"The Radical Question/A Radical Idea" by David Platt

There isn’t much to say about these books. Having barely over 100 tiny pages, this two-in-one book is more of a sermonette of Platt’s other works than actual books. Think of it as cliff notes. The points are excellent yet simple, and Platt backs them up with Scripture and testimonies. The gist is simple: What is Jesus worth to you? What are you going to do about it?

Platt encourages readers to live outside the boundaries we so carefully construct for ourselves and live passionately for Christ. These two books serve as a good reminder for Christians to live out the Great Commission and to do so boldly.

I received this book for free from WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group for this review.

"Grace" by Max Lucado

I love Max Lucado. He is a master of teaching through stories. “Grace” is no different. Once again, Lucado does an excellent job taking Christian principles and making them simple but vivid. Max sums the heart of this book up well. “Grace is precious because he is. Grace changes lives because he does. Grace secures us because he will. The gift is the Giver. To discover grace is to discover God’s utter devotion to you…Does he stand high on a hill and bid you climb out of the valley? No. He bungees down and carries you out… This is the gift that God gives.”

If grace is an idea that is foreign to you or has become dull, pick up this book. Lucado paints Biblical stories in modern day creativity- making you think about the original story a little bit differently. I highly recommend this book, because grace is a concept we all need to deal with, whether we believe in God or not.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Webcast with Chris Kyle & Eric Blehm

Have you read American Sniper by Navy SEAL Chris Kyle? It's on my to-read list, because I've really wanted to read it. Well, if you're a fan, Chris and author of Fearless, Eric Blehm, are featuring a webcast on September 10at 3:30 ET- an appropriate time to air before September 11.

There's even an opportunity to submit questions.

Tune in here on Monday. Too bad I'll be at work. :(

Have you perused Publishers Weekly?

While looking for ways to obtain additional books this past week, I stumbled across "Publishers Weekly." If you're constantly looking for literary news check it out!

Let me know what gems you find!

-A'Grace

"A Path Toward Love" by Cara Lynn James

"A Path Toward Love" is a story about a young woman from a privileged background, Katherine Osbourne. Katherine suffered a bad marriage due to her juvenile choices and tries to put her life back together after her husband's death. Her two childhood best friends, Andrew and Randy, swoop in to try to help her find love again- each hoping it would be with himself. 

This book was a good story; however, I felt that the pace moved too quickly. Cara Lynn James did a good job providing an excellent plot, but the characters needed some work. The guys responded with too much emotion for my taste. 

Overall, it's a decent book, but lacking in development. 

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

An Early Preview of "Full Disclosure" by Dee Henderson

Dee Henderson is hands down my favorite author. I love the way she weaves suspense, characters you grow to love, a good love story & how individuals wrestle with God into each story she tells. That being said, I have missed Dee greatly the past five years and was honored to be granted an advanced copy of her long awaited release of "Full Disclosure."

I wasn't sure what to think as I started reading. It took me awhile to be ok with the pace and the way she weaves in former characters during the first several chapters. It had me worried that perhaps Dee had lost her touch, but that changed after the first six or seven chapters. The plot and characters all start to come together and end very well and in a surprising way. By the end of "Full Disclosure" I couldn't put it down and stayed up until 1 am to finish it.

I loved this book, because I feel that Dee has grown in her writing during her leave of absence. The return of former characters, who seem like old friends, was a strange but nice surprise. If you haven't read any of Dee's former books (which you should go ahead and start with "Danger in the Shadows" and the O'Malley series) you won't appreciate this story as much as her fans, but it is an excellent book worth reading regardless.

Welcome back, Dee. I'm anticipating your next books already!

Welcome!

Welcome to my reading nook. I'm a lifelong reader, and I hope to share that love with you. I've noticed that over the years I've blogged about a variety of books and have recently determined that my book reviews deserve their own home. For that reason you'll notice that some of my posts are from a couple years ago.

Please give me your input. Share your thoughts. Share your books. Let me hear your stories.

-A'Grace

Dee Henderson is Back!

Dee Henderson is back! After a five year absence, my favorite author is back to the grind. She is releasing a new book on October 2 called "Full Disclosure," and guess who has secured an advanced reader copy to review? Yours truly! Be waiting for the review. It's sure to come quickly.

In the meantime, check out the website for the book. I cannot wait!

"Grant: Savior of the Union" by Mitchell Yockelson

“Grant: Savior of the Union,” written by Mitchell Yockelson, is the latest installation in the Generals series. This book is a simple synopsis of Ulysses S. Grant’s life, with an emphasis on his military career. Yockelson attempts to provide readers who are unfamiliar with Ulysses S. Grant with a basic, unbiased introduction to his life.


I appreciated this book, because it was a biography that wasn’t overly eloquent, yet it didn’t read like a boring history book either. If you’re a Grant fan, this book probably isn’t for you since it covers the mere basics of the man; however, if you are looking to learn more about Grant’s influence particularly in the Civil War, this is the book for you.

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 Founders' Key" by Larry Arnn

Dr. Larry Arnn’s recent writing focuses on the symbiotic relationship between the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. “The Founders’ Key” aims to educate and refocus readers on little known or overlooked histories and points of the documents that make up America’s foundation.

What I enjoyed most about this book is the way it challenged my knowledge and view on America’s history. It’s a shame when a natural born citizen isn’t intimately familiar with such important documents. Arnn does an excellent job breaking down his arguments. He even goes so far as to provide text of the actual documents he references such as the Constitution and Declaration and even some of the Federalist papers. However, what I didn’t like about this book was he breaks down others’ views that we may or may not have heard of anyways. 

Overall, this is an excellent book that is a must read for any citizen. Even if you don’t agree with all the points made, it at least causes you to think more about where our nation came from and where it might be heading.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com <http://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 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

"The Book of Man" by William Bennett

Here it is! My first review! I picked an excellent book to start off my reviewing with. I've enjoyed it tremendously.

Title: “The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood”

Author: William Bennett

William Bennett’s “The Book of Man: Readings on the Path to Manhood” reminded me much of his “The Book of Virtues” which championed itself as a “treasury of great moral stories.” Now, fifteen years later, Bennett has done it again, except this time he is targeting men. “The Book of Man” is a compilation of essays, profiles, and poems on what a man of character should and does look like, hoping to set an example for the men of our culture when examples seem to be few and/or forgotten.

Even as a woman, I genuinely enjoyed “The Book of Man.” It is an excellent collection of stories both fictional and nonfictional to inspire both men and women alike towards uplifting character. It’s specifically a good reminder of the necessity of our men to fight for what is honorable as it pertains to six different areas of our lives: work, recreation, war, family, spirituality and country. The book is also put together well with gorgeous binding and a hard cover making it a treasury that could easily last several generations. This is a book I look forward to sharing and passing down in my family.

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.”

BookSneeze

As an avid reader, I have been given a great opportunity through BookSneeze to receive free books in exchange for honest reviews. I hope you enjoy the reviews that will occasionally be posted!

Interested? Check it out for yourself at BookSneeze.