It Couldn't Just Happen by Lawrence Richards

From the publisher:

Kids are daily exposed to the theory of evolution by the media and public schools. It’s not safe to assume that your kids will reject that theory. It’s up to us as parents and Christian leaders to make sure our children know the truth about the creation of the world. With thousands of evidences to prove He created and sustains the universe, It Couldn’t Just Happen will fascinate kids with fun activities and examples of God’s marvelous works.

I was really excited when I saw this book on Booksneeze.com because as a teacher I want books that will help me teach about Evolution and Creation. This book is full of color photographs that will catch the eye of kids. This book is not for younger children to read on their own, but it can easily be read to them and discussed. It is a great resource for parents, teachers, etc who want a solid resource to begin talking to kids about Creation and Evolution. Older kids could read this on their own and even adults would find this book interesting and engaging. The book doesn’t assume you know all the scientific words and evidence and does a good job of explaining different terms and ideas.

Also, I loved that the last section was on the validity of the Bible.

I would highly recommend this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

A Place Called Blessing by John Trent, PhD

From the publisher, “Five-year-old Josh and his two older brothers lose their parents in a drunk-driving accident. A series of foster homes and a shocking tragedy eventually separate them, leaving Josh alone, angry, and distrustful of most everyone. At age eighteen, Josh strikes out on his own to find work. With only a high school education and few life skills, he is one step away from homelessness when Providence brings him to a place where he finds much more than physical shelter. For the first time in his life, Josh receives unconditional love and something every human being craves, the gift of ‘the blessing.’”

It is a simple book. Not in a bad way, but it was simple to read and easy on the heart. At the end it talks about the message they were weaving into the book and I could see it looking back. I’m not sure that I could say that I would have pulled all those exact things from the book but I thought it was a very unique way to introduce or review the ideas.

I would recommend this book to other people because it was a simple book with a good message.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Waiting Place by Eileen Button

From the publisher, “A collection of essays describing the beauty and humor that can be found in what often feels like a most useless state—The Waiting Place.
We all spend precious time just waiting. We wait in traffic, grocery store lines, and carpool circles. We wait to grow up, for true love, and for our children to be born. We even wait to die. But amazing things can happen if we open our eyes in The Waiting Place and peer into its dusty corners. Sometimes relationships are built, faith is discovered, dreams are (slowly) realized, and our hearts are expanded.”

This book was amazing. It was beautifully written and poignant. Each chapter could stand on it’s own but yet they all weave together. I savored each chapter and was blessed. I have been in “the waiting place” recently and reading this book was as a balm for my soul. I felt as if I could begin to see what beauty could be found in the waiting places I’ve been.

I plan to buy this book for some of my friends and family. I am so glad that I got to review this book. I cannot say enough good things about it. Read it. You won’t regret it.




Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

A Reluctant Queen by Joan Wolf

From the publisher: “See the story of Esther in an entirely new way—with all the political intrigue and tension you remember, but told as a passionate and tender love story between a young man and woman. Misunderstood by many, King [Ahasuerus] was a powerful but lonely man. Esther’s beauty caught the eye of the young king, but it was her spirit that captured his heart.”

Historical fiction is one of my favorite genres to read and I really enjoyed “A Reluctant Queen” by Joan Wolf. The book kept me engaged throughout the story. Esther is a well-loved Bible story and well known, Joan Wolf did a good job of highlighting things in a new way that kept me interested until the very end. I enjoy thinking of Esther as a love story, even though it probably wasn’t like that in real life. I thought the love story was well done and tactful for the situation Esther was in.

I was surprised with Haman and Mordecci’s characters. I don’t want to give away any spoilers but I thought it was interesting how Joan Wolf decided to depict them and flesh out the Biblical account.

Persia and the surrounding countryside were beautiful developed and I enjoyed having some of the descriptions to certain articles of furniture, clothing, or customs that would have been there during that time.






Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.

Beyond Talent

From the publisher: People everywhere are proving him right. Read the headlines, watch the highlights, or just step out your front door: Some talented people reach their full potential, while others self-destruct or remain trapped in mediocrity. What makes the difference? Maxwell, the go-to guru for business professionals across the globe, insists that the choices people make--not merely the skills they inherit--propel them to greatness.

I had heard of John C. Maxwell from my mentor in high school but had never actually picked up on of his books. This book was great. Each chapter held your attention, allowing the reader to be engaged and hopeful for what they could potentially do with their talent. What I really appreciated about the book was that at the end of each chapter he had a very practical application to get the reader on task to what the chapter had been talking about. The “application exercises” is what I feel really made this book great. Theory and ideas by authors are great to read but when an author makes it very practical that is when a book becomes great.

I would recommend this book to anyone—especially if you have a dream that you want to become a reality.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com 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.”

Please Stop Laughing at Me...

From the publisher: This powerful, unforgettable memoir chronicles how one child was shunned--and even physically abused--by her classmates from elementary school through high school. It is an unflinching look at what it means to be the outcast, how even the most loving parents can get it all wrong, why schools are often unable to prevent disaster, and how bullying has been misunderstood and mishandled by the mental health community.

Please Stop Laughing at Me definitely kept the reader’s attention. I wanted to see if her next school, or new situation would help change the horrible cycle Jodee found herself in. As a teacher the book challenged me to continue to take seriously what my students say and to be ever aware of bullying. Something I struggled with in the book was how it seemed impossible to stop the cycle of abuse that she was in because it came from her having morals and standing up for what was right. Her mature stance was what most parents would want from a child, especially going through all the temptations of high school. Yet, as the book progressed it seemed that the “normal” things that “everyone was doing” was what Jodee craved. As a Christian it was hard for me to read about her excitement over a boy’s sexual interest to her as a positive thing. The book makes you want Jodee to fit in and be normal that when things are progressing with her boyfriend in ways that aren’t appropriate, as the reader you almost are happy with her. I struggled with that.

It was still an interesting story that should make teachers, physicians, and parents really take a look at what is going on in students’ lives and evaluate how they are responding.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com 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 Fight of Our Lives

The Fight of Our Lives is a call to stop being “politically correct” and instead call things by what they need to be called so that America does not destroy the values that it was built upon and has fought for. William J. Bennett and Seth Leibsohn discuss what happened after September 11 and how since then America has become weakened by our fear of speaking the truth and acting on that truth. Through the course of the book the authors boldly call out radical Islam for the things that have happened that our government is afraid to label. However, they do not label any situation without reasonable and reliable resources.


A major focal point was that President Obama has tried to have open communications to stop terrorism and the like from happening but instead more terrorist attacks have happened since he has tried his foreign policy. America is seen as weak by those countries who would destroy us and turning a blind eye to the real issues has only made things worse.


While I though Bennett and Leibsohn did a good job and laying out what had happened in the past and how America was going to disintegrate what ideals it has as a country, I did not feel that they gave us anything that we could do to change the problem. Yes, we can vocalize what we see as truth but when our government is headed in a direction that goes against standing up for the truth, it seems that voting is the only thing to do—and even then nothing is guaranteed.


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com 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.”