"Desperate" Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s blogger book review group, Book Sneeze, was “Desperate: Hope For the Mom Who Needs to Breathe”.  This non-fiction ,Christian book is written by Sally Clarkson and Sarah Mae. I had read several of Sally Clarkson’s books on motherhood before, so I was very eager to begin this book. This is, hands down, one of the best books on Christian motherhood that I have ever read!  I have already recommended it to several moms, and will continue to do so!  The format is written as Sarah Mae writing a short letter to Sally with a question, or struggle that she is dealing with as a young mom. Then, there is a response letter from Sally.  Following this, there is a portion of explanation written by Sarah, and then Sally. Sally is a mom who now has 4 adult children, and is acting as a mentor to young mothers. She has such valuable advice to offer because she has experienced the things that every young mother faces.  This book is full of real-life examples, struggles, and difficulties, along with how to be overcomers in these things. Scripture is prevalent, and I think this book is a must-read for every young, Christian mother!

"Come to the Table" Book Review

The next book I chose to review for Thomas Nelson’s book review group, Book Sneeze, was “Come to the Table” by Neta Jackson.  I had read another series by Jackson previously (the House of Hope series), and really enjoyed it.  Because of that, I was curious about reading this book.  Neta Jackson has a way of drawing her readers in from the start, and making you want to continue reading the book, and the series!  This book is the second in a new series, called The SouledOut Sisters series.  I hadn’t read the first book, but Jackson makes sure to weave in little details throughout that catch you up to speed on the characters, and things that has happened to them in previous books.  I thought this book was an excellent work of Christian fiction, and I look forward to reading others in the series.  The main character is a young woman, just out of college.  The story has Biblical aspects all throughout, a romantic storyline, conflict, and everything you would want to keep you interested in the book!  I appreciate that the story is realistic without being too graphic in areas of life that we know exist, but may not want to read about in a Christian story.

"The MoneySmart Family System" Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s blog book review group, Book Sneeze, was “The MoneySmart Family System” by Steve and Annette Economides.  This couple has written several books, and is known as America’s Cheapest Family.  The book is a non-fiction, 250 page guidebook to almost every area of raising children you can think of.  In a society where the adolescent stage is being stretched in both directions (kids are growing mature too quickly, but then not ‘growing up’ fast enough!), this book gives great, age appropriate, guidelines for how to encourage your kids to be smart with their (your) money.  Each chapter has a section at the end that addresses how the idea could be handled for different age groups. (0-5, 6-11, 12-17, 18-23, and 24 and beyond)  This structure really helps, as a parent, to see what things you should implement now with the age child you have, and what things would be helpful as they grow.  This family has 5 children, and they give lots of good examples to back their suggestions.  I found some of the information to be so detailed, that it almost was too much to remember and take in. Other than that, I would highly recommend this book as a practical guide to teaching children about handling money in a wise way!

"Heaven In Her Arms" Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson's book review group, Book Sneeze, was "Heaven In Her Arms" by Catherine Hickem.  The author is a licensed psychotherapist, wife and mother.  This is a non -fiction book that details ‘why God chose Mary to raise His son and what it means for you.’  I was curious about this book, as a mother, and didn’t know what type of material to expect. Each chapter is clearly labeled with a subject matter, how it relates to Mary, and a scripture.  I thought the book held a good mixture of stories and information from the Bible about Jesus and Mary’s relationship, stories and experiences from the author’s daily life, and practical advice for mothers.  There were a few points in the book that I found myself wanting to scan the chapters instead of reading it in depth.  Some of the material can seem slightly repetitive.  I do think the author does a wonderful job of helping the reader ponder the story of Jesus and Mary instead of just reading over it as we typically do.  There are many things that we, as mothers many years later, can relate to, and learn from. 

"Beyond Molasses Creek" Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s book review group, Book Sneeze, was a fiction novel. I read “Beyond Molasses Creek” by Nicole Seitz. I was unfamiliar with the author, and hadn’t read any of her books before. It took me several chapters to feel like I was ‘into’ the book, but once the storyline caught my interest, I really enjoyed it. The story is written from the perspective of several individuals. It is a little over 300 pages, and very intriguing. Although some things in the storyline seem to be a bit predictable, for the most part the book has twists and turns that leave you wondering what will happen as the story progresses. The main character is a woman in her 60’s, Ally, who comes back to her childhood home once her father dies. A secondary character is a young woman living in Nepal who is trying to figure out her past. Another secondary character is Vesey Washington, a man also in his 60’s who had a friendship in the past with Ally. The three characters stories are intertwined, and it is very interesting to find out how their lives are linked. Although I might not seek how further novels from this author, this book was a fairly good read.

"Heaven is for Real for Kids" Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s blog review group, Book Sneeze, was “Heaven is for Real for Kids” as told by Colton Burpo to his parents, Todd and Sonja Burpo. I had heard of the popular book, “Heaven is for Real”, but had not read it. When the book came, I was very curious to read it, and wondered if it would be a good book for my toddler-age children or not. The book I received was a hardcover version with a dust jacket, and about 26 pages of content. The illustrations (by Wilson Ong) are beautiful! They look like watercolors, without defined edges, and are very pretty! After reading the story, I was very pleased with the content! Every page tells something different that Colton learned about Heaven or Jesus while he was there. Each description has an accompanying scripture, which I really liked! There are some questions at the end of the book that are things the author felt like children might be curious about after reading the book. Everything in this book seems to be very well thought out. I think children of all ages would enjoy this, and it is a good resource for learning what the Bible has to say about Heaven!

"Just In Case You Ever Wonder" Review

The next book I reviewed for the Thomas Nelson book review group, Book Sneeze, was “Just In Case You Ever Wonder” by Max Lucado. This is a children’s book that came in a hardcover version with a book jacket. I had very high expectations for this book. My family owns several Max Lucado children’s books that we love. “Just In Case You Ever Wonder” has won awards, and I wanted to love it. I began reading the story to my 3 year old son as soon as we got the book in the mail. The first few pages were very meaningful and touching. I was excited to continue reading. Then I came to a page with the words, “When you see monsters in the shadows, call me.” The illustrations on this page, along with the words are not suitable (in my opinion) for babies and toddlers. My son commented on the ‘tree with a mean face’. I didn’t read that page to him, and I was disappointed that something like monsters (which we try to avoid ) were discussed. There are enough fearful things in the world that are real, without having to add things to our wonderful Christian books to scare children. I really like this book, with the exception on the page I have discussed.

"Night Night Blessings" Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson's book review site, Book Sneeze, was "Night Night Blessings" by Amy Parker. We already had another book that we really enjoy by Parker, so I had high expectations for this book! I like the structure of these books. They are laminated board books, with thinner pages than the traditional board book. They are wonderful for the earliest of readers, who are still prone to tear pages. The approximately 22 page book is the perfect length for most babies and toddlers. There are just enough words to captivate the listener! The storyline makes this an excellent read for a bed time story! Each page describes things that the child is thanking God for. (Favorite toys, sloppy dog kisses, bubble bath, and more) The illustrations (by Marijan Ramljak) are very sweet. They are whimsical, and appealing to children and parents alike! I like that this book focuses on gratitude and joy, and teaching children that having thankfulness as our last words of the day is a geat habit to start at a young age! I enjoyed this book so much that I plan to look for more books by Amy Parker. A wonderful book!

"Thunder Dog" Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s blogger review group was “Thunder Dog” by Michael Hingson . I didn’t know what to expect of this book, but it was an excellent read. The subtitle reads: The True Story of A Blind Man, His Guide Dog & the Triumph of Trust at Ground Zero. Although I have read a few accounts of the events that happened on September 11th, to hear this story of a person who lived the tragedy was eye-opening. Hingson does a wonderful job of mixing his account of September 11th with his past. He tells very detailed information about what happened to him on that day. He combines that with his history, information on being blind, meeting his wife, his schooling, and many other interesting facts. I love his positive, can-do attitude, and feel like he does an excellent job at opening the general public’s eyes to the world of a blind individual. He gives many examples of things that people do to try to cater to him, as a blind person, that he does not need or appreciate. His story of how he escaped such a tragedy is a true page turner. I highly recommend this book!

"Money Secrets of the Amish" Book Review

The next book I reviewed for the Thomas Nelson book review site, Book Sneeze, was “Money Secrets of the Amish: Finding True Abundance in Simplicity, Sharing, and Saving” by Lorilee Craker. I didn’t know what to expect from this book, but I think of myself as a frugal person, and enjoy reading new ideas about saving money. This book exceeded my expectations! It was full of ideas, and ways to change your thought process, rather than just tips on how to save money. Some examples of the chapter topics are Rethinking Gifts, Shopping Secondhand, Buying in Bulk, and Delayed Gratification. One of the main principles that the author learned from spending time with the Amish people was UWMW: Use it Up, Wear it Out, Make Do, or Do Without. This concept goes against what most Americans think, and how we live our daily lives. The book is a fairly light read, but in a good way. It has some great concepts, and will challenge its readers to think outside the box. I really enjoyed this book. I shared enough of the ideas with my husband, that he also read and enjoyed it! A refreshing book to remind us about simplicity!

Thank You, God, for Mommy Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s book review group, Book Sneeze, was a children’s book. I am always very happy to be given the opportunity to receive a new children’s book, and this one did not disappoint. “Thank You, God, for Mommy” by Amy Parker is illustrated by Frank Endersby. This twenty page book has thick, laminated pages that are wonderful for younger readers. (or listeners!) The story is about two panda bears, a mommy and a child. The story tells all of the many ways that the child is thankful for the mommy bear: her smile, her patience, trust in God, her silliness, and her unconditional love. There are just enough words on each page to make it detailed and interesting, but not so many that a young toddler wouldn’t love to sit and listen to the book. The illustrations are very cute. They depict each word very well, and are really cute to see. I read this to my almost three year old son, and he really loved it! This would make a perfect Mother’s Day or birthday gift for a mom, from her child! I recommend this book, and I would purchase others by the same author.

Regret Free Parenting: Raise Good Kids and Know you're Doing it Right

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s blog group, Book Sneeze, was Regret Free Parenting: Raise Good Kids and Know You’re Doing it Right by Catherine Hickem. When I received the book, I wasn’t sure if I was going to gain any new knowledge. There are many Christian parenting resources, several which I have read, and some of the information can get repetitive. After reading the first chapter, I could tell that this book had some very valuable teaching in it, and was going to be worth my time. Hickem makes several very important points that are laced throughout the entire book. One is that we, as parents, must be intentional in all that we do. She gives specific examples of how we can be intentional with our words, actions, and everything in our lives. Mixed in with the discussions on different topics are real-life examples. Hickem is a licensed psychotherapist who also has children herself. The examples given are relevant, and thought provoking. This book covers topics that will be of interest to parents with toddlers, all the way through the teenage years. I would recommend this book to any Christian parent (mother, especially) who wants to go a little bit deeper with your thinking about how to raise your children.

Read and Share: The Ultimate DVD Bible, Vol. 2

The next thing I reviewed for Thomas Nelson's blogger review group, Book Sneeze, was the "Read and Share: The Ultimate DVD Bible, Volume 2. I have seen the first volume of the Read and Share movies, and was already very happy with that. I was looking forward to getting this Bible, and the movies, and I knew my 2 year old son would be really excited. The Bible and DVD's did not disappoint! There are two DVD's, each with 45 minutes to an hour of playtime. They play the same stories that are in the Bible, in the same order. This is great for older kids who would like to follow along in their Bible as they watch the movies. The Bible is great also. There are some stories in there that are not typically in a children's Bible, and the wording is really good. It is detailed, but easy for children to comprehend. The only negative thing about this, and it's very minor, is that the DVD's come in little plastic sleeves on the inside and outside cover of the Bible. With a toddler or young child being the recipient of the Bible, this will not be a good holding place for the movies. Other than that, I think this is an excellent resource for the whole family to learn more about God's Word!

"Save the Date" Review

The next book I reviewed for the Thomas Nelson blog review site, Book Sneeze, was “Save the Date” by Jenny B. Jones. I have read some of Jones’ other fiction, and I like her style of writing. I was looking forward to reading this book, and thought the cover made it seem like a good read. The book is a good length for a novel, 304 pages. It was long enough that you felt like the author could tell the full story, without being too long. The story centers around a woman who runs a non-profit organization for girls who have aged out of the foster care system. She has a fairly stable life, that is shaken by a turn of events that she did not expect. The building where she houses the girls is suddenly about to be sold, and one of her largest donors backs out. She is left trying to find a way to keep her girls together, and keep the one stable thing they have in their life. Then a former football player, now politician enters the scene with an interesting proposition. Pretend to be his girlfriend, then fiancée, in return for the cash she needs to save her non-profit. The book will leave you wondering what the outcome will be!

BIG RED Bible Review

The next thing I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s blog group, Book Sneeze, was ""Big Red" Holy Bible-Contemporary 3D Art. The Bible is a soft cover format, which is not my preference, especially for children. The translation is ISB (International Children’s Bible), which is a great version for children! It doesn’t stray too far from the NIV version, but makes the scriptures very relatable for children. I would have liked to have seen more pictures in the Bible, making it appropriate for a wider range of children. Also, the pictures are much more modern than a traditional children’s Bible. They are contemporary, like the title states, and appealing to children who are used to watching animated movies. It states that it is a 3rd grade reading level, which seems true. The Bible highlights the majority of the Bible stories that are well known, and uses words that are familiar for children so their understanding is heightened. This is a good gift for a child who enjoys having a parents read from the Bible to them, or for an older child who can read the stories themselves. There are a few things I would change about this, but overall I like it.

"The Least Among You" Review

The next thing I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s Book Sneeze blog review group was a DVD titled, “The Least Among You”. I was very disappointed in this movie. It is inspired by a true story, which usually makes a movie have a good storyline. It is based on a young man, Richard Kelly, who is living in the 1960’s, in the middle of racial integration. He is arrested for a crime he says he didn’t commit, and must attend a seminary for 2 semesters. The thing he doesn’t realize until he begins school is that he is the only black student at the school. Although the premise for the movie is good, the storyline was very choppy, and left the viewer confused at many points. There is also a point in the movie where a VERY offensive curse word is used. This type of language should be noted in the PG-13 rating box, and it wasn’t. For a movie that quotes scripture throughout, it is very offensive to hear a curse word like the one that was spoken by the main character. This movie, in my opinion, is not worth watching. The storyline is too choppy, and it is definitely not a ‘Christian movie’.

The Boy Who Changed the World

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s blog group, Book Sneeze, was “The Boy Who Changed the World” by Andy Andrews. Having read another book by this author that was written for adults, I wasn’t sure what to expect out of a children’s book. I had a good first impression of the book, judging it by its cover. The illustrations by Philip Hurst are beautiful. They have bright colors, and are interesting to look at. I really liked the concept of this book. It starts out talking about a boy who changed the world, and told the things he did. Then it backtracks to someone who greatly influenced that boy’s life, and says that maybe it was the person before him who changed the world. It continues traveling back in time, recounting the ways that an individual changed another person’s life, and how that, in turn, changed many more lives. I like the fact that the characters are not fictional. They are real people in history who did wonderful things that ended up helping 2 billion people. I read this book to my 2 year old son, and while he was interested in it, I would recommend the age group to start a few years older. Some of the pages have lengthy paragraphs that may not hold a toddlers’ attention. Overall, a wonderful book!

Who's In Charge Anyway DVD Review

The next thing I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s blog group, Book Sneeze, was a movie called, “Hermie & Friends, Who is In Charge Anyway?” Although I have watched other Hermie movies before that I thought were good, this one wasn’t my favorite. The overall theme of the movie is good. It is teaching children that God will help us with situations that we don’t like to become something great for Him. One of the reasons I didn’t love the movie was because it didn’t seem very fluid. It seemed random, and jumped from scene to scene too abruptly. It has clips from previous movies also, which can be disappointing if you have already seen the other movies. Some of the things I did like about the movie were the voices of the characters (very cute), the animation (good), and the voice of God. (calming, reassuring) It also did address issues that many children face, such as fear, intimidation, and figuring out God’s plan for our lives. I think this movie would be best for children ages 4-9. With all of these factors combined, I would give this movie an average rating. A good movie, but not one to run out and buy for your collection.

Captivating Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s BookSneeze website was “Captivating” by John and Stasi Eldredge. This book is the female counterpart to the popular, “Wild at Heart” book for men. Upon first seeing the book, I was pleased with the aesthetic quality. It was a hardcover with a picture on the front, accompanied by a transparent dust cover. It was appealing, and would gain my attention among other books. I wasn’t sure what to expect from the book, and while it didn’t completely disappoint me, it also didn’t leave me feeling like I gained a lot of new knowledge. The book discuses the essence and heart of a woman, what hurts and wounds women may have received along life’s path, how we can find healing, and a variety of other topics. It also has an appendix at the back with several prayers, including the prayer for salvation. Although I found some parts of the book to hold new concepts, much of the information seemed like material that I had heard many times before. At roughly 230 pages, it is fairly long, and some of the information seemed repetitive. A few parts of the book that I really liked discussed God’s Word and how we can apply it specifically to our lives as women. I also liked the overall theme of realizing who we are in Christ, and focusing our attention on becoming the woman that He would have us to be. Overall, I can’t recommend this book, but I think it had several points that were worthwhile.

Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go" Review

The next book I reviewed for Thomas Nelson’s blog group, Book Sneeze, was “Walk Like You Have Somewhere to Go” by Lucille O’Neal. This is the biography/autobiography of Ms. O’Neal, who is Shaquille O’Neal’s Mom. She begins her story recalling her childhood, and the struggles she dealt with. She describes her family, and how the different members influenced and affected her life. With pictures throughout the book, this story seems like a very personal look into Ms. O’Neal’s life. The story continues throughout her journey of becoming a teen mom, and then later marrying and having her other three children. Weaknesses and mistakes are shared as openly as strengths and victories. The reader feels like they are truly getting to know Ms. O’Neal, because she is very open about her life experiences. The overall story gives the reader a sense of new beginnings, and starting life over at whatever point is necessary. The author does a good job of sharing her story, and not her son’s. The book is about her life, and although that does include information about Shaquille and his career in basketball, that is not the main focus of the book. This is a well-rounded biography that I would recommend.