Book Review: Hide and Watch by Jill Hicks Lawson

Book Title: Hide and Watch

Author: Jill Hicks Lawson

Publish Date: January 21, 2010

Genre: Christian Nonfiction

Plot (from Goodreads):  

Have you noticed that it is easy to speak of God's faithfulness in times of prosperity, but that in times of suffering, such praise becomes lost? In Hide and Watch, a true tale of sorrow and distress, of hope and triumph, Jill Hicks Lawson shares how she was spiritually transformed by overcoming her doubt in God during times of struggle. From enduring her battle with weight, her mother's kidney disease; to experiencing debilitating infertility and painful divorce; and eventually to becoming her mother's only hope for life, Lawson's personal accounts speak to the universal human experience of suffering, both physical and emotional, providing firsthand proof that, regardless of circumstance, God is in the business of giving hope.

By recounting moments of pain and progress, Lawson demonstrates that anguish is the only pathway to experiencing the dramatic joy and peace that result from God's intervention and healing, assuring those amid the battle that, in the end, what does not kill your faith makes it stronger.

Why I Read this Book: I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review.

 

Review

Hide and Watch is Jill Hicks Lawson's testimony about how God has helped her through rough times.  Jill tells how she was able to deal with her mother's declining health and her own declining health due to stress eating.  Hide and Watch is not only a beautifully crafted story but it is also filled with wonderful advise on what to do when your life seems to be going down hill without any hope in sight.

I would recommend this book to anyone who feels like life is out of control and does not know what to do.  Honestly, I believe that we all feel like that sometimes.  At 61 pages, this is a quick and inspirational read!

 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 5/5

Book Review: Fourmile by Watt Key

Book Title: Fourmile

Author: Watt Key

Publish Date: September 18, 2012

Genre: Middle Grade/YA, Coming of Age

Plot (from Goodreads):  

Twelve-year-old Foster knows in his gut that Dax Ganey, the man dating his widowed mother, is a bad seed. Then a mysterious stranger arrives at their Alabama farm, a former Army Ranger in Iraq rambling across the country, and Foster believes he has found an ally against Dax. The stranger proves a fascinating mentor, full of wisdom and secrets. And Dax soon has reason to resent not just him and Foster but also Foster’s mother. A spurned Dax will be a dangerous enemy, but Foster is increasingly aware that the stranger is just as dangerous, if not more so.

From the author of one of the most highly acclaimed children's survival adventures of the last decade comes this tautly wound new novel reminiscent of classic westerns, about a boy caught in the middle of a clash that may turn out to be his own battle to fight.

Why I Read this Book: My library just got this book and I wanted to check it out.

 

Review

This is a wonderful coming of age novel about a boy dealing with the grief of his deceased father while also dealing with Dax, the wretched man whom his mother is dating.  Foster does not like the way that Dax treats his mother, but his mother is too frightened to get rid of him.  Everything changes when a mysterious man comes to town.

This book was an emotional roller coaster.  I was moved by the troubles that Foster was having in his life.  I was hoping that things would get better for Foster.  The writing style of Fourmile was amazing.  I was gripped by the story and I fell in love with the characters (all except Dax and his friends of course).  The story was realistic and believable.  I cannot wait to read more from Watt Key.
 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 13+ for some violence and foul language

Overall Rating: 5/5

Middle Grade Book Review: The Owner's Manual for Driving Your Adolescent Brain

Book Title: The Owner's Manual for Driving Your Adolescent Brain

Author: JoAnn Deak, Ph.D. and Terrence Deak, Ph.D.

Publish Date: November 25, 2013

Genre: Middle Grade Nonfiction

Plot (from Goodreads):  

Think you know everything about your brain? Think again! In this exciting follow-up to Your Fantastic Elastic Brain, you’ll get the goods on glia and the news about neurons, presented in a fun and engaging format. Hang on to your hemispheres, and prepare to have your mind boggled as you learn about the workings of the brain in its first decade.

Why I Read this Book: I received a copy of this book from the Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review.

 

Review

Full of information about your brain, this book is great for anyone who is eager to learn.  The authors use analogies that would be easily understood by middle grade children.  The information is accurate and interesting.  The illustrations are fun and informative!  Even as a college student who has taken classes in similar subjects, I learned a few new things.  I am so impressed by the quality of this book.

 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 10-15, some discussion of hormones related to puberty and how your brain grows during puberty

Overall Rating: 5/5

Children's Book Review Tuesdays: Picture Books Released Today

Book Title: Chukfi Rabbit's Big, Bad Bellyache

Story Teller:  Grey Rodgers

Illustrator: Leslie Widener

Publish Date: June 24, 2014

 Why I Read this Book: I received a free copy of this book for review purposes from Edelweiss.  This in no way influenced my review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review

As a story that was passed down from Choctaw Indians, this story makes a great children's book.  Full of rich images and a meaningful story, this is a great book for children of any age.  The moral of the story, lying never pays off, is great for little children and the beautifully illustrated pictures will keep children (and their parents) interested in this very relevant story.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 5/5

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Book Title: My Pet Rattlesnake

Author:  Joe Hayes

Illustrator: Antonio Castro L

Publish Date: June 24, 2014

 Why I Read this Book: I received a free copy of this book for review purposes from Edelweiss.  This in no way influenced my review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review

This is a cute little story but I think that it gives the wrong idea to children.  Some animals are just not meant to be pets as they can be very dangerous.  At the end of the book, the narrator says that he was lying the whole time and that he never had a pet rattlesnake.  I think this is also a bad lesson for kids to learn.  It is great for children to have a large imagination, but it is not good to teach them that lying is okay.  For these reasons, I have to lower my rating of the book. 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any

Overall Rating: 3.5/5

Children's Book Review Tuesdays: Two Picture Books

Book Title: Are You Sleeping Little One?

Author:  Hans-Christian Schmidt and Cynthia Vance

Publish Date: August 14, 2012

 Why I Read this Book: I received a free copy of this book for review purposes from NetGalley.  This in no way influenced my review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review

This is a cute book about animals and how they sleep.  This would be a great bedtime story.  It is both educational and fun!  It has great illustrations.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any Age

Overall Rating: 5/5


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Book Title: Monsters, Monsters Everywhere!

Author:  Shawn Shields

Publish Date: May 6, 2014

 Why I Read this Book: I received a free copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.  This in no way influenced my review.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Review

This is a cute book with gorgeous illustrations!  There is not much of a storyline or a theme, but it would be great for young children.  This book is optimized for iBooks and can be found here.  I do not own any Apple products other than an ancient iPod, so I was unable to enjoy the enhanced features, but the book alone was well worth it!  The book is currently free on iTunes.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any Age

Overall Rating: 4/5

Book Review: The Summer I Became a Nerd

Book Title: The Summer I Became a Nerd

Author: Leah Rae Miller

Publish Date: May 7, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Plot (from Goodreads):  

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.

Why I Read this Book: I read this book last summer.  I checked it out from my local library.

 

Review

I read this book last summer, so I do not really remember all of the details, but it has left a lasting impression on me.  I like reading some  clean contemporary novels, but a lot of them seem too girly for my tomboy self.  This book was perfect.  It was filled with all the typical YA contemporary romance, but it also has an extremely nerdy aspect that I could relate to.  In short, this was an amazing book. The characters are so well developed and it is not the typical cliche teenage love novel. I loved all the characters, especially Logan. I believe this is a good novel both for nerds and non-nerds alike.

 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any Age (clean from my memory)

Overall Rating: 5/5

Novella Mash-Up Reviews: Glitches, The Little Android, and The Queen's Army by Marissa Meyer (Lunar Chronicles 0.5, 0.6, and 1.5)

I recently read Cinder by Marissa Meyer (see my review here).  It was a wonderful read (4.5/5 stars, my review).  I saw on Goodreads that there are a few free e-novellas that are associated with the series and I decided to read them.  These are my reviews for 3 out of 4 of the currently published e-novellas.  I plan to read Scarlet during next weeks read-a-thon.

Book Title: Glitches

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publish Date: December 5, 2011

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Science Fiction

Series: The Lunar Chronicles (0.5)

Plot (from Goodreads):  

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. In Glitches, a short prequel story to Cinder, we see the results of that illness play out, and the emotional toll that takes on Cinder. Something that may, or may not, be a glitch...

 

Review

This is a good novella and a great addition to the series. It is good to learn more about Cinder's family.  I loved learning more about Cinder when she was young and about her early relationships with the family.  Although this talks about Cinder's childhood, I think that this book should be read after Cinder is read.

 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 13+ for some intense scenes

Overall Rating: 4/5

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Book Title: The Little Android

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publish Date: January 27, 2014

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Science Fiction

Series: The Lunar Chronicles (0.6)

Plot (from Goodreads):  

The Little Android is a retelling of The Little Mermaid, set in the world of The Lunar Chronicles by New York Times-bestselling author Marissa Meyer.

When android Mech6.0, saves the life of a handsome hardware engineer, her body is destroyed and her mechanics discover a glitch in her programing. Androids aren’t not meant to develop unpractical reasoning or near-emotional responses…let alone fall in love.

 

Review

I felt like this novella added the least amount to the series.  It did show the relationship between humans and cyborgs and androids.  It was nice to have more depth to how the humans felt about the androids and the cyborgs, but it did not add to the main storyline that is in Cinder.  This is a cute and very sad story.  I enjoyed reading it, but I wish that these characters were present in the main story.  In my opinion, this novella can be read before or after reading Cinder.

 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any age

Overall Rating: 3.5/5


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Book Title: The Queen's Army

Author: Marissa Meyer

Publish Date: November 23, 2012

Genre: Young Adult Dystopian Science Fiction

Series: The Lunar Chronicles (1.5)

Plot (from Goodreads):  

It is time. The boy must leave his family to serve in the Queen's army. To be chosen is an honor. To decline is impossible. The boy is modified. He is trained for several years, and learns to fight to the death. He proves to the Queen—and to himself—that he is capable of evil. He is just the kind of soldier the Queen wants: the alpha of his pack.

 

Review

Although this is a very short novella,  I really felt connected with the characters.  I felt like this novella really adds to the series.  I cannot wait to read more about Z and his brother.

My only complaint is that I really do not understand how the cover matches the series covers (Cinder, Scarlet, ect.).

 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: 13+ for some violence and intense action scenes

Overall Rating: 5/5

Gaither Homecoming Bible Review

Title: Gaither Homecoming Bible

General Editors: Bill and Gloria Gaither

Publish Date:October 9, 2012

Genre: Bible

Description (from Goodreads): 

The "Gaither Homecoming Bible" will make the Bible come alive for those seeking truth in the twenty-first century, even for those who think they already know it. For years, Bill and Gloria Gaither have reached millions of people across generations with the Good News of Jesus Christ.Their music of joy, thanksgiving, and praise ushers people into the presence of God so that He can do His wondrous work in their lives. Featuring inspirational and insightful Scripture devotions by the Gaithers and other favorite Homecoming artists; articles on beloved hymns, gospel songs, and Gaither classics and the inspiration behind them; original poetry by Gloria Gaither to enlighten and inspire; and quotes by greats of the faith, reflecting on the importance of music in the life of believers, this beautiful Bible featuring the New King James Version (NKJV) is one that readers will treasure for years to come.

Why I Read this Book: I received this Bible as a gift from my fiance.

 

Review 

My favorite part about this Bible are the quotes and songs throughout.  Song lyrics are presented from popular hymns and gospel songs along side the scripture that inspired them.  Quotes from famous Christians are presented next to verses that mean a lot to them.  This Bible makes me appreciate the hymns and gospel songs that are sung as I realize they come straight from scripture.  It is wonderful to discover how scripture has affected others and to see what God is telling other Christians.  I also love the NKJV translation.

The cover and images throughout the Bible are gorgeous.  The hardback cover preserves these wonderfully beautiful pages.  I would recommend this Bible to anyone who is looking for a beuatiful twist of a traditional version of the Bible.

 

Final Statements

Overall Rating: 5/5

Epic Recs Reviews (March and May)

I started Epic Recs in March, but I have not posted about my progress yet because of business on the part of me and my Epic Recs partner.  If you do not know what Epic Recs is, here is a blurb from one of the creators (Paper Riot):

Epic Recs started out as a feature in which Amber and I force each other to read books. Like an impromptu book club, consisting of just the two of us. Or a game of truth or dare without the truth. It’s awesome. Our friendship depends on these books, so there’s no pressure whatsoever. We both like to force people to read books, so it was an excellent excuse to test our book pushing. Because of enthusiastic and rather threatening comments, we decided to open it up for everyone to join. So do you like book pushing or do you just want a fun book club-ish feature to participate in? Hi!

What are the rules? 1) Find a friend you want to recommend books to (or two friends, or three friends, etc.) OR sign up here and we’ll assign you to a partner. 2) Link up your Epic Recs post at the beginning of each month (stating what you are planning to read, who Epic Rec’d it and what they are reading in return). You are welcome to request a new partner every month. But if you partnership doesn’t work out, you are responsible for telling your partner this. We are not a dating service that breaks up for you. It’s your party! You are welcome to participate every month or just once. It’s totally up to you. You are allowed to deny recs, as long as you and your partner are okay with it. This is totally up to you. Amber and I like forcing books on each other, so we don’t really deny them, but hey, whatever you want!

In March, I recommended Black by Ted Dekker for Brianna @ For the Love of Books and Brianna recommended Pivot Point by Kasie West to me.

Here is my review of Pivot Point:

Book Title: Pivot Point

Author: Kasie West

Publish Date: February 12, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal, Science Fiction

Series: Pivot Point (#1)

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

Review 

I am so glad that I read this book.  The writing style is amazing.  Each chapter alternates between if Addie chose to live with her mom or her dad.  This is so unique and so intense.  This seems as if it would be confusing, but the author wrote this incredibly well and it was not confusing at all. Not only is the point of view unique, but the story is so action packed and enjoyable.  The ending was not at all predictable which was incredibly gratifying. I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book in this series. 

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any Age

Overall Rating: 5/5

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In May, I recommended The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller and Brianna recommended Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach.

Here is my review of Jonathan Livingston Seagull:

Book Title: Jonathan Livingston Seagull

Author: Richard Bach

Publish Date: February 7, 2006 (First Published in 1970)

Synopsis (from Goodreads):  

This is a story for people who follow their hearts and make their own rules...people who get special pleasure out of doing something well, even if only for themselves...people who know there's more to this living than meets the eye: they'll be right there with Jonathan, flying higher and faster than ever they dreamed.

Review 

The messages of this story is great: you can do anything that you set your mind to and it is okay to be different.  The writing was very poetic and beautiful.  Overall, I enjoyed this book but it was a bit confusing.  I did like the illustrations, but I feel that they were repetitive and do not add to the book.  This book is short (93 pages including several full page illustrations), but it is definitely worth the time to read it.

Final Statements

Recommended Reading Age: Any Age

Overall Rating: 3.5/5


When Brianna posts her reviews of the books that I recommended to her, I will post them here.