Love Changes Everything

I was recently given the opportunity, by Handlebar Publishing, to review Micah Berteau's book Love Changes Everything. Let me start by saying I was skeptical, mainly because I am a skeptical person, but also because I think that this is the trend in Christian publishing. Let's start writing books about what it means to be an authentic Christian because the world is portraying Christians in a bad light.

I will say that my skepticism was both confirmed and denied simultaneously. First off, I will honestly say that I don't like Berteau's writing style. He seems to jump around a lot, and when he tries to be relational in his writing, it comes off as cheesy. However, I really enjoyed the Biblical story of Hosea and Gomer that he wove through the first half of the book. To me, that was a pretty good picture of what Berteau was trying to convey.

And while I do appreciate his cut-and-dry voice in matters of spiritual disciplines, I did find some of his assumptions to be curt and dismissive, especially in regards to mental illness (i.e. depression and anxiety). His attempt at portraying absolutes was a bit too brash for me.

Overall, Berteau's book reads well for the new Christian, and he definitely has some good one-liners: "Anything we gain from this world is only temporary. Stop searching for eternal answers from a fading world." This book did not necessarily help me see things in a new light, however, it did bring back a wonderful Bible story and helped me understand a little better the picture of God that Berteau was attempting to portray.

Daisy Cakes Bakes

Daisy Cakes Bakes is a wonderful new cookbook which includes 100 recipes of cakes and all sorts of wonderful baked goods from some of Kim Nelson's family recipes. Nelson, who became famous on Shark Tank, showcases many of her favorites in this beautifully written cookbook. Nowadays, cookbooks do more than give recipes, they tell stories. And Daisy Cakes Bakes does just that. Her recipes use real and simple ingredients and they are steeped in the confections of the south. If you are a baker looking for more inspiration, or if you're like me and love to look through beautifully photographed recipes, then this is the book for you!

30 Days to Peace

30 Days to Peace is a beautiful journal allowing your mind and body to reflect on the blessings that God has given us. Each day allows for reflection, journaling, drawing, and general thought-provoking quotes or bible verses to help establish peace in your heart. Some days have you perform reflection tasks, and other days encourage you to make lists of blessings. As we start the new year, I think this would be a great journal for January and giving yourself a clean and joyous start to 2018!

A copy of this book was given to me by Bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for my review. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

How to Set a Table

How To Set a Table is a book about making your dinner space inviting for your family and for guests. The first chapter talked about the different pieces one can use to set a table: linens, soup tureens, glassware, etc. I found this section to be very informative. While I knew the names of most serving pieces, it was a good refresher. Then each chapter gave pictures of tablescapes and suggestions for how to entertain based on the serving style you were looking for. This is where I thought the book was just OK. I'm not a super skilled decorator or entertainer by any means, but I found the photos to be beautiful but the suggestions quite underwhelming. I mean, I feel like I could have gotten just as many ideas from Pinterest or a random internet search. The book DID make me want to tidy up some of the spaces within my home, but other than that, the book was just OK. 

A copy of this book was given to me in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed here are solely my own. 

The Mountain Between Us

I love books where there is a surprise ending...something I didn't expect or didn't see coming. That doesn't happen that often for me, but this time it did. Charles Martin's Between Two Mountains is a love story with a twist. Literally, I haven't read a book in almost a year that kept me turning the pages so quickly. When two strangers get stuck in Colorado wilderness due to a plane crash, the plot could have been cliched and boring. However, Martin writes in a style that is both poignant and suspenseful. Although I wanted Ben and Ashley to make it out of the wilderness alive, I never wanted their story to be over. if you are looking for a page-turner that is pretty darn believable, check out this book! I can't wait to watch the movie. 

*I reviewed this book for Blogging for Books. All opinions expressed here are my own. 

Democracy in Black

Democracy in Black, written by Eddie S. Glaude, Jr (Princeton Scholar) is an extremely eye-opening read. Not only does he adequately explain the value gap among women and men, but he also shows with stats and historical references how African-Americans have been consistently oppressed by our government, both the conservatives and the Democrats. He leaves no stone unturned in his thorough research. Glaude profiles how the home foreclosure crisis impacted African-Americans especially. He calls it like it is throughout the book and is a must read for anyone who doesn't understand how racism still impacts our everyday culture.  

When God Made You

Just the other day I had the opportunity to review a new book by Matthew Paul Turner and illustrated by David Catrow titled When God Made You. First off, I want to commend Catrow as the illustrations in this book are vibrant and utterly beautiful. This children's book is a great story of how God made all of us unique and our only mission in life to is to live for Him and to love others. If we do those two things, we are fulfilling God's dream for us. I love the rhyming in this book and the overall theme that God made all of us special in our own way. This book could be read to a young boy or girl, but I like that the main character is an African-American little girl. The book is a reminder to her that whether she is playing, imagining, creating, or any other type of activity, she is special to God and as His creation, she is pleasing to Him. What a great way to boost a young person's confidence in the Lord!