Book Review: The Sweet By & By.

I just finished reading multi-platinum recording artist, Sara Evans, book The Sweet By & By. The book is coauthored by Rachel Hauck. A fictitious story of a girl named Jade with a lifetime of regret, secrets, and heartbreak, she captures your heart and your sympathy. As the date of her wedding to Max Benson is fast approaching she must face her past in order to move forward and have a chance at a future.

Twists and turns keep the story moving. This book will cause you to experience a multitude of emotions. A bit too predictable with your typical 'happy ending', the book has a certain 'feel good' element. Evans' attempt to put into words experiencing Christ for the first time has a bit of a fairy tale feel that's lacking believability. However, the grace, peace, and joy of redemption that Jade experienced from the freedom she finds in Christ is believable and relatable for those of us who have accepted grace for ourselves.

A good read for young, Christian girls and fans of Sara Evans alike. It was certainly worth the time and an easy read.

Love,

B

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Book Review - Redefining Beautiful by Jenna Lucado.

Jenna Lucado, daughter to the famous Max Lucado author of over 75 titles sought to teach young ladies how to define beauty not on a worldly, surface level but as God defines it.  I chose the book knowing I would be seeing Max Lucado speak this month and curious to see if his talents were also present in his daughters writing.  The book was styled in a format that I found less than ideal.  The style, to me, didn't match the format.  There are workbook areas, meant to be filled in my the reader.  I found this distracting in many ways and I found that I wanted to skim ahead.  The audience Jenna was reaching out to seemed to me to be much younger than my own 24 years of age.  If I were to recommend this book I would choose an audience of 12-14 year old girls.  Older than that I feel the reading level keeps it from hitting home.

Personally, I was a bit disappointed with this read.  I felt there was a lack of depth. The juvenile approach left much to be desired for a young adult reader.  Great topic and concept for the book.  I would have liked to see her gear it for young adult women, like herself.  Also, leaving out the 'write your thoughts here' would have made for a more cohesive read.

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Love,

B

What is beautiful?

My 3rd book arrived while I was gone this weekend from Thomas Nelson publishing for my reviewing pleasure.  I wasn't sure which of the options I was most interested in and finally selected 'Redefining Beautiful' by Jenna Lucado (daughter of Max Lucado who will be speaking at my works banquet this year).  I figure I will probably meet her Father and possibly even her at the Family First banquet next month so why not show her some support?

I'm not far in but I wanted to share this tidbit from the start of the book, in hopes that it will speak to you as it did me...enjoy.

Some days I like him.  Most days I hate him.  But I do have to admit, he's honest.  He'll always tell me if I have food in my teeth or a booger in my nose. He isn't afraid to let me know if a certain shirt is too tight or if a color doesn't complement my skin.  I appreciate the honesty, but he is deceiving all the same.  Deceiving because anytime he tells me, 'Just get this cute shirt and feel better about yourself' or 'Just lose five pounds and be forever happy,' it doesn't work.  I'm never good enough for him.

I try not to hang out with him too much, or else I can easily fall into his trap of discouragement - 'Jenna, I see that cellulite back there.  Your skin is looking pretty oily these days.  Those teeth need some whitening!' I try to block out his lies that tell me I'm not good enough, that I'm not beautiful, but it's hard.

I'm sure you've met him.  He tends to pop up in all sorts of places: bathrooms, cars, department stores, gyms.  And I'm sure you've felt some of these same insecurities when standing in front of him.

His name?

Mirror.

If this intro catches you the way it did me, speaking into my high school years more than present day but holding true even now...than perhaps you should take this journey to redefining beauty with me. It has become increasingly more difficult to face ourselves.  It is no longer ok to be cute or average or even just pretty - we must now be stunning, striking, or breathtaking.  The standards are always rising and how we see ourselves is often defined by sources other than us.

I'm two chapters in and already curious as to what truths this book may hold.

Stay tuned.

Love,

B

Seaside Letters Book Review.

We join Tucker and Sabrina one year into an intense relationship via e-mail.  Each knows who the other is in real life but both believe they're still anonymous.  Tucker is the definition of a 'dream boy' and is confident that Sabrina is the love of his life. Sabrina's past haunts her and a long history of hurt keeps her from being able to open up but how long before her love for Tucker and his persistence will penetrate her hard exterior?

Denise Hunter weaves an intricate web of emotion's in Seaside Letters.  The story of Sabrina and Tucker will tug at your heart strings regardless of your experiences with love.  This story hits home for anyone who has felt unworthy, unlovable, or astonished by how far grace can extend.  I finished the book in three days. I couldn't wait to read how Hunter would bring the characters together in the end.  A great read, with a few unexpected twists.  I've already recommended it to every young lady at my office.  Hunter did Christian romance proud.  I give this love story 4 stars.

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Review: Fresh Start

Fresh Start: God's Invitation to a Great Life.

By: Doug Fields

Throughout our lives we all reach a point in which we want nothing more than a Fresh Start.  A 'do over' or a chance to move beyond that which is holding us back from the future our hearts desire.  When you reach this place, Doug Fields is ready to tell you just how to get 'unstuck' and start moving forward, with faith as your guide.  Whether it's issues of forgiveness, defining who you are, overcoming rejection in your past, moving beyond your anger, or finding freedom from sins God's already forgiven - this book offers you a method, a system.

If I'd found this book a few years ago, I can't imagine how much faster I would have arrived at where I am today.  Still, when I found this book through Thomas Nelson Publishing I was still drawn in by the topics it was said to contain: Finding true friendship, overcoming discouragement, even defining success. If you feel stuck in a rut than this book has answers you need.  The book was directed at those early on in their walk or going through a long dry season spiritually.  However, even in my current walk I found this book refreshing, renewing, and a testament to how far God can bring you from where you've been.  Doug Fields presents his message in a way that allows anyone to be able to read, understand, and receive it should they approach it with an open heart.  I recommend this book to you if you feel trapped by something holding you back from God's best, whatever your particular 'rut' may be.

It is God's desire for you to 'have life...and have it to the full' (John 10:10).  Don't stay stuck! There's freedom through the power of Christ.

Love,

B

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