Tag: review

Behold the Man: A BookLook Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer
The most recent book I have been reading to review is from Bodie and Brock Thoene. Although they are a well-known writing team among Christian fiction circles this is the first book I’ve read by them. Behold the Man is the third in the Jerusalem Chronicles series which recounts the tumultuous time in Israel’s history during Jesus’ ministry. I have not read the previous two books, but this one covers the end of Jesus’ ministry here on earth.
The Roman occupation is central to understanding much of what Scripture tells us about Jesus’ ministry and this is an excellent book to help get a grasp of what was happening and what it meant for both the Jews and the Romans. There is a great amount of historical detail included. It is evident that the Thoenes spent extensive amounts of time researching in order to make sure this story aligned with biblical accounts and non-biblical historical sources.
I had a very hard time getting into the story. It felt a bit slow at the beginning and was filled with so much historical reference I felt I needed to spend some time looking up the names and references in order to really understand it. I love historical fiction, but it is hard for me to enjoy it if limited knowledge of a certain period prevents me from fully understanding it. This one thing frustrated me. I enjoyed the portrayal of actual historical characters. 
If you like historical fiction that delves very deeply into the historical period in which it is set both culturally, politically, and socially, you will most surely enjoy this book. It is well written and accurately presented even though it is fictional. Personally I was not a huge fan of the weightier material.

Disclaimer: I received this title from BookLook Bloggers in return for an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way. I was not required to write a positive review.

Pressing Pause: A BookLook Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer
 
Moms who are also Christ-followers know we need time alone with God, but between all of the pressures of the mundane and the day-to-day needs we meet on a minute-by-minute basis, taking that time isn’t always at the top of our list. I can’t even count the times that all my good intentions have been thwarted by bickering littles, monstrous messes, or even simply sleeping through my alarm because of exhaustion. Add to that the seasons we face where weeks go by when sickness seems to be a constant family member. 
The younger our babes, the harder it is to not only find the time to read Scripture, but also keep our minds focused enough to hear from God as we are reading. This wonderful new devotional from Karen Ehman and Ruth Schwenk aims to helps moms reverse this. Pressing Pause: 100 Quiet Moments for Moms to Meet Jesus is ideal for the mom who is trying to regain her footing in spending time alone with God. The short passages are expounded upon alternating between the authors. Real-life examples from each woman’s life. At the end of each devotion is a sample prayer and questions to ponder. Finally, there is space to journal your own thoughts after reading.
This is intended to be a way for mom to press pause on their day for just a moment. I think this would have been especially helpful when I was first starting on my mothering journey. Moments with God were hard to create even though it was what my heart desired. I talk to a lot of new moms and I’ve heard this same thing over and over. 
The title for this devotional is so perfect. My girls are apt to say, “Pause the game!” when they are playing pretend and need to do something in real life for a second. The same idea is here. We need to press pause from the tyranny of the ordinary. If it has been a while since you took some time alone with God this is a great place to start.
Disclaimer: I received this title from BookLook Bloggers in return for an honest review. I was not compensated in any other way. I was not required to write a positive review.

London Art Chase: A BookLook Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer
 
This first book in the Glimmer Girls series is simply delightful! Three sisters, two older twins and a younger, tag along with their mom on her trips around the world. Their mom is a famous Christian singer so they experience a very different life than my own girls do. Part of the fun of this series is the fun of all fiction, transporting yourself to a different setting and life experience!
This series is going to be a favorite in our household. We also have a family of three girls and so this has intrigued my daughters. They like the adventures and mysteries the girls find themselves in the midst of in each book. 
My 10-year-old daughter says…
“It’s really funny and I like that they talk about God in their family.”
I too love that their family follows God. It is wonderful to have our own Christian values reflected in the literature they are reading. So much of today’s fiction is not something I think is appropriate for young girls, but this is a wonderful exception to that. Not only is it spiritually uplifting, but my daughters have found the titles in this series to be engaging and fun! 
We are looking forward to reading more titles from this series when the are published!
Disclaimer: I received this title in exchange for my honest review from BookLook Bloggers. I was not required to write a positive review. I did not receive any other compensation.

A Dolphin Wish: A BookLook Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer
 
Natalie Grant has written a delightful series with the Glimmer Girls! Based on her own three daughters and their adventures as they travel, these books have delighted my own three daughters!
In a Dolphin’s Wish, the girls travel to the beach. While there they stumble upon a mystery at Watery World have an adventure of a time! Their mother, an Christian music star, takes her daughters along as she travels around the country and even the world! This is the second book in the series and we are excited to also be reviewing the first book in the series.
My girls, ages 10, 8, and 6, love to read. It is sometimes difficult to find current literature that is appropriate for them in our culture. This series is more than just fun, it is safe. The family values modeled are an encouragement to me as a mother and I’m so excited my girls enjoyed this book! 
My 8-year-old says…
“I liked this book! It’s fun to read and I want to read more!” 
I personally have been a fan of Natalie Grant’s music over the years and I was excited to see she had written this series. I think it is important for young girls to see there is adventure and fun in your life no matter where you are and that all that we do is important to God. It is a blessing to have the values I’m teaching my girls reflected in the literature they read. 
Disclaimer: I received this title from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for an honest review. I did not receive any other compensation. I was not required to write a positive review.

Faith: A Tyndale Blog Network Review

Grace-Filled Writer
Packaging 
The Quaker Brides series is new to me as is the author, Lyn Cote. I’m now a devoted fan!
I was already somewhat familiar with some of the history surrounding the Quakers and the Civil War, but after reading Faith, the third book in the Quaker Brides series,  I better understand it all a little more. Not only did I enjoy the historical aspects, I was thoroughly enthralled with each page!
I love historical Christian fiction and have pretty high standards for what I read. As with all my favorite stories Faith has thoughtful characters who grow deeply throughout the novel. I love how seamlessly the historical references to places and people were woven. I have studied the Civil War a great deal and Lyn Cote did an incredible amount of research for this novel. Most of all, the best stories leave me wanting more. Now that I have read the third book I’m anxious to go back and read the first two in the series which tell us more about Faith’s heritage.
The characters were very believable. I could envision both Faith, the heroine, and her hero, Devlin, experience realistic trials and internal strife. Their engaging conversations and struggles to reconcile their deep beliefs alongside their unlikely friendship create tension and conflict that kept me reading. I very much appreciated the portrayed struggle Devlin faced concerning slavery, even though he fought for the Union. The issues which brought about the Civil War were much more complicated than merely the Slavery vs. Anti-Slavery platforms we attribute to it today. This story showed a compelling side which many in the Union felt. They weren’t against slavery completely, but they would fight to preserve the United States. 
If you enjoy the historical fiction genre you will absolutely not be able to put this book down!
Disclaimer: I received this title from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other way. I was not required to write a positive review.

The Lifegiving Home: A Tyndale Blog Network Review

Grace-Filled Writer
 
 
What does it mean to create a welcoming home? I asked myself that question as I was first starting out as a wife and then again a few years later as a mother. I wish I’d had this book when I was just beginning this journey 14 years ago! 
Sally Clarkson is one of my go-to author’s for encouragement in my walk as a Christian wife and mommy. I was already excited to review her newest book, co-written with her daughter, but when I saw the cover I sighed a little with joy. Just seeing the cover of The Lifegiving Home from Tyndale House Publishers brought me a sense of welcoming. Just like the cover, each page brought refreshment and joy. Much of what I have tried to put into practice in our home over the years was included which was very affirming. 
I enjoyed reading from the perspective of both mother and daughter throughout the book. While there are many practical ideas and takeaways in each chapter there is always the sense of pointing the reader back to Scripture, back to the Savior. I love this! It is such a good reminder that the one way to have a life-giving home is to be centered on Christ in all that is done and said. 
The first few chapters consist of helping the reader focus in on thinking about their home, the rhythms and functions of every day life and how to make them more than mundane. I really enjoyed the second part which focuses on each month and ways to breathe new life into the walls of your house throughout the year. Answering the question What makes a home? is central in this book. I found the Clarksons ideas unique and fun, and also inspiring. They didn’t inspire me to copy them as much as create my own ways of bringing life into our home. 
This is a book which I will recommend to anyone looking for ways to create a welcoming home that exudes the love of Christ. I also plan to have my own girls read this when they are older and beginning to think about their own ways of creating a home for their futures. 
Disclaimer: I received this title from Tyndale Blog Network in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other way. I was not required to write a positive review.

Channing O’ Banning and the Turquoise Trail: A Net Galley Review!

Grace-Filled Writer
When I was a kid I read constantly. I’m so excited that my own girls are becoming avid readers! They are incredibly excited every time I have a new book to review that is just for them.
The Channing O’Banning series is a new book series by Angela Spady which has captured my oldest daughter’s heart! Channing is a 4th grade artist extraordinaire whose adventures are recorded in these engaging books. The Turquoise Trail is the first in the series. I asked my daughter to read and write her own review. Here is what she had to say! 
“Channing O’Banning and the Turquoise Trail is a really fun story. I really ike it because there are a lot of cool history facts. Chan, as her friends call her, is sort of like me. I really like to draw and I have two younger sisters. I really liked this story and I hope to read more Channing O’Banning stories soon!” – Rose, age 10
As she was reading, Rose would stop and say, “Mommy! Guess what?” And tell me all sorts of things she had learned from the book. She loves that Channing is an artist as that is her main passion. Her big dream is to become an art teacher overseas. She almost always has a drawing pad and pencil along with her. This story opened up her imagination and for several days after reading I found her outside even more with her sketch pad and drawing supplies.
It is so wonderful when I can find books that are engaging and age appropriate for my girls. So much of what is published today for young girls is too mature in content and we try to guard them from experiencing too much too soon. This is a delightfully sweet series that really grabbed my own pre-teen’s imagination. 
Disclaimer: I received this title from Net Galley in exchange for my honest review. I was not compensated in any other way. I was not required to write a positive review.

Forty Names of Jesus: A Lenten Devotional for Families: A Review and Giveaway!

Grace-Filled Writer
As a family we are always looking for ways to point our girls back to Christ. Our faith is so much more than just a Sunday morning thing and we want to convey that to our daughters. Sometimes that means we fly by the seat of our pants as the moments just happen. Those unplanned moments are amazing gifts from God that allow us to impart His truth to them. 
The problem is that if we leave all opportunities just come up and never really plan anything ahead of time, I don’t personally feel that we are completely fulfilling our mandate as Christian parents to train and teach our kids to know and remember the faithfulness of God. This year we will be participating in Lent. I am thinking of it as Advent for the Resurrection, a countdown to lead into the most important moment of remembrance all year long as a wonderful opportunity to focus us all on the Savior as we approach Resurrection Sunday. 
This delightful devotional was written by a homeschooling friend of mine. While we’ve never met in person we used to live in the same state for a while and chatted extensively about homeschooling as we both use Heart of Dakota for our curriculum. I’ve enjoyed getting to know her over the last several years. After a series of brief careers in electrical engineering, nuclear power, and teaching mathematics Jennifer was led to move into a new full-time calling…raising her three precious children in the fear and knowledge of the Lord. She has been formally homeschooling now for 5 years and she loves what she does!
I was super excited when she asked if I would like to review her new devotional. I jumped at the opportunity and can’t wait to begin this for Lent with my daughters. Each of the devotions are brief, but theologically deep. She communicates in a kid-friendly way that also penetrated my own heart as I was reminded of the wonderful names of Jesus.
What I love most is that each devotion begins with a Scripture to look up together. Then there are several additional passages to look up if you desire. This is perfect for families to decide exactly how long their devotional time should be. Those with younger kids can keep it nice and short while those with more mature children can have further time to reflect together. 
The devotional content is biblically grounded and theologically sound, yet at the same time written in a gentle and engaging way that will bring forth great conversations with your kids. We already have devotional times with our daughters. I am anticipating a lot of really good conversations after our studies. 
Although this was originally written as a devotional for Lent, it can be used anytime of the year as it is not necessarily specific to this season. That is really great because anytime is a great time to study the names of Christ! 
And now for a giveaway! 
I’m so excited to have the opportunity to giveaway a copy of this wonderful devotional to one of my readers! 

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Biff and Becka’s Stupendous Vacation: A BookLook Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer

My girls really like reading books on their tablets when they have the chance. This time it was a sweet little chapter book and they found it very nice.

This is a sweetly written story which can help kids and parents learn about dealing with disappointment. I did like the premise and personally thought it was nicely written. However, my daughters were not all that interested. They are avid readers, but this particular story did not really grab their attention. 
I really like that it centered around a Christian family and echoed our own faith. I appreciated the values which were woven throughout and really did feel like it was a sweet story. 
I can’t say why my kids didn’t particularly care for the book. It may just be the genre of fiction written as a fable. They tend to gravitate more towards stories with actual children as the main characters rather than animals. 
I do recommend this chapter book, especially if you have a reader who really loves animal stories!

Disclaimer: I received Biff and Becka’s Stupendous Vacation as part of the BookLook Bloggers review team. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way.   

Money Making Mom: A Book Look Blogger Review

Grace-Filled Writer

I’ve been a fan of Crystal Paine ever since I found her blog, Money Saving Mom, right after we moved to North Carolina in 2008. We’ve always lived frugally and I was very excited to have a new resource. I frequently browse her blog for deals, tips, and stories. Of all the frugal living blogs out there this one has remained my favorite because of her willingness to share her faith and desire to give generously. Needless to say I was super excited to have a chance to review her new book, Money Making Mom: How Every Woman Can Earn More and Make a Difference.

Most stay-at-home moms are striving for frugality while also bringing in extra income. Choosing to be home rather than bring a second income is not always an easy road. I am so blessed to have opportunities to work part-time from home and on a schedule that allows my husband to be there for my girls. This book was a great way for me to assess how I’m doing with my side jobs to bring in money and give me some potentially new ideas. 
I like how the book is organized. It is clear and flows in a natural way. The chapters are concise and easy to read. I also love that the practical advice is given through real, personal testimonies from both Crystal Paine and many other women around the country. 
The other thing I love about this book is that her purpose in writing this book is to encourage us to be generous with the blessings God gives us. This is something we try to practice as a family. While it is definitely counter cultural, we live with the perspective that all we have is a gift from God, not ours to hold tightly, but ours to express His love to others tangibly. It was quite refreshing to read something that reflected our own ideals. 
If you are a mom looking to both stretch your dollars and find ways to give generously to the ministries and groups that matter to you, this is a great read and will inspire you in many ways!
Disclaimer: I received Money Making Mom as part of the BookLook Bloggers review team. I was not required to write a positive review. I was not compensated in any other way.