with a father such as Jim Shockey, you would think that hunting would be as natural as breathing. This was not necessarily the case with Eva. She began her life's journey with high hopes of becoming a professional dancer, following in her mother's footsteps. During one of their family trips to the Tatshenshini River area in British Columbia, Eva age seven, shot her first rifle during a family shooting competition. With help and guidance from her father, the first shot rang out followed by the dink of the can she was aiming for. As impressive and exciting as this was for her and her family, dance remained her passion. Eva enjoyed staying at camp alongside her mother, appreciating the natural beauty and serenity of the great outdoors. As she got older, she also seemed to develop the same craving her father has for being outside, breathing fresh air and taking in all of Mother Nature's beauty, as well as adding hunting to the mix.<br />
<br />
<i>Taking Aim</i> then explores what it means for women to enter that world of hunting, and in the process of discovering how our happiness is connected with learning who we are and what our lives are meant to become.<br />
<br />
<i><b>I received a free copy of this game from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-68358823065082431772017-09-11T19:02:00.002-07:002017-09-11T19:02:39.368-07:00My Review of "Evicted"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PUWR4Spdcn5MJMjTpYPinYARGv1uAaOrnPCftrSTm-ZiKgr-39Q25J7uhWBCZVTAICAPIwqacWV6PLJcEj8KXJg7wRy_GTA3c8yEo2gr92obN2ikTpRGl63uGMvs8iyk5ulWxasHv3dR/s1600/evicted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="335" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8PUWR4Spdcn5MJMjTpYPinYARGv1uAaOrnPCftrSTm-ZiKgr-39Q25J7uhWBCZVTAICAPIwqacWV6PLJcEj8KXJg7wRy_GTA3c8yEo2gr92obN2ikTpRGl63uGMvs8iyk5ulWxasHv3dR/s320/evicted.jpg" width="214" /></a></div>
Matthew Desmond's <i>Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City</i> is an amazing book, a narrative with a great degree of research, that highlights the hell in which scores of American poor live in our urban environments. Desmond is a sociologist with a flair for crafting gripping narratives that demonstrate the statistics that undergird his research. That's what makes <i>Evicted</i> a real page-turner.<br />
<br />
Near the end of his book, Desmond tentatively introduces the concept of "exploitation", "a word that has been scrubbed out of the poverty
debate". But it properly belongs as part of that debate, and <i>Evicted</i> is just the kind of book that will replace it. Poverty is one of the most lucrative businesses in our country, and <i>Evicted</i> exposes those businesses for what they are -- morally bankrupt.<br />
<br />
<i><b>I received a free copy of this game from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-14214181864966951712017-09-03T07:47:00.003-07:002017-09-03T07:47:47.668-07:00My Review of "How to Set a Table"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5gAuzf9-DxAt3S26tBp1QPla2LjmnWlsIPGi_b6SFlJ-G-g4ey39P191C5wxbkb07XHvhu5XhxQurefPaiXDMcUyqv_hXWUY0eMkcIj1A8iQOw1qeoLmxjd0uwuLRAXEEjLI-5YN33m4/s1600/how+to+set+a+table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="353" data-original-width="256" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5gAuzf9-DxAt3S26tBp1QPla2LjmnWlsIPGi_b6SFlJ-G-g4ey39P191C5wxbkb07XHvhu5XhxQurefPaiXDMcUyqv_hXWUY0eMkcIj1A8iQOw1qeoLmxjd0uwuLRAXEEjLI-5YN33m4/s320/how+to+set+a+table.jpg" width="232" /></a></div>
<i>How to Set a Table</i> is a marvelous entertaining guide for those who love to host friends and family. It begins with an overview of all the different types of pieces needed for entertaining, and continues with a variety of different table placements (my favorite is the picnic blanket). <br />
<br />
<i><b>I received a free copy of this game from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-72704562304558025252017-08-24T12:53:00.002-07:002017-08-24T12:53:40.632-07:00My Review of "Rewordable"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRP1dNtNB080gLYt8PZvfsOQYshbSHrUVaGWHcOwVrV9drXFMjAMqxdxbh289bd89DzdvhhsnzXcCYZIjTC0c0TQDjEyngKLLwjUbhH-y3x3PjXZ7Gfw0KpJn1tQ2-a75mpwDqXpIlXJP/s1600/rewordable.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="500" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpRP1dNtNB080gLYt8PZvfsOQYshbSHrUVaGWHcOwVrV9drXFMjAMqxdxbh289bd89DzdvhhsnzXcCYZIjTC0c0TQDjEyngKLLwjUbhH-y3x3PjXZ7Gfw0KpJn1tQ2-a75mpwDqXpIlXJP/s320/rewordable.png" width="320" /></a></div>
<i>Rewordable</i> is one of those intriguing things you see on your potential board game lists and, if you're a nerd like me, you can't resist.<br />
<br />
At its heart, <i>Rewordable</i> is a card game for 2-8 people -- and the one with the biggest vocabulary wins!<br /><br />Players take turns making words, using at least one card from their hand. You can add to constructed words, steal from other players, or take from the common deck. That's what makes this game a sheer joy for families and a must-have as we start approaching the holiday and winter season -- particularly as school get back into the swing.<br />
<br />
<i><b>I received a free copy of this game from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-90282628691553097912017-08-16T17:20:00.002-07:002017-08-16T17:20:31.515-07:00My Review of "Convicted"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNe9o7a3RuvvSFcltGi7khY3zereRJX0DkVanPNFsskL3VEb78QdIhgmlj3hImtHnGOkSE4YYgmWg6FY5v7C-QkPNPBtIBG9SI8wic6rOYfSHeL-UULZ_1a1MHBwTp1OJtcryhyphenhyphennTuIMDI/s1600/convicted.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="182" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNe9o7a3RuvvSFcltGi7khY3zereRJX0DkVanPNFsskL3VEb78QdIhgmlj3hImtHnGOkSE4YYgmWg6FY5v7C-QkPNPBtIBG9SI8wic6rOYfSHeL-UULZ_1a1MHBwTp1OJtcryhyphenhyphennTuIMDI/s1600/convicted.jpg" /></a></div>
Jameel McGee and Andrew Collins' <i>Convicted: A Crooked Cop, an Innocent Man, and an Unlikely Journey of Forgiveness and Friendship</i> tells the amazing story of the unlikely pair of men are working side-by-side at Cafe Mosaic in Benton Harbor: One was unjustly sent to prison and the other is the former officer who sent him there.<br />
<br />
<i>Convicted</i> tells the story of former Benton Harbor police officer Andrew Collins, now the manager at Cafe Mosaic, is the mentor for Jameel McGee of Benton Harbor, who spent four years in federal prison because of Mr. Collins' lies. This story, though, is a unique one -- because it tells the difference Jesus makes in real relationships between those who would otherwise be enemies.<br />
<br />
McGee was released from prison just days after Collins finally pleaded guilty to his own offenses in corruption. With the patience of a good pastor, Collins finds forgiveness and ultimately restoration with McGee.<br />
<br />
This is not a book to be missed!<br /><br /><span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-68058401736669824412017-07-15T17:39:00.001-07:002017-07-15T17:39:45.570-07:00My Review of "Leading Lady"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbry2erYyvcdSSF4LiXORQ1L9OCulFF2ZCIgLn8j_L3GTTWFqIqd9EBC1NJyU__BRMXi8zKwa6y3mpG5dRVz7awcPYhGZQjNEGtE-wNTyMsfOXBjfSlfbJUOYmwaIJDGdEzCFwkwhydN47/s1600/leading+lady.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="331" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbry2erYyvcdSSF4LiXORQ1L9OCulFF2ZCIgLn8j_L3GTTWFqIqd9EBC1NJyU__BRMXi8zKwa6y3mpG5dRVz7awcPYhGZQjNEGtE-wNTyMsfOXBjfSlfbJUOYmwaIJDGdEzCFwkwhydN47/s320/leading+lady.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>
Stephen Galloway's <i>Leading Lady: Sherry Lansing and the Making of a Hollywood Groundbreaker</i> is a fascinating look at Sherry Lansing, whose appointment as head of 20th
Century Fox in 1980 made her the first female president of a major
Hollywood studio. He follows Lansing from her Chicago childhood,
explaining how her father's death and mother's resourcefulness
influenced her strengths and insecurities. A gawky teenager, she gained from moviegoing a desire to "reinvent
herself" and as a young woman moved to California to follow her acting
dreams. Although this first career didn't last long, she found a mentor
in producer Ray Wagner, who hired her as a script reader, a move that
transformed her life.<br />
<br />
Galloway captures the personal drive that allowed Lansing to forge a path through sexist Hollywood and shepherd films such as <em>Kramer vs. Kramer</em>, <em>Forrest Gump</em>, and <em>Saving Private Ryan</em>
past creative obstacles to eventual success. He also shows how she
personally left her mark on many films, such as by helping to craft <em>Fatal Attraction</em>'s revised, crowd-pleasing finale.<br />
<br />
As the book draws to a close, Galloway describes how Lansing realized she wanted more out of life, and by 2005 left Hollywood
behind to start a cancer research foundation. Galloway has created a
colorful page-turner chronicling Lansing's legacy as both a filmmaker
and a philanthropist.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-17859197461254433932017-07-04T08:42:00.002-07:002017-07-04T08:42:27.955-07:00My Review of "How We Love"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuX7lV1twO4LCn7DLDwUwoSMjMP8tlQRf3065mFy0VaFmRxIUEFrC6HF5vS-HmMXdACy4nHzBl-_wKMnGuYNh7CQQ8snopl2EdqndKTEjY209-_GjWPhyNMXNg3bybNIHnXB-brfgewvH/s1600/how+we+love.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEuX7lV1twO4LCn7DLDwUwoSMjMP8tlQRf3065mFy0VaFmRxIUEFrC6HF5vS-HmMXdACy4nHzBl-_wKMnGuYNh7CQQ8snopl2EdqndKTEjY209-_GjWPhyNMXNg3bybNIHnXB-brfgewvH/s1600/how+we+love.jpg" /></a></div>
Milan & Kay Yerkovich's <i>How We Love: Discover Your Love Style, Enhance Your Marriage (expanded edition)</i>
is a fascinating book that every married couple should read. Here,
these two veteran marriage counselors help place our marriage within the
larger context of each person's life -- family of origin, habits and
contemporary behavior are all interconnected in ways that readers may
not appreciate before <i>How We Love</i>.<br />
<br />
The authors take the psychological tools of attachment theory to construct how our lives with early families can create "<span id="freeText8627479210003776356">intimacy imprints" -- </span><span id="freeText8627479210003776356">an underlying blueprint that shapes your behavior, beliefs, and expectations of all relationships, especially your marriage. <i>How We Love</i>
outlines four of those imprint "styles" and goes to out explore how
each of those styles interact with others in particular marriages to
create the drama of our marriages.</span><br />
<span id="freeText8627479210003776356"><br /></span>
<span id="freeText8627479210003776356">This is an amazing little book that offers a lot of hope for marriages that may have gotten stuck.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-28358910043434588932017-06-24T08:59:00.003-07:002017-06-24T08:59:38.863-07:00My Review of "The Midnight Queen"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ejHpp90AOPQcZcEP__g0BENR1LIlYeFl6TSKWu_NIufDLtrjuANt9xO-VMAr4CTExYK0FRtG2nfUShaNU0pBsQsDaPBq_6teiPVe2WsuXUHxhqHHyJpChZeo5DXQ-GPagq3uUHaq9HaP/s1600/w204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="306" data-original-width="204" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4ejHpp90AOPQcZcEP__g0BENR1LIlYeFl6TSKWu_NIufDLtrjuANt9xO-VMAr4CTExYK0FRtG2nfUShaNU0pBsQsDaPBq_6teiPVe2WsuXUHxhqHHyJpChZeo5DXQ-GPagq3uUHaq9HaP/s1600/w204.jpg" /></a></div>
Sylvia Izzo Hunter's <i>The Midnight Queen: A Noctus Magicae Novel</i> blends magic, intrigue and romance to create a fun fantasy, which is set in an alternate Regency England.<br />
<br />
Graham "Gray" Marshall has been drained of his magic and blamed for the
death of a fellow student at the College of Merlin in Oxford. He can't
really refuse when his teacher, Prof. Appius Callender, drags him off to
his distant country house for the summer break -- even though he thinks
Callender is part of a conspiracy to murder Lord Halifax, the Master of
Merlin College.<br />
<br />
Gray is befriended by Callender's middle daughter, Sophie, and the two
set to work uncovering the truth about the conspiracy. Along the way,
they discover that Sophie's father has lied to her about her own magical
abilities, and find the hidden truth about Sophie's own family history.<br />
<br />
Although the novel begins as Gray's story, Sophie quickly takes over the
spotlight. Their romance, the twisty intrigue, and Hunter's colorful
alt-Regency setting, complete with drawing rooms, balls, and barouches,
will charm fans of romantic fantasy.<br />
<br />
<i>The Midnight Queen</i> is a fun page-turner for the summer.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-35219321908227246692017-06-14T22:11:00.000-07:002017-06-14T22:11:07.688-07:00My Review of "Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhS0L3jsd8TQ7Z3AkCGZvUT0dPAvOoyEjS5ga0OaVIYPL6-3SzVreDS-UYEDs3Q3_X25tcTFmpZXammhy-sA-J4OjUefF80ZwrcPZYb0k02LOBL8xsO7DMMLStJEVbMuI9yxORnkRJTOU/s1600/index.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="256" data-original-width="166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDhS0L3jsd8TQ7Z3AkCGZvUT0dPAvOoyEjS5ga0OaVIYPL6-3SzVreDS-UYEDs3Q3_X25tcTFmpZXammhy-sA-J4OjUefF80ZwrcPZYb0k02LOBL8xsO7DMMLStJEVbMuI9yxORnkRJTOU/s1600/index.jpg" /></a></div>
Brian Zahnd's <i>Sinners in the Hands of a Loving God: The Scandalous Truth of the Very Good News</i> is, in a word, breathtaking!<br /><br />Zahnd
is working toward a radical (getting-to-the-root) Christ-centered
biblical hermeneutic. I was soaking up every word of this beautifully
written, entirely accessible, utterly practical theology book that
combines rich faith with practical living.<br />
<br />
This really is a book of "Very Good News" and it points toward a
sea-change that's happening among Christian evangelical preachers these
days. I won't give away too much, but by the time you get to the second
chapter ("Closing the Book on Vengeance"), be prepared to read slowly.
I've dog-eared my copy at page 30 (once you read it, you'll find out
why).<br />
<br />
But Chapter 7 is my favorite. Honestly, if all you did was buy this book and read that chapter, you'd
have your money's worth. I have honestly never read anything that so
clearly and simply explained the right way to approach Revelation
before. It's amazing. Really, amazing.<br />
<br />
I'm excited there are books like this in the world. I plan to get a couple of copies just to share around with friends.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-28591736425670185912017-05-26T18:03:00.001-07:002017-05-26T18:03:16.107-07:00My Review of "He Calls You Beautiful"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Cki8PTIiWny7RboJHWRlV32kAZbTin5WD1Gk45_60nBTKucImpGR868XjrlMpD9xMMgAezo5tptU5_wBWkt1ucIn-Ida0ZeLdAHdOAX4aHRuR8wK5sQMce1cDS57165q07AwPtNvcNUT/s1600/beautiful.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="499" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Cki8PTIiWny7RboJHWRlV32kAZbTin5WD1Gk45_60nBTKucImpGR868XjrlMpD9xMMgAezo5tptU5_wBWkt1ucIn-Ida0ZeLdAHdOAX4aHRuR8wK5sQMce1cDS57165q07AwPtNvcNUT/s320/beautiful.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Dee Brestin's <i>He Calls You Beautiful: Hearing the Voice of Jesus in the Song of Songs </i>offers a rich Bible study resource for women -- focusing on the poetry of the Song of Songs as a love poem of Jesus for every woman's heart.<br />
<br />
Rather than considering the Song of Songs as being only about marriage
or only an allegory about Christ and the soul, Brestin shows that both are true -- in
that the Song uses a picture of earthly marriage as a metaphor for the intimacy Jesus longs to have with every woman's heart.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-58631108533126938052017-05-17T17:13:00.003-07:002017-05-17T17:13:53.904-07:00My Review of "Finally Focused"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uz7O8qUuF6HNDBjkgFs_Bhqr-5xVM4_yV2OZaARIYIHhoefDz97S8Y67FP8AbHYHZrR7sEdguP07b9REQZnZrqYELI4WKT16XUE5OdZXgfMI6AP-Cl_7e4nD18UnKyu46b6BcPqUsnT0/s1600/index.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-uz7O8qUuF6HNDBjkgFs_Bhqr-5xVM4_yV2OZaARIYIHhoefDz97S8Y67FP8AbHYHZrR7sEdguP07b9REQZnZrqYELI4WKT16XUE5OdZXgfMI6AP-Cl_7e4nD18UnKyu46b6BcPqUsnT0/s1600/index.jpeg" /></a></div>
James Greenblatt's <i>Finally Focused</i> is a great resource for parents and educators who struggle to adapt ADHD students into a gracious and productive childhood. Greenblatt offers a number of non-pharmacological solutions, and in that way <i>Finally Focused</i> will be extremely useful for parents who are searching for help.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-29143683739699763032017-05-05T17:58:00.001-07:002017-05-05T17:58:03.771-07:00My Review of "Break Open the Sky"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoo4Pxs0TU8aFIsuomWfIy3d2ZbQwUvz0hPFvwKRc8K2KZRuJVa-zsbKDXcWXb18niaeiAWOMbpDW9wtYwCkTT-b1mb9xHF0KT4RyBoA21YD2zxxPASfypV3yEwSidF7Sz9oNclYXrnbU/s1600/51oMS5wUFWL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixoo4Pxs0TU8aFIsuomWfIy3d2ZbQwUvz0hPFvwKRc8K2KZRuJVa-zsbKDXcWXb18niaeiAWOMbpDW9wtYwCkTT-b1mb9xHF0KT4RyBoA21YD2zxxPASfypV3yEwSidF7Sz9oNclYXrnbU/s320/51oMS5wUFWL._SX331_BO1%252C204%252C203%252C200_.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Stephan Bauman's <i>Break Open the Sky: Saving Our Faith from a Culture of Fear</i> is a rich manifesto for living out Jesus' radical call for a life of love and faith in a culture of so much fear -- from terrorism to racism. From the "refuge crisis and the political vitriol that surrounds it. Americans are good at fear. In fact, if the nightly news is any indication, that fear is only increasing.<br />
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And Bauman knows a thing or two about the world's concerns, and the fear that often surrounds them. As the former president of World Relief, he has seen all the ways in which that culture of fear slips into our souls and misshapes human life. <i>Break Open the Sky</i> is nothing short of a manifesto that calls us to shake ourselves out of the shadows and live into the Light of Christ's love.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-70687420175544808672017-04-25T09:23:00.002-07:002017-04-25T09:23:17.167-07:00My Review of "Just Mercy"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63wJBbSrJ_F7yya1rfNHCeUR-0gSLRrG0Z5UObBudkt-0FF2GhkLpcEBKQDrk4DQ3_AbcXFT8Suig33qMp_NTICIl1FNiSGNtu57HZxKJkCzZgAEslvenmZ_pqWY5ZqnsXKPWWROV_dZp/s1600/index.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh63wJBbSrJ_F7yya1rfNHCeUR-0gSLRrG0Z5UObBudkt-0FF2GhkLpcEBKQDrk4DQ3_AbcXFT8Suig33qMp_NTICIl1FNiSGNtu57HZxKJkCzZgAEslvenmZ_pqWY5ZqnsXKPWWROV_dZp/s1600/index.jpeg" /></a>Byron Stevenson's <i>Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption</i> is a memoir of one's lawyer's struggle against injustice and his work in co-founding the Equal Justice Initiative.<br />
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Its narrative backbone is the story of Walter McMillian, whom Stevenson
began representing in the late 1980s when he was on death row for
killing a young white woman in Monroeville, Ala., the hometown of
Harper Lee (author of <i>To Kill a Mockingbird</i>). And Stevenson is quick to point out connections to Lee's story: A black man falsely accused of the rape of a white woman.<br />
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Stevenson uses McMillian's case to illustrate his commitment both to
individual defendants -- he remained closely in touch until McMillian's
death last year -- and to endemic problems in American jurisprudence. <br />
<br />
The message of this book, hammered home by dramatic examples of one
man's refusal to sit quietly and countenance horror, is that evil can be
overcome, a difference can be made. <i>Just Mercy</i> will make you upset but it will also make you hopeful.<br />
<br />
Perhaps it's time that Americans join Stevenson in those dual responses to a broken "justice" system.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-39707906267722677002017-04-08T09:35:00.002-07:002017-04-08T09:35:33.339-07:00My Review of "Beauty Begins"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKWbmbO7cIaI7NtloDuhNtm4sI55QrsDPFSkfdautzF5m-bNGUEzyDSb3eEgsQwyo1rPxFXj2O9rX3I_uVRgt0tVYIJN0i9lRd8ozgSxV68fny_BxvMg3_Ut75F8RvxkM0Ibh-aqBU0dy/s1600/Beauty-Begins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrKWbmbO7cIaI7NtloDuhNtm4sI55QrsDPFSkfdautzF5m-bNGUEzyDSb3eEgsQwyo1rPxFXj2O9rX3I_uVRgt0tVYIJN0i9lRd8ozgSxV68fny_BxvMg3_Ut75F8RvxkM0Ibh-aqBU0dy/s320/Beauty-Begins.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
Chris Shook and Megan Shook Alpha's <i>Beauty Begins: Making Peace with Your Reflection</i> offers biblical wisdom and personal experiences to help transform the minds of
women -- many of whom operate from a place of brokenness -- so that they
can learn to achieve healthy mindsets about their bodies and their
immeasurable worth in the sight of God. It helps give voice to women who need to learn to articulate beauty for themselves: "When we begin to believe the truth of who we really are and who God made
us to be, we'll be set free to feel beautiful. Our goal in writing <em>Beauty Begins</em> is to encourage all of us to stop believing the lies and to start living the truth".<br />
<br />
<em>Beauty Begins</em> is an easy-to-read book that’s full of Scripture,
prayers and reflections that will help you to change the way you treat
yourself, see yourself, and live.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-83328857676711907452017-04-01T06:57:00.000-07:002017-04-01T06:57:01.807-07:00My Review of "As Kingfishers Catch Fire"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrK_wNYd5GWtwZQTL4C0HKhVOHYjMEVLln88gotgKLu1NwiDXiCbYHi7MzFU0UEpoq0xDwH2XmuyqZZRw5UFcKTvGGhfO7ebmWxD9tn6mBD0xLkjp2-WNOECGkX7s7H4bgjw7CeMuksyw/s1600/9781601429674.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbrK_wNYd5GWtwZQTL4C0HKhVOHYjMEVLln88gotgKLu1NwiDXiCbYHi7MzFU0UEpoq0xDwH2XmuyqZZRw5UFcKTvGGhfO7ebmWxD9tn6mBD0xLkjp2-WNOECGkX7s7H4bgjw7CeMuksyw/s320/9781601429674.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div>
Eugene Peterson's <i>As Kingfishers Catch Fire: A Conversation on the Ways of God Formed by the Words of God</i> is one of those books filled with wisdom and Spirit. It's the story of one pastor's heart's desire to live as he preached -- in that place of "congruence" between message and act.<br />
<br />
It's a story of sermons preached over 29 years of ministry -- sermons that explore the lessons of biblical heroes like Moses, Isaiah, David, Solomon, Peter, Paul, and John of Patmos. In that way, it's a story of a real man, foibles and failures as well as faith, who strives to let Jesus not only teach him about God, but about being a real man, following in the Way of faith.<br />
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This is one of those books that I wish I'd have had in seminary, twenty years ago. Because whenever Peterson speaks, I've learned to listen. And what Peterson says in <i>As Kingfishers Catch Fire</i> are words of wisdom about being a true human being, as a pastor, as a man who follows Jesus, in all the complicated trails that following will sometimes entail.<br />
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In a simple sentence: Don't miss this book! It will make you more of a follower of Jesus. Which means you'll be a better human being.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2790992316531827590.post-11574652021332702017-03-21T16:37:00.001-07:002017-03-21T16:37:20.233-07:00My Review of "English Lessons"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUS8NzWwdvQ_RrAlMXo_fVRE2qrRZvmbPVAFu54KbX1WgD3OK3JJAJZdkrzRpvqUilLNb4OnzhRtUQXm_hKHk7nmEL54zBIPmousAWsHZaU1B-EfOJTkevhSBYv-s_XGNGJq0QzIRYXilZ/s1600/9781601428950.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUS8NzWwdvQ_RrAlMXo_fVRE2qrRZvmbPVAFu54KbX1WgD3OK3JJAJZdkrzRpvqUilLNb4OnzhRtUQXm_hKHk7nmEL54zBIPmousAWsHZaU1B-EfOJTkevhSBYv-s_XGNGJq0QzIRYXilZ/s320/9781601428950.jpeg" width="203" /></a>Andrea Lucado's <i>English Lessons: The Crooked Path of Growing Toward Faith</i> is an amazing memoir of the path of one whose walk of faith has both starts and stops. Lucado -- probably more known for her dad, Max, than for her own writing -- has a life full of messy stories. <br />
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For those looking for neat, tidy answers about faith and doubt, this is not the book for you.<br />
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For all the rest, this is not a book to miss! The book highlights the spiritual path of one who embraces doubt and finds comfort in simply not knowing. <br />
<br />
I relate so deeply to his book, particularly in its descriptions about "Christian culture" and the real people who are part of it. Lucado's book is for all those who struggle what it means to live a messy life of faith.<br />
<br />
<span class="a-size-base review-text" data-hook="review-body"><i><b>I received a free copy of this book as part of the <a href="http://www.bloggingforbooks.org/" target="_blank">Blogging for Books</a> program in exchange for my honest review here.</b></i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12591668471112184529noreply@blogger.com0