First Ask Why by Shelly Wildman (Book Review!)

First Ask Why: Raising Kids to Love God Through Intentional Discipleship

by Shelly Wildman

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Religion / Christian Life / Family

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2018

Number of pages- 176

Age Group- Adult (Parents)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4486-9

Parenting can be really tough.  We are bombarded with with information and advice, and we feel that we aren’t doing it right at all.  Most books focus on how to get the behavior we expect.  Shelly Wildman and her husband decided to focus on how to focus on your family and children individually.  No family is the same, so we need to focus on building a firm foundation for our children and families.

About the Author-

Shelly Wildman currently lives in Illinois and is a mom of three adult daughters.  She is a writer and speaker.

My thoughts-

This book is one of the most interesting parenting books I’ve read.  It really shows how to strengthen and grow my family.  I know as a Christian that it is important to help our children to grow in their life with God.  This book shows how Shelly Wildman and her husband did this in her family.

I like how this book is divided into four sections: “Our Charge,” “Our Challenge,” “Our Compassion,” and “Our Contribution.”  I could focus on the areas that I thought are the most important to our family at this point in time. 

I did spend a lot of time reading, underlining, and studying the information in this book, so I can best serve my children.  I really appreciated the questions at the end of each chapter, because they gave me a way to think more deeply about the chapter.

I would like to have a bibliography at the back of the book.  There were so many interesting books listed, that I an easy to view list of them.

I highly recommend this book to parents and soon-to-be parents. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received First Ask Why, by Shelly Wildman, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Wonder Years edited by Leslie Leyland Fields (Book Review!)

The Wonder Years: 40 Women Over 40 on Aging, Faith, Beauty, and Strength

edited Leslie Leyland Fields

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Religion / Christian Life / Inspirational

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2018

Number of pages- 232

Age Group- Adult (Women)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $15.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4522-4

Are you nearing 40 or are you past that and are dreading each birthday?  This book is filled with personal stories from 40 different women from the ages of 40-85.  These women have written from a Godly perspective for showing what life can be like after the age of 40.

About the Editor-

Leslie Leyland Fields currently lives in Alaska.  She is a speaker, author, and editor.  She is the founder of Harvest Island Wilderness Workshop.

My thoughts-

I’m over the age of 40, so the title of this book captured my attention.  I liked how it included the stories of 40 women between the ages of 40 and 85.  It shows what can be done for all the age groups.  There were stories from women I’d never hear of like:

• Jen Pollock Michel
• Win Couchman
• Jean Murray Walker

There were also stories from women who I had heard of like:

• Ann Voskamp
• Joni Eareckson Tada
• Madeline L’Engle

I like how the book was divided into three different sections about first, lasts, and always.  The way that the sections were divided showed me areas of my life that will soon be firsts and those that will be last.  It helped give me confidence that I will be able to manage them.  It is always better to have first-hand experience to read and learn from, and I appreciate this book for that.

I know that many women will find comfort with these stories on how to approach these coming years with dignity, so I recommend this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Wonder Years, edited by Leslie Leyland Fields, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Winning Miss Winthrop by Carolyn Miller (Book Review!)

Winning Miss Winthrop

A Promise of Hope (Book 1)

by April Cassidy

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Christian / Romance

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2018

Number of pages- 368

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $15.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4533-0

Jonathan Carlew and Catherine Winthrop never thought they would see each other again, but they are forced together by the death of her father.  Jonathan suddenly is the Lord of the Winthrop estate where Catherine grew up.  Catherine is forced to lived in the dower house, because her father wasn’t good with his money.

Will they be able to forget what happened in the past?  Will they learn to work together for the benefit of her mother and the estate?

About the Author-

Carolyn Miller currently lives in Australia with her husband and children and has long enjoyed Regency Romance.  She is a member of the Australian Christian Writers and the American Christian Fiction Writers.  Her website is www.carolynmillerauthor.com

My thoughts-

I enjoyed the books in the Legacy of Grace series, so I was excited to learn about Winning Miss Winthrop.  This novel didn’t disappoint. I was taken on a journey of during the Regency period in England.  I especially liked learning about the lifestyle in Bath.  It would be interesting to go there and see the buildings and imagine the lifestyle that used to be there.

The storyline between Jonathan and Catherine and their mothers was fun.  It’s always interesting how people can go through their daily lives and never discuss what’s bothering them.  They just pretend the problem doesn’t exist or perhaps the other person doesn’t exist.  It’s a good lesson for us that we always go to the person we have a problem with.  We’ll never be able to solve the problems if we keep it inside of ourselves.  I like being remembered of it when I read books like this.

I enjoyed Winning Miss Winthrop and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I recommend you read this too.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Winning Miss Winthrop, by Carolyn Miller, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

The Peaceful Mom by April Cassidy (Book Review)

The Peaceful Mom: Building a Healthy Foundation With Christ as Lord

by April Cassidy

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Religion / Christian Life / Family

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2018

Number of pages- 280

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $16.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4463-0

Do you know what it takes to be a peaceful mom? Or do you live in a very stressful house.  April Cassidy has written this book filled with Bible verses, personal stories, and lots of practical advice to help bring peace.

The Peaceful Mom was written in two parts, the first about your relationship with God, and the second one about how to parent on a daily basis.  There are also four appendices, which include more information about having a relationship with God.

About the Author-

April Cassidy currently lives in South Carolina with her family.  She blogs and is a part-time pharmacist.  She has written The Peaceful Wife and The Peaceful Single Girl.  Her website is www.peacefulwife.com.

My thoughts-

All of the pages in this book are full of information.  I could and should look at this book a few times a year to make sure I am taking advantage of the advice given by Cassidy.

I really liked how this book was divided into two sections, with one section about the relationship between God and myself and the other about parenting on a daily basis.  My favorite chapters were about avoiding mistakes and modeling respect. 

I liked:

• Cassidy’s personal stories and that of others.
• the Bible verses with lots of text to make it relevant to me.
• the prayers at the end of each chapter.

I would have liked to have:

• questions at the end of each chapters, so I could have a way to move forward.
• information at the end of that would recap the most important parts of the chapter.

I recommend this book to others.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received The Peaceful Mom, by April Cassidy, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

They Were Single Too by David M. Hoffeditz (Book Review!)

They Were Single Too: Eight Biblical Role Models

by David M. Hoffeditz

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Religion / Christian Life / Relationships

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2018

Number of pages- 160

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $13.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4528-6

It can be difficult to be single at church.  This book includes eight individuals from the Bible who lived a life of singleness: Paul, Anna, Martha, Jeremiah, Ruth, Joseph, Nehemiah, and John the Baptist.

About the Author-

David M. Hoffeditz is the president of Iron-2-Iron Ministries and teaches part-time at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School.  He is also the cofounder and director of Ancient Tours.

My thoughts-

They Were Single Too was a very complete book that discussed eight people of different ages who lived a life of singleness for God.  I thought it was well written, but hard to get into.  For me I think it was because it was written more as a lecture. 

I learned a lot about Ruth,  Martha, Paul and the others.  I know to them that being single was what made them who they needed to be for God.  There are ways to serve God when you’re single and when you’re married.  Each person needs to decide what is best for them for serving and being married.  The church needs to be aware that all people are needed in the church and work towards that. 

I liked how each chapter had personal stories from Hoffeditz and others, conclusions, and a section of questions for reflection. 

I think that this book would benefit both singles and married couples.  It would benefit married couples, because they need to see how much the singles are needed in the church and how they can be included.

I recommend it. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome, by Nancy C. Anderson, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Mending Broken Branches by Elizabeth Oates (Book Review!)

Mending Broken Branches: When God Reclaims Your Dysfunctional Family Tree

by Elizabeth Oates

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Christian Life / Women’s Issues

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2018

Number of pages- 226

Age Group- Adult (Women)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $17.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4426-5

Elizabeth Oates has written a book, that guides those who are struggling with dysfunction, with lots of information and space for taking notes and journaling.  She adds her stories and others to help women accept the past, understand the present, and create a positive future.

About the Author-

Elizabeth Oates currently lives in Waco, Texas with her husband and children.  She is the vice president and cofounder of Project Restoration Ministry.  She mentors women and spends time blogging. 

My thoughts-

This book is well written and powerful.  It has a good mix of information, stories from other women, and plenty of room to take notes and journal.  There were many thought provoking questions that could be used to help the reader learn about themselves and grow to be the person they desire to be. 

This book has been divided into three sections to discuss the past, present, and future.  I made sure to read “How to Use This Book,” before I began reading the book.  (I have learned that it’s important to read all text in a book.)  It talked about how to decide if the book was right for me and how to use the book. 

I hope the price of the book at almost $18 doesn’t turn women away.  I think that it is worth the price, because it is a combination of a book and workbook.  It contains a lot of information that can begin to help women who have broken branches to mend.  I recomend this book to women everywhere.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Mending Broken Branches, by Elizabeth Oates, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome

Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome: How to Grow Affair-Proof Hedges Around Your Marriage

by Nancy C. Anderson

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Christian Life / Love & Marriage

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2017

Number of pages- 152

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $12.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4496-8

This book was written after Nancy Anderson strayed from her marriage, then returned after reconciling with her husband.  She wrote this book to offer hope and pratical advice to help protect and grow your marriage.  In this book she will focus on putting six hedges (hearing, dating, and more) around your marriage to help keep it safe.

About the Author-

Nancy C. Anderson currently lives in California with her husband.  She has contributed to more than 30 books.  She has also been featured in media such as, World, Our Daily Bread, and FamilyLife Today. 

My thoughts-

Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome is one of the best nonfiction books that I have read in a long time.  This book had so much information, but was easy to read, understand, and implement.  Each chapter had a several different sections:

• “Things to Think About
• “Things to Do
• sometimes there is also recommended reading.

I liked those sections at the end of each chapter, because it helped tie each chapter together.  It was also a nice way to learn different ways to strengthen my own marriage.

The stories of others and of Anderson really helped me realize what can happen in a marriage and how to improve it.  This book would be really helpful for those who need help in strengthening their marriage, learning how to put up hedges, or some ways to help a troubled marriage.  It would also help those who are looking to get married.  It would help them have a good beginning to their marriage.  I recommend this book to all adults, single and married.

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Avoiding the Greener Grass Syndrome, by Nancy C. Anderson, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

A Song of Home by Susie Finkbeiner (Book Review!)

A Song of Home: A Novel of the Swing Era

by Susie Finkbeiner

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Christian / Historical

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2017

Number of pages- 312

Age Group- Adult

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $14.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4482-1

It’s late 1935 and early 1936, Pearl Spence and her family have settle into life in Bliss, Michigan without her mother.  She has the support of the rest of the family to keep her going.  She has continued her interest in reading and has a new interest, music.  She especially likes swing dance music and learns to enjoy swing dancing.  Her mother returns to the family and nobody is happy.  She treat’s Pearl’s dad terribly.  Pearl wants her to leave.  Will she leave?  Whose baby is she carrying?  Will Pearl be able to continue to enjoy swing dancing?

About the Author-

Susie Finkbeiner is currently from Michigan.  She is a blogger, stay-at-home mom, author, and speaker.  Her other books include My Mother’s Chronicle, A Cup of Dust, and A Song of Home.  Her website is www.susiefinkbeiner.com.

My thoughts-

I liked how this cover had a rainbow like A Cup of Dust and A Trail of Crumbs.  It helps ties them together.  It shows the reader that the books belong together and are part of a series.

After all the tragedies in the first two books, I hoped Pearl and her family would finally have some peace and stability.  Pearl was enjoying more time with Aunt Carrie, Ray, and Opal.  In that way she was able to have the stability that she needed after her sister died, they moved, and her mama left.  It was all turned around when her mama came back.  Pearl was very upset when she came back.  I don’t blame Pearl, because her mama wasn’t very kind to her family or others in town.  It even got worse before it got better.  The surprise is at the end, but I’m not going to spoil it for you. 

The main thing I noticed in this book was the lack of God and the church compared to the other two books.  While the mention of God wasn’t there, He was still noticeable in the way that everyone was treated.  Aunt Carrie and Pearl’s father were two people that I noticed treated all people in God’s way.

I appreciated the discussion questions at the end of the book.  Discussion questions always help tie the book together and help the reader remember the book for a longer period of time.  The “Afterword” about the Swing Era was also helpful to give me more information about the time period.

I recommend A Song of Home to all adult readers.  It would be a good idea to read the other two books first, so you’ll learn more about Pearl and her family.  If you’re unable to, you’ll still enjoy this one. 

Disclosure of Material Connection- I received A Song of Home, by Susie Finkbeiner, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.

Andi Lassos Trouble and Andi to the Rescue by Susan K. Marlow (2 Book Reviews!)

Andi Lassos Trouble

(Circle C Stepping Stones #3)

by Susan K. Marlow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Historical / Christian / Juvenile

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2017

Number of pages- 112

Age Group- Juvenile (ages 7-10)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $7.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4432-6

Andi’s family ranch, the Circle C, is going to host a rodeo with two other local ranches.  The cowboys are excited and so is Andi.  She wants wants to compete just like the cowboys.  Will her brother, Chad,  and their mother let her?  Will the rodeo be safe for everyone?  What happens when Andi’s guests arrive?

Andi to the Rescue

(Circle C Stepping Stones #4)

by Susan K. Marlow

(received in exchange for an honest review)

Genre- Fiction / Historical / Christian / Young Adult

Published by- Kregel Publications

Copyrighted- 2017

Number of pages- 112

Age Group- Juvenile (ages 7-10)

Description of book- paperback, listed price- $7.99, ISBN 978-0-8254-4431-9

Mother is going to be the substitute teacher at Andi’s school until Miss Hall is well.  Andi’s embarrassed, but soon that will be the least of her problems.  Outlaws think that Andi and her mother are someone else and kidnap them.  Mother is supposed to teach the outlaw how to read.  Andi’s scared, but her mother tries keep her safe.  Will the outlaws hurt them?  Will Andi be able to escape?  Does anyone know where they went?
About the Author-
Susan K. Marlow currently lives in Washington.  She writes books, teaches writing workshops, and shares information about being a homeschooling parent.  Her website is CircleCMilestones.com.
My thoughts-
I thoroughly enjoyed both of these books.  I know that these books are for younger girls, but I really get a kick out of reading about Andi.  She reminds me a little bit of Mandie, from the book series by Lois Gladys Leppard.  They both have spirit and are girls that every girl should strive to be.

I really liked the definitions at the beginning of the book.  I was glad that they were at the beginning of the book, so that the readers will know the words before they read them.  They were also words that some children may not know.  I also like the table of contents.  It’s so helpful when books have them, because if you want to go back to check something it’s easy to do.  Other than the story, the other good part in these books is the small section containing historical information at the end of the books.  I liked the information about rodeo history and that about Black Bart, a gentleman outlaw. I wish she had included a little bit of information about the troubles between the ranchers and sheepherders, since it was a subject in Andi Lassos Trouble.
These books are excellent for young girls.  I’m sure that they will become classics for this generation and those to come. 
Disclosure of Material Connection- I received Andi Lassos Trouble and Andi to the Rescue, by Susan K. Marlow, for free from Kregel Publications’ Blog Tour.  All links were current when posted.  I was not required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own or those of my family.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255.