Book Review: Delilah

From the Back:

A Complex and Compelling Glimpse at One of the Bible's Most Notorious Women
Life is not easy in Philistia, especially not for a woman and child alone. When beautiful, wounded Delilah finds herself begging for food to survive, she resolves that she will find a way to defeat all the men who have taken advantage of her. She will overcome the roadblocks life has set before her, and she will find riches and victory for herself.

When she meets a legendary man called Samson, she senses that in him lies the means for her victory. By winning, seducing, and betraying the hero of the Hebrews, she will attain a position of national prominence. After all, she is beautiful, she is charming, and she is smart. No man, not even a supernaturally gifted strongman, can best her in a war of wits.

My Reflections:

Ah my heart sings when I see the next installment of the Treacherous Beauty fresh from the presses. I find my eyes scanning earnestly waiting eagerly for Hunt's newest release, and then it happens..and oh so quickly it is devoured, gone and finished, the last page turned, then starts the cycle one again...

I absolutely love Hunt's style, the way she takes a Biblical story and creates scenarios that may have taken place.

Hunt mentions in the back of her book that there aren't that many details written about Delilah, we don't even know her heritage. Some may not enjoy the liberties this author has taken, I know some of my close friends will not even read a fictional Biblical tale, but I love the way these stories open up my imagination to the possibilities of these times, also they always spur me on to re read the passages to get a clear understanding of the factual events, love it!

There are some disturbing scenes in this novel, Achish is pure evil, and seriously gave me the creeps! I did however fall in love with the sweet mothering widow at the well. She takes Delilah in and cares for her and teaches her the trade of weaving. This woman was actually one of my favorite characters with her wise words and willingness to teach and guide a young girl who is so lost and hurting.

This novel, Delilah is one you won't want to pass up.
The messages of forgiveness, temptation and faith are interwoven into the beautiful tapestry of life, real and unadulterated. It was such a great reminder that if we hold onto past hurts the very fabric of our lives becomes so entangled that the beauty that was intended becomes messy and disfigured.

Truth is those rough and uneven threads of our life story truly make our character and uniqueness that is perfect just the way it is... flawed, broken and ready for the skilled hands of the master weaver.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

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THE AUTHOR

1. 

   Angela Hunt

   The author of more than 100 published books and with nearly 5 million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is theNew York Times bestselling author of The Note, The Nativity Story, and Esther: Royal Beauty. Romantic Times...

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Book Review: Live Fearless An Adult Coloring Book

From The Back:

PRAY • CREATE • MEMORIZE • REFLECT • JOURNAL
What if?Life is riddled with uncertainty. Perhaps that's why Jesus is so passionate in His command, "Do not fear." He challenges us to enter uncertainty with faith, the unknown with trust, the uncharted with hope.

Live Fearless provides an opportunity for you to pull away from the hustle and bustle of life to pray, journal, and unleash your creative gifts and rediscover the goodness and faithfulness of God no matter what you're facing.


· Spend time in prayer, reflecting and growing in your relationship with God
· Commit Bible passages to memory and deepen your faith
· Share your fun artistry with others through what you create

Color and doodle and learn to live fearless as you craft God's Word into your heart.

My Reflections:

Adult coloring books are a big seller right now, but with the variety and selection on the market today it can be tricky to choose the right one. I found it to be delightful to create beautiful art with faith as my focus, especially one that is about living free of fear! 

This is the second coloring book I have reviewed by Margret Feinberg, and I am thrilled to say my teen aged daughter and I love to sit together doodling and coloring theses intricate designs. 

Some of the art you will discover inside this book features waves, flowers, birds, hearts, lions and more. Every page has a verse about living fearless and a place to notebook, pray and reflect. How wonderful to start your day with the bible some coloring and some time praying and reflecting on God's promises and love!

I love that as my daughter and I sit together we are chatting about God's love, his scriptures are being imprinted on our hearts and our time is filled with fun and is rewarding at the same time! 

If you are looking for an adult coloring book that is filled with God's promises, beautiful pictures and a place to reflect on those scriptures this may just be the coloring book for you! Who says adults are too old to color?

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

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THE AUTHOR

1. 

   Margaret Feinberg

   A self-described "hot mess," Margaret Feinberg is a popular Bible teacher and speaker at churches and leading conferences such as Catalyst, Thrive, and Women of Joy (www.margaretfeinberg.com). Her books, including The Organic God, The...

   
   

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Book Review: A Teen's Guide to The 5 Love Languages

From the Back:

The secret to great relationships—just for teens

#1 New York Times bestselling book The 5 Love Languages® has sold over 10 million copies, helping countless relationships thrive. Simply put, it works. But do the five love languages work for teens, for their relationships with parents, siblings, friends, teachers, coaches, and significant others? Yes!

Introducing A Teen’s Guide to the 5 Love Languages, the first-ever edition written just to teens, for teens, and with a teen's world in mind. It guides emerging adults in discovering and understanding their own love languages as well as how to best express love to others.

This highly practical book will help teens answer questions like:

• What motivates and inspires me?
• What does it mean to be a caring friend?
• What communicates love to my family?
• What is the best way to get along with the opposite sex?

Features include:

• A straight-forward overview of the 5 love languages
• A profile/assessment instrument specifically geared to teens
• Practical examples/tips for how to apply each language in a teen’s context
• Graphics that drive home key concepts

Teens' relationships matter, and these simple ideas will help them thrive.

My Thoughts:

I reviewed this book because I have 2 teens, and all teens need better ideas on how to communicate effectively. This book like all of Gary Chapman's is instrumental in helping with interrelationship dynamics.

I will be sitting down with my teens and working out a book study for them over the summer with this book, I think it is relevant to their young lives. If you have never heard of the "love languages" before here is a wee little explanation. Research has proved that each person receives messages of love and appreciation in a set way. 

Some people respond better to time spent with them, some people do better with written communication, notes or spoken words of communication, and yet others receive love by the amount of time spent. Another person may feel loved by gifts,  or acts of service or through touch. You see we all experience life differently and uniquely one persons love language may not be another, so it is important to find out what people value in order to communicate love and friendship effectively.

The author will give more in-depth explanations on the love languages and how messages are received.
I enjoyed the refresher on this topic and feel my children will certainly benefit from studying together this summer, I am so looking forward to some non school bonding through this study!

So in closing I would certainly recommend this book for parents and their teens. even if you are new to the concept of the "Love Languages" you will certainly glean a ton of great information and learn what you need to know to apply this principal to you relationships and give your teen the skills they need to have successful communication skills in the real world. I so wish I had read this when I was a youth!

I received this book free of charge in return for my honest review from Moody Publishing. Thank you Moody!

Book Review: You're Already Amazing and You're Already Amazing Life Growth Guide

From The Back:

Embrace who you are and become all God created you to be
With her bestselling book You're Already Amazing, Holley Gerth dared and empowered women to discover who God made them to be and pursue his purpose for their lives. Now Holley helps you build on that foundation and experience even greater life transformation.

In this interactive LifeGrowth study, Holley will guide you through an engaging process that helps you apply heart-freeing truths to every aspect of your life, from relationships to work to how you pursue your dreams. God's plans for your life are better than you can imagine, and you'll see them unfold in new ways as Holley guides you to embrace this life-changing truth--that you truly are already amazing.

SIX SESSIONS
1. Who God Created Us to Be
2. What's True No Matter How We Feel
3. Our Amazing Journey with Jesus
4. God's Plan for Our Relationships
5. God's Purpose for Our Lives
6. How We Can Thrive for a Lifetime

Designed to be experienced with the You're Already Amazing LifeGrowth DVD. More resources from Holley are available on her website.

My Reflections:

Funny how life works...I was booked to review a completely different book and that book was back ordered so the kind people at Graf Martin sent me another book in it's place. It was "You're Already Amazing, Life Growth Guide." At first I was like "yep another self help book, been there done that."  But after careful and dedicated study sessions with The life Growth Guide alone I was eager for more, I asked for the original book "You're Already Amazing."

You're Already Amazing

I can honestly say the encouraging and heart felt words of this book resonated with my soul. I am now eager to start a book study with some of the ladies from our church using both of these books. That my friends, is just how great this resource is!

Every woman in every stage of life needs to read this book. The thought provoking questions along with soul searching  reflection pages dig deep and allow the reader to really ponder the lies we believe, the falsehood that we can't love who God made us to be...so preposterous right?, but to some extent we all are victims to this very lie...

If you are a woman of God, but struggle with self doubt, your emotions, relationships, connections and taking care of yourself this book is for you.

Life Growth Guide:

The Life Growth Guide takes it all a step further. With online resources and group study lessons you will be prepared to work as a team or individually to really get to the bottom of the reasons we discount how AMAZING God has created us to be, right now right here, right in the middle of diapers, dirty dishes and all the messiness of life we tend to find ourselves in.
Holley Gerth is engaging and down to earth, she comes across as your best girl friend. It is clear that she sincerely wants the best for her readers. I truly believe we all experience things in our life that lead us to Amazingness, and usually they grow out of strife and grief.
Gerth is no stranger to struggles, so it does not surprise me that her book is so effective and engaging, It seems she is doing God's work.
I would highly encourage you to check out her website where you can print out encouraging posters, and many other resources. http://holleygerth.com/
What are you waiting for, get ready to discover your inner Amazingness!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

Holley Gerth is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, certified life coach, and speaker. She loves Jesus and enjoys encouraging the hearts of women through her popular blog as well as books likeYou're Already Amazing, You're Going to Be Okay, and You're Loved No Matter What. She's also cofounder of (in)courage.me and a writer for DaySpring, and she has a master's degree in counseling. Holley lives with her husband, Mark, in the South. Connect with Holley at www.holleygerth.com.

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THE AUTHOR

1. Holley Gerth

   Holley Gerth is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, certified life coach, and speaker. She loves Jesus and enjoys encouraging the hearts of women through her popular blog as well as books like You're Already Amazing, You're Going...

   
   

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Book Review: Her One and Only

From the Back:

"Filled with genuine emotion and overflowing with positive examples of faith, the story captures the imagination while warming the heart."--Publishers Weekly starred review of A Love Like Ours 
After ten years in the NFL, superstar Gray Fowler is accustomed to obsessive fans. But when Gray starts receiving death threats from a stalker, his team hires an executive protection agency to guard him until the culprit is caught. Dealing with bodyguards 24/7 is a headache, especially when one of them is a young, beautiful woman. How can a female half his size possibly protect him better than he can protect himself?

Dru Porter is a former Marine, an expert markswoman, and a black belt--none of which saved her from disaster on her last assignment. In order to rebuild her tarnished reputation, she's determined to find Gray's stalker and, since relationships between agents and clients are forbidden, avoid a romantic attachment between herself and the rugged football player with the mysterious past.

Yet every secret that leads Dru closer to the stalker also draws her closer to Gray. As the danger escalates, they'll survive only if they can learn to trust their lives--and their hearts--to one another.

My Reflections:

Her One and Only is Becky Wades's forth and final book in the Porter Family series.
This novel features all of the Porter siblings and ties up all the loose ends from previous books.
A blend of suspense and romance makes this novel the perfect symbiotic blend!

Gary Fowler is being stalked, the question remains as to who this person could be, but one thing is for certain he is in need of a bodyguard.

Dru Porter just so happens to fit the bill, independent and fierce she is willing to do what it takes to keep her client safe, even if he plays for the wrong team and is infuriatingly stubborn and self centered!
What starts as extreme irritation soon blooms into something to be explored. Can these two work together to solve the mystery of who Gary's stalker is before it's too late for any hint of romance?

I enjoyed this book more than I care to admit.
It certainly could be read as a stand alone, but to get the full benefit I would definitely start with book one, you won't regret it.
With characters that steal your reality and a strong and steady plot you can't help but become smitten I felt the book was an interesting blend, it was able to complete all the stories in this series with satisfying perfection.

If you are looking for a great throw in the beach bag book, this may be the one!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

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THE AUTHOR

1. 

   Photo courtesy of Ginger Murray Photography

   Becky Wade

   Becky Wade is a native of California who attended Baylor University, met and married a Texan, and now lives in Dallas. A favorite among readers of Christian contemporary romance, Becky has won a Carol Award, an Inspirational Reader's Choice Award, and an INSPY...

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Book Review: 5 Things Every Parent Needs to Know About Their Kids and Sex

From the back:

Real Help for the Toughest Talks 
Nervous about talking to your kids about sex? Anxiety over having "the talk" often means we avoid it as long as we can. While we're waiting, our kids are getting their questions answered and their perceptions of sex and sexuality formed elsewhere--through online searches and a daily diet of mainstream and social media that may shock you.

In this immensely practical and well-researched book, Anne Marie Miller equips parents to take control of the narrative their children are receiving about sex. She shows how to have meaningful and age-appropriate conversations about sex, pornography, and sexual abuse. She also shows how to keep the lines of communication open so that your kids know they can trust you with their fears, struggles, and mistakes. Most important, she offers hope that your children can grow up with a healthy biblical view of sex as a gift from God.


Anne Marie Miller is the author of five books. She has been featured in numerous publications, including Cosmopolitan, Relevant Magazine, Leadership Journal, Christianity Today, and Youth Worker Journal. Miller speaks frequently at colleges, conferences, and churches in the United States and internationally. She and her husband, Tim, live in Iowa. Learn more at www.annemariemiller.com.

My Reflections:

Our children will get so many mixed messages about sexuality from the world around them, so it is of the utmost importance that they feel comfortable coming to you with their questions and feelings. Yes I said you need to feel comfortable, that is quite the oxymoron isn't it?

In our family I am sure my children think I am a tad crazy, I bring up topics randomly trying to make it normal to broach subjects of morality, sexuality and the way our society portrays it to them.

In Anne Marie Millers's book you will find a plethora of topics that may seem hard to broach, but using her approach they can seamlessly be introduced in a natural non intrusive manner.

Miller's experience, grace and practical wisdom shine through the pages of  5 Things every Parent Needs to Know about Their Kids and Sex. She tackles this book with whit and an honesty that really appealed to me. It was funny I was reading a parenting book, but I was also able to glean nuggets of truth and wisdom for my own relationship with my husband as well. The author is real and I truly love real people, she speaks with a rawness and hard won knowledge that made me respect her from the first pages.

This book is not intended to be read when your children are entering their teen years, but right from infants onward. She says that although you would not be talking to your infant about sex you can start setting examples early on to help shape and guide our children!

I highly recommend this book to all parents in every stage of parenting, it is a fabulous book to read even just for yourself. Don't wait to have "the talk" live out your values every day!


Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

THE AUTHOR

1. 

   Anne Marie Miller

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Book Review: Fading Starlight

From the Back:

When Her Big Shot Blows Up on Her, 
How Far Will One Woman Go to Regain Her Dream?
Lauren Summers is in hiding. Her fashion house internship was supposed to launch her career, but a red carpet accident has left her blackballed. The only job she can find comes with little pay, but at least it offers a free place to live--a rundown cottage in the shadow of a cliff-side mansion. Planning to live on savings until she figures out what's next, she's unprepared to be contacted by a reporter.

Kendall Joiner is researching Charlotte Montgomery, a former Hollywood ingénue who lives a reclusive life in the cliff-side mansion. Rumors have swirled for decades about Charlotte, and now Kendall wants to find the real story. In return, she may just have the key to getting Lauren back into the fashion world. Desperate to get her life back on track, Lauren's not sure she can turn down the offer--but as she and Miss Montgomery get to know more about each other, Lauren realizes nothing is quite as it seems.

My Reflections:

From the cover to the title, I was simply drawn to this book.
Honestly I didn't even read the back when I ordered it the cover alone, along with this author was enough to convince me to read and review it!

Happily I was rewarded with my rash decision with a delightfully endearing story of growth and perseverance though the trying seasons of life.

After a disastrous debut that promptly ended Lauren's budding career as a designer, she goes into hiding and tries to regain her equilibrium with a new town and new job. What she didn't bet on was a cranky neighbor who has secrets of her own..

Charlotte Montgomery just wants to live in solitude, a lifetime ago the broken dreams of Hollywood have hardened her once trusting heart. Above all else she is willing to do what it takes to protect her secrets, even if it means finding a way to rid her neighborhood of the young do gooder that has wormed her way into her fragile world!

Cushman never disappoints me with her ability to create characters true to life and brimming with spunk and light! All in all a great book to pop into your beach bag, well done Kathryn Cushman!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

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THE AUTHOR

1. 

   Photo courtesy of Doug Ellis Photography

   Kathryn Cushman

   Kathryn Cushman is a graduate of Samford University with a degree in pharmacy. She is the acclaimed author of over a half-dozen novels, including  Leaving Yesterday and A Promise to Remember, which were both finalists for the Carol Award in...

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Book Review: Girl Defined

From the Back:

What is God's design for women?
In a culture where airbrushed models and ultra-driven career women define beauty and success, it's no wonder we have a distorted view of femininity. Girl Defined offers a distinctly God-centered view of beauty, femininity, and self-worth. Based firmly in God's design for our lives, this book invites us on a liberating journey toward a radically better vision for femininity--one that ends with the kind of hope, purpose, and fulfillment we've been yearning for.

My Reflections:

Get ready to challenge your thinking and grow your understanding of how we should be viewing ourselves though Gods spy glass! 
Girl Defined, God's Radical Design for Beauty, Femininity, and Identity is one dynamic easy to read study. 

From the first page forward Authors, Clark and Baird set the stage for easy to understand and easy to follow principals, guiding readers to really challenge their thoughts, how they view the world around you and your walk with God.
No topic is too shameful or embarrassing, answers are clear and concise. Those questions you wish you could ask or didn't even know you had are laid out in this book.

My favorite aspect of this book is the way the authors encourage the readers to really examine the world views around us, and then ...challenge them!
Don't check the marks on your big bad check list one minute more, don't listen to people who have also fallen for the lie, don't listen to Satan. Girls it's time to move into a boldness that is anything but "normal" 

Starting this book I believed it to be just another women's study guide. I'v read enough to write one I'm sure, although as I really sunk my teeth into it I realized it was presented in a fresh way shedding light in a whole new angle. I would recommend this book to women in all stages and ages, we can all use a little wake up call, don't you think?

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

THE AUTHORS

1. 

   Kristen Clark

   Kristen Clark is married to her high school sweetheart, Zack, and is the cofounder of GirlDefined Ministries. She is passionate about promoting the message of biblical womanhood through blogging, speaking, mentoring young women, and hosting Bible...

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2. 

   Bethany Baird

   Bethany Baird is a Texas born and raised girl and is the cofounder of GirlDefined Ministries. She has served as a pro-life counselor, led many Bible studies, and is currently directing an AWANA program and mentoring young women. She writes...

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