The Fir Tree by Hans Christian Andersen (Review)

While not your run-of-the-mill, cheery Christmas tale, The Fir Tree, written in 1845 by Hans Christian Andersen, will (hopefully) make the reader stop, think, and enjoy the life they have, not the life they dreamed of. This edition, illustrated by Sanna Annukka, is absolutely exquisite! I love the vintage look and feel of the cover, and the illustrations are rich and beautiful. This is a book that I don't want to hide away on a shelf! I look forward to reading it to my children during this holiday season. 

One of the amazing illustrations.

Back cover.

From the Book Description:

Gorgeously packaged with intricate illustrations from Finnish illustrator, Sanna Annukka, this new edition of Hans Christian Andersen's well-loved fairy tale, The Fir Tree, is the perfect holiday gift for adults and children alike.

Hans Christian Andersen's tragic tale of naive greed and dissatisfaction is retold through the striking and contemporary illustrations of Finnish illustrator Sanna Annukka. Cloth-bound in rich forest green, with gold foil embellishments, The Fir Tree is elevated from a children's book to a unique work of art and makes an ideal gift for people of all ages.

I received a copy of this book from Blogging for Books in exchange for my honest review.

Amy Grant ~ Tennessee Christmas (CD Review and Giveaway)

I jumped at the chance to review this CD! I adore Christmas music and always enjoy finding new favorites! Honestly, I'm not a fan of country music, so I wasn't sure if this certain CD would become a favorite or not. So far a few of the songs, including "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm", "Christmas Don't Be Late" and "White Christmas" are promising, but others are easily skipped. I prefer Christmas songs to be, well, Christmas-y, and some of these weren't. But that's just me! I'm sure others would think differently. "Tennessee Christmas", even though it's country, is one I've always loved. (Amy Grant's voice hasn't changed a bit!) The insert includes song lyrics and photos of Amy and her family. 

Songs on this album:

  1. Tennessee Christmas

  2. To Be Together

  3. Christmas For You and Me

  4. Melancholy Christmas

  5. December

  6. White Christmas

  7. Joy to the World

  8. I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm

  9. Baby It's Cold Outside

10. Christmas Don't Be Late

11. Still Can't Sleep

12. Another Merry Christmas

13. O Come, All Ye Faithful

You can listen to a sample here, and purchase Tennessee Christmas here.

You can win one a copy of Tennessee Christmas for yourself! To enter, simply comment below with the name of your favorite Christmas song. That's it! The giveaway will end Tuesday, Dec. 6th, at 9:00 pm. Good luck!

The giveaway has ended. Congratulations to Vonnie Warden! 

“Disclosure (in accordance with the FTC’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”):  Many thanks to Propeller Consulting, LLC for providing this prize for the giveaway.  Choice of winners and opinions are 100% my own and NOT influenced by monetary compensation.  I did receive a sample of the product in exchange for this review and post.

Only one entrant per mailing address, per giveaway.  If you have won a prize from our sponsor Propeller /FlyBy Promotions in the last 30 days, you are not eligible to win.  Or if you have won the same prize on another blog, you are not eligible to win it again.  Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

Today's Moment of Truth by Lee Strobel

If ever there was a time when Christians need to have answers to hard-hitting questions about faith, it's now. Lee Strobel, a former atheist, has a unique perspective and the ability to tackle those questions from both sides and offer clear, intelligent answers. I have been blessed and strengthened other books that he has written, and the same is true with this book, Today's Moment of Truth. I love that this book is in a daily devotional format, with easy to read and perfectly-sized portions of questions and answers, along with corresponding verses, to chew on throughout my day. Strobel's theology is sound, and his apologetics ministry is helping to fill in a huge gap in our Christian community. I highly recommend his books, and especially this one! (It's also a great introduction into his writings if you haven't read any before.)

From the back of the book:

Why do you believe what you believe? How can you know your faith is credible?

Many Christians today struggle to answer these questions. Though you may know what you believe, the why and how behind the thought can be complex, confusing, and even mysterious.

In Today’s Moment of Truth, bestselling author Lee Strobel articulates in 180 easy-to-read devotions the reasons why Christians believe what they believe. Combining his expertise in apologetics with his journalistic approach to parsing out the details, this devotionalwill leave you deeply encouraged and well-informed. Topics range from scientific discoveries to theological explanations, and each devotion is followed by a brief reflection and prayer for meditation.

The time has come to walk confidently in your faith. Today’s Moment of Truth will be an invaluable tool as you grow in your understanding of and faith in Christ.

5 out of 5 starts

I received my copy of this book for free in exchange for my honest review from BookLook Bloggers. 

31 Verses to Write on Your Heart by Liz Curtis Higgs

I need help with Bible memorization (I can barely remember my own name) and I enjoy trying out a new devotional book. This one fits the bill! 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart includes short, daily readings that help explain selected verses from Scripture as well as a place to write out the verse from your favorite version of the Bible, and helpful memorization tips. For a busy mom who doesn't have a lot of quiet time, this is perfect! 

From the book description:
Here are the words of hope you’re looking for when your faith needs a boost or a friend needs encouragement. Chosen by more than a thousand women as their favorite verses in the Bible, each one is worth learning, worth sharing, worth remembering,

You’ll find verses you already know and love: “I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). Others may be less familiar but are no less powerful: “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe” (Proverbs 29:25). All of them capture the truth of God’s goodness, mercy, and love for His own.

Best-selling author Liz Curtis Higgs invites you to experience—

A deeper, richer understanding of thirty-one treasured verses. 
A fresh look at how these timeless truths can impact your life. 
A new passion for memorizing Scripture, verse by verse. 
Thirty-one creative ways to keep them in your heart forever. 

With a study guide included, 31 Verses to Write on Your Heart is a daily devotional and a small-group Bible study, wrapped in a lovely gift book overflowing with joy!


4 out of 5 stars

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

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.