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!

Book Review: Beyond Betrayal

Beyond Betrayal

Overcome Past Hurts and Begin to Trust Again

by Phil Waldrep

 Harvest House Publishers 

 Christian  ,  Religion & Spirituality 

Pub Date 11 Feb 2020

I am reviewing a copy of Beyond Betrayal through Harvest House Publishers and Netgalley:

Have you ever been betrayed by someone you love, someone you trusted?  Like most of us, I am sure you have, and it changes things between you and the person who betrayed you doesn’t it?  It truly hurts.

There are other very painful events in life, but Betrayal is unique in the effect it has on us!  

In Beyond Betrayal Phil Waldrep reminds us, his readers that “When you give someone your love and trust, you also give them the ability to wound and hurt you like no one else can.”

The author reminds us that anger is a normal human emotion, and that is in fact okay to get angry, anger in itself isn’t bad he reminds us.  He goes on to tell us that Anger is a normal human reaction but allowing that anger to control you is not!

Author Philip Waldrep reminds us “We are called to forgive, but only God can forgive and forget. Too many people try to be super‑Christian and convince them‑ selves they can forgive and forget what happened.”.   We can forgive, through God, but it is only God who can wipe the slate clean, the memory of the pain the betrayer caused you!  He goes on to remind us that forgiving is not forgetting , but it is letting go of your right to pay your betrayer back for the pain they caused!

It is crucial for our healing that we allow the Lord to heal our hurt and heartbreak, so that he can turn our pain into something good.  Journaling can help too.

Waldrep reminds us too that Betrayal is an act of selfishness.  

When we are fresh from Betrayal it is hard to even think about forgiveness our pain is so fresh and new, but if we give it to God he will help us through that difficult time, and give us the strength we need to forgive!

One quotation from Beyond Betrayal sums it up well:  “Being betrayed hurts. And just because a BandAid is good to stop the bleeding, that doesn’t mean the pain will go away when you put it on. Healing will take some time.”

We are reminded too, something that at times seems obvious which Is that Pain Changes People, but at times I think we tend to overlook that fact, and see the change in that person!

If you are dealing with Betrayal, and want to know helpful ways to work through it, ways based on Biblical Principles, then I would highly recommend Phillip Waldrep’s Beyond Betrayal.

I give this book five out of five stars! 

Happy Reading!

Book Review: Welcome to Adulting Survival Guide

 Welcome to Adulting Survival Guide

42 Days to Navigate Life

by Jonathan Pokluda

 Baker Books 

 Christian 

Pub Date 03 Sep 2019 

I am reviewing a copy of Welcome to Adulting Survival Guide through Baker Books and Netgalley:

For a lot of young people they find the transition to adulthood a difficult one, with plenty of opportunity to make mistakes as well as bad choices.  The once clear expectations of hope and school are gone, and they likely fear what comes next but it doesn’t have to be so complicated.

If you have a teen transitioning to adulthood, then  Welcome to Adulting Survival Guide would be a great book to give them.  I found the advice in this book to be helpful for those transitioning to adulthood!

I give Welcome to Adulting Survival Guide four out of five stars!

Book Review: The Undesirables

The Undesirables

by Chad Thumann

 Lake Union Publishing 

 Historical Fiction  ,  Women's Fiction 

Pub Date 18 Oct 2016 

I am reviewing a copy of The Undesirables through Lake Union Publishing and Netgalley:

It is the winter of 1941-1942 Leningrad is under siege, and Karen Hamilton, a seventeen year old American musician, who finds herself trapped and struggling  to survive.  All through the city, people are starving to death or frostbite and Karen knows she will die herself is she does not escape herself.  If she has any hope of leaving Russia and Reuniting with her fiancé Bobby who was in New York, she must cross the enemy lines.

On this dangerous journey, Karen meets Petr, a young conscripted Russian Soldier.  She isn’t certain she can trust him and he is wary of trusting her.  But soon they join forces to stay alive, an unexpected romance begins to grow.

As the reality of escape gets closer Karen must decide If she and Petr will stay in worn torn Russia, or will she return to a safe life in America.

I give The Undesirables five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Elephant’s Girl

The Elephant's Girl

by Celesta Rimington

Random House Children's

Crown Books for Young Readers

Children's Fiction , Middle Grade

Pub Date 19 May 2020

I am reviewing a copy of The Elephant’s Girl through Random House Children’s through Crown Books for Young Readers:

An Elephant does not forget, but Lexington Willow cannot remember what happened before she was swept away when she was a toddler.  The only thing she knows is the Tornado landed her in an enclosure in a Nebraska Zoo and there an elephant named Nyah protected her from the storm.  There was no trace of her birth family so Lex grew up at the Zoo, with Nyah her elephant family, her foster father Roger, and her best friend, Fisher, and the wind whispering in her ear.


At twelve Lexi is finally old enough to help with the Elephants.  During the first training session Nyah sends her a telepathic image of the woods outside the zoo.  Even as the wind protests Lexi decides to look into Nyah’s message and gets wrapped up into an adventure involving ghosts, treasures and a secret that may lead Lexi to the family she lost.  As she begins the search for answers she realizes she must find the courage to leave the area surrounding the Zoo in order to discover who she really is...and why the tornado brought her to the Zoo all the years before.


I give The Elephants Girl five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

Book Review: The Words I Never Wrote

The Words I Never Wrote

A Novel

by Jane Thynne 

 Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine 

Ballantine Books

 Historical Fiction  ,  Mystery & Thrillers 

Pub Date 21 Jan 2020

I am reviewing a copy of The Words I Never Wrote through Netgalley and Ballantine Books:


I must say I am really impressed with this novel, the plot line, the characters, they all come a live on the page.

In present day New York Juno Lambert decides to buy a 1931 Underwood Typewriter that had belonged to the late celebrated journalist Cordeila Capel.  The owner of the shop tries to convince her to buy another model, but Juno feels something is special about this one.  Inside it’s case is an unfinished novel that tells of a transatlantic journey to fill in the secrets that lie between Cordelia and her sister.




1936 Europe Cordelia’s sister a socialist marries a German Industrialist, who quickly whisks her away to Berlin.  Cordelia is feistier and more intellectual than Irene pursues her Journalistic career in Paris. Letters sent by her sister as politics begin to boil over in Europe, begin to show Cordeila that Irene is married to a Nazi Sympathizer.  With an increasing desperation, Cordeila writes to her sister.  As life in Nazi Germany Darkens, Irene no longer feels safe telling her sister what her existence is truly life, so Cordelia writes the truth on her Underwood Typewriter!


As Juno reads the Unfinished Novel, she resolves to uncover what happened between Irene and Cordelia.


This powerful novel draws you in and doesn’t let you go, therefore I find The Words I Never Wrote five out of five stars!



Happy Reading!

Book Review: Teen Writer’s Guide: Your Road Map to Writing

Teen Writer's Guide: Your Road Map to Writing

by Jennifer Jenkins

Owl Hollow Press

Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA), Members' Titles

Reference , Teens & YA

Pub Date 24 Mar 2020

I am reviewing Teen Writer’s Guide: Your Road Map to Writing through Owl Hollow Press:

Can you use your imagination to turn a single picture into a plot line, if you can this book is just the ticket for you.

Before you begin with your short story, novel or other piece of writing ask yourself if this is a genre you would read?  Is your story idea one you could find yourself reading, that will help you in the telling of the story.  It is important too decide who is going to narrate your story, will it be the main character or someone or something all together different.

You will need to decide too whether your story will be told in the First, Second or Third Person POV, noting that most stories are told in the first or third person point of view.

You will need to decide too the main conflict of the story you are telling.  And ask yourself too what is at stake if your hero or heroine does not succeed in his quest.  Ask yourself too what your characters main goal is what does he or she want to achieve above all else?  Make sure your characters fit the story you are telling as well, not all characters will fit in all stories. 

This book would be a great addition to the library of the young adult in your life who has showed an interest in writing, or a great addition to the High School English or Creative Writing Class.  

I give Teen Wrier’s Guide: Your Road Map to Writing five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!