You're Saying it Wrong (by Ross Petras and Kathryn Petras)

I've heard people (and I'm sure you have, too) use big words to sound smarter and be impressive, and I've cringed when they've mispronounce those words. Of course, I've mispronounced a lot of words myself! And so have you. ;) We all could use a little help in that area. 

Enter: You're Saying it Wrong: A Pronunciation Guide to the 150 Most Commonly Mispronounced Words--and Their Tangled Histories of Misuse. This little guide is seriously helpful! If you're thinking that it's another dry reference book, think again. Besides the "shibboleth" words and their history and usage guide, there are other helpful lists such as: "How to Sound Like You're From Across the Pond" and "How to Sound like a Patron of the Arts." So, plenty of great info with a wonderful smattering of humor. (Oh, and if you don't know what "shibboleth" means, get the book! ;) )

I love that this little volume looks and feels a bit antique. 5 starts for design and content! 

I received this book for free from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review. 

Me (A Compendium)

Me, a fill-in journal for kids, is one of the cutest books I've seen! The colors, the artwork, the clever ideas, it's all wonderfully done! My son is 8 years old and I thought it might be a bit young for him, but he loves it and probably would have filled it all out today if I'd let him.

The first thing that grabbed me was, of course, the jacket artwork. When I opened the book and read the inside flap, I saw more "genius": it tells the child to remove the jacket and fill in the cover on their own. Inside, the child is directed to fill in the pictures on each page, such as: where'd I'd love to visit, if I had a band it would be called____, my family, my favorite shoes, etc.

Me is the perfect way to spark a child's imagination and love for books, and I highly recommend it!

5 out of 5.

Find out more about the book, here.



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

Live on Forever (The Afters)

This giveaway is now closed. The winner is..... Charissa Rice! Congrats, Charissa! 

Christian Pop Rock isn't my favorite kind of music, but I did like some of the songs on this CD. My son loves it, and has been singing along with it, and dancing, which is adorable. 

What I liked:

1. Some of the lyrics are great. My favorite is "Battles", and I've included an excerpt at the end of this review. 
2. Some of the tunes were pretty catchy. 
3. Artwork is great!

What I didn't like:

1. Like so much of the music in this genre, a lot of the songs start to sound the same after awhile. 
2. I can't figure out why the song When You're With Me is on this album. As a love song, it seems out of place. 

Here's the thing: one of you will get a copy of the CD! If you'd like to enter the giveaway, just comment on this blog post or on the Facebook post and let me know. That's it! Giveaway ends Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 9pm, EST.

Find out more about the CD and the group on their website here. 

"Battles"

This current is trying to wreck me
Like castles of sand, castles of sand.
My fear, like an enemy army
Is marching again, but I'm making a stand.

You surround me on every side
Your love is my armor I fear no evil.
Darkness runs from your light
So I won't be afraid, I won't be afraid.

You're going before me
And oceans are parting
You're fighting my battles.
When my feet are failing
And my heart is shaking
You're fighting my battles.

Fighting my battles.
Fighting my battles.
Fighting my battles.

Time after time you're my refuge,
You heal every scar you're guarding my heart.
Your promise, the hope that I cling to,
My rescue, my friend you come rushing in.

And surround me on every side
Your love is my armor I fear no evil.
Darkness runs from your light
So I won't be afraid, I won't be afraid

You're going before me
And oceans are parting
You're fighting my battles.
When my feet are failing
And my heart is shaking
You're fighting my battles.

Fighting my battles.
Fighting my battles.
Fighting my battles.

Uninvited, by Lysa TerKeurst

If ever a book became available for review at a perfect time, this is it. Feelings of rejection have plagued me my entire life, and I've allowed it (and the fear of it) to taint every opportunity, relationship...everything. Lately it's been a huge battle for me, as I also battle depression and anxiety, and anything that might be seen as rejection is blown entirely out of proportion and crushes me.

This author clearly knows what it's like to deal with rejection. In Uninvited, she relates her own battle to fit in, find acceptance and fill the empty places in her life, and how she ultimately has found it all by "living loved". Mixed with both raw pain and humor, she leads the reader on a journey to discover this solution as well.

"Live from the abundant place that you are loved, and you won't find yourself begging others for scraps of love." p. 106, Uninvited

I definitely recommend this book. It's must read for those who have dealt with rejection in any form, or anyone going through a difficult time.

5 out of 5 stars.


Read more about the book here.
Read more about the author here.

Women in Science by Rachel Ignotofsky

To a lot of kids, science is booooooooring. It's something they do because they have to, and definitely not something that's enjoyable or inspiring. I hated science in school. I mean, some of it fascinated me, but it all seemed hard and undoable and nothing I ever really wanted to invest time in. Besides, girls weren't exactly encouraged to pursue anything related to science.

Fast-forward to now: I have a daughter who loves science. She really does! She'll be doing her science for the day and get excited about something she just read and start telling me about it. I'm thrilled that she loves it, and I want to encourage her, but I can't help it: the technical terms and facts make me glaze over. But I try. I really do! I want my other kids to love science, too. Science, after all, is a subject that causes an awareness of the awesomeness of God like no other!

For that reason, and because I'm a homeschool mom, nonfiction books, especially those that look interesting, grab my attention.

This book didn't disappoint! The cover art and colorful, quirky illustrations on every page made this book a joy to read. It's beautiful! The info presented is done so in a matter that holds interest. It doesn't drag. There is a timeline, list of lab tools, graphs, glossary of terms, and links to provide further info on the amazing women who "star" in this book and their work. I had never heard of most of the women, and I was absolutely amazed at what they accomplished, especially considering the hardships and discrimination they faced.

I highly recommend this book! It might just inspire your girl to get more interested in science!

5 out of 5 stars.

Read more about Women in Science, 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed the World" here.

The Long Journey to Jake Palmer by James L. Rubart

Some books merely entertain; some leave a deep impression. This is one of the latter. The Long Journey to Jake Palmer touched on some painful areas for me, but applied a balm afterward. This story is packed with feeling that goes right to the heart of the reader! Humor was present as well, and it wasn't cheesy or forced. There were suspenseful moments and surprising twists, and the characters were developed well. (Don't we all know a Camille!? Yeesh!) The story, while told rather slowly, wasn't dull. This is a book you can curl up and escape into. I look forward to reading other books by this author!

It's so easy to read others' labels while entirely missing what our own label says. It's easy to hide in our bottles and never be our true selves...never find the freedom that Christ offers. But it's time to change that. It's never too late.

4 out of 5 stars from me.

Read more about the book here. 
Read more about the author here. 

I received this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own. 

When Death Draws Near, by Carrie Stuart Parks

When I read the blurb about When Death Draws Near and saw that it was about "snake-handling churches", I was intrigued. I am scared to death of snakes, but I'm a little fascinated by them. I've wondered what those churches are really like, and what they teach. I'm also fascinated by forensics, so choosing this book to review was easy. 

I had never read anything by Carrie Stuart Parks, so I was anxious to see if her style was similar to Terri Blackstock's (my favorite suspense author). In a lot of ways, it was. Here are the things I enjoyed:

• The book was definitely a page-turner.
• There were few slow spots. 
• I was kept guessing about the culprit until the end of the book.
• Gwen has struggled with cancer, and I found out later that the author herself is a cancer survivor. This thread, though not a main theme in the book, was especially well written. 
• This is the third book in the Gwen Marcey series, but there were only a couple of times when I felt a little confused because I hadn't read the first two. It really wasn't a problem. 

The things I didn't like are these: 

• The humor seemed forced and out of place at times.
• I never fully "connected" with the main character. Gwenflip-flops all over the place. One minute, she's calm, cool, collected, and all business, suspecting a certain person of being the serial rapist, and the next, she's fawning and helpless, a damsel in distress, blushing every time he looks at her. Speaking of him, He goes from being incredibly rude to thoughtful and romantic...and back again. He is impossible to figure out. 
• During one tense, pivotal moment in the book, a character says something that is ridiculously out of place for what was happening. 
• At one point, the members of the church are introducing Gwen to everyone, and not long afterward, they're saying that they never use names because it's too dangerous. 

All in all, I enjoyed the book and will probably read more of this author's books. 

3 out of 5 stars. 

Book Description: 

Gwen Marcey takes death in stride. Until she’s faced with her own mortality.

Forensic artist Gwen Marcey is between jobs when she accepts temporary work in Pikeville, Kentucky—a small town facing big-city crime. But before Gwen can finish her first drawing of the serial rapist who is on the loose, the latest witness vanishes. Just like all the others.

Gwen suspects a connection between the rapist and the “accidental” deaths that are happening around town, but the local sheriff has little interest in her theories. When her digitally-obsessed teenage daughter joins her, Gwen turns her attention to a second assignment: going undercover in a serpent-handling church. She could get a handsome reward for uncovering illegal activity—a reward she desperately needs, as it seems her breast cancer has returned. But snakes aren’t the only ones ready to kill. Can Gwen uncover the truth—and convince anyone to believe her—before she becomes a victim herself?

In a thrilling race against time, When Death Draws Near plunges us into cold-case murders, shady politics, and a den of venomous suspects.

Read more info about the author here.

I received this this book from BookLook Bloggers in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.