The Ultimate Girls' Body Book - Dr. Walt Larimore and Dr. Amaryllis Sanchez Wohlever

Genre:  Children’s Books; Health;

Publisher:  Zonderkidz

Publication Date:  12/24/2013

Rating:   4.5 out of 5  Excellent  

PROS:  Super-fast and easy read; Question & answer style chapters; Religious based

CONS:  May not be age appropriate for daughter to read on her own.

Growing up can be hard for a child, not to mention how hard it is on their parents!  With maturity can come many questions, questions that may seem silly and embarrassing for girls to ask an adult about.  And just because parents are adults doesn’t mean that they have all the answers!  Wouldn’t it be great if there was a book that asked the questions your tween/teen were dying to ask?  And what if that book also gave the answers, backing them up with biblical principles? Well guess what…this is the book that does just that!

Wow, what an amazing book this is!  I have to admit…I am that shy/private/awkward/embarrassed parent that has been dreading having “the talk” with my twin 9 year old girls!   (I mean really…I can barely have a, ahem, “that type” of discussion with my husband.)  My girls and I discussed a few things this past year, just barely scratching the surface of what they were ready to hear.  At that point we had a book that was age appropriate that we were working our way through, talking about personal hygiene and other basic maturing topics.  I knew at some point over the next few years I would need to have a deeper and lengthier discussion with them, after all, as parents we want them to learn about such subject matter from us and what the Bible has to say about it.   I was thrilled when I got a chance to review this book…it could be the answer to all my future issues! J

The book starts out with a “Note to Parents”, followed by a “Note to Girls” by the authors.  They explain how there are several ways to read through this book, one of them being to read it together, mom and daughter.  After the “notes”, it then jumps in with both feet to “Question 1”, otherwise known as chapter 1.  I LOVE the layout of the chapters.  By asking the question first, this allows the mom (or daughter) to find the question they are looking for and wanting the answer to.  After the subheading is stated, the next few pages dive right in to the answer to the question, with either 1 or both of the authors giving their insight.  Scripture is quoted throughout, letting the reader know God’s words on the subject at hand.

It’s also very reader friendly…by setting the questions up first, the reader can pick and choose which ones to read based on the age and maturity of where their child is currently at.  Some subject matter is appropriate for early tween/tween girls, while others may not be suitable until they are older teens.  Which is where, in my opinion, the one downfall comes in to play.  I would not feel comfortable giving this book to my tween daughters to read on their own, risking the chance that they would read ahead into material they are not ready for.  Topics range from bras, boys, periods, pimples, sex, pornography, and more.

They end the back similar to how it started, with a letter to both the daughters and the parents.  Resource information is also given, pointing the reader in the direction they may need to go to get more help on certain questions.  This section is set up by question; so iof you would like more info on question 10 (Should I go on a diet), find that question with the web addresses listed and go from there.

Overall, I give this book 4.5 stars and am looking forward to sharing it with my daughters!  I would highly recommend it to other parents, even if you only need to brush up on a few topics yourself before giving the talk.  I think this book could be a great resource for an aunt or female friend to go through with a tween girl that may not have their mother available to them for whatever reason.

**I received this book in exchange for my honest review**

Praying the Attributes of God - Ann Spangler

Genre: Religion/Devotional

Publisher: Tyndale

Publication Date: October, 2013

Rating: 4.5 Out of 5 Excellent

PROS: Great biblical study, in depth for solo or group study

CONS: Only a 17 week study

Does God seem far away? Do you feel like there are aspects of Him you do not know? Praying the Attributes of God is a daily guide to help you in studying and praying according to His attributes. An attribute, as defined by dictionary.com, “is something attributed as belonging to a person, thing, group, etc.; a quality, character, characteristic, or property”. Some of God's attributes included in this book are that “God is Never Surprised: All Knowing, Omniscient”; “God Never Gives Up: Faithful””, and “God Has No Limits: Eternal, Self-Sufficient”.

Spangler divides the book up into 17 chapters, with a new attribute, or characteristic of God to study each week. Each week's readings contain 5 main elements: background information, Bible study, devotions, Bible promises, and prayer. Each chapter is then divided into 5 days. Monday, a key Scripture is revealed that is particular to that week's word; Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday are devotions that pray specific Scripture passages that are related to that attribute, and Fridays are a day of reflection. The end of the chapters always leave you with verses for continued Prayer and Praise.

This is a an excellent book to help you dig deeper in to God's Word, drawing nearer to him and getting a firmer grasp on who He is. The chapters are well developed, with each day giving you a full biblical study, leaving you feeling a sense of accomplishment when it is completed. This study could be completed solo or in a group, the chapters definitely lead to a time of discussion. Another nice thing about this book? It is one that could be completed time and time again. A fresh perspective is always developed depending on what season of life you are in.

If I had to pick a negative, it would be that it is only a 17 week study. It would be nice if it were a little longer, possibly even stretching it out over a year. I think it would be great to intertwine this study with reading through the Bible in a year. What a great companion this would be to your daily Bible reading! You may even want to do a chapter every other week, spending two weeks on each one of His attributes.

This book would be a great gift for those graduating high school or college, or even for those who have celebrated through water baptism! It's definitely a study worth passing on to others!

**I received this book in exchange for my honest opinion**

The Face of the Earth - Deborah Raney

Genre: Books; Contemporary Fiction

Publisher: Howard

Publication Date: 5/14/2013

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Excellent

PROS: Though provoking topic; discussable moral dilemmas

CONS: Sensitive subject

Imagine waiting for your spouse to arrive home from a conference in a different city. Time slowly ticks by while you continue watching the clock expecting her to pull in the driveway at any minute. After all, her message said she would be home in time for supper. Soon hours have passed, and your anxiety and worry are slowly starting to change over to anger. Your emotions are all over the place, continually flipping back and forth, not sure how exactly you should be feeling. For Mitchell Brannon, this is not a dream, it's his reality.

Long after midnight, Jill still not home, Mitch quickly decides that something must have gone wrong on her drive home and decides to call the police. The police are full of questions, with not a lot of information to go on. After waiting for them to bring his wife home, Mitch soon decides to try solving the case with the help of his next door neighbor, Shelley (who happens to be Jill's best friend). The police appear to have come to a standstill, and Mitch decides doing something is better than doing nothing. How could he ever look his two college age children in the eyes if he just sat at home waiting for their mom to return?

Through many twist and turns, Mitch soon realizes that Jill had several things she was hiding from him in their marriage. Yes, they had a strong and stable relationship, but there were some things he didn't know about her, some things she felt she couldn't share with him. Does one ever truly know another human being as well as they think they do?

Wow...what a thought provoking novel this turned out to be! This would make an excellent book club study; there were many times throughout I wish I would have been able to discuss it with others! Rarely during this time of year does a book keep me on the edge of my seat. I found myself getting so wrapped up in the storyline, I sometimes forgot it was a fictional case I was reading! The rare occasion I put the book down, I was quickly drawn back to see if any progress had been made on Jill's case. Had they found her yet? Did Mitch tell the kids their mom was missing? And just what exactly was Shelley's relationship with Mitch?

On the technical side of things, Raney did an excellent job in building character relationships and painting real life vivid scenarios of what could happen in these type of situations. The downside? As previously mentioned, the story seems all too real which brought back emotions for me from when a school age friend went missing in high school. It is obvious to this reviewer the in depth research and time that went in to writing this novel.

There was one area that was a little unrealistic to me, and that was the relationship between Jill and Shelley. A tad of a spoiler alert (but not a major one)...Jill was aware of Shelley's feelings for Mitch before she went missing. I'm not sure I could remain such close friends with someone, let alone my neighbor, knowing they “had a crush” on my husband. I'm sure there are situations where that happens, and people are trusting enough and secure enough in their marriage to be comfortable around the friend with the crush, it's just not something that is common in my circle of friends!

Overall, this was such a great novel that I cannot wait to pass it off to my friends and to get it on the shelves in the library where I work! Yet again, be prepared for your housework to be put on the back burner, you'll want to read your way straight through this book!

**I received this book in exchange for my honest review**

The Chance - Karen Kingsbury

Genre: Christian Fiction

Publisher: Howard Books

Publication Date: March 5, 2013

Rating: 4.5 Out of 5 Excellent

PROS: Fast read; Sweet Love Story; Typical of Author's Writing

CONS: Ends too soon, hopefully a sequel to follow!

Ellie Tucker grows up thinking she has it all...a loving family, great friends at school, and a best friend she loves to spend her days with. Nolan and Ellie have been best friends since 2^nd grade, inseparable from the beginning. After watching Nolan shoot hoops on the court, Ellie loves meeting him at the park, spending hours talking and sharing their lives.

Until one afternoon when her perfect world comes to an end. Through tough family circumstances, Ellie and Nolan become separated at the age of 15, with the promise to meet each other in the park 11 years from the day Ellie moves away. Time has a way of changing things, and Ellie wonders if they will ever find their way back to each other?!

Karen Kingsbury, is hands down, an outstanding author with many bestselling titles on her resume. In The Chance, she shoots and slam dunks another winning novel! Such a sweet love story, it brings back memories of one's youth, full of carefree days and first loves.

Character development is excellent throughout the story, with quick glimpses into their lives in the beginning, followed by in depth studies by the end. We learn to hope and dream with Ellie and Nolan, cheer and cry, all while sharing their innermost thoughts with them. Not only do we see how their lives have changed over the years, we also see how the lives of their families have evolved over time as well.

Another great aspect of a Kingsbury novel is the tempo of the story. Not one to drag out a scene, each carefully written page is paced to lead to the next development around the corner. With that being said, I may have been known to quickly skim through a paragraph or two to see what would happen next! I was definitely sitting on the edge of my couch, quickly turning page after page, anticipating their next move. The Chance is, for sure, a “sit and read without any interruptions” type of story!

Not only does the reader become involved in this sweet love story, but also into the sometimes messy life of being part of a family. The answer to the many issues the Tucker family faces always comes back to their Faith. The scripture that is placed throughout the novel not only speaks to the characters and their situations, but can also be an uplifting word of healing to the reader themselves. No matter what one is faced with, God will always remain the constant in your life!

I cannot say enough positive things about The Chance! There was even a couple that showed up in the story from Kingsbury's previous novel, The Bridge! It's always good to catch up with previous friends! You can be sure that this reviewer will be reading her next release in October, entitled Fifteen Minutes!

** I was given this book by the publisher in exchange for my honest review. **

What A Pair! - Wanda Brunstetter

About the book...

Double Trouble --It's Just the Beginning!

Twins Mattie and Mark Miller are as different as night and day.  Mattie is ticklish; Mark isn't.  Mattie loves dogs; Mark loves cats.  Mattie is serious; Mark is a practical joker.  (And that isn't even the half of it!)  It seems there isn't anything these energetic nine-year-olds can agree on.

When their disagreements begin to cause big trouble in their Holmes County,k Ohio, Amish community, will Mattie and Mark call a truce before it's too late?

My thoughts...

As a mother of twins, I was really looking forward to reading this book.  Our identical girls are eight-year-olds, and are in to everything!  You name it, they've probably tried it!  Thankfully, their voices sound different, which helps in differentiating between the two of them!

I have always been a fan of Brunstetter's, although this is my first time reading and reviewing one of her children's books.  I have to say...I was not disappointed!

Between the antics of Mark and Matttie, and the dutch words sprinkled throughout the story, kids are bound to be entertained and educated by reading this!  I loved the dictionary page at the front of the book, allowing kids to see the meaning of the Pennsylvania Dutch words they would be reading.  But I really liked how Brunstetter worked the translations into the sentences while reading the story, allowing children (or parents) to understand the meanings, without having to flip to the front of the book to see what a word means.

I also loved the introduction in to the Amish way of life.  As a fan of the Christian Fiction/Amish genre, I loved how children are able to learn of the Amish faith and their everyday activities.  Even though we live in an Amish populated community, reading of the twins antics and how their community reacts to them is educating, in a subtle way.  It's a great starting point for children to learn about others and how they may differ from them!
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If your looking for a fun adventurous read for your child, make sure you check out this book!  I give this book 4.5 stars!

**I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.**