Pursuing Peace

Pursuing Peace

A Christian Guide to Handling Our Conflicts

Robert D. Jones

Sadly Christians have conflict just as much as non-Christians. Jones takes the issues that we face and breaks down why and how we need to resolve our conflicts. He begins with examining our hearts and finding peace within. Then he breaks down the different types of conflict we will potentially face and gives Bible verses and practical advice on how to get through and overcome each obstacle in our lives.

The smooth writing style, plenty of Bible verses and practical advice are all good reasons to read this book. The book is detailed, but very simple to read. I didn't feel like I needed a degree in theology to wade through it. Since everyone has conflict, this book is for every Christian.

I received this book free of charge from Crossway in exchange for my honest review.

School Struggles

School Struggles

A Guide to Your Shut-Down Learner's Success

Richard Selznick

Learning issues in school are a frequent concern for parents, teachers, and students. The author of The Shut-Down Learner, takes the reader through the different issues that might be hindering your child scholastically. The section begins with an illustration on the issue at hand (ie: ADHD). There is take-away point that summarizes and then a "try this" section that gives practical advice on how to work with the particular issue.

I can definitely see this book being a huge help to a parent or teacher who has a child with one of these issues. Since the author tackles a wide range of issues that include social, organizational and reading this is a book that most parents will benefit from reading. The writing style makes this book easy to read and process, something that is greatly appreciated in an informative book of this nature.

I received this book free of charge from Direct Contact in exchange for my honest review.

Help Your Kids Get Better Grades

Help Your Kids Get Better Grade

Gary Howard

Most children do not have the time or inclination to read instructions on how to study better. But the author's style has made this book actually enjoyable to read. The simple writing style and clear instructions set this book apart from the typical self-help study books. A student of any age (starting about middle school) will greatly benefit from the concise and important lesson in this book. Forty-seven chapters outline every possible scenario for studying and learning. The print is large so that your eyes aren't strained. The strategies and skills in the book will prove invaluable if taken to heart. This is definitely a book I'll be keeping for my children to read when they reach middle school.

Be Still My Soul

Be Still My Soul

Joanne Bischof

Lonnie wants out of her abusive home so badly that she's counting the days until her eighteenth birthday. But she makes the mistake of kissing ladies' man Gideon and finds herself a bride. She's jumped from the frying pan into the fire and doesn't know what to do. Her faith is the only thing keeping her sane.

Set in the beautiful Appalachian mountains and fraught with trouble from the very beginning. This is a beautiful story by first time author Bischof. Her style of writing is very visual and helps the reader to picture where the story is taking place. The characters seemed real and true to life. My only complaint would be the loose ends in the story. There were quite a few illusions to more background on Lonnie in the story and after her marriage they were not mentioned again. I'm hoping that the next book clears those up. Despite this, I enjoyed the story. I'm looking forward to checking out her next novel in the Cadence of Grace Series.

I received this book free of charge from WaterBrook in exchange for my honest review.

When Hope Blossoms

When Hope Blossoms

Kim Sawyer

Amy moves her little family to Weaverly, KS hoping to get a fresh start after the death of her husband. She unknowingly moves next door to Tim, a man who has left the Mennonite faith. Their paths keep crossing and Amy keeps praying that God will soften Tim's heart.

Summer heat and a simpler lifestyle helped make this a very slow, meandering story for me. The information was there enticing me to care about the characters, but the shallow depth and lack of romantic plot had me completely indifferent to them and their outcome.  I am not sure if this is typical Amish/Mennonite romance or not, but I need a bit more depth and plot to enjoy a story.

I received this book free of charge from Bethany House in exchange for my honest review.

Allegiance

Allegiance is the sequel to Enemy in Blue, which I reviewed previously. 

The story begins with Cruz and his wife being tortured by an extremist group. The rest of the book is the story of how they "take down" the organization.

The first book was non-stop action. Allegiance seemed to have a bit more character development and details. In fact, I had to put the book down quite a few times and read something else before returning due to the dark and graphic nature of the story. It's a story about drugs, immigration issues and deceit. Quite a few of the incidences are unrealistic, but the issues that the story deals with are a very real issue in our country. It's a good book and definitely worth the read if you enjoy dark, detailed stories that tackle political and racial issues.

I received this book free of charge in exchange for my honest review.

The Marriage Bargain

The Marriage Bargain

Jennifer Probst

Alexa casts a love spell hoping to catch a rich single man who will not only marry her, but help her out of her financial problems. What she gets is a marriage bargain with a man who is the exact opposite of what she asked for.

The two main characters were fun. Their struggles at the beginning of their bargain are understandable, but also funny. I enjoyed the secondary characters just as much. They added depth to the story and made it even more enjoyable. It's a sweet, light story for all of the romantics out there. Also be sure to keep an eye out for the other two books in the trilogy.

I received this book free of charge from BWR Public Relations in exchange for my honest review.