Doodles In The Margin

Book Description

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes a new captivating novel of secrets, romance, and two women bound together across time by a shared dream.

Tenley Roth’s first book was a runaway bestseller. Now that her second book is due, she’s locked in fear. Can she repeat her earlier success or is she a fraud who has run out of inspiration?

With pressure mounting from her publisher, Tenley is weighted with writer’s block. But when her estranged mother calls asking Tenley to help her through chemotherapy, she packs up for Florida where she meets handsome furniture designer Jonas Sullivan and discovers the story her heart’s been missing.

A century earlier, another woman wrote at the same desk with hopes and fears of her own. Born during the Gilded Age, Birdie Shehorn is the daughter of the old money Knickerbockers. Under the strict control of her mother, her every move is decided ahead of time, even whom she’ll marry. But Birdie has dreams she doesn’t know how to realize. She wants to tell stories, write novels, make an impact on the world. When she discovers her mother has taken extreme measures to manipulate her future, she must choose between submission and security or forging a brand new way all on her own.

Tenley and Birdie are from two very different worlds, but fate has bound them together in a way time cannot erase.

My Review

I agreed to review The Writing Desk By Rachel Hauck through Booklookbloggers. I thought I clicked on book in print but I got the ebook instead. I like the font because it makes the book very easy to read. The author is an artist at blending characters through an inanimate object. I am not one for reading fiction book but this book is hard to put down. I recommend this book for anyone who wants to go on a historical ride through time.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Description

CONTEXT CHANGES EVERYTHING

You’ve heard many Bible stories hundreds of times, but how many behind-the-scenes details are you missing? Sometimes a little context is all you need to discover the rich meaning behind the stories of Scripture.

That’s what the NKJV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible provides. Every page is packed with expert insight into the customs, culture, and literature of Bible times. These fascinating explanations will serve to clarify your study of the Scriptures, reinforcing your confidence and bringing difficult passages of Scripture into sharp focus.

Discover new dimensions of insight to even the most familiar Bible passages as you take a behind-the-scenes tour into the ancient world.

The Bible was originally written to an ancient people removed from us by thousands of years and thousands of miles. The Scriptures include subtle culturally based nuances, undertones, and references to ancient events, literature and customs that were intuitively understood by those who first heard the Scriptures read. For us to hear the Scriptures as they did, we need a window into their world.

My Review

The NKJV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible is an impressive book for people who are interested with the cultural background of the Bible. The page quality and feel is soft and not too thin. This is a heavy book. I would not want to carry this book around but it is perfect for a study. The cross references are helpful but could be more extensive. The study notes are unique in that they focus on the culture pertaining to the people, the land, the literature and political nature of the specific culture in the Bible. The NKJV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible has several indexes including a nice concordance, a useful index to maps, and an index of articles.  The full color pictures and maps help connect to the archaeology of the time period. Each book has an introduction describing the uniqueness of each book like the authorship, date and purpose. There is a section between the Old and New Testaments entitled “The Time Between The Testaments” I recommend this Bible to anyone interested in biblical history and culture.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Description:

The God Who Saves. The God Who Provides. The Holy One. The names of God tell us who He is and how He loves us—explore the glory and the goodness of God in I Am Devotional.

Children will learn to trust God in everything as they learn about the names and character of God in the I Am Devotional. Through 100 devotions, children will see how God’s names reflect His love, strength, trustworthiness, etc., and what that means as they develop a strong faith.

Name of God: I AM

Meaning: God is to be worshipped

Application: Worship God by how you live!

Diane Stortz has a proven history of connecting well with both children and parents in her writing. With sales of 500,000 inspirational books for children, Diane is a trusted name for Christian families. The art of Diane Le Feyer has captivated readers of I Am and will continue to delight in this accompanying devotional with vibrant illustrations throughout and a vivid cover embellished with foil and lots of striking glitter.

The I Am Devotional is the perfect companion to I Am, the Bible storybook that first introduced children to the names and character of God.

My Review:

I Am Devotional 100 Devotions About the Names of God By Diane Stortz is a fantastic devotional. I usually don’t like devotionals but this one is eye catching and descriptive. My 12 year old took this book the second it came in the door. She absolutely loves this devotional. I love studying the attributes of God and even more so to share that with my daughter. The pictures are captivating and make the book flow well. I would suggest this book to anyone wanting to learn more about God or study the attributes of God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Description:

The God Who Saves. The God Who Provides. The Holy One. The names of God tell us who He is and how He loves us—explore the glory and the goodness of God in I Am Devotional.

Children will learn to trust God in everything as they learn about the names and character of God in the I Am Devotional. Through 100 devotions, children will see how God’s names reflect His love, strength, trustworthiness, etc., and what that means as they develop a strong faith.

Name of God: I AM

Meaning: God is to be worshipped

Application: Worship God by how you live!

Diane Stortz has a proven history of connecting well with both children and parents in her writing. With sales of 500,000 inspirational books for children, Diane is a trusted name for Christian families. The art of Diane Le Feyer has captivated readers of I Am and will continue to delight in this accompanying devotional with vibrant illustrations throughout and a vivid cover embellished with foil and lots of striking glitter.

The I Am Devotional is the perfect companion to I Am, the Bible storybook that first introduced children to the names and character of God.

My Review:

I Am Devotional 100 Devotions About the Names of God By Diane Stortz is a fantastic devotional. I usually don’t like devotionals but this one is eye catching and descriptive. My 12 year old took this book the second it came in the door. She absolutely loves this devotional. I love studying the attributes of God and even more so to share that with my daughter. The pictures are captivating and make the book flow well. I would suggest this book to anyone wanting to learn more about God or study the attributes of God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

From the Back Cover:

 

My Review:

Momentum: Pursuing God’s Blessings Through the Beatitudes by Colin S. Smith is the most in-depth book that I have read about the Beatitudes in quite a long time. The author draws the reader into eight chapters deeply defining the Beatitudes such as: I bring Nothing- The Enigma of Empty-Handedness, I Take Ownership- The Power of Spiritual Mourning and I long to be Righteous- The Energy of Renewed Affections. The author uses both scripture, personal experience and other writers to teach each topic. I greatly encourage any one wanting to learn more about Jesus’ teachings and God’s character to buy this book and learn from it as much as I did.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free in exchange for my honest review from the publisher through the Moody Blogger Review Program. http://www.mpnewsroom.com/content/blogger-review-program I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Book Description

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight. — Psalm 19:14

Do you long to deepen your intimacy with the Lord? To find a sense of soul-steadying peace? To develop emotional strength? Then you will need to pause long enough to be still and know He is God. Trusted Pastor Robert Morgan leads us through a journey into biblical meditation, which, he says, is thinking Scripture—not just reading Scripture or studying Scripture or even thinking about Scripture—but thinking Scripture, contemplating, visualizing, and personifying the precious truths God has given us.

The practice is as easy and portable as your brain, as available as your imagination, as near as your Bible, and the benefits are immediate. As you ponder, picture, and personalize God’s Word, you begin looking at life through His lens, viewing the world from His perspective. And as your thoughts become happier and holier and brighter, so do you.

My Review

Reclaiming the Lost Art of Biblical Meditation Find True Peace in Jesus By Robert Morgan is an encouraging book about biblical meditation. The book quality surprised me. The book is hardcover and the nice page quality reminds me of what I would expect in a gift book like for graduation or a present with some tea bags. There is a free downloadable study and audio meditation guides at Robert Morgan’s website. Towards the back of the book is place to journal. I highly recommend this book for anyone looking to study biblical meditation or has a friend that would appreciate this book as a gift.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Tranquility: A Prayer and Reflection Coloring Journal invites you to mix creative journaling and coloring into your personal time with God. Prayers that focus on topics such as being thankful, dealing with stress and heartache, caring for yourself and others, listening for God’s leading, and waiting patiently on Him will guide your thoughts and calm your spirit. Filled with more than 100 designs to color, plenty of space for journaling, and 40 needs-based prayers, Tranquility will help you express your devotion to God with your whole heart.

My Review:

I was excited to review Tranquility: A Prayer and Reflection Coloring Journal. I like the thick hard cover and page thickness as well as the prayers and writing prompts. The page thickness makes for very little bleed through. I do not like how there is so much space that is already colored. Half filled in pages makes it difficult to choose my own color scheme. I would rather the book be completely blank so the reader could color as they desire. with that being said I think it is a nice prayer and reflection book. I would recommend using fine tip coloring tools as some of the areas are small. My teenage daughter took this book and started reading and coloring right away.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network. http://www.tyndaleblognetwork.com/ I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

Book Description

From the moment a woman wakes until she falls, exhausted, on her pillow, one question plagues her at every turn:

Am I enough?

The pressure to do more, be more has never been more intense. Online marketing. Self-help books. Movies, magazines and gym memberships. Even church attendance and social media streams have become a means of comparing ourselves to impossible standards. Am I pretty enough? Hip enough? Spiritual enough?

We fear the answer is “No.”

When a brutal bout with cancer changed how she looked, talked, and lived, Michele Cushatt embarked on a soul-deep journey to rediscover herself. The typical self-esteem strategies and positivity plans weren’t enough. Instead, she needed a new foundation, one that wouldn’t prove flimsy when faced with the onslaught of day-to-day life.

With raw personal stories, rock-solid biblical teaching, and radical truths on which to rebuild your life, I Am will help you:

• End the barrage of negative self-talk with an empowering new narrative.

• Refuse to ride the rollercoaster of others’ opinions and start believing what God’s says about you.

• Stop agonizing over past regrets and failures and make peace with God’s sovereign plan for your life.

• Leave insecurity behind as you exchange temporary fixes for an identity established on God’s unchanging affection.

I Am reminds us that our value isn’t found in our talents, achievements, relationships, or appearance. It is instead found in a God who chose us, sent us, and promised to be with us—forever.

My Review

I Am By Michele Cushatt is a fantastic devotional that takes you on “A Journey to Knowing Who You Are Because of Who He Is” Author Michele Cushatt uses personal stories to relate the reader on how they are because of who God is. The book is separated into 6 parts: Creation, Exodus, Covenant, Presence, Rescue, and Revelation. Each section covers six sub topics such as I am loved, I am hungry, I am wanted, I am not alone, I am clean and I am satisfied. Each devotional has scripture, a personal story, a famous quote and something to leave the reader in thought of who they are in God.

I expected this book to be more of a study so I was a bit disappointed. But as a devotional, I Am By Michele Cushatt this book is a perfect fit. I suggest this book for anyone who is looking for a devotional based on personal stories to learn who they are in God.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

“The Bad Habits of Jesus” by Leonard Sweet. The title of this book may offend some people but that is just one of the habits of Jesus that this book covers. There are so many things that Jesus did that went against society  of 2000 years ago and still would go against society today. This book intrigued me and I had a hard time putting it down. I loved the feeling of the soft cover.

The 15 main habits that Leonard Sweet covers are: Jesus Spit, Jesus Proctastinated, Jesus Appeared Wasteful, Jesus Was Constantly Disappearing, Jesus Offended People, Especially in High Places, Jesus Told Stories That Didn’t Make Sense, Jesus Loved To Party, Jesus Could Be Dangerous, Jesus Hung Out With Bad People, Jesus Spent Too Much Time With Children, Jesus Either Talked Too Much Or Was Silent When He Should Have Talked, Jesus Broke The Rules, Jesus Enjoyed The Company Of Women (Not Just Men), Jesus Focused On The Little Things In Life, and Jesus Thought He Was God. Leonard Sweet goes into great detail explaining each of these habits. Leonard Sweet backs his points up with Scripture while relating the topics to both the culture of 200 years ago and today.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is wanting to learn more about the character of Jesus and how Christianity should look today.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the Tyndale Blog Network. http://www.tyndaleblognetwork.com/ I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

 

Book Description:

Baa! Oink! Moo! God Made the Animals, written by award-winning author Rhonda Gowler Greene and illustrated by David Walker, is set on a farm and follows a conversation between a mother and child as the child repeatedly asks “Mama, who made . . . ?”

In the end, children learn that God is responsible for creating sheep, cows, pigs, horses, goats––all the animals on the farm… including puppies! Together, parents and children will discover the wonder of God’s creation when they open Baa! Oink! Moo! God Made the Animals.

My Review:

Baa! Oink! Moo! God Made the Animals by Rhonda Gowler Green is a beautiful bedtime story for young children. My children liked the illustrations and making all the animal sounds. This board book is well made with thick pages and a padded cover perfect for little fingers. Its a great story for teaching animal sounds and children’s identity in God. I recommend this book to anyone who has the opportunity to read to children.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”