Thursday, December 12, 2013

The Wayfinding Bible Review

General Analysis

Book Title: The Wayfinding Bible

Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers

Publish Date:  October 1, 2013

Why I Read this Book: I signed up to review this Bible and received a free copy for review from the publisher.  I received no compensation for my honest review.

Find It Here: Amazon  (Affiliate Link)





In Depth Analysis

I first became interested in getting this Bible after my boyfriend showed me the trailer.  This Bible seemed so new and exciting and I had been praying for new ways to dive into God's Word.  Check out the awesome trailer below:




Exciting, right?!  I then saw that Tyndale House Publishers was asking for reviews for this Bible and I signed up to review it.  A few weeks later, I had it in the mail.

The first thing that caught my eye about this Bible is the beautiful cover!  The first few pages of the bible contain a description of the different paths that you can take: the flyover route, the direct route, or the scenic route.  I decided to partake in the flyover route for this review so that I could get the review out as soon as possible, but I plan on taking the other routes later and I might even post reviews of those routes also.

I am about half way through the flyover route and so far I am really enjoying this Bible.  The major format of this Bible is that there are paths that you can take, as described above.  At the top of the page, there are three lines (one for each path) that list: which page you came from, what story that you are at, and what the next page is in the path.  I love that there are specific Bible "paths" to take.  In the flyover route, you get to read a lot of the "main stories" of the Bible, such as David and Goliath, Jonah, and the creation story.  These really help to get the "big picture" of the Bible.  There are also side paths that take you through scriptures that discuss specific topics, such as marriage.  At the beginning of each book, there are also summaries of the book and a timeline of the approximate dates the events in that book occurred as well as surrounding events.  There are also infographics on almost every page, such as maps and charts, that relate to the text and make it easier to understand.  There is a lot of historical information in the infographics and in the articles at the top of every major story that help you to better understand the time period and the events that are occuring.  The notes at the tops of the pages also give new insights to the readings.  One of the things that I most look forward to about the Bible is the chronological path that is outlined in the back of the Bible.

There are also features that I like about the New Living Translation, as I have never read this translation before.  The text is similar to KJV/NKJV, but it is easier to understand.  One thing that I really enjoy is that the calendar system is translated into the current calendar system using other ancient texts.  I like this as it makes it easier to understand the time frame in between events.  For example, in the book of Esther it states that it was about a year between when Hamon announced the decree that would kill all of the Jews and when the Jews were actually intended to be killed.  I did not realize how long of a period there was between these events until I read this version of the Bible.

Overall, I believe that this Bible would be appropriate for all ages.  It is a new way to get into God's Word and it helps the reader to understand the "bigger picture" of the Bible.

Final Statements

Overall Rating:  5/5


    Sunday, December 8, 2013

    Rook Book Blast and Giveaway!



    rookRook

    Could you be the monster to save who you love?

    Two women, separated by generations, must leave what they know to start a new life. Seventeen-year-old Kate's senior year is ruined when she's moved from the only home she's ever known. After an isolating month alone in her apartment, school starts, but neither her classmates nor her teacher are who they seem. Kali, a single mother living in the nineteenth century wilds of Montana, is stalked by a malicious past. She fights to keep her daughter safe while her freedom is threatened by her less than benevolent benefactor. Both find love, and with it hope, but that is quickly ripped away as one woman must learn the lessons of the other -- before it's too late to save either.


    amazon blog


    Praise for Rook:

    "This book also drew me in. I couldn't let go of what was happening and when life intervened and forced me to close my computer I kept looking for a few moments to sit down and read some more.” Brookeworm, a Blog 4 Stars

    "Rook had me hooked from the first page. It all started so mysteriously that I just had to know what it was all about. “ Jannat Bhat, Obsessive Compulsive Reader 4 Stars

    “Rook is an amazing story that had me at the edge of my seat.” Tee Loves Kyle Jacobson Blog, 5 Stars



    Excerpt

    Is that him? Is he back?

    My legs jerked, kicking and twitching me around to face the sound. I managed to roll slightly, knocking against a soft, solid object at my feet. It grunted weakly, and immediately I recoiled as though I had been bitten. Squinting, I stared, willing my eyes to find light in the dark, but there was nothing.

    The sound of the runner drew closer, as if they would trample me any moment. A dim, swaying light appeared through the trees, burning away the inky edges of the deep shadows. When light and sound were almost upon me, branches above me snapped, spraying me in a shower of dried pine needles and snow.



    Rook copy


    Monica MAuthor Stella MacDonald

    Stella is a married graduate student with three boys. Utah is home right now, but the need to wander has extended beyond the fantasy world of writing and into real life. She's lived all around the US and even into the Middle East. The world is really a small place, only made bigger through imagination.



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    BookBlast $100 Giveaway
    $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
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