Book Review-My Stubborn Heart

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade is a very fresh novel. It is a Christian romance novel, but unlike any I have read before. The author kept the emotions, actions, and thoughts real. For example, the main character, Kate, complains about her breast size, Kate and Matt have an argument, and one sentence was, "He kissed her and kissed her and kissed her and she kissed him back, until she was forced to come up for air." I have read too many Christian romance novels where things like that aren't mentioned. However, how many of us Christian women didn't have body image issues especially when dating? Or you didn't kiss your boyfriend passionately?
The characters were well-developed and the story flowed well, which made it hard to put down. Although I had nothing in common with the main character except our ages, I really liked Kate. She was spunky and although we had nothing in common, I felt like we could be friends!
The book had a couple of enjoyable storylines and lots of humor. There was a wide range of emotions in the book, especially as Matt's past was incredibly sad.
One complaint is that I don't know if the author thought out the whole restoring the house storyline completely through. If I was renovating a house, I don't know that I would have painted all of the walls before having the floors sanded and refinished (too much dust being kicked up on freshly painted walls).
Additionally, I don't feel that the end of the book was as strong as the rest of the book. I wasn't disappointed, though. Perhaps it is that it ended abruptly. I felt the author could have built up the last chapter more.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book, and look forward to reading more books by Becky Wade.

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

Book Review - Pattern of Wounds

Pattern of Wounds is a murder mystery novel featuring Roland March as the cantankerous, focused, tough guy homicide detective. Pattern of Wounds was written by J. Mark Bertrand. The novel follows March as he tries to solve a murder of a young woman, figure out if the crime is one of a serial killer, deal with his own past, and face an unraveling conviction.
I thought the novel moved slowly through the first half. Perhaps I am too used to crimes being solved in the 1 hour time frame on Law and Order: SVU! Halfway through though, my attention was grabbed and I couldn't put the book down. This was the first book in the Roland March series that I read, and although it is not necessary to read the first book in the series, it is probably helpful to. At some points I did feel a little lost because I didn't know the complete back story for the other story lines that were included in Pattern of Wounds. And speaking of other story lines, I felt there were too many in the book! And looking back, those were the parts in the novel that I seemed to drag through. Those parts were probably super important for those who have read the first Roland March book in the series and wanted closure. However, I would have been content just reading the parts relating to the main crime-the murder of the woman, with perhaps one side story thrown in.
If given the opportunity, I would pick up the first book in the Roland March series. If the series continues I would probably pick up those books as well.
**I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

Book Review-One Call Away

The first thing someone may be thinking is "Who is Brenda Warner and why would I want to read her autobiography?" Well, her biggest claim to fame is being Kurt Warner's wife.

Still, you may be saying, "Who's Kurt Warner?" or perhaps, "That name sounds familiar. I think he was on Dancing With the Stars once." He was, and Kurt Warner is a former football player who led his teams to the Super Bowl three times. OK, now that we got that squared away, you may still be asking, Why would I want to pick up Brenda Warner's autobiography, especially if I don't know who she is, or like football, the sport her husband is affiliated with?

The simple answer is because you will love her story. You will feel like you have gained a friend after reading her book. You will be inspired. You will laugh and you will cry. You do not need to be a football fan to enjoy this strong woman's story.

It is very unfortunate the many tragedies that Brenda Warner has faced in her life, however, those tragedies make for a good read, and I thus couldn't put One Call Away down. It's been awhile since I have finished an autobiography in three days; actually it's been awhile since I have finished ANY book in three days! I just couldn't put it down, and spent those three days reading it staying up until 1 a.m. every night!

Although Brenda's life has been marked by some horrific moments, her deep faith allows her to trust God and His plan for her life. She is a strong woman for all that she has been through, however, the only reason she is, is because she serves a stronger God! I will say that I disagree with some of the choices that Brenda has made in her life (premarital sex and breast enhancement surgery), however, I do appreciate how completely honest she was.

If you have read Mary Beth Chapman's book, Choosing to See, I found that the writing styles are similar, and so are the messages, however, two very different stories, so it is worth it to pick One Call Away up.

**I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

Book Review-Promises to Keep

Promises to Keep, written by Ann Tatlock, is a story about a preteen girl, Roz, and her life after moving to a new town. Once in the town of fictional Mills River, IL, her family discovers they have a new house guest, Tillie, a rather eccentric, but wise 70 year old woman, who also, in my opinion, happens to be the best thing the family encounters.
I enjoyed the book, however, I felt like it was a slow read up until half way through. The book has 47 chapters, but is 345 pages long, so you can see that the chapters are short. This I viewed as a disadvantage because I would read only one chapter at a time, and be OK with that. I didn't feel like there was enough of a pull to make me read the next chapter in the same sitting. However, it could be an advantage for someone who doesn't have a lot of time on their hands and wants a book that they can read a chapter in five minutes. If you have the patience to make it through the first half, the second half is well worth it. I flew through the final chapters on the book. Although it was rather predictable, there was still the desire to see what would happen, and yes, some surprises!
The characters in the novel are complex, yet likable (well, at least most of them!) Ms. Tatlock did a wonderful job of developing the characters, and the different stories they all told in one novel.
Although the story is a drama, there is some humor and light-hearted moments as well, which is appreciated and frankly, needed, because the topics in the book are rather deep and complex.
All in all, my review of the book is average. There are elements I liked (the characters), but others I could do without (disliked the short chapters!) I may read more of Ms. Tatlock's work in the future if her books come across my path, but I won't go out of my way to.


**I was provided a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

Book Review-How to Be God's Little Princess by Sheila Walsh

This adorably cute pink hardcover book is the perfect gift for the princess in your life. I do believe it is best suited for girls from 6-11 years of age.

The subtitle of How To Be God's Little Princess is Royal Tips for Manners, Etiquette, and True Beauty, and the book lives up to its name. Included in this book are quizzes, "What's wrong with this picture?" scenarios, and creative art projects like designing your own tie dye and jewelry making, in addition to the plethora of other useful information. And what is especially special about this book is that beauty outside AND in is featured. Author Sheila Walsh does a great job including Bible verses, Biblical wisdom, tips for reaching out to others, and advice for making a heartfelt apology.

However, there is some ridiculous information included in the book, like wearing the right tiara to match your face. However, I think a young girl would have fun taking the quiz, although she herself may never wear an actual tiara until her wedding day! This book would be such a treasure to a little girl though, that I bet she would keep it until her wedding day and even pass it down to her own little princesses!

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review-God Gave Us So Much by Lisa Tawn Bergren

Before I officially "begin" my book review - yes, He did! This collection-God Gave Us So Much - includes three stories - God Gave Us the World, God Gave Us Love, and God Gave Us Heaven. In this story, an inquisitive little polar bear asks her family members to answer questions about the world, creation, love, and Heaven.

This book is perfect for any curious child in your life. The author easily answers some of life's difficult questions, questions that my own inquiring child has asked. And the author easily gives the "right" answer. Because the main character is a polar bear, the questions she asks relates to other animals she encounters. When fishing, she expresses frustration that the otters are scaring the fish away. The grandfather responds by telling Little Bear that "God wants us to show the otters love...He wants us to show everyone his love." (Example from God Gave Us Love) Or Little Bear expresses surprise that there are many different types of bears that live in different parts of the world, evident that there are many different cultural groups of people around the world (example from God Gave Us the World.) To answer why the bears would live in different places, the Mama Bear responds, "Because they like their homes best. It's where God put them. God gave us this great big, wide world and a whole bunch of different bears with different fur and different families."

The illustrations are delightful. I also really appreciate that extended family relationships are featured in the book (Grandpa and Grandma in addition to Mama and Papa and twin siblings.) Finally, not only is the book for children, there are lessons that I know I need to be reminded of like, "Our best stuff doesn't weigh anything at all-stuff like love, family, friends, and faith." (Example from God Gave Us Heaven).

A perfect treasury for our own little treasures!

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

Book Review-Pujols: More Than the Game by Scott Lamb and Tim Ellsworth

Some might be wondering why a girl who doesn't care much for baseball would review a book about Albert Pujols, a baseball player. Well, although I'm not a big baseball fan, I am a great fan of good biographies and autobiographies. Additionally, I do love reading about celebrities and their relationships with Christ, because it doesn't seem like Christians in the public eye publicize their faith enough, unless they are specifically in the Christian circle.
So, as I started reading Pujols: More Than the Game, I was looking forward to reading about Pujols' faith-how he came to it, how he is sharing it, his struggles and his victories in his relationship with God. After all, the book's subtitle is More Than the Game! And even if the book didn't primarily focus on Pujols' faith, I would have hoped for more information on Pujols' life off of the field, like his upbringing and his relationship with his wife and children. That information is just peppered throughout his story, while I feel like it should have played a bigger role-considering the title! What I found though is a book that is very heavy on Pujols' career, and for a girl who doesn't care much about baseball, I found it difficult to get through. In fact, I didn't complete the book at the time of this review, because it was so statistic-heavy.

Although this book wasn't for me, I think there is a population who would enjoy reading Pujols: More Than the Game. For one, it doesn't hurt if you are a baseball fan. You'd be able to read through the statistics easily without it being dry. Secondly, because I didn't find this book to give a detailed testimony of Pujols' faith (at least by page 69, when I stopped reading), I think a non Christian could enjoy it without feeling like an outsider for not being Christian.

Overall, I'm glad I had the opportunity to read about Albert Pujols. It sounds like he is one of the greatest baseball players to ever play the game. It's encouraging to know that he has a relationship with the Greatest, giving him the right perspective of his own greatness on the baseball field!
(Plus, I definitely got bonus points from one of my 4th grade male students who thought it was SO cool that I was reading a book about a baseball player!)

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Review-Love and War Devotional for Couples by John and Staci Eldridge

After having child #3, Greg and I knew we needed to make each other and God a priority in our married lives. So, when I saw the devotional Love & War Devotional for Couples by John and Staci Eldredge I was excited. I know the authors by name and have heard of their other books (Wild at Heart and Love & War). Perhaps if I had read Love & War first I might have known what to expect. However, I don't believe it is necessary to read Love & War before embarking on this devotional.

We are in week 2 of this 8 week devotional, and feel like it is mediocre. When I envisioned us completing a devotional, I thought it would lead to compelling and heart-felt discussions after each day's reading. This book, however, doesn't have that element. The devotions are short (2 and a half pages at most), which is great because in the busyness of life it can be done without it being a chore, or complaints of being too tired to complete it. And although I wouldn't want a devotional to be a chore, I do want there to be a discussion question or two about that day's devotional allowing for us as a couple to interact. The guidance that questions would allow would be appreciated! The devotional does have an exercise to complete at the end of each week, which does allow for discussion and is definitely thought-provoking:
Week 1's exercise is:
What scenes from favorite movies or books have captured your heart over the years? It is good to remember. Linger with that question and ask God what it is about those stories that drew you to them. What songs, what stories, what moments have awakened the deep desires of your heart? Does your spouse know your favorites? Do you know your spouse's? Why don't you ask? What does this tell you about your hearts?

Additionally, each day there is a Bible verse to read and a prayer to recite. The prayers are poignant, however, they are written in singular form. I thought this was a devotional for couples?!? This further supports my thoughts that although this devotional is for couples, it's not necessarily for couples to complete together! We adapted though!

Although this devotional is average, we will continue to work our way through it. It is better than what we were doing before-which was nothing. As we continue the devotional, we may be further challenged, and maybe discussions will naturally take place about what we've read. I suppose one way to do that is to ask God to give us the questions to ask each other so stimulating conversations can take place.

DISCLAIMER: I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.