Softly and Tenderly

Softly and Tenderly
by:  Sara Evans and Rachel Hauck

Jade has moved from her past toward a bright future. But then the man she loves most destroys her trust.

Jade Fitzgerald's hope for a perfect marriage shatters when her husband confesses he has an illegitimate son. What’s more, he wants to raise the boy in their home.

Hurting and confused, Jade embarks on a road trip to Iowa to take her sick mother to her childhood home. In the comfort of the old homeplace, Jade struggles with her fears and the tug of her first love. With the help of her family and her faith, she comes to understand her future doesn't rest on the power of her past, but in the goodness of God's mercy.

My Review:  I enjoyed this book and I easily read it as a stand-alone book, despite the fact that I have not read the first book in this series.  The main character has a lot of difficult things going on in her life which leads her, at times, to make some bad choices along the way.  Yet through all of the pain she is able to find healing and a fresh start.

***I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. ***

The Way Home

The Way Home 
DVD

A missing child. A family in crisis. A faith tested. In their darkest hour, God gives hope.

Dean Cain stars as Randy Simpkins, a husband and father torn between the demands of his job and family. Asked by his wife to watch their two-year-old son, Joe, for a few minutes, he becomes distracted by work. When he returns, Joe is gone. He and his wife search desperately for their missing son through the vast countryside. But as their fear grows, the community responds – hundreds of supporters uniting behind the family in a powerful spiritual journey that will test the couple’s love and faith, and forever change a community.

My Review:  Overall I thought this movie was fairly well done.  It did a good job of capturing the emotions from this true story.  I enjoyed watching the "extras" on the video, which interviewed the real Simpkins family.  How this heart-wrenching day changed a man's life for the better is inspiring.  How the entire community came together to help was incredible.  I also appreciate the cleanliness of this film.  There was no language, violence or nudity.  Definitely a family film.  If I was to look for a downside of the film, I would say that some of the actors could have been portrayed better, with a deeper look into their characters.  I found one particular character to be rather suspicious, and I know that this was not the director's intent.

I received this DVD free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Angel Song

Angel Song

by:  Sheila Walsh & Kathryn Cushman

When Annie Fletcher returns to Charleston to see her younger sister, Sarah, receive her master’s degree, she finds herself riding in the back of an ambulance, watching helplessly as Sarah fights for life. During the ride, Sarah appears to talk to someone who is not there, humming a melody Annie has never heard before.

Neighbor Ethan McKinney lends a shoulder when Sarah unexpectedly dies. And as a carpenter, Ethan volunteers to help Annie get the Fletcher family home into shape for selling. Ethan’s presence is distracting, but what troubles Annie is her neighbor Tammy’s 12-year-old son. Keith has Down Syndrome and the guile to believe he can see and hear angels.

God begins to reveal Himself to Annie – both in her newfound friends and through heart-rending and clearly supernatural events. Annie discovers faith in God, finally experiencing the comfort that His angels really do surround us.

My Review:  I thought this was easy to read, and was a wonderfully heartwarming story.  Through the sweetness of a little boy with Down Syndrome, the main character is finally able to understand what is truly important in life.  I enjoyed reading Angel Song.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

Never Let You Go

Never Let You Go

By Erin Healy

Losing everything has made Lexi hold those she loves tightly. Hell is determined to loosen her grip.

Lexi lives in the shadow of choices her husband made. Especially Grant’s choice to leave seven years ago, without a word. Her relationship with their daughter, Molly, is now the most important thing in her life. Lexi will do anything—work grueling hours, attend church on her only day off, sacrifice financially—just to see Molly smile.

When Grant shows up declaring his intent to re-enter their daughter’s life, Lexi is skeptical of his motives. She soon determines not to let him near Molly. Then a drug dealer named Warden arrives on Lexi’s doorstep, demanding payment of Grant’s old debts.

But that's just the earthly perspective. Staggering supernatural events are spilling into her world in real and shocking ways. Hell's fury is great, but Heaven's power is greater still. In a novel that defies easy categorization, this has all the early buzz of the breakthrough read of 2010.

My Review:  I'm not sure if it's because of all the other stuff going on in my life right now, but I had a hard time getting through this book.  I really wanted to try reading Erin Healy because I am aware that she has co-authored with Ted Dekker before and that alone piqued my interest.  I honestly think that I was expecting a more captivating story that what I found.  That being said, this book had lots of action and suspense.  I enjoyed getting to know the characters and following along as they struggled to understand what was taking place in their lives.  I just think it could have been smoothed out a little more, and some of the confusing supernatural plot lines could have been explained better.  It was a decent book however.

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 

The Flowering Cross: a review

The Flowering Cross

by: Beth Ryan

A modern-day story of how Christ’s resurrection is still changing lives

Six-year-old Katie’s next-door neighbor Papa Jack has the most beautiful flowers in town. He seems like a mean man to most, but Katie has a special place in his heart. Every Easter Sunday she stops by to get her flowers for the Flowering of the Cross at church. Only this year, Papa Jack decides to come along, and Katie helps him discover the real meaning of the Cross.

Designed to place God's truths in the heart of children, The Flowering Cross, has Faith ImprintTM suggestions thoughout that will help parents share God's Word with their young one.

Also included are instructions for making a Flowering Cross.

My Review: This is a wonderful way to teach the lessons of Easter to young kids! The little girl in the story is full of life and love. Through her kindness to her grouchy neighbour, he comes to understand how much Jesus loves even him. Each page also has a bible verse along with some discussion ideas for parents who want to add even more conversation to the story. It also includes instructions for how to make your own "flowering cross", which is all about thanking Jesus for his love for us. We have read this story numerous times already (sometimes multiple times each day), so it is obviously a hit with kids too. And the timing of reading it is perfect as Easter is not very far away.

Love Your Heart: a review

Love Your Heart

By: Tim McGraw

The second book in Tim McGraw’s My Little Girl series is a heartwarming story of a little girl’s selfless act of kindness.

Tim McGraw and songwriter Tom Douglas once again join forces to write another book about the precocious Katie and her dad. Katie has many talents, but she wonders which one will win her school’s talent show. With the help of Dad and her faithful dog Palio, and after several amusing mishaps, Katie finally chooses one talent that includes Palio. But at the talent show, she decides to drop out of the contest to help her friend, showing kindness is the best talent of all. Katie’s proud dad reassures her that she did the best thing and that while he loves many things about her, he loves her heart most of all.

My Review: This book was not my favorite, it felt somewhat disjointed and didn't flow nicely. I honestly expected more from a celebrity. I found the transitions from scene to scene to be rather awkward. The one reference to asking God for help was very slight, so I don't even know that I would consider this to be a christian story. That being said, Ella loved this book. She loves any type of lovey-dovey story and she is not picky. She enjoyed the pictures and the story of a dad's love of his little girl. Since this book is designed for young girls I decided to give this a higher rating than I would have for myself.

***I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.***

The Gospel According To LOST: a review

The Gospel According to LOST

By: Chris Seay

An epic journey into the deepest mysteries of faith.

Lost is NOT just a television show. It has become larger than that—a massive story filled with mystery that has garnered over twenty million participants. Some might call them viewers, but one does not just watch Lost, one participates in it. It demands that you dialogue with the story, seeking theories and comparing yourself to characters. Lost breaks all the formulas for television, and in doing so has drawn together millions of people on a shared journey that explores life, faith, history, science, philosophy, hope, and the basic questions of what it means to be human. It is the seemingly infinite ideas, philosophies, and biblical metaphors that make this story so engaging.

Chris Seay's fascinating book explores each of these elements in a spinning analysis of faith and metaphor that will attract a multitude of readers who desire to go even deeper into the journey.

My Review: I am already a big fan of LOST but I admit that I was skeptical about reading "The Gospel According to Lost". After reading some other positive reviews however, I decided that it was worth trying. I am so glad that I did!

For those of you who are familiar with the show, or are fans yourselves, you will know that LOST is not a show that you can watch without fully engaging in the storyline. It has a huge cult-like following and has been the product of many conversations over the years.

I began reading this book simultaneously with re-watching Season 5 on DVD and I found that really helpful in order to remember all the details of the show.

Chris Seay does a good job finding comparisons between LOST and the bible. As he explains in his epilogue, Jesus used examples from every day life to draw parables from, so it stands to reason that the same could be done now through popular culture. He compares characters from LOST with people in the bible (old and new testament). He draws some conclusions, and at times makes some predictions. I really appreciated his insight into how this can relate to us in our daily lives.

After reading this I am even more excited for the final season of LOST which begins Feb 2!

I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com <http://BookSneeze.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Saving Cicadas: a review

Saving Cicadas

By Nicole Seitz

Book Description

A novel of unconditional love and the freedom of letting go.

When single mother Priscilla Lynn Macy learns she's having another child unexpectedly, she packs the family into the car to escape. Eight-year-old Janie and Rainey Dae, her seventeen-year-old sister with special needs, embark on the last family vacation they'll ever take with Poppy and Grandma Mona in the back seat.

The trip seems aimless until Janie realizes they are searching for the father who left them years ago. When they can't find him, they make their way to Forest Pines, SC. Priscilla hasn't been to her family home in many years and finds it a mixed blessing of hope, buried secrets, and family ghosts.

Through eyes of innocence, Janie learns the hard realities of life and the difficult choices grownups make. And she must face disturbing truths about the people she loves in order to carry them in the moments that matter most.

My Review: This book was certainly an easy read, but I don't think it was my favorite style. Without giving any of the story away, I struggled with some theological issues in this story in reference to angels or ghosts. That being said, I did appreciate the author's note at the end which explained why she chose to write the story in this way, and that she realized the story was not accurate with scripture.

Healing Sands review

Healing Sands

A Sullivan Crisp Novel
By Nancy Rue and Stephen Arterburn

Book Description

In the struggle for healing, when do you fight and when do you surrender?

Ryan Alexander-Coe is a talented photojournalist who has been on assignment all over the world. But when her two sons choose to live with their father after her divorce, Ryan must give her career up for a small-town newspaper job in order to be near them.

Life spirals out of control when her fifteen-year-old son is arrested. Desperation--both over the fact that she cannot believe her son commited this crime and that he refuses to talk to her--sends her anger level soaring . . . and eventually sends her storming into Dr. Sullivan Crisp's office in search of ways to cope with her anger. Sully is in town assisting at one of his clinics and continuing his search for Belinda Cox, the woman whose guilt-inducing counseling caused the death of his wife and daughter. When Sully's search ends in disaster, both he and Ryan will have to fully rely on God--rather than themselves--to survive these storms.

My Review: I have read the other Sullivan Crisp books recently and this one did not disappoint. I think that I enjoyed the characters from this story the most out of any in this series. The main character in Healing Sands is dealing with a lot of anger as her life has not turned out the way that she would like it. Yet she finds healing through the assistance of a great therapist a.k.a. Sully. I have enjoyed getting to know Sully through this series and this one dives in even deeper into his background as he also tries to find healing from his painful memories. Very unique characters with a very real story.

The Story of Christmas: a review

Read and Share: The Story of Christmas
By Gwen Ellis

Book Description

The Story of Christmas from the Read and Share™ Bible is a colorful retelling of the birth of Christ and the events surrounding it.

Based on the International Children’s Bible, this book begins with the birth of John the Baptist. Next comes the angel appearing first to Mary, then to Joseph, the trip to Bethlehem, the birth of Jesus, the angel’s announcement to the shepherds, the wise men and their gifts, fleeing to Egypt, and at last heading home to Nazareth. The “Can You Retell the Story” activity at the end of the book is a fun way for children to learn to tell the story themselves.

The animated DVD includes a 15-minute story plus coloring pages and other bonus features.

My Review: My girls have enjoyed reading this book and watching the included videos. I like that each story is simple and not too lengthy, but also accurate to what the bible says. Each story comes with a good discussion question too to help encourage good dialogue between ourselves and our kids. The videos match the book and is certainly entertaining for kids who love to watch anything media-related (a.k.a. my kids!).

This book would make a nice gift for someone with younger children.

Green: A Review

Green
Book Zero: The Beginning and the End
By Ted Dekker

Reviewer's Guide

Be sure to check out Ted Dekker's Green Website for Downloads, Videos and More!

Book Description

At Last . . . The Circle Reborn

The story of how Thomas Hunter first entered the Black Forest and forever changed our history began at a time when armies were gathered for a final battle in the valley of Migdon. Green is a story of love, betrayal, and sweeping reversals set within the apocalypse. It is the beginning: the truth behind a saga that has captured the imagination of more than a million readers with the Books of History Chronicles.

But even more, Green brings full meaning to the Circle Series as a whole, reading as both prequel to Black and sequel to White, completing a full circle. This is Book Zero, the Circle Reborn, both the beginning and the end. The preferred starting point for new readers . . . and the perfect climax for the countless fans who’ve experienced Black, Red, and White.

My Review:

I have mixed feelings about this book. I was a huge fan of the original Circle series and couldn't read those books fast enough. Then Ted Dekker started referring to the Circle in all of his books, and I sort of lost interest. I'm not a fan of popular authors compromising their initial story (in this case, a trilogy), and later on adding additional books. I've seen it before and the quality tends to decline. But I did want to be fair to Green and give it a try, despite my initial reservations.

The book is described to be either the beginning or the end of the original "Black", "Red" and "White" trilogy. I honestly don't think that newcomers to this series would understand the concept of Green if they tried it first, but it does work well for a new ending to the story for those of us who are already familiar with the characters and plot. It took me a while to get involved in the story, but I did find that as the plot thickened, my interest in the story grew. I enjoyed the ending and its symbolic reference to the Circle. Overall it was a decent read. I don't think it completely changed my mind and won me over, but I did enjoy the book.

The Expanded Bible review

The Expanded Bible: New Testament reflects the latest scholarship, current English, and the needs of contemporary students of the Bible. This new testament includes a multitude of study aids and expanded translations right in line with the text making it possible for you to study the Bible while you read!

Expanded translations bring out the meaning of words and offer alternatives.

Literal meanings of terms from the original languages are included where they can provide more understanding.

Traditional wordings assist recollection of familiar terms and expressions.

Comments explain passages that can be understood better with a brief remark.

Useful references supply rewarding opportunities for comparing other Scriptures.

Variants display additional wording in some of the original language texts.

My Review: I am really enjoying reading through this version of the New Testament. It is a modified version of the New Century Version, and I think that the additional words/phrases included help to better understand the original language that the bible was written in. Reading this version is almost like having a parallel bible that has a few few translations inside one book. It is called The Expanded Bible because in addition to the base text, alternate interpretations of the words or phrases are included. I think the introduction helps to explain why this book was created, but more importantly, how to get the most out of it. It is easy to understand. I think this would make a great tool for studying the bible.

God's Little Princess Devotional Bible by Sheila Walsh

God's Little Princess Devotional Bible

By Sheila Walsh

Book Description

Girls long to be loved and adored, and give their heart to their hero. God is that hero! The characteristics focused on in this Bible storybook will help your little girl blossom into the princess she was created to be. Virtues to create beauty such as compassion, sharing, and truth are highlighted in fun and engaging ways. The perfect format for girls to learn about their destiny as a daughter of their King. Features included are: Beauty Secrets, Bible Princesses, My Hero (Scripture promises), Take a Bow (Easy plays that are Bible-focused), I Adore You (Put girls energy to use with songs, scripture and worship), Royal Truths, Down In My Heart (Scripture Memory), Princess Charming, Worthy of Love (Ideas to show how to love her royal subjects: family, siblings, friends and those in the community).

Recently I received this girly bible in the mail and my girls couldn't open it fast enough! They have been thrilled to see a bible made just for girls, complete with the "real" jewel in the hardcover of the book. We have enjoyed re-enacting some of the bible stories with the "Take A Bow" sections of the book. It's not only entertaining, but educational as well. This book is geared exactly to the ages of my girls, which is 3 and 5. I think it would make a wonderful gift for any little girl!