Women are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends

Women are Scary: The Totally Awkward Adventure of Finding Mom Friends didn’t make me snort laugh or appreciate sci-fi references (sorry, Melanie), but it did make feel as though I know the author as a friend and appreciate her as a woman enough to call her by her first name.

Melanie’s words help moms. She puts her whole self into her writing and tells the truth: that all women are scary and all women are scared. She shows women how to navigate from the awkward “hi” at a children’s ballet lesson to a risky “let’s meet up at the park” to the daring “want to come over to my house for a play date?” 

This quick-read held my attention to the end. Of course there were parts that I was tempted to brush over, but I didn’t – probably because the writing was captivating (and there are illustrations). I recommend this book to other people. Like most books about life/relationships the premise is common sense, but Melanie writes in a way that soothes and empowers her readers. She guides as all to be better. She is funny and honest and helpful.

These lines sum up Melanie’s message: “We aren’t just moms. We are just a connected organism of nurturing world changers. And that is just awesome” (229).

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

"God Bless Our Country" by Mike Berenstain

“God Bless Our Country” by Mike Berenstain teaches Brother and Sister and readers about the birth of America and the Fourth of July birthday celebration.

This children’s book is primarily for children in kindergarten, as they are the ones who would not be familiar with Fourth of July celebrations. The story (which comes with stickers!) teaches that the birth of America was God’s will. It also shows different aspects of a Fourth of July celebration including families participating together, respecting veterans, preparing to participate in a parade, community involvement, music, and tributes to past presidents.  

Out of the three Mike Berenstain books that I’ve read, this one is the best because it presents the spiritual message seamlessly. In other books it’s seemed like an afterthought thrown in, but in this book it’s simple, but powerful and unobtrusive. Berenstain does a clever job of weaving Biblical references in with the theme of honey. Mama says, “‘As the Bible says . . . He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.’” Meanwhile, Sister is eating honey, and the illustration shows Papa collecting honey from a tree. The illustrations seem to be less vibrant than other Berenstain Bear books I’ve read, but they’re still captivating. And as always, the back of the book contains activities and questions to prompt discussion between parents and children, which is nice touch.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review. 

God’s Story in 66 Verses by Stan Guthrie tells the Bible’s story in easily digestible bits.

 

Guthrie pulls one verse out of each chapter of the Bible and uses that verse to tell the story of that book. For example, Chapter 1 is titled “Genesis 15:6: He believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness.” The Chapter then goes on to tell the story of the entire book beginning with verse 1 – Guthrie includes verse references and some direct quotes in his summaries as well as sometimes referring to verses from other books of the Bible.

This book is what I’ve been looking for. So often when reading the Old Testament, I find myself asking, “Who is this prophet?” “Where are the Israelites now?” “Have the Israelites become two nations?” “What is happening?” Not until reading this book have I been able to clearly see and know the Old Testament story of the Israelites. By focusing on just one verse in each book, I have better understood the Bible’s story. Each chapter is 2-3 pages in length and is packed with chronology, quotes, and clarity. I’ve been telling my friends about this book, and if they haven’t purchased a copy by Christmas time, this is what I’ll be getting them.

I highly recommend this book to others.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

 

The Leadership Handbook by John C. Maxwell

John C. Maxwell’s The Leadership Handbook: 26 Critical Lessons Every Leader Needs is just what the title promises it to be.

Maxwell tells readers that he has taken many ideas from his other books (and some new ideas) and compiled them into this handbook. He recommends that this book be read thoroughly and intentionally used as a handbook for people who are actively leading others. Each chapter is a lesson, and each chapter ends with “Application Exercises” which are intended for the reader to apply the lesson from the chapter. Following that there is a “Mentor Moment” which concludes each chapter. These give tips on how to share the lesson with those the reader is leading.

I haven’t read any of John C. Maxwell’s other books, but now I think I’d like to. I was not the target audience for this book, but I can definitely see how spending Maxwell’s recommended week with each chapter would be beneficial if I were the target audience. While at times a lot of what was written seemed to be common sense, Maxwell brought a new light to some issues. One lesson that will stick with me is the title of Chapter 9: “To See How the Leader is Doing, Look at the People.” Maxwell also gives the glory to God, which I appreciate, and on page 33 he makes a comical reference to Moses’ leadership situation. Also, Maxwell includes tips from other experts: I found his list of “Six Rules for Successful Leadership” by Jack Welch (page 67) to be particularly telling.

I recommend this book to others. If used intentionally, this book could make a difference.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

"The Biggest Brag" by Mike Berenstain

“The Biggest Brag” by Mike Berenstain captures Brother and Sister in the midst of a sibling rivalry where outdoing one another is their principal pastime.

This children’s book could be enjoyed by children of all ages. After boasting and bragging and trying to outdo each other with grades, sports, and even seeing images in the clouds, the message of the story is brought through Gramps who reminds the cubs that the Bible says that with pride comes strife.

This is the second book I’ve read by Mike Berenstain, and what captured me the most in this book were the illustrations. In typical Berenstain fashion, pages contain snippets of the Bears in various situations which allow readers to know many facets of the Cubs’ lives. However, there are some full-page spreads too which allow readers to immerse themselves in Bear Country. The illustrations are vibrant and detailed, and the message is presented clearly. However, there is only one mention of the Bible, and I think that more would have been an advantage. The back of the book contains activities and questions to prompt discussion between parents and children, which is nice touch.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review. 

From this Day Forward: Five Commitments to Fail-Proof Your Marriage by Craig and Amy Groeschel

From this Day Forward: Five Commitments to Fail-Proof Your Marriage by Craig and Amy Groeschel is what readers would expect: a real, slightly sappy, and slightly comical, book of advice about marriage.

Craig Groeschel writes the chapters and leaves Amy a few pages at the end of each to insert a woman’s perspective. Craig gives a lot of personal examples – successes and failures – which of course help to endear his readers to him. The three commitments that the Groeschels address are 1) Seek god, 2) Fight fair, 3) Have fun, 4) Stay pure, and 5) Never give up.

This book was interesting. I chose to read it because it seemed as though it would be a concise, helpful reminder about how to freshen up a marriage. It was – and it was even a little less cheesy than I thought it might be. Craig Groeschel’s undertone is genuine – when I read I believed the advice that he was giving me because it seemed in tune with God’s design. I really only got a couple of lasting take-aways from this book, but perhaps that’s enough. Other parts will appeal to other people.

I recommend this as a book with basic ideas. It didn’t present any “wow” ideas, but it did offer some tips.

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.

The First Christmas Ever, Illustrated by Dennis Jones

The First Christmas Ever illustrated by Dennis Jones delivers the happiness that the cover art suggests that it will.  

The highlight of this children’s book, as hinted by the fact that an illustrator but no author is listed for the book, is the artwork. It is the story of Baby Jesus. The story begins with Mary and Joseph traveling to Bethlehem and ends with a statement and pictures about Baby Jesus growing up and doing his Father’s work. The back cover of the book says that the book is for ages 4-8, but children as young as age 1 would be attracted to the pictures.

The cover illustration is what lured me to this book, and I was not disappointed. A strong, spiritual message is conveyed through the words and artwork. Dennis Jones has a talent for telling the story through his art. Every detail he includes seems to be intentional. What I noticed most were the character’s expressions. They gave a perspective that was not written down and that pushed me to recognize the character’s thoughts and anxieties during this story. I expected to read a story I’d read many times and simply enjoy the artwork, but the artwork actually made me see this age-old story differently – Jones’ details made me empathize with Mary, Joseph, Jesus, and the shepherds and to see the story through their eyes. I definitely recommend this book to others.  

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The publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookSneeze®. I was not required to write a positive review.