Sunday, September 26, 2010

A Memory Between Us

The second book in the Wings of Glory Series, A Memory Between Us, written by Sarah Sundin follows Major Jack Novak and army nurse Lieutenant Ruth Doherty as they try to supply income for their families and find out what course their lives are going to take in Europe during World War II. Ruth always attempted to keep herself distanced from her patients, but Major Novak is very convincing in persuading Ruth to spend time with him as he recovers from an injury he received while flying a mission. Throughout their time spent together, the reader begins to find out more about the lives of both Ruth and Jack.

The book focuses on the relationship between Ruth and Jack, and the learning process and growth they must go through in order to find out if they are really meant to be together. Ruth must face her past and the difficult mistakes she made while trying to provide for her family. Jack must face his family to determine if his plan to be a minister is really right for him or if it is just being forced upon him by his family. Throughout these difficult struggles, all of the characters must rely upon God and find out what he wishes them to do with their lives.

I really enjoyed this book, as historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read. I can’t wait to read the other books in the series because I am interested in learning more about the men in the Novak family and their relationships with one another and time they spent fighting in the U.S. Army.

“Available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Good Morning, Lord

Good Morning, Lord: I Don’t Know Where You’re Going Today, But I’m Going with You by Sheila Walsh is probably the cutest devotional books I have ever seen. Although what matters is the content within the book, I will admit the cover of a book is what makes me want to purchase it or not, and this book had an adorable cover. I can imagine giving it to a friend just because of how cute it looks.

Aside from the looks of the book, the content was also something that I would want to share with others. The book is broken into daily devotionals which begin with the phrase “Good Morning, Lord! Today I Will…” Each daily devotional focuses on one particular aspect and contain a personal story and an example of the story contained in the Bible. There are questions that relate to the topic and space where thoughts can be recorded. Also, there is a short prayer and Bible Verse which relate to the topic for the day.

Although I read through this book fairly quickly, I am excited to start out each of my days by reading one of the devotions more in depth. They are the perfect length and will help me start my day with phrases such as “Today I Will…turn to you, take my emptiness before you, thank you for your love, and do all things for you.”

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze 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."

Sunday, September 19, 2010

A Hope Undaunted

A Hope Undaunted, the Winds of Change novel, by Julie Lessman focuses on Katie O’Connor, the youngest daughter in a large family who thinks she has her life planned during the ending of the 1920s. Katie is confident and headstrong; she thinks she has her whole life figured out. She is going to attend law school, marry her wealthy boyfriend Jack, and pursue a career in politics which will help her fight for women’s rights. Little does Katie know that her life will change forever when her father’s punishment for her inability to obey his rules puts her in contact with a childhood enemy, Luke McGee.

Throughout this romance, I honestly did not know what the next move would be on the part of Katie and her family. This fact alone made the book stand apart from so many of the romance books available today. I also enjoyed the focus on family throughout this book; Katie wasn’t the only O’Connor family member who received attention in the book. Her sisters’ relationships with their husbands and children were focused upon, as well as the changing relationship between her parents as they begin to experience life without young children in the home.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Although it was a little over 500 pages, every turn of the page brought a new dimension to the characters. After completing the book, I learned there is another series which focused on Katie’s three older sisters and the struggles they went through when forming their current relationships. I will definitely be purchasing those books. I am also hoping there will be books written about Katie’s brothers in the Winds of Change novels.

“Available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Sunday, September 12, 2010

Making Waves

Marguerite Westing was about to have a summer of her life in the book Making Waves, by Lorna Seilstad, but little did Marguerite know her experiences in the summer of 1895 at Lake Manawa, Iowa would change her life forever. Marguerite was part of a wealthy family who decided to vacation at the lake for a summer. She was hoping it would provide her the opportunity to distance herself from the boring suitor her mother was pushing upon her, but it became so much more than that. Although not necessarily her intention, through her experiences on the lake, she found adventure, a love of sailing, and a relationship in the form of her sailing instructor, Trip Andrews.

When Marguerite finds love, she finds out things are not necessarily how she first thought. Her family has some hidden secrets which may prevent her from being with the man she loves. She must make the hard decision between remaining true to her family or following the path God has in store for her. This book is full of romance and familial ties which kept me captivated throughout the entire work. Marguerite’s determination in following her dreams and her strong relationship with God are both character traits I was impressed with and hope to emulate in my own life.

“Available September 2010 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Friday, September 10, 2010

Outlive Your Life

Outlive your Life: You Were Made to Make A Difference by Max Lucado focuses upon the concept in his title, the fact that Christians are called to make a difference. In order to portray this fact, Lucado looks into the first twelve chapters of the book of Acts. Lucado wrote this book in a story-like format where he uses Bible passages and personal stories to show that everyday individuals can make a difference in the world.

I enjoyed the book, and found his information at the onset of the book particularly interesting. Max Lucado points to the fact that there are 145 million orphans worldwide and there are 236 million people in the United States who consider themselves Christians. If these people were able to unite in caring for the Orphans, there would be none left in the world. This statistic drew me into the book and made me want to better understand what we can do, as Christians, to change the world.

I would recommend this book for anyone who wants to make a difference, be it in the world, the United States, or in their community. I was so interested in this book, I was able to finish it in two sittings, and I would not hesitate to read it again in the future.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze 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."

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

You Changed my Life

There are few times I find myself tearing up during movies or books, but the short stories contained in You Changed my Life by Max Lucado had me doing just that. The book contains very short stories, most only a few pages, but the stories were very moving. The chapters focused on the concepts of Love, Kindness, Commitment, Compassion, Hope, Courage, Wisdom, and Friendship.

Since I loved the stories contained in the book, I found it hard to put the book down and finished it in the span of a few hours. I also liked the pictures in the books. Even though there were few pictures, the ones which were in the book were colorful and caught my attention. I also enjoyed how there were Bible Verses highlighted in the different chapters.

I will definitely be keeping this book in my “library” of favorites to refer back to, but I also am excited to buy additional copies of this book to give as gifts to some recent college graduates. This book would also be a great “coffee-table” book that will give everyone who turns its pages not only great stories, but great examples of how to live.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze 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."

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Butterfly Effect

Have you ever wondered how the actions you do today will affect your future or the future of others? This is the premise of the book The Butterfly Effect: How Your Life Matters by Andy Andrews. After reading The Heart Mender by Andy Andrews I was excited to read his newest book, and I was not disappointed.

The Butterfly Effect looks at the actions of Joshua Chamberlain, a Colonel in the Union Army. His action at Gettysburg, PA in the Civil War was the turning point which led to the Union Army winning the Civil War. Andy Andrews indicates how America would have been different if the South were to have won the war.

The book was a quick read, and I was able to finish it in about fifteen minutes. The pictures and coloring of the pages were attention grabbing. I think this would be a great book for a graduate or for anyone in general.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their Booksneeze 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."