Friday, October 30, 2015

Picture of the Week! (October 30, 2015)

I don’t know about all of you, but I am not looking forward to this.  I would like the temperatures to go back to the low 70’s with none of the no-see-ums.

99 Prayers for Children by Juliet David and illustrated by Elina Ellis (Book Review!)

99 Stories from the Bible

By Juliet David

Illustrated by Elina Ellis

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Nonfiction / Young Children

Published by- Candle Books

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 96

Age Group- Juvenile

Description of book- hardback, listed price- $9.99, ISBN 978-1-78128-191-8

99 Prayers for Children 

This book is a companion to 99 Stories From the Bible.  It contains traditional and contemporary prayers.  It provides young children with a variety of ways to pray during different times of the day and year.

Link to my review of 99 Stories From the Bible.

About the Author-

Juliet David currently lives in London with her family.  She has written many Bible activity books and children’s stories.

My thoughts-

I thought 99 Prayers for Children was an excellent companion book to 99 Stories Bible.

I liked the table of contents, which had the prayers in different categories, like mealtimes and bedtime.  I appreciated the index of first lines, because it was easier to find a specific prayer that way instead of looking in the different sections.

The prayers were based on traditional prayers and Bible verses.  Some of them were from different authors like St. Patrick.

My daughter has a hard time thinking of a prayer to say.  This book is perfect for her, because she can pick a prayer that best fits the time of day or how she is feeling at that time.  I think it will help her become more confident when praying, so that when she is older she can say her own prayers.

I really liked the illustrations.  They were realistic and matched the prayer that was being said.  They will be able to help young children understand the meaning of the prayer and how it relates to them.

This book would be a great addition to a child’s book collection.  It would help them draw nearer to God.

I recommend it.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received 99 Prayers for Children, by Juliet David and illustrated by Elina Ellis, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Friday, October 23, 2015

The Hardest Thing to Do by Penelope Wilcock (Book Review!)

The Hardest Thing to Do

The Hawk and Dove Series, Book 4

By Penelope Wilcock

(received in exchange for an honest review)

 

Genre- Fiction / Christian / Historical

Published by- Lion Fiction

Copyrighted- These editions are 2015

Number of pages- 256

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN: 978-1-78264-148-3

The Hardest Thing to Do

The Hardest Thing to Do begins one year after The Long Fall.  The new abbot has been chosen following the death of Father Peregrine.  Abbot John is faced with his first problem when Prior William comes needing refuge.  Several of the monks do not want the prior there, because of the way he treated Father Peregrine.  The monks decide to let Prior William stay there on a trial basis.  What will happen?  Will they all be able to forgive each other?

About the Author-

Penelope Wilcock currently lives in England with her family.  She is a writer and is a former Methodist minister.  Her blog is Kindred of the Quiet Way.

My Thoughts-

I thought this was a wonderful book about forgiveness and change.  This was a perfect book to learn about Abbot John and the way he was able to get Prior William involved in the monastery. 

I liked the characters in this book as much as I did in the other three books.  Since I recently read the other books, the characters were easy to remember.  If I hadn’t remembered them, there was a very complete list of characters at the beginning of this book to help me.

I liked how the chapters were divided by each day of Lent, but I wish they were a little more detailed than, “The Tenth Day.”  There were some things I wanted to look up, but I couldn’t remember which chapter they were in.

I really enjoyed this book.  I think everyone should read this book.

Here is my review of the other three books.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Hardest Thing to Do, by Penelope Wilcock, for free from the Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Unlikely Rebel by Kelli Gotthardt (Book Review!)

Unlikely Rebel: A Church Girl’s Journey out of Shoulds and Shame

by Kelli Gotthardt

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Unlikely Rebel

Genre- Nonfiction / Christian Life / Women’s Issues

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 160

Age Group- Adult (women)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $13.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4228-5

Women struggle with many different problems.  Kelli Gotthardt shows us in this book what it was like to look like life was all together, but be filled with self-doubt and shame.  She is a pastor’s wife, so it was even harder for her to live authentically, because people expected more from her.

She wrote this book to show us how there is freedom and love that God wants us to have.

About the Author-

Kelli Gotthard has a master’s degree in spiritual formation and lives in California.  She is an international speaker, pastor’s wife, and leadership consultant.

My thoughts-

I thought Kelli Gotthardt was courageous when she wrote this book about her hard times and insecurities.  I was captivated by her writing style and it made me want to keep reading.  I wanted to learn about her journey and how it might apply to mine, even though each person’s journey is different and unique. 

I’m glad that she mentioned that this book was written as a journal, that way I knew that she was writing this in the order that they happened.  This was mentioned in the introduction, which was one of the most important parts of the book, because it set the stage.  It showed how she went from being a “good girl” to being a rebel.  It also alerted me to the physical and mental issues she had to and has to deal with.

I liked the divisions of the sections, Leaning In, Letting Go, and Living Out.

I think this was a very interesting book, one because she is a woman and two, because she is the wife of a pastor.  I enjoyed it and I hope you do too.  You might learn something about yourself you didn’t know.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Unlikely Rebel, by Kelli Gotthardt, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

The Methuselah Project by Rick Barry (Book Review!)

The Methuselah Project

by Rick Barry

(received in exchange for an honest review)

The Methuselah Project

Genre- Fiction / Historical / Christian / Suspense

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2015

Number of pages- 312

Age Group- Adult (men)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4387-9

Roger Green was shot down in Germany in 1943.  He was taken prisoner and was an unwilling participant of an experiment.  He has lived for seventy years as a prisoner, and the scientist who has taken care of him for all these years has passed away.  He hasn’t aged a bit and has no knowledge of what has really been happening in the world.  He has read lots of historical books.  He has also read the Bible, which has helped him all these years.  He wants to escape, but when he does the world is unrecognizable.  It is 2015.

Katherine Mueller has always lived in the modern world, so when they meet, she questions what he believes.  He is running from the group who has kept him hidden for all these years.  Katherine is part of the group who has hidden him and is now looking for him.

Will they be able to work together?  Will Katherine turn him in to her organization?  Will Roger be able to adjust to his new world?

About the Author-

Rick Barry currently lives in Indiana.  He is the director of church planting ministries at BIEM.  He speaks Russian and has written Gunner’s Run and Kiriath’s Quest.  He is on Facebook and Twitter.

My thoughts-

World War II is a subject that interests me, and this book was very interesting.  I think The Methuselah Project would make a perfect movie.  When I finished reading this book, I had to go find my husband and tell him all about it.  I could not believe how much I could remember and how I wished I could read more.

Dr. Kossler, the man who took care of Roger Green (POW), for all those years was intriguing.  I thought that he was intriguing, because although he did not tell Roger the truth about the end of World War II, (Roger thought WW II was still being fought) Dr. Kossler treated him very well.  Dr. Kossler brought him books to read, kept him company, and made sure Roger had what he needed.  He believed in the project.  Dr. Kossler’s new assistants did not believe in the Methuselah Project and did not treat Roger respectfully.

Katherine, even though she was a part of the group who was trying to capture him, had great integrity and knew when to stand up to the people in her organization, who were trying to kill Roger.

My favorite part of the book took place after Roger escaped from the house in Germany, made it to the United States, and was with Katherine.  It was fun going with them on their journey as they learned more about Roger’s past.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I recommend it to everyone, but especially men.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Methuselah Project, by Rick Barry, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.