Rudy: My Story

Rudy: My Story is an autobiography about Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, who most people will recognize from the movie Rudy which was released in the early 90s. Rudy always wanted to play football for Notre Dame, but he didn’t have the natural talent like the other players on the team. Even though he was not the best and at some points wanted to give up, he always persevered and gave his all to everything he did.  

  

Even though I’m not the biggest football fan, I really liked this book and reading about the hard work and dedication of Rudy. I can empathize with him since I was never the best at the sports I played, and his story would have been a great one to read while I was working hard to achieve my goals in sports and life.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Booksneeze Books. 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."

The Haven

The Haven by Suzanne Woods Fisher is the second book in the Stoney Ridge Seasons series, and it follows Sadie, the middle daughter in the Lapp family. Sadie has just returned home from Ohio where she was learning about different healing techniques while living with her newly married sister who was the focus of the first book. With her arrival comes gossip, since she comes home with a baby which was left at her feet while she was waiting to come home from the bus station. The rumor soon spreads that while Sadie was in Ohio she had a child of her own. In addition to having to deal with rumors, Windmill Farm, where the Lapp family lives, has a young college-aged intern named Will living on their farm to ensure the safety of endangered peregrine falcons who have nested on the Lapp property. As Sadie soon uncovers the mystery of who the child belongs to, she also finds herself spending time with Will which angers her boyfriend from the previous year, Gid.




I enjoyed this book just as much as the first in the series, and I couldn’t put it down because of both the romance and mystery surrounding Will. The characters were all very interesting, and I liked reading about the relationship between every character, not just Sadie and her friends. It’s not necessary to have read the first book in the series to understand what is going on in the Lapp family, although there were some characters in the first book whose actions cause repercussions in the newest book. I cannot wait to read more about the Lapp family, and I am hopeful the next book looks at M.K., the youngest Lapp sister. She is definitely the most precocious of the three children, and I’m sure the book that focuses on her will be very entertaining.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Revell Books. 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."



“Available August 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.”

Impact Player

Impact Player: Living a Lasting Legacy On and Off the Field is a memoir written by Bobby Richardson which tells about his time playing baseball with the Yankees during a famous time in history. Although I can admit I don’t really follow baseball, I am even familiar with the players Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra who Bobby Richardson played alongside. More than just a book about baseball, it looks at the faith of Bobby Richardson and his strong beliefs and example he was for those he played with during his career.

I also liked learning about the accomplishments of Bobby Richardson after he completed his time in professional baseball. He had a large family, coached baseball at the University of South Carolina, and even ran for Congress. My sister attended Liberty University, so I thought it was interesting to learn about the time he spent coaching there in the 1980s. He had many great years playing baseball, and the book gave him the opportunity to share many stories. I liked how he never seemed to “preach” at his teammates, but rather he served as an example and chose to become friends with others despite the fact he may not have agreed with their lifestyles. He even mentions in the book that he thinks the best way he could be a Christian witness was through his friendship with his teammates.

I can’t wait to give this book to my dad to read, since I’m sure he will enjoy reading about the experiences of the Yankee clubhouse during the 1955-1964 seasons.   

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Tyndale Books. 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."