What a Son Needs from his Mom by Cheri Fuller

I had a mixed reaction while reading this book.  First, I'll say that I found it incredibly helpful, inspiring, and helpful as I think about raising my now 2-year old son.  The book highlights such topics as a son's personality, helping your son in school (as many boys struggle with the typical classroom setting), praying for your son, overcoming your own fears (of your son being hurt or doing something wrong, etc), nurturing your son's faith, and much more. What I found most helpful in this book was how it talked about boys are different than boys and, as a result of that, how they need to be related to and parented differently than girls.  Because all moms are girls, we don't necessarily know what our boys are thinking and feeling (and they can't necessarily tell us).  There are some things I wouldn't have guessed and others that didn't surprise me but that I might not have thought of on my own. 

When I say that I had a mixed reaction to this book, I was referring to the dread (is that the right word?) that this book brought to the surface of my son growing up.  I've always known that my son is going to grow up and that there will be struggles with that, but having a book talk about the ways that this will happen naturally makes me want to take every moment as it comes!  So I guess that is also a positive for this book.

I would recommend this book for mothers of sons.  There are also helpful suggestions for raising daughters, but the main focus is certainly on how mothers can nurture their sons. 

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc. Available at your favourite bookseller from Bethany House, a division of Baker Publishing Group".

Days Like These by Kristian & Rachel Anderson

Such a good book!  I couldn't tear myself away from it, it was that good.  This is the story of Kristian Anderson's fight with cancer and the faith he has in God's healing power is remarkable.  It is an honest book, refreshingly so. At times I almost felt like I was reading Anderson's personal journal, or a writing that would be reserved for his family.  The choice to share it with the world provides encouragement for anyone who reads it.

This book is literally a man's walk through cancer, complete with raw emotion and life-giving scriptures that kept Kristian fighting throughout the battle. 

This book is touching and I would highly recommend it.  But I would also advise a box of tissues nearby...

This book was given to me through the Booksneeze program, though I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.

The 5 Money Personalities by Scott & Bethany Palmer

If I were to describe The 5 Money Personalities: Speaking the Same Love and Money Language in one word, I would have to use the word "eye-opening."

I was a bit surprised at how much the book focuses on the clashes many couples have in regards to money.  When I requested this book, I didn't really expect that but, in the introduction, the authors state that "this book is not a guide to managing your money" (p.xiv), saying that there are many other books out there to help you set a budget and manage your finances.  This book was written to help couples who just can't seem to meet in the middle when it comes to finances.

This book works off the basis of 5 money personalities, which are outlined in the book.  It is designed to be worked through as a couple, each chapter having a practical "to do" segment at the end.  If you just don't understand where your partner is coming from in terms of financial decisions that are made, the chapter explaining how the different personalities relate to each other would be helpful to you.

I would highly recommend this book to any couple who is having any sort of financial trouble at all, whether that be mountains of debt or not being able to understand each others' spending (or penny-pinching) habits.  It really opens your eyes to see that everyone is created differently and everyone deals with money differently.  No personality is "wrong"...each has their upside and downside, and the key is learning to work together as a team, despite having differing opinions on finances.

If you don't feel like money is a huge issue in your relationship, then you probably don't need this book.  While it WAS an interesting read, if you're looking for a book to help you become more efficient in saving or to help you set (and stick to!) a budget, there are other resources out there that could be more helpful to you.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze blog reviewers program.  I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.

What a Difference a Mom Makes by Dr. Kevin Leman

I could not put this book down.  It really was THAT.GOOD. 

In his book, What a Difference a Mom Makes, Dr. Leman talks about the imprint a mom makes on her son's life, an imprint like no other.  He discusses the importance of how a mom relates to her son.  Leman also touches on how a mom affects all of her children, boys and girls, but this book clearly focuses on moms and their boys.

Dr. Leman comes out on a more strict side of the parenting spectrum and it was refreshing to read!  While many books and websites today sound the same, this book was wonderfully different.  I found words being put to many of the parenting choices that I've made and was given new ideas for dealing with situations that are sure to come up as I walk with my son through life (what to do when I find a porn magazine under my son's bed??).  I had never heard of Dr. Leman before picking up this book, but my respect for him did nothing but grow as I turned each page.

In the book, Leman touches on topics such as teaching your boy to be aware of women and their needs/desires (while not trying to make him into your little girl), being the type of woman that you would want your son to marry, parenting styles, who is your son, discipline, ages and stages, sex and sexuality, fathers, being too busy as a mom/woman, and who you want your son to be as an adult. 

I highly recommend this book to any mom who has a son.  In fact, I cannot recommend it enough.  While it may not perfectly conform to your parenting style, it will surely challenge you, encourage you, and give you some insights into this journey of raising boys.  I will certainly be seeking out other books that Dr. Kevin Leman has written...

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group." I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

The MoneySmart Family System by Steve and Annette Economides

I was very excited to get this book from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze blogger book review program!  I snatch up every money/budgeting/financial book that I can because these pique my interested and it's always interesting to read about a new angle of financial stewardship.

This book was inspiring from the start.  This book's goal is to teach parents about "Teaching financial independence to children of every age." The first few chapters outline how the authors raised their kids and various ideas behind why they chose to do things the way they did when it came to parenting.  I found the first couple chapters quite inspiring and also found that they encouraged me to think twice about parenting decisions (in the financial realm) that we're making already, even though our son is still under 2.

As the book progressed, it started to get a bit more into parenting choices and ideas.  While other areas of parenting do relate to raising financially independent children (responsible children will tend to be more financially independent, self-motivated children will tend to be more financially independent, etc), I did find that I didn't agree with some of the ideas presented.  I found myself wishing that this book had more to do directly with family finances and less to do with parenting.  I realize that these are closely related and perhaps that's just what this book is. 

This book is well-written and gives some good ideas for teaching children of all ages about being financially responsible.  Each chapter gives practical suggestions for each age group, making it easy to come up with ideas that will work within your family and also making it possible to start the "training" at any stage in parenting, whether your children are infants or nearing the end of high school.

If you are looking for a book devoted solely to family financial matters, this probably isn't THE book to pick up, but if you are open to sifting through another family's parenting techniques and coming up with a way to teach your children to be financially independent, this book has great ideas and values.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze blogger book review program and am under no obligation to give a positive review.

The Ben Ripple by Lisa Elliot

The Ben Ripple by Lisa Elliot is one mother's story as she walks with her son through his Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.  It is a sad story, though full of hope and joy as well, the hope and joy that we find in Christ!  This book was made up of Lisa's facebook updates from the duration of the illness, her personal diary writings, as well as a running commentary to keep the story flowing.  I found this book an encouragement to read.  Ben's positive outlook and obvious joy in Christ is easily felt through the reading.  You will definitely want to have a box of Kleenex beside you as you read, especially knowing that this is a true story that is played out far too often and far too close to home.  I could see this being a good book to read if you are going through a similar situation or really any situation of living through loss and it keeps Christ the focus throughout and is an encouragement in that way.  This story flows from the time right before the diagnosis to after Ben's heavenly graduation and touches a bit on how the family has dealt with Ben's death.  I enjoyed this book alot (is "enjoyed" the right word?) and found it hard to put down, making for some very late nights!

7 Money Rules for Life by Mary Hunt

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  It outlines 7 financial principles that, when applied as a whole, will help anyone discover a life of financial freedom.  I read this book with my computer (financial software) beside me, ready to make changes to the budget as needed.  It was SO good.

Hunt comes at some topics with a Christian perpective which, for other Christians is helpful, but which, for non-Christians could easily be ignored and the book could still be found helpful.  What I'm saying is that while this book does have Christian values, it is not an overtly Christian book.  It would be a valuable read for anyone.

I typically enjoy books of this nature (and this is no exception) but even someone who has no interest in financial topics - but who perhaps needs a few financial hints - would find this book an easy ready.  It explains the "rules" plainly and thoroughly so that anyone could easily see how they could apply them to their life.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who handles money in any way, whether they are up to their eyeballs in debt, or living paycheque to paycheque, or sailing through life without a second thought financially.  It is that good.

 

"Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group".  

(I was under no obligation to provide a positive review)

Real Marriage: The Truth about Sex, Friendship and Life Together by Mark and Grace Driscoll

You'll either love it or hate it.  That's how I feel about this book after spending an evening with it.  Where do I come out?  Well, you'll have to keep reading to find out.
I was warned about this book and it didn't take me long to find out why.  By page 29, I was banging my head on a metaphorical wall, trying to figure out how I was going to make it through the rest of the book with an open mind.

Driscoll is fairly opinionated about specific gender roles and makes these opinions very clear.  In his chapter written to men, Driscoll tells men not to be "dumb" and to act like men.  Ok, fair enough.  Men should be men.  I agree.  But he also says that it is the man's job to provide enough income so that the woman does not have to work, but rather has everything she needs to stay at home with the children.  I quote, "A wife who finds a way to make money from home or without neglecting her first God-given responsibilities of Christian, wife, and mother is acceptable.  But men, you should make money.  You should feed your family."  He also tells men that if they want other men, their wives, and their children to respect them, they need to pay the bills.  Simple as that.  Well, life isn't always as simple as that.  This chapter is full of this and other "wake-up calls" to men that yes, are worth considering, but perhaps would do more harm than good to read.

Throughout the book, Driscoll includes Scripture references.  Wonderful!  I love when authors, pastors, TEACHERS back what they're saying with the Bible.  I took the time to look up many of the references on my trusty iPhone Bible app and was blown away by the interpretation of some of the passages.  Some of the verses were taken completely out of context and seemed to be stretched and twisted to somehow fit what Driscoll was trying to say.  I urge you to do your own research into the passages used and study the context surrounding them to understand what they are really saying.  Find a good commentary...

I noticed a few instances where something Driscoll writes contradicts with something earlier in the book.  For instance, Driscoll says that a marriage is about being mutually loving and then later in the book he says that a wife should submit to her husband because the husband is the head of the household (not SHOULD be the head, IS the head).  This gets quite concerning in sexual matters, as it isn't quite clear what this would mean when the husband and wife have different opinions on such topics.

I was cringing when I reached the "Sex" portion of the book, not really knowing what I would find inside.  I was pleasantly surprised, for the most part.  Driscoll's ideas about sex seemed fair and worth consideration.  At times he seemed to go a bit far, such as when he suggests that one should have sex with their spouse, despite not wanting to.  At the end of the book, there is a section that goes through various sexual acts and Driscoll lays out his thoughts (and "biblical" groundwork) on each.  I won't go into detail, but please, PLEASE read these with a grain of salt and talk to someone you trust such as a pastor or spiritual director if you are unclear or uncertain about anything that you see here.

Overall, I wouldn't say that this book was a COMPLETE waste of my evening, but I wouldn't say that it was the best use of my time either.  I found myself frustrated, annoyed, and disappointed that this book is getting all the press that it is.  With all of its contradictions, poor biblical interpretation, and unfair gender stereotypes, I find that even the good and helpful parts of this book get lost in the harmful and distinctly wrong ideas, leaving it doing more harm than good.  There are better options out there in terms of books on marriage (ask your pastor for suggesions), but if you want to read this book and see the "car crash" for yourself, by all means... 


"Advanced Reader's Copy of the book has been provided courtesy of Thomas Nelson and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Thomas Nelson". 

Love You More by Jennifer Grant

Love You More by Jennifer Grant is a beautifully written book that tells the story of the author's personal walk through adoption.  Every adoption story is worth hearing and this one is no exception.  Grant starts at the point where she heard/felt God telling her that their family would be growing and walks through the process, highs AND lows, and continues through to having her daughter home in her arms. 

As someone who has considered adoption myself, I thoroughly enjoyed this "sneak peek" into someone else's adoption story but I would also recommend this book to those who have never considered adoption for themeselves.  While this book is not written as an "instruction manual" for adoption, it does have a few tips for navigating the process, but it is also just a beautiful, interesting story of a growing family.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys hearing other's stories.  It is well written, a good read.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze program but am under no obligation to provide a positive review.

Smack-Dab in the Middle of God's Love by Brennan Manning and John Blase

This book is all about letting kids know how very much they are loved by God.  Smack-Dab in the Middle of God's Love is a story about a middle aged couple who has children into their home and who tells the kids about how much God loves them though stories, their actions, and telling them about Jesus.  It is a fun little story that kids are sure to love.

Throughout the book, the phrase "smack-dab" is repeated in different ways, which I found a little awkward and annoying, but I imagine it is fun for kids.  It does drive home the point that you are right in the middle of God's love...he couldn't possibly love you more than he already does!

I received this book from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze book review program and am under no obligation to give a positive review.

Money Secrets of the Amish by Lorilee Craker

First off, let me just cheer a little because this is the first book I've read, cover to cover, in over a year!  And in two days, no less!  This past year of being pregnant and then with a new baby, I've started many books and made it about halfway through before the books just seemed impractical and I would lose interest.  (What new mom has time/energy for anything less than practical?!)  Despite promising myself that I would not review any more books with more than 20 pages (aka nothing but kids books), when Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze program was offering this one, I went back on my promise and requested it right away.  I was not disappointed.

To write this book, Lorilee Craker dives into Amish culture to see what she can learn about how the Amish deal with money.  She'd noticed that, when the rest of America was in a financial tailspin, the Amish were managing to thrive and her aim was to find out how.  Craker uncovers "secrets" of the Amish that can be pracitcal even in our "fancy" lives and that can help us put some money in the bank and live with less stress while doing it.

I found many of the secrets to be things I do already, but having grown up in a down-to-earth Mennonite home may have something to do with that.  I imagine not everyone would be doing these things already.  And despite some of these tricks not being new to  me, I still found the book inspiring and a helpful reminder to be intentional about where my money goes.

A downside to the book is that Craker is a journalist by trade and, as a result, I found there to be many "catch lines" and "hooks" that are so common in journalistic writing.  It does come across a bit cheesy at times.  It also seemed that there were a few repetitions of information in the book, almost as though Craker didn't have quite enough material to write a whole book rather than just an article on this topic.  That said, it didn't detract too much from the overall content of the book, which I found to be interesting and fun to read.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone hoping for a few tricks to help them save money, or even to anyone who just plain enjoys reading a bit about the Amish culture.

Adventures in BoogaBooga Land - Volume 2 DVD

Adventures in BoogaBooga Land is a children's DVD series with short "episodes" based on different parables.  Marty the Monkey and Gerard the Giraffe are humorous kids characters that help tell the stories.

While the idea is good (having cartoon animals sharing Jesus' Good News with children), I found that the quality is perhaps lacking - it's no Veggie Tales - and the story messages are perhaps a bit hidden.  I'm not sure that children would grasp the meaning behind the stories and may just view this as entertainment.  That is not necessarily a bad thing, but if you are looking for something that will be obviously biblical for your children, this is probably not it.

On a theological level, I wasn't sure about what I was watching.  The majority of it was fine, but the part of the story where they catapult a guest without an invitation ("sinner") to the Island of Losta Soula and have the God-character simply say "Splendid!" caught my attention.  Is God truly happy when he sees one of his children suffer?  I had a few questions rise to the surface as I watched this scene...

My son is only 7 months old, but I'm not sure this dvd will still be around when he is old enough to watch.  It wasn't terrible, but in my opinion, there are better options out there for children's spiritual entertainment.

I received this dvd free from the Thomas Nelson and am under no obligation to provide a positive review.

In Constant Prayer by Robert Benson

I have always been intrigued by the ancient spiritual practices.  The sense of depth and history within them draws me.  To pray without ceasing or "Never stop praying" (1 Thes 5:17) has always both interested me and intimidated me.  I knew a little about the daily office but wanted to learn more so I picked up this book.

I expected a technical or theological book (or both!) that was quite dry, that took some time to absorb but, hopefully, with very good content.  The read was easier than I'd anticipated.  Robert Benson writes as though he is speaking to a small group of people or, better yet, as though you are just sitting down with him, one-on-one, having coffee.  He is very down to earth.  I appreciated that the material presented in this book was easily accessible and actually fun to read.

Benson acknowledges that praying the daily office can be intimidating at first and suggests that you start one step at a time.  He outlines a few ways to do this and has a few recommended resources to get you started.  I found this helpful as, without these suggestions, I would probably have steered myself to the type of book that would have left me overwhelmed and discouraged with the practice.

Another point that Benson makes, one that truly stood out to me and that I have been trying to apply to my life in more areas than just prayer, is that we don't do it for ourselves.  We don't pray because of what we hope to get out of it just like we don't go to church for what we hope to receive.  Benson is quick to point our attention to the real reason why we are called by God to "never stop praying"...and it has nothing to do with us.

I found this book clearly written, entertaining to read, and an encouragement to my practice of prayer.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone, as all God's people are called to prayer.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze blogger book review program and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

Good Morning, Lord by Sheila Walsh

Good Morning, Lord by Sheila Walsh is a daily devotional book.  I began working through the book hesitantly because I often find devotional books quite basic and shallow with little to chew on and challenge me.  Initially when I wrote this review, I had been through a few weeks of devotionals and was pleasantly surprised.  I found this book to be simple enough for a new believer, yet challenging for someone who has been a believer for a while as well.  If you've been a Christian for a while and are looking for a book that will open your eyes to new truths daily, this is not the book for you.  But, if you give this book just a few minutes a day and take the time to apply it to your life, it can be a great encouragement for your daily walk with Christ. 

That said, since I posted this review initially, I did run into a few devotionals which O felt oversimplified common questions that Christians have about suffering and pain.  These are questions which I have been wrestling through personally lately and I felt that the book saying "everything happens for a reason" and "everything is part of God's ultimate plan" was a slap in the face.  I found that my questions went deeper than the book was willing to dig and it was enough to make me put this book on the shelf.

Initially I gave this book 4 stars out of 5, but after running into a few disappointing devotionals, I would now give it 1 or 2 stars.  Would I recommend this book?  Well...there are probably other devotional books I would recommend first.

I received this book, free, from the Thomas Nelson "Booksneeze" blogger book review program and am under no obligation to give a positive review.

One Hand, Two Hands by Max Lucado

I hadn't read any of Max Lucado's children's books before, but the upcoming birth of my first child has me scouting out books to share with my little one.  I was not disappointed with this one!

The book begins with fun descriptions of things that our hands can do.  As I was reading, it occured to me that it could be very easy to involve the child by doing physical actions with our hands to go along with the book.  While the book wouldn't necessarily need anything additional to keep kids' attention, doing actions might help even the most squirmy preschooler interested.  Even toddlers could enjoy this book as it is simply written without too many words and such deep content.  It is a simple, but very important message.

Toward the end of the book, the story shifts its focus to things that we can do with our hands to help others.  This is the main theme of the book: the ways we can help with our hands".  It encourages children to have helping hands and to think of ways that their hands can help people.

My husband and I will definitely be reading this beautiful book (both words and images are wonderful) with our son or daughter.  I would recommend this book to any parents/grandparents who are looking for a book to teach about being helpful and kind.  It would also be a great book for a church nursery or preschool.

I received this book, free, from the Thomas Nelson "Booksneeze" blogger book review program and am under no obligation to give a positive review.

same kind of different as me. by Ron Hall and Denver Moore

“same kind of different as me.” by Ron Hall & Denver Moore gets all five stars from me.  I finally read a book that was a great story (true, by the way) and well-written too.  This is the story of two men who grew up in vastly different worlds and had their worlds collide, resulting in a strong, family-like bond.  Though this is a book written by Christians, and includes strong themes of ministry and how one person can make a huge difference when they choose to obey God, I wouldn’t consider it a “Christian” book.  It was beautifully written in an honest, personal way that simply shares life stories and is refreshingly not cliché.  I recommend that each of you go out and get your hands on this book.  I can certainly see how it earned the title of “New York Times Bestseller.”  Well done.

I received this book from the Thomas Nelson Booksneeze book review program and am under no obligation to give a positive review.

"Mind Your Own Mortgage" by Robert J. Bernabe

I have always been fascinated by all things finance.  Well, ok, that might be a bit of an exaggeration.  But when we're talking personal finance, I'm in!  I saw that this book was up for review and I jumped at it.  I absolutely soaked in the first few chapters.  It describes how mortgages work, what sorts of things to watch out for when purchasing a mortgage, and what you should be focusing on when shopping for a mortgage.  When my husband and I purchased our mortgage a few years ago, we really didn't know what we were looking for beyond cash to buy a house.  This book explains the ins and outs of mortgages and helps both the beginner and someone who has had a mortgage for years understand what is happening in the industry.

After the first few chapters, the book shifted into more specific advice about shopping for a mortgage and about managing your mortgage.  I found this section a bit repetitive and felt that I'd already grasped the principles being applied here when they were outlined in the first section.  Overall, it is a fairly straight forward book and I will certainly use parts of this book for reference the next time my husband and I are shopping for a mortgage.

Being from Canada, there were times when I wasn't sure how relevant the book was for me.  I wasn't familiar with many of the "antics" surrounding mortgages and wasn't sure if Canadians have the same options as Americans do.  If I was looking at purchasing a book to guide me through my next mortgage, I would probably steer more toward a book written specifically for Canadians.  But that said, this book does have a lot of general information that would be helpful to anyone, no matter where they live.

At times, I felt that the author leaned a bit too far toward the conservative side.  There were a few comments in the book about using discretionary income to pay down your mortgage instead of buying a new tv (or whatever else).  While this is a good thought, it is unrealistic to think that every home owner will completely pay off their mortgage before buying things like new furniture or a big screen tv.  If taken with a grain of salt, the underlying principles are good ones, and would be valuable if applied in any credit situation, not just with mortgage debt.

Overall, I would recommend this book especially to Americans who are thinking about buying a house or who already own a home but feel that they would like to be mortgage free sooner.  It is well-written and the author is obviously knowledgeable about this topic.

I received this book from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze blogger book review program and was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

"Sixteen Brides" by Stephanie Grace Whitson

I have had this thing lately about wanting to read books that I would have loved to read back in junior high.  Old books about prairie brides.  So when I keep receiving offers to review these types of books, I jump at the chance and end up bored out of my mind.

Sixteen Brides is an interesting idea for a book. It is set in the late 1800's. Sixteen war widows are conned into becoming mail-order brides when promised free land and a new start out west. It is the tale of these women who sacrifice everything they have in life (which, admittedly, is very little for most) for a chance at a new beginning.

I felt like this book would have served to entertain me well at 11 or 12 years of age, but after reading books with much more challenging themes since my preteen years, I felt that it was alot of fluff, not to mention quite predictable. Now, if heritage prairie, Christian novels are what you enjoy, I would absolutely recommend this book to you. It is exactly the sort of book you would expect to find in your church library. But if you enjoy picking up on underlying themes and reading between the lines, searching carefully for what the author may (or may not) be saying, then this book is not for you. This book is written at the level on which it is meant to be understood, which makes for a great Sunday afternoon read for some, but it is definitely not for everyone.

This book was received from Bethany House Publishers and I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

Captivating by John & Stasi Eldredge

The book Captivating, by John & Stasi Eldredge, is a good,  read that encourages you to look at your own past and deal with what you find there.  It is an easy read academically, while at the same time challenging your heart and spirit.  John and Stasi Eldredge have written this book to shed light, using Scripture, on the way that the Enemy has attacked women's femininity and to pour truth on the lies that we, as women, have been led to believe.  Every woman is captivating, and this book helps the reader find confidence in her own, unique, captivating beauty.

I would recommend this book to every woman, but especially those who have been hurt or abused, and who have a hard time finding themselves worthy or beautiful. 

I received this book from Thomas Nelson's Booksneeze book review program.  I am under no obligation to provide a positive review.

"Not A Sparrow Falls" by Linda Nichols

"Not A Sparrow Falls" is a story about a woman in her mid-twenties who has found herself in a life that she would never have chosen.  In a desperate attempt to be free, she flees and finds herself making a new life for herself in a new place, as a new person.  Just when things are seemingly perfect and she has almost forgotten about what she left behind, the past catches up and she is forced to face it.  This is a story about faith and hardship...about being washed clean and experiencing true freedom in Christ.

I found the beginning of the book to be a bit cheesy and expected this to be a typical "Christian novel", filled with all the cliche Bible verses and "perfect" Christian characters.  While it does have some of that, I found myself enjoying the story and feeling along with a little bit of what the characters were experiencing.

If you are looking for a book to cozy up with on a Saturday afternoon, this is a good option.  It's an easy read, and well written.

I received this book from the Bethany House Publishers book review program and am under no obligation to write a positive review.