Monday, May 30, 2011

Leaving

Leaving
By Karen Kingsbury

About the book:
The Bailey Flanigan Series begins with Leaving. Bailey leaves Bloomington, Indiana for the adventure of a lifetime. She has won an audition for the ensemble of a Broadway musical in New York City.




Bailey is determined to take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, but is she really ready to leave family and friends for the loneliness of the city? And what of Cody? His disappearance has her worried about their future and praying that their love can survive.


My Thoughts:
“Leaving” continues to follow the Baxter family and this time focuses on Bailey Flannigen as she tries to figure out what to do with her life. Does she take the opportunity to move to New York City and be on Broadway or stay in Bloomington, Indiana with her family?




“Leaving” illustrates how we may leave everything that is familiar to us but God will never leave us.



This book flows right along with all of Karen Kingsbury other books. It is very emotional and life is always challenging and changing these characters.



Come back Friday for an interview with Karen Kingsbury

*I received this book free for review from Zondervan Publishers*

Rating: 4 carats
Visit Karen's website Buy the book

Monday, May 23, 2011

Battlefield of the Mind

Battlefield of the Mind
By Joyce Meyer
About the book:
Worry, doubt, confusion, depression, anger and feelings of condemnation: all these are attacks on the mind. If readers suffer from negative thoughts, they can take heart! Joyce Meyer has helped millions win these all-important battles. In her most popular bestseller ever, the beloved author and minister shows readers how to change their lives by changing their minds.




She teaches how to deal with thousands of thoughts that people think every day and how to focus the mind the way God thinks. And she shares the trials, tragedies, and ultimate victories from her own marriage, family, and ministry that led her to wondrous, life-transforming truth--and reveals her thoughts and feelings every step of the way.

My Thoughts:

I was impressed with this book from the first page. Battlefield of the Mind is based in the fact that our actions are controlled by our thoughts and without even realizing it we are in battle for our thoughts with Satan.



This book starts out by explaining the most common ways we are deceived into poor thinking patterns and then goes onto giving us the ammunition we need to change our thought patterns.



There is so much information packed into each page of this book. It is very clearly written and Biblically based. It has the ability to be a wonderful Bible study tool

Favorite Quote:

“If you use wisdom, you will find God meeting your needs. Anyone operating in the mind of Christ will walk in wisdom- not emotions”


* I received this book free for review from Faith Words, a division of Hachette Book Group*
Rating:  5 carats
Visit Joyce Meyer's website Buy the book

Monday, May 16, 2011

An Object of Beauty

An Object of Beauty
By Steve Martin

About the book:
A captivating presence who naturally draws in everyone around her, Lacey Yeager appears on the New York art scene as a clever and funny young intern at Sotheby’s. With her charm, ambition, and questionable and sometimes illegal tactics, she climbs the cultural ladder, step by step, and moves from cataloging paintings to success in the labyrinthine and mysterious art world. Her knowledge of art and art collectors quickly grows, and the list of men she enchants and inevitably destroys grows right alongside it. Her rise to the highest tiers of the city’s social life parallel the soaring heights—and, at times, the dark lows—of the art world and the country from the early 1990s through today.

My Reveiew:
I thought this book would be funny. It wasn't. It wasn't anything I would expect from Steve Martin.


This is really a story of misplaced values and greed. Lacey Yegar is fresh out of college and begins to work in the art world. Lacey quickly learns how too much money can lead to lies and deception.

A person who loves art and art history will probably like this book the best because it is rich with art descriptions and history yet other than that the plot is weak. Lacey, although smart, seems rather cold and aimless. It felt like I was waiting for Lacey to have some sort of breakthrough but with all that happened around her, Lacey remained unchanged and dull.


*I received this audiobook free for review from Hachette Book Group
Rating: 3 carats
Visit Steve's website Buy the audiobook

Monday, May 9, 2011

Save the Date

Save the Date
BY Jenny B Jones
About the book:
Former NFL star Alex Sinclair is a man who has it all–except the votes he needs to win his bid for Congress.


Despite their mutual dislike, Alex makes Lucy a proposition: pose as his fiancee in return for the money she desperately needs.

Bound to a man who isn’t quite what he seems, Lucy will find her heart on the line–and maybe even her life.

When God asks Alex and Lucy to scrap their playbook and follow his rules, will they finally say, “I do”?

My Thoughts:

I liked this book as it was both sweet and funny. The characters were unique, and I was always surprised by what happened next. The characters were engaging and fun.



The main character, Lucy, is filled with spunk and passion. She loves her job at a girls homes and is willing to do almost anything to save it from closing down, even faking an engagement to Alex Sinclair, a former football player now running for congress in need of votes.



Lucy thinks she has Alex all figured out from the tabloid reports of him but quickly learns he's more complex than she ever imagined.



A great book to read anytime.



Favorite line:

"She didn't have a face that would sell the latest parisian perfume. Nor did she possess the confident air that ladies in his world wore like a necessary undergarment. But if he peeled back her hostility and the years of the bratty youth, Lucy Wiltshire was still a traffic stopper."



Rating: 4 carats

Visit Jenny B Jones's wesbite
Buy the book