Book Review:Serenity

 

Serenity

Poems

by F.S. Yousaf

Pub Date 01 Mar 2022 

 Andrews McMeel Publishing 

 Poetry 

I am reviewing a copy of Serenity through Andrew’s Mcmeel Publishing and Netgalley:

Serenity is a collection of poetry that  is both soft spoken and powerful.  Serenity captures the constant battle of fear and courage that lives within us.

There are a hundred poems featured in Serenity, with accompanying illustrations.  This collection of poetry allows for the perfect escape to daily life   

helping readers refocus energy and kindness toward themselves and their cherished relationships.

I give Serenity five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Out of the Dark

 

Out of the Dark

My Journey Through the Shadows to Find God's Joy

by Mandisa

Pub Date 15 Mar 2022 

 K-LOVE Books,  Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles

 Biographies & Memoirs  |  Christian  |  Religion & Spirituality 

I am reviewing a copy of Out of the Dark through K-Love Books, Independent Publishers Association and Netgalley:

Out of the Dark is Mandisa’s exploration of the journey she’s taken from when she first became a Christian,  it also speak of her rise as an American Idol finalist and receiving multiple Grammy and Dove Award nominations, as well as the dark and challenging times she experienced along the way.   

In Out of the Darkness Mandissa tells her story with warmth and vulnerability, challenging us all to focus on God’s purpose for our lives. She calls readers to surround themselves with friends who will fight for and with them and to face life’s challenges with courage and faith.

While in the darkness Mandissa knew God was there — but she wondered if she could trust Him. Even at her lowest point where she saw no human way forward, God was at work, powerfully redeeming her story and calling her out of the dark.

I give Out of the Dark five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Aggressively Happy

 

Aggressively Happy

A Realist's Guide to Believing in the Goodness of Life

by Joy Marie Clarkson

Pub Date 15 Feb 2022 | 

 Bethany House,  Bethany House Publishers

 Christian 

I am reviewing a copy of Aggressively Happy through Bethany House Publishers and Netgalley:

We live in a world that can be exhausting, despairing, and cynical.  But the good news is that we don’t have to be.  

Instead of a life full of cynicism you can unlock the power to a happy life--an act of defiance that will make you more resilient in times of turmoil, pain, and chaos. Cultivating happiness takes grit, determination, and a good sense of humor. It's not always easy, but it's well worth it.

If you are looking for a book that reminds you that you can find joy in a world that is often full of cynicism, then Aggressively Happy is the book for you!

I give Aggressively Happy Five out of Five Stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Until Leaves Fall In Paris

 

Until Leaves Fall in Paris

by Sarah Sundin

Pub Date 01 Feb 2022 | Archive Date 01 Mar 2022

 Revell 

 Christian  |  Historical Fiction  |  Romance

I am reviewing a copy of Until Leaves Fall In Paris through Revell and Netgalley:

 American ballerina Lucie Girard buys her favorite English-language bookstore to allow the Jewish owners to escape.  This as the Nazis march toward Paris in 1940.  Lucie struggles to run Green Leaf Books due to oppressive German laws and harsh conditions, but she finds a way to aid the resistance by passing secret messages between the pages of her books.

Paul Aubrey  Is a widower who wants nothing more than to return to the States with his little girl, but the US Army convinces him to keep his factory running and obtain military information from his German customers.  As the war rages on, Paul offers his own resistance by sabotaging his product and hiding British airmen in his factory. After they meet in the bookstore, Paul and Lucie are drawn to each other, but she rejects him when she discovers he sells to the Germans. And for Paul to win her trust would mean betraying his mission.

I give Until the Leaves Fall In Paris five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water

 

The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water

A Novel

by Erin Bartels

Pub Date 04 Jan 2022 | 

 Revell 

 Literary Fiction  |  Women's Fiction 

I am reviewing a copy of The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water through Revell and Netgalley:

Kendra Brennan, a novelist,  moves into her grandfather's old cabin on Hidden Lake, she has a problem and a plan.  Her problem An inflammatory letter from A Very Disappointed Reader. The plan?  Her Plan To confront Tyler, her childhood best friend's brother--and the man who inspired the antagonist in her first book.  she can prove that she told the truth about what happened during those long-ago summers, perhaps she can put the letter's claims to rest and meet the swiftly approaching deadline for her next book.

But the discoveries that come as she delves into the murky past, are not what she expected. While facing Tyler isn't easy, facing the consequences of her failed friendship with his sister, Cami, may be the hardest thing she's ever had to do.   

This book takes us plumb into the depths of the human heart with this emotional exploration of how a friendship dies, how we can face the unforgivable, and how even those who have been hurt can learn to love with abandon.

I give The Girl Who Could Breathe Under Water five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: 3:16

 

3:16

The Numbers of Hope

by Max Lucado

Pub Date 01 Feb 2022 

 Thomas Nelson--LUCADO BRAND,  Thomas Nelson

 Christian 

I am reviewing a copy of 3:16: The Numbers of Hope through Thomas Nelson-Lucado Brand and Netgalley:

Best Selling Author Max Lucado  encourages us to study closely the “Hope Diamond of the Bible In 3:16:

When Max Lucado talks of his favorite verse (John 3:16) he says “Every time I recall these words, they are fresh and as stunning as my first encounter with them. The mind-bending awareness of God’s limitless love, his incalculable sacrifice, and the priceless teaching at the core. How can we not review it again and again? I want this generation, and all who come after, to look closely at the key promise of God and choose the gift beyond all gifts.”

In this updated and expanded edition of 3:16, Max will invite you to:

☐ Stand in awe of how deep, wide, long, and high God’s love is for you

☐ Understand more fully the living hope you have through Jesus’ death and resurrection

☐ Rest in the assurance that salvation is a gift from God, not something you can earn.

If you are unfamiliar with the Bible 3:16.  3;16 invites you to know God’s love deeply and intimately. And once you accept God’s love, your life will never be the same.

Let John 3:16 become the banner of your life, so much so that the message of God’s unending and unbending love overflows from you to others.

I give 3:16 five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Same Beat

The Same Beat

by Dakota Britton-Barrows

Pub Date 01 Jan 2022 | Archive Date 02 Jan 2022

 West 44 Books 

 Poetry  |  Teens & YA

I am reviewing a copy of The Same Beat through West 44 Books and :

To Teagan  words matter, words like best friends forever and future.  Teegan takes an opportunity to go to New York City for journalism camp, where she is assigned to work the same beat as brilliant, complex Marcy. 

As Teegan starts to fall in love with Marcy, she realizes the need to discover her own voice. Can she find the right words to say how she feels, and the courage to figure out what she wants before their summer is over.

I give The Same Beat three out of five stars!

Happy Reading!