Book Review: Grace

Grace: More than We Deserve, Greater than We Imagine
By Max Lucado
Thomas Nelson, 2012
English, 240pgs

Description:
Grace.

We talk as though we understand the term. The bank gives us a grace period. The seedy politician falls from grace. Musicians speak of a grace note. We describe an actress as gracious, a dancer as graceful. We use the word for hospitals, baby girls, kings, and premeal prayers. We talk as though we know what grace means.

But do we really understand it? Have we settled for wimpy grace? It politely occupies a phrase in a hymn, fits nicely on a church sign. Never causes trouble or demands a response. When asked, “Do you believe in grace?” who could say no?

Max Lucado asks a deeper question: Have you been changed by grace? Shaped by grace? Strengthened by grace? Emboldened by grace? Softened by grace? Snatched by the nape of your neck and shaken to your senses by grace?

God’s grace has a drenching about it. A wildness about it. A white-water, riptide, turn-you-upside-downness about it. Grace comes after you. It rewires you. From insecure to God secure. From regret riddled to better-because-of-it. From afraid to die to ready to fly.

Grace is the voice that calls us to change and then gives us the power to pull it off.

Let’s make certain grace gets you.

Review:
I am a long time fan of Max Lucado's books. This one does not disappoint. It's a little light on theology, but very strong on Scripture, anecdotes and personal application. The chapters are quick and easy to read and there is a separate study guide in the back of the book.

My only complaint about the book is that the study guide is in a separate area. It makes it a little difficult to have to flip around the pages. It would have made more sense to just put the study/application questions at the end of each chapter. Also, the study guide has zero room for writing in your answers, so if you're going to do the questions, you may want a journal handy.

The content however is superb. The stories, both from Max's life and history, are engaging and applicable. I can see where this would make a good group study book.

I received a copy of the book from BookSneeze in exchange for a review. I was not required to write a positive review and no additional compensation has been, or will be, received.

Book Review: Courageous Teens

Courageous Teens
By Michael Catt
B&H Books, 2012
English, 176 pgs
Available September 15, 2012


Description:
Catt brings fresh insight to “stories of people in the Bible who displayed great courage when it would have been easier to play it safe . . . (who) challenge me to keep moving forward. They demand that I examine my priorities and deal with anything that brings fear to my heart.”

 

Teen readers will be inspired to resolve to live for God as they learn more about Abraham, Moses, Nehemiah, Ruth, Daniel, and many more.

 

Best-selling youth market author Amy Parker arranges the heart-stirring material into four categories: Courageous Faith, Courageous Leadership, Courageous Priorities, and Courageous Influence. Discussion questions are also included at the end of each chapter.

 

Review:

This book hooked me in the introduction with the line "Unless the people of my generation take the time to equip you, our young people, with spiritual courage, the church is always just one generation from extinction."

There are 4 sections and 10 total chapters. Each chapter has questions at the end and each section has a recap page. These would be really useful in a group setting.

 

The first section "Courageous Faith" is about learning to trust God.  It uses a lot from the life of Abraham to teach. It encourages teens to find what motivates them and to find courage regarding facing a future that we don't always plan for our selves. It uses the examples of Esther and Joseph.

The second section "Courageous Leadership" is about a personal relationship with God, finding courage to lead and be a humble hero. It used Joshua and Moses as some of the examples. I like the inclusion of Gideon here. That's a study in learning to be humble and let God have all the glory!!

The third section "Courageous Priorities" is about doing what's right. This is probably the hardest lesson for teens. So many are pulled in so many directions. It's good to ground yourself in your faith and let that be your guide. Examples are Elijah, Martin Luther and Moses. The chapter on facing persecution is, I'm afraid, going to be more and more relevant to teens. The Biblical example is Stephen.

The final section "Courageous Influence" is about taking what's been learned so far and using it to reach others. I like that this section uses modern examples as well as Nehemiah and Paul. The chapter regarding mentoring has really touched my heart and given me a desire to reach out to the youth in our church.

This is a powerful book, with a powerful message. I cannot wait to hand it to one of the youth group leaders at church and suggest that this be the Spring Bible study. 

I received a copy of the book in exchange for a review. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.

UNREAL Candy

Need a chocolate fix?
Tired of artificial ingredients and corn syrup?

You need to try UNREAL candies. They are made with only natural ingredients and I cannot taste a difference at all between them and the "regular" brands they're modeled after.

The chocolate caramel nougat bar is far and away my favorite. The chocolate is a bit firmer than what I'm used to on the national brand, but this tasted better and like a higher quality. I did notice a slight aftertaste, but it was not unpleasant. This variety has 5g fiber, 4g protein and lower sodium, sugar and fat content than it's national counterpart. I like that I can pronounce and recognize every ingredient on the label! Also, the chocolate didn't melt all over my fingers. I appreciate that!

My husband claimed the peanut butter cups and I wasn't able to try them, but he said he really liked them! They do contain the lowest amount of sugar of all the types, but the fat and calories is similar to the rest.

All in all, these are a win for us, but I can't see us paying $1.19 for each (my local CVS price). I will look for these to be on specials and hopefully some national coupons will be coming in the papers!

I received coupons for free and BOGO product from BzzAgent to enable me to test the product. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.

Book Review: Twelve Unlikely Heroes

Twelve Unlikely Heroes: How God Commissioned Unexpected People in the Bible and What He Wants to Do with You
By John MacArthur
Thomas Nelson, 2012
English, 240 pgs

Description:
What kind of people does God use to accomplish His work?

Far from the children’s tales depicted in picture books and nursery rhymes, the men and women highlighted in the Bible were unnervingly real. They faltered. They struggled. And at times, they fell short. Yet God worked through them in surprising and incredible ways to accomplish His purposes. Scripture does not hide their weaknesses, caricature their strengths, or spin their stories as a display of human nobility. Instead, it describes these heroes of the faith with unflinching honesty and delivers an unexpected ending: “God is not ashamed to be called their God” (Hebrews 11:16).

In Twelve Unlikely Heroes, pastor and best-selling author John MacArthur uses his deep knowledge of the Bible and history to take us back to see these three-dimensional men and women in their own times and cultures. In doing so, it becomes clear how their dramatic stories apply to us today. People who might at first seem foreign quickly become familiar and unforgettable—particularly as they reveal the true Hero behind every witness, the power counterbalancing every weakness, “the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:1).


Review:
I have not read the other books by this author which highlight "ordinary men" and "extraordinary women". So I cannot compare this book to past books. I can only comment on this book, by itself. 

I was pretty excited, at first, to read this book because of the "heroes" highlighted in the chapters. The order of people is: Enoch, Joseph, Miriam, Gideon and Samson, Jonathan, Jonah, Esther, John the Baptist, James and Mark and Onesimus. I was hoping for a fresh look at their lives and to learn something new that I hadn't studied before about them.

I was pretty disappointed. The chapters are basically a retelling of their life story. There are a few lines interspersed into the narrative about what makes their lives "heroic" and a very short synopsis at the end of each. I could have learned just as much from reading the extended chapter headings (Enoch: The Man Who Walked With God for example). 

 The point of the book is to show that everyone has a chance to be used by God. There isn't anything that can't be forgiven and there isn't anyone who can't be used by God. No matter what they've done or who they were before.

 Enoch had a life dedicated to God. Joseph lived out faith and forgiveness. Miriam was a courageous leader. Gideon and Samsom show that strength comes from God, not ourselves. And so on...

 Don't get me wrong, this is a well written book, I was just expecting more. There was probably more "meat" in the introduction and epilogue than in the chapters themselves.

I received a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. No additional compensation has been received.

Book Review: Money Smart Family System

The Money Smart Family System
By Steve and Annette Economides
Thomas Nelson, 2012
English, 272 pgs


Description:
Is it possible to raise financially responsible kids of any age in a society filled with consumerism and entitlement?

New York Times best-selling authors Steve and Annette Economides raised their five kids while spending 77 percent less than the USDA predicted. And the money they did spend was also used to train their children to become financially independent. The MoneySmart Family System will show you how to teach your children to manage money and have a good attitude while they’re learning to earn, budget, and spend wisely.

Learn how to:
*Get the kids out the door for school with less stress.
*End the battle over clothing—forever
*Teach your children to be grateful and generous.
*Inspire your kids to help with chores as a member of a winning team.
*Prepare your kids for their first paying job.
*Help your kids pay for their own auto insurance, and even pay cash for their own cars.
*Employ strategies for debt-free college educations.
*Truly help your adult children when they want to move back home.
*Be prepared to deal with your adult children when they ask for bailouts.

With clear steps for children of every age, The MoneySmart Family System proves that it’s never too early, too late, or too hard to start learning financial responsibility.

Review:
This is something we're just starting to teach or 5 year old. We're working with him to understand saving, tithing and budgeting. To be honest, it's something we're learning ourselves as well.

This book has the goal of teaching children "to be independent, self-sufficient, and mature adults who can stand on their own two feet financially." I wish I'd had this training before college. Really... although it's never too late to start and learn.

This book describes how the authors taught their children to earn and manage their money. It also teaches how to set up a similar point system for earning. I think I really like this idea and am trying to set up a similar system for our children.

They teach what each child should do to earn their points and how to figure out what each point is worth at the end of the week. It's really a simple system. I'm just not sure about paying my kid to be good at school or to complete homework. Maybe that will work, maybe that will cause problems...I have to test it out to see.

They have a helpful chore chapter with appropriate chores broken down by age. Again, I'm not sure about paying for this. I think that learning through a consequence for not doing something is more effective. I'm willing to try though.

I like that the book deals with learning past the school ages. Really, as parents, we don't expect our children to stop asking for guidance or help or advise once they walk the graduation stage. I know I still look to my parents for ways to do things.

There are several chapters dealing with teaching kids how to manage the money they own. These are open to customizing for your particular family.

I received a copy of the book in exchange for a review. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.

Review: Monopoly Zapped

Ah...money...property...jail!! The joys of Monopoly! I'm thrilled to get to review the newest version of Monopoly:

Monopoly zAPPed Edition

This has everything you know and love about Monopoly in a new, updated way. You'll notice in the picture above that there is NO MONEY! No little slips of paper to get lost. Instead, you use a FREE app (for iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch) to keep track of your money. See those little credit cards? You simply scan your card on the app for your transactions and the computer tallies for you. Much easier!

Also gone are the little blue and yellow Community Chest and Chance cards. These spaces are still there, but you play a little game on the app when you land on them. There were things like: who can plug the leaks faster (to see who pays for the plumber), air hockey (to see who gets the inheritance!), who can turn off the lights faster (paying the electric bill). There were also 1 person games like a puzzle and pushing clouds away from the solar panels (both were for paying utilities).

You still can go to jail (landing on space or rolling 3 sets of doubles), but you can break out!!! There is a game on the app where you toss Mr Monopoly over the wall to break out! You get two tries and then it's BACK TO YOUR CELL! Ha ha! We ended up paying when we went to jail just because that little game is pretty hard!

You start the game with $15 million (wow...) and you are given two property cards at random. Unlike the old board game, you have to purchase or auction the property when you land on it. (At least, we always played that you can not buy if you don't want to.) That made for pretty interesting game play. The auction allows you to bid on property and if you're good, you can get it for less than the amount if you'd bought it. We auctioned Boardwalk, just for fun, and I ended up buying it for $400K. What a bargain!!! (Ha ha...then next time around I landed on Park Place...woo hoo...you should have seen how fast those houses went up!!!)

The game took a couple of hours, but we were able to stop and come back thanks to the app having a "continue game" feature. We started out playing "nice" but then I got a little cutthroat and mortgaged property to put up houses...and it went quickly after that! Bwa ha! We were offering obscene amounts for that 3rd card you have to have so you can build!!

Here are some things I really like about the game:

• There is a way to "undo" something if you push on the wrong player, if you push the wrong button (you meant to buy, but hit sell on houses or something).
• The game will put reminders on the screen for faster game play
• There is an "idea" button that will help you out as you play
• Screen changes color based on your bank card so you can easily tell who needs to play
• Easy (on the iPad) to tap card to pay for property, taxes, fees, etc.

Here's a few frustrating things about the game:

• Couldn't get cards to read on iPhone app. 
• If you don't tap just right, you'll have to try again. Just slow down...(speaking to myself here)
• It took a bit of looking to figure out what to do if you needed to end your turn without taking action on a button (push the home).
• There is a "pay rent" button as well as a "pay player" button. Took a few turns to realize we were pushing the wrong one!

A word of caution...when you finish the game, if you go bankrupt (like my hubby did...ha ha!) you give your property to the person who made you go bankrupt (that was me...ha ha!). THEN...you take turns answering on screen who has which property, whether it's mortgaged or not, and whether it has buildings or not. We didn't realize that and cleared the board...oops...memory had to suffice.

Now...this pic says "Amy" and "Mom"...hubbs played as "Amy" since I was threatening to play against myself just to check out the game! I'm truly sorry I didn't get more screen shots for you, we were enjoying the game so much I forgot to take them!

I think it's fair to say I "whooped up" on him...houses on the dark blue properties are a killer! Bwa ha ha! We had a blast and can't wait to play again. This may be my new "hostess" gift for when we go to parties or something. I love it and want you to love it too!

I received a complimentary copy of the game in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and will not receive additional compensation for the review.

Book Review: A Game of Secrets

A Game of Secrets
By Dawn Tripp
Random House, 2011
English, 273 pages


Description from Amazon:
In 1957, Jane Weld was eleven years old when her father, Luce, disappeared. His skiff was found drifting near a marsh, empty except for his hunting coat and a box of shotgun shells. No one in their small New England town knew for sure what happened until, three years later, Luce’s skull rolled out of a gravel pit, a bullet hole in the temple. Rumors sprang up that he had been murdered by the jealous husband of his mistress, Ada Varick.

Now, half a century later, Jane is still searching for the truth of her father’s death, a mystery made more urgent by the unexpected romance that her willful daughter, Marne, has struck up with one of Ada’s sons. As the love affair intensifies, Jane and Ada meet for their weekly Friday game of Scrabble, a pastime that soon transforms into a cat-and-mouse game of words long left unspoken, and dark secrets best left untold.

Review: 
This book captured me really quickly and I was racing to read it to see what was going to happen. The plot twists and shifts in time a lot, but it's very easy to follow. I did not see the ending coming. Other reviewers have said there were clues about it, but I didn't catch any of them! I'm still not sure how I feel about the ending though. I'm not a plot spoiler so I can't say what happens, but the ending just kinda felt flat to me. It felt like a lot of momentum built and then just stopped.

There were a lot of random characters who get introduced, then forgotten. Kinda makes me wonder why the were there at all. I guess I can see how some of them were devices to move a character along. There were several scenes I didn't understand why someone did what they did. One particular scene was when Marne is riding her bike and stops short when she sees Hank. I don't know why. It was a little vague.

There are many questions left unanswered and I suppose that leaves room for another book in a series (this book has many characters from Tripp's previous books - which are in my nook wishlist...), but I wanted to understand more than I did about who knows what and what happens to some in the end.

I have say though, through Jane and Ada's Scrabble game...I have been watching closer on my Words With Friends games to see if I can pull off some of the "boodles" that Ada loves! I also learned a lot of "dinks" that I've been using...much to certain friends dismay!

I received a copy of the book in exchange for a review. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.

Book Review: A Quest for Good Manners

A Quest for Good Manners
By Karen LeFranc
Beluga Press, 2011
English, 32 pages


Description:

A Quest for Good Manners is a Mom's Choice Awards® Gold Recipient.

Rosalind is not your typical princess she and her pet dragon, Sparkler, are very rude. "What's the big deal with manners anyway?" the princess asks. "Why do we always have to say please and thank you? And who cares how we use a napkin?" Appalled by this behavior, the queen banishes the impolite pair from her castle until they find Good Manners. Percival, the wizard, sends them on their quest with the help of a magic fork, facing several challenges along the way. Not until the final test do Rosalind and Sparkler discover the real secret behind Good Manners.

Manners are more than mere rules of etiquette. Good manners make others feel at ease and are the foundation of compassion and gratitude. It is a never-ending quest for parents and teachers to instill in our children the importance of good manners. This book is a precious tool in achieving that goal. Children and parents alike will love and learn from this story.

Review:
My little boys have loved this book since it came in earlier in the week. My 5 year old is scared he's going to be banished if he doesn't get better manners too. Hey, I'll take it. It's working! He has been more polite than he was before. I've quizzed him several times on the 4 important things to say (Please, Thank You, You're Welcome, I'm Sorry) and he has them down! He has even been polite to his younger brother! There has also been less slurping and burping.

The book is really cute and the pictures are excellent! It's a book that you will find yourself reading over and over with your kids. There were only a few words I had to explain (banish, craggy). I've noticed the 5 year old on his bed re-reading it several times by himself!

The lessons in the book are so important and not always easy to teach. I'm glad there's a story to read where we can discuss what's going on and why things happen as they do in the book. It's putting the message into their heads in a way that is more fun and is less Mom!

I received a copy of the book in exchange for a review. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.

Book Review: Buildiing Family Ties with Faith, Love & Laughter

Building Family Ties with Faith, Love & Laughter
By Dave Stone
Thomas Nelson, 2012
English, 160 pgs


Description:

Creative ideas, real-life stories, and Scriptural guidance for being the family that loves being together. 
Building Family Ties with Faith, Love, and Laughter is the second in the Faithful Family series where Dave applies his practical, conversational, and humorous approach to the challenge of building strong spiritual ties to each other as a family. Topics include: Contentment, Security, Loyalty, Gratitude, Spontaneity, Communication, and more.
Preaching is his gift, but Pastor Dave Stone's family is his life's blessing. And after raising three kids of his own, as well as shepherding the diverse families of his congregation, his heart and passion for building strong families rings louder than ever. He knows that raising faithful families is a key to the future of the church. 

Review:
 This is the second book from Stone for building up our relationships within our families. The first was Raising Your Kids to Love the Lord. There is a third promised in the series.

Our family has been experimenting with the ideas in this book (unbeknown to them!) for the past few weeks and we've been having a blast. We've been turning off the TV and other electronics that get in the way and spending more time just playing, laughing and sharing.

My 5 year old, in particular, has been a different kid. We've been seeing less temper tantrums and lots more smiles. I know that it's not a hard concept, but everyday things seem to get in the way. Turning them off and making our family a priority makes a difference.

We always eat dinner together anyway, but we've been using the time to share about our days. We've been talking to each other about ideas and things we want to learn. Dinner has become less of a "feed trough" and more of a bonding time. We even made ourselves "special" placemats for a reminder of the time we share. (Construction paper and clear contact paper.)

I like the idea of forming a family mission statement. That's something we're going to work on in the next few days. I like the idea of having a stated focus for our family to work toward together. The idea of a weekly family evaluation is pretty cool too. I like that it keeps parents accountable to our kids as well as them to us.

As a whole, we've had more fun, seen more thankful and respectful children and become closer as a family. I wholeheartedly recommend this book and look forward to the third in the series.

I received a copy of the book in exchange for a review. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.

Book Review and Giveaway: As One Devil to Another

As One Devil to Another
By Richard Platt
Tyndale House, 2012
English, 208 pgs


Description:

As One Devil to Another is an astonishing debut work that C. S. Lewis’s biographer and foremost Lewis authority Walter Hooper calls “a stunning achievement, the finest example of the genre of diabolical correspondence to appear since this genre was popularized by C. S. Lewis.” Enter into this chilling and diabolical tale, one that reveals the very tricks and strategies of Hell. Through a series of letters between devils created by Platt, senior devil Slashreap trains his young protégé, Scardagger, to win an individual soul away from Heaven and into their clutches. As the devils plot their way to triumph, they reveal the spiritual dangers and risks we face in today’s society. Their frighteningly accurate perspective on issues such as contemporary technology and sexual mores is interwoven with timeless matters such as the power of prayer, the purpose of suffering, and the promises held out by Heaven . . . and Hell. Destined to become a modern classic, As One Devil to Another is a brilliantly written, deeply unsettling perspective on twenty-first-century society . . . a glimpse of ourselves through the eyes of those who have embraced their underworldly existence.

 

Review:

I can't say enough how much I liked this book. It was entertaining as well as thought provoking. I am a fan of CS Lewis so I was a bit hesitant to read something that was written in his style and has been compared to his work. 

I actually read it with a highlighter next to me and marked passages that were particularly interesting. The correspondence from the Uncle Slashreap to his underling Scardagger touch on things that are current and relevant in this culture, which Lewis could only have dreamed about. It discusses technology, reality TV, art (love what it has to say about Picasso), the sexual revolution, charlatans, and so many more topics that really make you think about our culture and what we allow into our lives.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book include:

• "The more we can encourage them to consume, the fewer resources they will have to help their neighbors." (To me, the purpose of being blessed is to be able to bless someone else.)
• "The Light of Grace which He offers them each day is not a light that they can see, but a light that they can see with."
• "The Power of Creation belongs to the Adversary alone. The humans can only derive or rearrange...But we cannot make something from nothing. We can only make Something into Nothing."
• "if perceptive humans forebear to speak out of charity, diplomacy, fatigue, hopelessness or impotent frustration, their silence is our triumph."
• "if humans are the product of meaninglessness, they would have no concept of meaning,"

I honestly wish I could give a copy of this book to everyone I know. I can't. But I am being allowed to give one copy away to a reader.

GIVEAWAY ENTRY: Leave a comment telling me you would like to win the book. It's that simple.

GIVEAWAY RULES: One entry per household. Must leave email address in comment so I can contact you if you win. Giveaway ends at 10PM CST on May15th. Winner will be selected by Random.org. Winner will receive email as soon as possible with instructions for redemption of free book.

I received a copy of the book from Tyndale House in exchange for hosting a review and giveaway. No additional compensation has been received and I was not required to write a positive review.