"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’.