Book Review: The Fifth Avenue Story Society

The Fifth Avenue Story Society
by Rachel Hauck
Thomas Nelson--FICTION

Thomas Nelson
Christian , Romance
Pub Date 04 Feb 2020


I am reviewing a copy of The Fifth Avenue Story Society through Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley:



An unexpected invitation to join the fifth avenue story society gives five people in New York a chance to rewrite there own stories.



Lexa is an underpaid executive assistant deserving of a raise, and a promotion but her both seems to be determined to keep her underpaid, and under employed.


Jett is a literary professor as a broken heart as well as the nagging suspicion his literary idol, Gordon Phillips Roth , may have been a fraud.





Chuck.is an Uber driver who only wants his ex wife to let him see his kids.




Ed is an aging widower who lost the love of his life early in there marriage, so he wants to write the story of the love of his life.




Coral is the queen of the cosmetic industry, who broke off her engagement and is on the verge of losing her great grandmothers multimillion dollar empire.



At first the five New Yorkers believe that the anonymous invitation is some kind of practical joke, because no one seems to know where the invitation comes from.  No one heard of the Fifth Avenue Story Society before then, and none of them really want to bare there souls in a room full of strangers.


Despite their questions though, they all come back  every week, there curiosity getting the better of them.  In the old library week after week these five people discover the stories of their heart, and the kind of friendship and love that helps heal broken hearts.


I am reviewing a copy of The Fifth Avenue Story Society, five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Inconvenient Memories

Inconvenient Memories
A Personal Account
 of the Tiananmen Square Incident
and the China Before and After
by Anna Wang


Purple Pegasus

Biographies & Memoirs ,
History
Pub Date 15 May 2019


I am reviewing a copy of  Inconvenient Memories:  A Personal Account of the Tianamen Square Incident through Purple Peagasus and Netgalley:


I was not quite twelve when the events of Tiananmen square took place, I'd watch them unfold on the news programs, probably not thinkinking much of it, because it seemed like a world away from my home in Northern California, but as I grew older I started to get a better idea that they were fighting for something important, something that we took for granted.


In 1989 Anna Wang  was coming of age amidst the Tianamen Square Protests.  She was one of the lucky ones because she was working for Cannon, at the time, everyday she would have to travel between her Grandmothers commune style apartment, that was falling apart, to an extravagant office just steps from Tianamen square.  Traveling Bejing's buses that were always overcrowded where the social and economic equalities were laid out before her eyes.


Anna Wang was sent to Tianamen square on a daily basis because her Japanese boss worried how these protests would effect his business, she would take pictures so her boss could analyze the situation in Tianamen square.


Told from the perspective of a woman from China'emerging middle class Inconvenient Memories is an eye opening story of the events that took place in Tianamen Square in 1989.


I give Inconvenient Memories five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Book Review: When God Rescripts Your Life

When God Rescripts Your Life

Seeing Value, Beauty, and Purpose 

When Life Is Interrupted

by Jaci Velasquez

Nelson Books

Thomas Nelson

Christian

Pub Date 

08 Oct 2019

I am reviewing a copy of When God Rescripts Your Life through Thomas Nelson and Netgalley:

At a young age Jaci Velasquez's career sky rocketed her to stardom, she then had a thriving marriage.  But suddenly her both her marriage and career crashed down.  She lost her reputation, her career, her record label and even some of her most cherished relationships.  She had to redefine herself not as a Christian music darling or a broken young woman but as a beloved child of God. Today, she has a resurrected career, and a better definition of herself, as a Child of God, and the Mother of a child with autism.  She talks about the ups and downs of her life and career  as well as the ups and downs of mothering a child with Autism.

Jaci Velasquez was a super star in the Christian Music industry in the 90's and early 2000's but fell from fame, lost her marriage, her career, and became a single Mother, this is not a story of loss though, it is a story of redefining her life in Christ.

I give When God Rescripts Your Life, five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Writing Joy On My Heart

Writing Joy on My Heart
A 6-Week Bible Memory Devotional
by Jean Fischer
Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Barbour Books
Christian
Pub Date
01 Apr 2020


I am reviewing a copy of Writing Joy On My Heart: A 6-Week Bible Memory Devotional through Barbour Books and Netgalley:


In this book we are reminded that though life is strewn with obstobstacless the Lord is there to help us if we seek his guidance.

On week one day one, the various authors of this devotional remind us that "Life’s path, your journey from birth to death, is strewn with obstacles intended to steal your happiness. Satan will deliberately put roadblocks in your way."  We are faced with obstacles but we are also blessed with joys.


This book reminds us that to discover true joy.
, we should start small.  Notice the little things that make us happy.


We are reminded too that learning to trust Jesus means putting him first.   In order to trust God, you first need Faith. 


This six week devotional would make a great edition to your personal Bible Study time.


I give Writing Joy on My Heart five out of five stars!


Happy

Book Review: How to Be A Praying Girl of God

How to Be a Praying Girl of God

by Compiled by Barbour Staff

Barbour Publishing, Inc.

Shiloh Kidz

Children's Nonfiction 

Christian

Pub Date 01 Apr 2020

I am reviewing a copy of How to Be A Praying Girl of God through Shiloh Kidz/And Barbour Publishing Netgalley:

 This book reminds us that it is important that we never stop Praying.  We are reminded to that the reason we should constantly pray is that we should constantly pray because God is our Father, and that he loves us so he wants that relationship with us.  

Young girls are reminded to that God really wants to hear everything the good and the bad in our times of prayer.  

If you are looking for a devotional, that will help the young girl in your life grow closer to God, then I would highly recommend How to Be A Praying Girl of God!

Five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Why Writing Matters

Why Writing Matters

by Nicholas Delbanco

 Yale University Press

 Nonfiction (Adult)

Pub Date 17 Mar 2020

I am reviewing a copy of Why Writing Matters  through Yale University Press and Netgalley:

Writing matters, but why does it matter? 

Nicole’s Delbanco reminds us that “So somewhere in some distant place and time some someone made a mark on stone or wood or ice or clay or sand and somebody else understood it and the process of writing began.”

This book is the newest in Yale University Press Why X Matters series.  Distinguished writer and scholar Nicholas Delbanco tackles important questions about the discipline of writing.  Delbanco draws from his own experiences with mentors, John Updike, John Gardener, and James Baldwin.  Delbanco in turn went on to teach such rising stars such as Jesmyn Ward.  The author focuses on questions of influence and the contradiction that simultaneously moves us towards imitation, but also originality.  A contradiction in itself.  

Why Writing Matters is part memoir, part literary history, as well as part analysis.  This unique book will resonate with students, writers, writing teachers, and bibliophiles.

I give Why Writing Matters five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Stop Calling Me Beautiful

Stop Calling Me Beautiful

Finding Soul-Deep Strength in a Skin-Deep World by Phylicia Masonheimer

 [Harvest House 

 [Christian ,  [Religion & Spirituality]

Pub Date 18 Feb 2020

I am reviewing a copy of Stop Calling Me Beautiful through Harvest House Publishers and Netgalley:

We as Christian women are beautiful in the eyes of the Lord, but that is not the most important thing the fact that we are Children of God and that he loves us is far more important.

“Being told we’re beautiful in God’s eyes is a surface response to a soul-deep problem. That problem is our own sinfulness.“   Phylicia Masonheimer tells us in the opening of Stop Calling Me Beautiful.  

Masonheimer reminds that the true gospel is available to us through God’s word.  Because of that it is important that we learn to study it, that we allow ourselves to grow in understanding.

Masonheimer reminds us “God wants us to experience Him. But experiencing God doesn’t begin with emotion. It begins with desire, and it is accomplished by diligence.”   Experiencing God is not just an emotional experience, it is in fact an all encompassing experience, or at least that is what it is meant to be.

In this book we are reminded too that the right way to be a Christian is to follow the word of God.  

This book is great for those of us who are tired of hearing watered down Christian teachings, and are hungry for a deeper spiritual life.   A spiritual life that gives real answers to your difficult questions.  If you are looking to grow in your spiritual walk, then I would highly recommend Stop Calling Me Beautiful!

I give this book five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!