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-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-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.”