Tuesday, December 20, 2016

While You Were Sleeping

While You Were SleepingYou wake up to find the man beside you is dead.   He is not your husband. This is not your bed.  What do you do?  Tara Logan lives a quiet life with her husband, Noah, and two children, teenager Rosie and eleven-year-old Spencer.  But her peace is shattered when she wakes in her neighbour Lee’s bed, with no memory of how she got there or what happened between them. And worse – he has been stabbed to death.
 
Convinced she didn’t kill Lee, Tara stays silent, fearing the truth will rip her family apart.  But as her daughter spirals out of control, and her husband becomes increasingly distant, Tara soon realises that someone in her life knows what really happened to Lee. She must get to the truth before they do.  Tara made a mistake … but will one night cost her everything?
 


This is one of those books that you just can't stop reading until it answers all your questions!  I needed to know what was going to happen, however there was just something that kept me from giving this book a five star rating.  While I wanted to know, I guess I didn't feel invested in the characters enough to feel connected to them.  I loved the twists and it kept me guessing, which is exactly what I enjoy and expect in a book like this.  I will continue to read title by Kathryn Croft because I have not been disappointed!  

              * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *

Fresh Out of Amazing

Fresh Out of Amazing: Opening Your Heart to God's Unexpected InvitationYou’re Invited to Savor Some Grace Today

What do you do when everyone expects you to be amazing…and you’ve got nothing left to give? It’s an issue all busy women share—that pressure to always be a go-getter when sometimes all you want to do is get going (and stay gone for a long time).

Join author and speaker Stacey Thacker as she walks you through God’s mercies and shows you how to identify what’s dragging you down so you can find the specific encouragement you need increase your trust in Jesus by learning practical ways to rest when you’re depleted accept the invitation to see God big when you’re fresh out of amazing Whether you’re short on time, energy, motivation, hope, or all of the above, only one thing can bring your weary spirit back to life: Jesus


I found this title to be enjoyable, but much of the content was ideas and thoughts I have heard before.  I could see giving this title to a new Christian or someone who has recently found their way back to Christ, but it just didn't give me any new insights so I wasn't blown away.  The writing style was easy to read and repetitive at times, but I think that was needed to bring the theme of the book together.  The writer is a blogger and it read like a blog in many ways, just wished for a bit more.    

            * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *
   

Word Writers: Philippians

Word Writers: Philippians: Experience the Bible . . . Writing Word by WordThe book of Philippians calls you to see beyond your present circumstances and discover the authentic joy awaiting you in Christ. Get ready to explore this uplifting book through the tried-and-tested inductive study method—with an added writing step to help you treasure each word!

In this exciting Bible study (complete with devotions, questions, and blank pages in the back), you will...

READ—Find out what these verses say.
REFLECT—Discover what these verses mean.
RESPOND—Apply these verses to your everyday life.
WRITE—Rewrite these verses to better remember them.

As you dive into Philippians you will learn what God's Word says about walking in humility and claiming your eternal hope.

 I must be honest in reviewing this book by saying that I enjoyed the actual devotional writing by the author, but after a few days of re-writing the scripture I gave that part up.  I found myself dreading that part and that's not how I want to start my devotional time.  While I understand the reasoning, I would have much preferred to write out a key verse or thought each day.  So while I didn't use the resource in the way the writer intended, I did find each day to be insightful and unique.  I appreciated the ways for finding deeper joy in each section because it was applicable to my life.  I plan to read the Ephesians study next.   

          * I received this book from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review *